The introduction of Airbnb disrupted and changed the hospitality industry in many positive ways. It started offering more authentic, convenient, and cheaper experiences for travelers and allowed homeowners to earn some extra income by renting out their unused space, from budget rooms or apartments to fancy villas. I’d say that’s a win-win for everyone.
However, as with most things in life, there are bound to be some disappointments or things that don’t particularly go to plan. From mushrooms growing in the bathroom door to extortionate cleaning fees and child-sized furniture, scroll down to find some of the strangest Airbnb conditions guests had to endure.
#1 I Feel Really Creeped Out, As I Didn’t Notice It Earlier
#2 From A French Airbnb Alternative
#3 This Hidden Camera Disguised As A Clock In My Airbnb
According to a 2021 study, a lot can go wrong when staying in an Airbnb. A data scientist, Asher Fergusson, collaborated with a few researchers to find out the problems that guests are most likely to face when staying at short-term rentals.
The project even received funding from ASIS International, and over 2 and a half years the team used machine learning and natural language processing techniques to analyze X (previously Twitter) posts associated with guest complaints.
#4 The Bathroom In Our Airbnb Was Rather Small
#5 Not Even Motel Is This Bad
#6 A Cleaning Fee Just As Much As The Room Cost?
“Our number one goal when starting out with this research was to find out what’s most likely to go wrong for Airbnb guests,” Fergusson said to Forbes Women.
In total, they analyzed over 127,183 posts published between January 1, 2015 and September 20, 2020 and broke them down into types. The results ranged from frustrating to dangerous.
#7 Over The Bathtub In My Airbnb
#8 I Found A Pair Of Handcuffs Attached To A Leg Of The Bed In My Airbnb In Tijuana
#9 This Bedroom On Airbnb In A Place Called “Stabbin Cabin”. Sounds About Right
“We found thousands of cases of account hacking with vacation dollars being stolen via fraudulent bookings as well as many other scams,” says Fergusson. “Then there were police interventions, bodily harm, threats, bug infestations, invasions of privacy via hidden cameras, long-term negative health impacts after the customer checked out of the Airbnb and so much more. Even in 2021, the amount of illegal, unsafe or fake listings on the platform is staggering—more than any of us probably realize.”
#10 Airbnb Hosts Are Likely Selling The Audio Of Your Private Life
#11 The Airbnb Has A Window From The Shower To The Living Room
#12 Found An Interesting Airbnb In Waterloo
The report revealed that the most common problems were linked to customer service (72.2%), which provided limited support during emergencies or was rude or even unreachable. Scams made up 22.3% of complaints, from fake listings to hacked accounts. 10.4% of guests were left unsatisfied because the host cancelled their stay. 6.1% experienced unsafe conditions ranging from pest infestations to hidden cameras. While 3.7% of complaints reported discrimination against race and sexuality.
#13 At My Airbnb There’s A Mushroom Growing Out Of The Bathroom Door
#14 Just Saw This On Airbnb. What £2100 Per Month Gets You In Central London
#15 Air Quality Tests From My Airbnb Where The Host Claimed Not To Smell Any Mold. Support Refused My Refund
Ferguson published the report, saying that it was important that Airbnb users know what awaits them when they’re using the platform. “Countless Airbnb guest complaints we reviewed on Twitter suggested that the company is very good at circumventing responsibility,” he says. “Their customer service will often go silent or cite some obscure, confusingly worded terms of service when guests rightfully request refunds for services not rendered. It’s important for users to understand renting an Airbnb is not the same as booking a hotel.”
#16 Got An Airbnb Just For The Tub
#17 They Said There Was A Sea View At Our Airbnb
#18 Airbnb Wasn’t What We Were Expecting
He believes that it’s easier to scam people with short-term rentals as they have little supervision as opposed to hotels. Reputable hospitality institutions are less likely to be massively deceiving people or constantly cancel reservations hours before guests have to arrive. Moreover, it’s rare to find a hotel that doesn’t have safety precautions like a smoke or carbon monoxide detector.
#19 While My Family With Young Kids Were Staying At This Airbnb, An Old Man Walked Into The Backyard And Started Draining The Pool
#20 The “Bathroom” In My Airbnb Will 100% Result In Encounters With The Host
#21 The Bathroom Door In My Airbnb Is Ineffective
In order to stay safe and protected, Ferguson recommends treating rental reviews as a mystery novel. This means reading between the lines what the previous guest has written, as most of them don’t express the negatives directly. In addition, he advises to never book a place with zero reviews. Instead, he says to aim for rentals with a 4.85-star review average or higher.
#22 Deadbolt, Mice, Leaking Ceiling, Roaches I Caught Everything On Camera. I’ve Messaged The Host But They’re Not Responding And Calling Support Is Worse Than Useless So Here We Are
#23 This Sink In Our Airbnb
#24 My Airbnb Estimate – No Wonder Bookings Are Down
It’s also important to look at the hosts’s overall reviews, not just the listing’s. Be sure to reach out to the host before the stay and document anything that goes wrong or seems suspicious with video evidence. This helps to get a refund with less hassle.
#25 Airbnb Host Tried To Charge Us For Changing Settings On A Thermostat
#26 When One Of The Troops Books An Airbnb Specifically For The Pool Table
#27 Disco Toilet In An Airbnb
#28 Better Hope You Don’t Stab Yourself In The Shower Of This Airbnb Rental
#29 I Booked An Airbnb A Year In Advance Of The Eclipse In April. The Host Yesterday Canceled Because They Realized They Could Make More Due To The Eclipse
#30 Airbnb Host Tried To Double The Price
#31 Airbnb With “Motion Detector” Ring Camera Above A Full Length Mirror. $500 For Tampering With Or Unplugging It. Good Thing I Have Post-It Notes
#32 The Host Said That This Airbnb Is “Full Of Traditional And Modern Artwork.” “Tastefully Decorated” And “Quirky Interesting Decor”
#33 When You Rent An Airbnb In The Philippines, You Get Free Protein Every Morning. Glue Trap After 24 Hours
#34 It Was Supposed To Be A Cozy Flat For A Couple And Now I Have To Stay Here For 3 Weeks Because No Other Option Is Available. All This Stuff Belongs To The Owner
#35 Airbnb Host Asks This After A $350 Cleaning Fee While Being Asked To Strip All Sheets, Take Out All Trash And Run Dishwasher
#36 The Airbnb I’m Renting
#37 My Airbnb Host Is Using T-Shirts As Pillowcases, And One Has A Body Odor Smell. I Guess I’ll Be Dreaming Of Sweaty Armpits Tonight
#38 From An Airbnb I Stayed At
#39 The Airbnb I’m Staying In Says It’s A Laundry Room, So I’ll Be Wearing Dirty Clothes All Week Because I For Sure Won’t Be Going There
#40 My Airbnb Assured Me They Have A “Very Safe” Baby Gate
#41 Mushrooms Growing In The Shower Of Our 5-Star-Rated Airbnb
#42 There’s A Mirror Screwed Into The Ceiling Above The Toilet In My Airbnb
#43 Dirty Floor At Airbnb “Is Typical And Not An Indicator Of Dirt”
I’m posting to get some reactions to an experience I had at an Airbnb rental. I rented a place for my father and me to stay while he recovered from surgery, and I expected a high level of hygiene accordingly to keep him safe. I ended up spending hours after checking in cleaning (after I took an Uber to get cleaning supplies). The company representative was trying to tell me that it’s normal for the Swiffer wipes to appear "to be removing dirt." I’m pretty baffled by their response, as I know that floor was filthy. But could there be an element of truth to what they’re saying? Do some types of flooring give off color like that?
#44 On The Wall Of A Friend’s Airbnb Rental
#45 Airbnb Description Said “Views Of The Main Church From The Bedroom Window.” Technically, It Was Not A Lie
#46 The Place I Found On Airbnb
#47 This Marbled Shower At An Airbnb I Stayed In. I Thought It Was Dirty And Tried To Scrub It Clean Until I Realized It Was “Supposed” To Look Like That
#48 This Bathroom Tile At My Airbnb
#49 Well, The Airbnb Looked Nice Online
#50 Looking For An Airbnb In London. Did Someone Really Just Put A Bed In Their Bathroom?
