Airbnb Reviews 

Airbnb are absolutely useless when a problem occurs. I booked a holiday through them in Jan and paid the deposit, which shows on my bank account with an Airbnb ref. No . This month I tried to pay the balance but they would not take it as they say it was booked through another account. After two weeks of stupid AI emails I cancelled the holiday and now they refuse to refund my deposit as as they continually say I need the cancel through another account which account that doesn’t exsist. Be aware this company is dangerous.

I am writing this here as unfortunately airbnbs support has been awful. I had an issue with mynost recently stay where I was accused of leaving dog poo in the house (yet I dont have a dog) and using every item in the kitchen and leaving all dirty (i put everything in the dishwasher and as far as I am aware turned it on when I left... I have never used a dishwasher before so there is a high likelihood I accidentally didn't turn it on... but the kitchenware absolutely clean.) I reported the airbnb hosts review of me and highlighted these issues.... I was on the phone for a long time with a veryhelpfuk staff member. I also explained I have autism and due to owning 4 businesses, I chose to call to resolve the issue as i do not have much soare time and am seldom able to make a perosnal call during work hours (6am - 11pm) and so that all information was documented by airbnb (as stated on the phone qheb waiting to talk to a rep, all calls are recorded) so that they could go further with the dispute. Was then informed by airbnb a few days later that they didnt document anything I said... thats over 1 hour on the phone (on my only break during long shifts at work). They projected their mistake onto me an expected me to reporting them with all the information I had already discussed. Given all phobecalls are documented, I do not understand why airbnbexoected me to resolve their issue. If I call customerservice to resolve an issue, I expect at the very least to have my issue and concern documented. This did not happen! How can a company offer support at all if they literally don't document it and expect you to u do their mistake. As a business owner, this is AWFUL! Please reach out to me so that you can resolve the issue... I am maling5his public as I do not trust thay youguys will golopw up with integrity and given i already wasted one of my only breaks for go through in detail with your customer service rep, it is absolutely NOT my responsibility to adjust your error. Please know I shall makesure everyone who has used airbnb in the past with be aware of my issue going forwards and I eill do everything in can to discourage others from using your service. From business to business, please ammend such a bad business mistake. Regards

Airbnb is a scam organization – Do not use this service!
Airbnb is no longer a safe platform; it operates as an organization that defrauds tourists and enables dishonest hosts. We paid fully in advance, but upon arrival, the property was physically inaccessible and dangerous due to severe structural crowding. For our own safety, we had to abandon the place. Airbnb Support completely failed us, hid behind absurd technicalities, and allowed the host to pocket our money. They gladly take your cash but refuse any responsibility when your safety is compromised. Avoid Airbnb at all costs if you do not want to be cheated!

I am extremely disappointed with the way Airbnb has handled my case regarding a stolen bike at my property.

After a guest borrowed and failed to properly secure my bike resulting in it being stolen that day, I attempted to follow Airbnb's process for making a reimbursement claim. Over several weeks, I received conflicting advice from multiple Airbnb representatives. I was initially told that the existing case would need to be closed before a new claim could be submitted. After following this guidance, I then found myself unable to submit a new claim through the Resolution Centre.

Despite spending a considerable amount of time providing information, chasing updates, and following Airbnb's instructions, I was repeatedly passed between different teams with no clear resolution. Each contact seemed to provide different information, and I was often asked to repeat details that had already been supplied.

What has been most frustrating is not just the financial loss, but the lack of ownership and consistency in handling the complaint. As a host, I expected a much clearer and more reliable process when reporting a loss caused during a booking.

Unfortunately, this experience has significantly reduced my confidence in Airbnb's support and host protection processes. When things go wrong, hosts need clear guidance and effective support. Sadly, that has not been my experience.

My Experience with Airbnb – Poor Communication, Misleading Listing, and Lack of Customer Support

I recently booked what was advertised as a luxury, high-end holiday apartment in a premium high-rise development at Mercury Towers in Malta. The total cost of the stay was nearly €4,000.
Unfortunately, the reality was very different from what was advertised on the Airbnb platform.
The rooftop swimming pool, prominently feature in the listing photographs, was closed to residents and guests. The spa facilities located within the building were only accessible for a few hours each morning and closed by early afternoon. None of these restrictions were disclosed in the listing before booking.
In addition, the property was far noisier than expected. Directly below the apartment balcony was a nightclub operating until approximately 2:00 a.m. most nights, with loud music clearly audible inside the apartment. At the same time, there was major road construction taking place immediately outside the building, involving heavy machinery and concrete hammering from around 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on a near-daily basis.
This was particularly frustrating because before booking I specifically informed the host that I was travelling to Malta to study and prepare for examinations and was looking for a quiet place to stay. Despite this, the accommodation provided was entirely unsuitable for that purpose.
When I attempted to raise these issues with Airbnb, the customer service experience was extremely disappointing. For several days, I communicated through the platform's messaging system, repeatedly explaining the situation and providing evidence. However, conversations would frequently end without any clear resolution or follow-up. The responses appeared generic and repetitive, often consisting of statements such as "We understand how you feel," but without any meaningful action being taken.
It became increasingly difficult to determine whether I was communicating with a real person or an automated AI system. As a result, resolving a relatively straightforward complaint became unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming.
Eventually, after persistent efforts, I managed to speak with customer support by telephone. However, the call was routed to an outsourced call centre, and communication proved difficult due to language barriers.
The host was equally unhelpful and unwilling to address the issues. Only after approximately a week of repeated complaints, videos, evidence submissions, and constant follow-up did Airbnb apply enough pressure for the host to offer alternative accommodation.
Unfortunately, the replacement property was located on the opposite side of the island and was nowhere near equivalent to what I originally booked. It was not situated within a luxury high-rise development, had no swimming pool, no spa facilities, and the quality of the accommodation fell significantly below the standard of the original listing in an area which was predominantly populated with workers from 3rd countries and felt unsafe. The sthis area felt substantially less desirable than the location I had specifically selected and paid for.
Following the trip, I formally escalated the matter through Airbnb's official complaints process. I submitted detailed documentation, videos, photographs, and correspondence demonstrating the issues encountered. I also sent formal complaint letters directly to Airbnb Ireland UC in Dublin.
Despite these efforts, I received no resolution, no meaningful communication regarding my complaint, and no refund.
My experience left me with the impression that Airbnb's customer service infrastructure has become increasingly difficult to access and ineffective when serious issues arise. When guests spend thousands of euros on accommodation, they should be able to speak to empowered representatives capable of resolving problems rather than navigating automated systems, outsourced support channels, and lengthy delays.
Based on this experience, I would be extremely cautious about relying on Airbnb for premium or luxury accommodation bookings. When things go wrong, obtaining a fair and timely resolution is extremely difficult than expected.
It seems they made a €2 billion profit last year, yet instead of providing quality customer service, they have moved their call centres to third-world countries, where English proficiency is often poor, and have become overly reliant on AI to handle customer queries and resolve problems. I genuinely wish there were a serious competitor to Airbnb. Customers deserve better service, better communication, and real support when things go wrong.

Awful service!! Paid over £200 to stay at an annex and was made to pay £72 for one small stain on bedding as air bnb chose to favourite the host! Avoid money grabbing behaviour won’t be using air bnb again.

Good luck with hopeless customer service. My booking was cancelled by Airbnb with no explanation or apology. I contacted the host who was similarly frustrated. I went on Airbnb chat and in the middle of the conversation they disappeared. I phoned and had great difficulty understanding the person speaking. I got different explanations as to why Airbnb had cancelled and they refused to offer accommodation anywhere near to my original booking. A terrible organisation and will never use again.

Never use their services!
The worst experience I have had.
Their system is very slow, no last minute booking will help you get a confirmed booked.
These guys take the payment upfront before confirming the stay. The same happened to me. I am now struggling to get my refund back from these pathetic app!
Every time I call them, they will have one or the other reason to delay the refund! They promised about me receiving the refund in 12 hours, its more than 8 days now and there is no update on anything

I have never had such a dreadful after "care" experience than with Airbnb
A host for over 16 years & have been trying to get an issue resolved with them has been impossible. You can NEVER speak to a human being let alone anybody to take ownership of your issue. DONT GO NEAR THIS SHAM OF A COMPANY

Cancelled booking 2 weeks before our stay.
Booking another place was a night as there is a music event on which is why we booked early.
Seriously thinking of leaving this platform for booking . Com.
Found a property on Airbnb for 100 more than on booking.

host cancelled day of holiday, airbnb offered 20% off voucher

I was a Superhost for approximately 10 years and, during that time, witnessed what I believe to be a significant decline in the quality of Airbnb's service.

The quality of support declined significantly. Many experienced support staff appeared to disappear and were replaced by overseas call centres. Communication became difficult, and I frequently found that support agents did not properly understand the issues being raised.

One of my principal concerns involved party requests at my property. Despite Airbnb's Community Disturbance Policy, I found that Airbnb repeatedly supported guest requests that I considered inconsistent with my house rules and my clear wish not to host parties. Despite raising these concerns on numerous occasions, I felt my position as a host was largely ignored.

As a result, I attempted to use Airbnb's mediation process under Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 (the Platform-to-Business Regulation). In my case, Airbnb failed to engage with the process. I also sought assistance through the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), which contacted Airbnb, but no engagement followed.

I also submitted a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR). In my view, Airbnb failed to provide the information requested, and I subsequently referred the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Based on my experience, I would strongly encourage travellers to consider alternative accommodation platforms and, where possible, book directly with reputable accommodation providers. When making any booking, I recommend paying by credit card to benefit from the additional consumer protections that may be available.

For hosts, I would advise against becoming overly dependent on Airbnb as a major source of income. Diversifying across multiple platforms and maintaining direct booking channels can help reduce business risk. Never allow Airbnb to become the sole or primary source of your income, as platform decisions can have a significant impact on your business with little warning.

Many successful technology companies have enjoyed periods where they appeared to dominate their markets. MySpace once seemed unstoppable, yet history shows that no platform remains successful if it loses the trust and confidence of its users.

In my opinion, Airbnb should be careful not to take its hosts and customers for granted. My own experience over recent years has been deeply disappointing and has ultimately led me to leave the platform after nearly 17 years of hosting.

This review reflects my personal experience as a long-term host.

I purchased a £100 gift card as a Christmas gift for friends. The card was activated successfully and there were no issues at the time of purchase.
When we later attempted to use the card for a booking, we discovered that the balance had already been depleted. The code on the back had been covered by a glued plastic strip, suggesting that someone may have accessed and recorded the code before the gift card was sold and subsequently redeemed the funds.
After researching the issue, I learned that gift card fraud of this nature is not uncommon. What has been most disappointing, however, is Airbnb's handling of the situation. I have been in contact with customer support for over a month without any meaningful progress or resolution.
According to Airbnb, they can see when and by whom the gift card balance was redeemed, yet they have not provided a solution or reimbursement. When I requested escalation to a supervisor, I was told this would be arranged, but instead the chat and support ticket were closed.
As a customer, I find this response unacceptable. I paid £100 for a gift card that was effectively unusable, and despite providing details of the issue, I have received little assistance.

I’ve used Airbnb on many occasions, but the quality of customer service and the quality of the B&Bs have gone down dramatically. I had three cancellations from the owners because they said that the Airbnb was not given them enough RSVP. I was supposed to have a five bedroom Airbnb with a pool. They didn’t want to refund my money so they set me up with a four bedroom with a pool, my family was cramped inside it was the worst experience I have ever truly had. This is the third time that they’ve disappointed my family. The first B&B they gave me had no furniture in it no TVs it was just an empty house the other two occasions, the owners have canceled because they’re not getting enough attention from Airbnb. If you’re in Florida your best bet is to stick with the resort. Do not use them. They are not worth it. They’re not worth the time and money all for you to be disappointed as soon as you get close to your date, I’m telling my whole family never to utilize their services again.

Airbnb is the worst company I have ever dealt with. I have used the platform twice, and on both occasions I was scammed.

The first time was in Spain, where we were left without accommodation after the host took the payment and never showed up. The second time, in Prague, exactly the same thing happened.

When I contacted Airbnb support, I was initially told that they could not refund my money because the funds had already been released to the host. I find it unbelievable that the host can receive the money before the stay has even begun.

What made the experience even more frustrating was the way I was treated by customer support. After I mentioned that I was British and had full insurance coverage, the attitude suddenly changed. I was quickly escalated to a manager, and the refund was approved almost immediately.

While I eventually received my money back, nobody seemed concerned about the fact that I had been left without a place to stay. Based on my experience, I would never use Airbnb again and cannot recommend the platform to others.

If you haven’t stayed in AirBnb before and thinking of trying it, I would highly recommend you don’t, because:

- Pictures can be deceiving and property may not be as clean as it looks like. I stayed in multiple properties with really bad smell in the bathroom. I stayed in multiple properties ( in France) where sound insulation was non existent, and neighbors were having a party every night. I was provided smelly bed sheets and smelly towels. Or given hand towels and being told they are body towels ‘this is what we give’.

- Reviews cannot be trusted because people are scared/discouraged to leave an honest review. And their rules encourage that. It’s not unusual for the host to email you and tell that nothing less than 5* review would do.

- There are a lot of dishonest hosts who will know how to get more money from you / claim extra cleaning charges or accuse of breaking / stealing something. I was accused of breaking chair which was already broken and apparently stealing a chair cover which I don’t even remember seeing. The claim is still ongoing and I can see that host is very well prepared and knows what to say to get my money.

- You would need to take bins out and clean the dishes but there will be no cleaning products ( or one dishwasher tablet for the whole stay). In some cases would have to find a recycling bins few blocks away.

I also stayed in a country house once where grass was as tall as my toddler and my husband nearly died from hay fever. The property was full of dead flies and dust on the window sills. The bbq was corroded and outdoor seating all overgrown with weed. On top of all that owner’s dog ( from main house) kept coming to be entertained.

Once I booked the property where the flat was nice and fully refurbished, but communal stairs were borderline unusable ( creaky and broken in places). The communal area windows had broken glass.

I was temporarily an Airbnb host in London and find the whole thing not worth the hassle. After I paid the cleaner and laundry charges there was very little profit. If I raise a price, very little bookings. Most of guest were nice and I had no major issues. Except once one lady complained that there was no hot water ( she was just unable to turn it on), after that the Airbnb updated my property description ‘no hot water’ and I was not allowed to change it. That was the end of me hosting!

Raised a complaint with air BnB and they did absolutely nothing. The complaint was raised regarding a terrible stay we had, where the house was not ready at check in time with no key available and cleaners still in there, fire exits beyond blocked with laundry bags with a man coming and going without any prior notice and was filthy. I raised this with air BnB, Daniel, who said that no policies were violated and that if I cancel, I will be charged cancellation fees from the host, even though I’d told him the trip had already happened. I even sent photos with evidence. He obviously didn’t care and didn’t even investigate properly. I will never ever use air BnB again.

I have referred 6 host to Airbnb and I only got paid for 2. I know my host have used the referral link, because I am doing the listing with them and I am in control of using the link I emailed them. But every time they tell me that the link was not used. They lying and not keeping their commitment in paying the referral fees. I have spent hours talking with the managers ad they are condensending and rude.

I was a loyal Airbnb customer until this experience changed everything.
I arrived at my booked property in Shoreditch to find I couldn’t get inside. The host was completely unreachable — no response to messages or calls for over three hours. Airbnb’s own support team also failed to reach her. I was left standing alone on the street at night in London with all my luggage. Fortunately I work in the city and was able to call a colleague for help — but had I been a tourist unfamiliar with London, this could have been genuinely dangerous.
What made it worse was Airbnb’s response afterward. Despite being fully eligible for a refund under their own AirCover policy, their team spent days pressuring me to return to the same property where I had felt unsafe and stranded. After lengthy back and forth they still refused a full refund, leaving me to pay for a host’s negligence.
I never stayed a single night. I lost money, lost a day of work, and was made to feel like the problem was mine.
If you are a tourist or unfamiliar with the area you are visiting, please be very careful. When things go wrong, Airbnb’s support is not what they promise. I will not be using Airbnb again.

Airbnb allows a system where there is a lot of bias and unfairness in their review system towards Hosts. Guests can leave a bad review and there is no true assessment and judgement of the real situation.

I have been using them for 10 years and unfortunately their service has gotten worse over the years. I can see why they bave a lot of bad reviews.