Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
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.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Feel Really Creeped Out, As I Didn't Notice It Earlier
RELATED:
#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
#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
Lesley Relph 1 year ago
I'd be scared something would fall on top of me if I moved about too much - or got out of bed in the dark to go to the bathroom
“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
PFD 1 year ago
I bet this was described as a child's room and they just didn't care because it was cheaper. Those chairs are visibly tiny (if they were full-size chairs, the bed would be about 4 metres long) and the bed even has rails to stop a child rolling out of bed. And now to be funny a large man is breaking a bed meant only to hold the weight of a 5-year-old.
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
MZ (she/they/he) 1 year ago
From OP: More on this: So I am on a scholarship in Germany with my SO and we rented a single room with separate bathroom in a flat very close to my Institute. The description indicated that we can use the whole space, especially the kitchen and TV. So the room is, well, agreeable, not the cleanest but we can handle it - but the whole apartament is just a freaking joke. The owner is a stockbroker, seems a little bit off, he sleeps on a couch in the living room. He's German and he was trying to get me into a conversation about German invasion during II WW. We wanted to get a refund but then we realized that it's a waste of time, the procedure is long and we can live through it. But at least I can release my disappointment here.
#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
Carl Roberts 1 year ago
C'mon, BP. This is intentionally misleading. According to the original post, OP rented the main, normal sized, house, and this is a children's playhouse that was on the property, and he took the pic for fun.
#50
Looking For An Airbnb In London. Did Someone Really Just Put A Bed In Their Bathroom?
#51
After A 14-Hour Drive, We Found Bed Bugs At Our Airbnb
My wife worked for months to pick out the right house for our family, so it was disheartening to have it ruined like that. We were allowed to change to a different house nearby, but it was a cheaper house, had a worse view, and a worse pool. And because we changed houses, there's no way to leave a review on the original house.
#52
I Found This Painted, Feathered Baby Doll Head In The Freezer At My Airbnb. Am I Going To Die?
#53
Staying In An Airbnb. I Woke Up This Morning To Find The Cover To Access The Attic Completely Moved
#54
If You Needed Another Reason To Hate Airbnb. 2 Weeks Before Our Reservation Our Hosts Tells Us He Over-Booked
#55
At An Airbnb
Charlie the Cat 1 year ago
What is the obscured word starts with an M ends in a Y? Masterbatery? Masterbationary?
#56
Looking For Somewhere To Stay On Airbnb And Found This House Of Nope
#57
This Airbnb Had Framed Skulls Above The Fireplace
In the description, the owner clarified that there were 36 of them, that they were human skulls, and that the frame was made of oak.
#58
My Airbnb Host Said The "Keys Are In The Grey And Black Safe Near The White Door"
#59
My Airbnb Stairs. Every Step Is A Different Height, Width, And Depth
#61
All The Rooms In My Airbnb (Including Mine) Have A Key Locked Behind A Lock With A Code That's A Room Number
#62
I Tried To Open The Air Conditioner Vent At The Airbnb I'm Staying At On Vacation And Found This
#63
At The Airbnb I Stayed At
#64
Seen In An Airbnb. Upcycling Fail
#65
Airbnb Said I'd Have A Balcony, But Seriously
#66
In Our Airbnb In The Middle Of Nowhere
"Thank you for the tips! It helps to keep this place clean. Some people give us 1 or 2 dollars. Tips, this amount is not helping too much. We do charge a small amount for each room. We deserve more than 1 or 2 dollars in tips. Thank you.
Come back again."
#67
A "Perfect" Fit For A TV (At An Airbnb My Girlfriend Stayed In)
#68
Booked A Beautiful 2 Bedroom Condo On Airbnb. Host Cancelled And “Upgraded” Me To This “4 Bedroom Dream Home”
#69
Oh My God, The Airbnb Bathroom Is Tiled With Rocks
#70
This Narrow Hallway In My Friend’s Airbnb Is Only 1.2 Meters (3.9 Ft) Wide, You Can Barely Walk Through When The Attic Ladder Is Down
#71
Notice To Airbnb Guests
One night stay £25-£30 (depending on the room size). Your thoughts?
Michael Largey 1 year ago
Yes, as they themselves say, this is a short stay place. Definitely.
#72
This Shower At My Airbnb
arthbach 1 year ago
In situations like this, we really need to know how the person's height. If they are 1.9m tall, then will find lots of showers are not built for people of their height. I often struggle with bathroom mirrors. At 1.55m tall, often all I can see is the top my head in the mirror.
#73
Airbnb Room Online Compared To Real Life. A Buddy Of Mine Is Currently In Rome And Pays 200€ Per Night For That Beauty
The bed is rock solid and apparently, the bathroom is a biological research center for mold.
#74
The Toilet Paper At Our $3k/Week Airbnb
Skid Marks 1 year ago
John Wayne toilet paper. Rough, tough, and doesn't take c$@p from anyone.
#75
The Airbnb I Stayed At Last Weekend. This Renter Likes To Patch Sheetrock Holes With Cardboard And Fake Flowers
#76
This "Abstract" Billiards Table At An Airbnb I Was At. As It Also Turns Out, Thick Globs Of Hideous Paint Don't Allow For A Very Smooth Table Roll
#77
My Airbnb With This Weird Perspective Corridor
Vanessa MacKenzie 1 year ago
anyone else see the twins at the end of the hall? no? just me then. Heeeerrrre's Johnny!
#78
Found This In An Airbnb In Amsterdam. You Can't Even Sit Down
#79
This Corner Table At An Airbnb
#80
Airbnb A/C Is Locked At 80 Degrees F. Staying In Jacksonville, Florida. The Host Won’t Give Us The Pin For The Thermostat
#81
I Booked An Airbnb, Then Received This Message From The Host. A Few Hours Later, They Cancelled The Stay
#82
Airbnb With Aquatic-Themed Floor
#83
Our (Not Cheap) Airbnb Has A Tip Jar
#84
I Have An Interesting Airbnb Tonight
#85
This Tapestry Hanging In The Room Of An Airbnb
#86
Bathroom In Airbnb's Party House Doesn't Have A Shower Cabin Or Elevated Water Drainage, Which Leaves The Whole Room Flooded After Showering
Annik Perrot 1 year ago
We had the same trouble in our hôtel in Florence. And it made the floor dangerously slippery as well.
#87
Checked Into Our Airbnb And Found These Tiles
#88
Airbnb House. TV Is Hung Halfway Up A Two-Story High Fireplace, Nearly Level With The Upper Floor
#89
This Inconsistent Wall Clock At My Airbnb
Tucker Cahooter 1 year ago
Pretty mild compared with others on the list. At least it is accurate
#90
Shower Curtains Falling At An Airbnb We Are Staying At
#91
This Bathroom Door In An Airbnb In Vienna
#92
The Side Table In Our Airbnb Is A Phone (Non-Functioning)
#93
This Wall Art In My Sicilian Airbnb
#94
I Was In An Airbnb And Found This Map Missing A Lot Of Islands And Even The UK And Ireland
#95
This Window In My Airbnb
#97
Found On Airbnb In Maine. The Bat Was Cracked Too
#98
Sitting Atop The Bathroom Mirror At Our Airbnb
Annik Perrot 1 year ago
Collector doll. I used to have some of those in the 60s, brought back by my travelling relatives. Remember those boxes too.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 1 year ago (edited)
These are the reasons why I only stay in hotels. Well, these and room service.
Donkeywheel 1 year ago (edited)
These are appalling but they are from the worst airbnbs. Now do the same article with the best ones. I can personally name at least a dozen in Spain, Italy, France, Korea, Vietnam with extraordinary value for money and in pristine condition. There are definitely issues with airbnb, especially in the overcrowded touristy city centers. But there are also incredible places for families or groups with absolutely no counterpart in hotels. When you’re traveling with kids, friends or family, the absolute best a hotel can do is providing adjacent rooms. No common place, no kitchen or dining room, that’s not even close to renting a bigger place on Airbnb. It’s not all black and white.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 year ago
Oh, so we're just gonna ignore the fact that Airbnb destroys communities, pricing out people who actually live there
Load More Replies...
Frenchie Florida 1 year ago
I will never stay in an Airbnb. It's a rip off. I can cancel my hotel room at any time and get full refund. No cleaning fee or any other fee for that matter besides the taxes and tax resort. Can get an upgrade at no cost if I encounter issues. No put the sheets in the washing machine, take out garbage...
Marie BellaDonna 1 year ago (edited)
How is it legal for these owners to try to tell people how often they can do laundry, or that they can't even use the kitchen? Or worse, how is it possible legal AT ALL to tell someone what they CAN'T DO-no working, no studying, NO SEX??-in their own rooms, on their own time?? Do private property laws give these barking moonbats some kind of loophole here, or could the person who booked the room legally tell them to píss off? And if they were charged extra fees out of spite, would Airbnb really care? (Probably not.) And also, a lot of the notes left for the guests are written in very poor English. At the risk of sounding racist, are people from other countries buying up houses here just to Airbnb and make money? The housing crisis here is bad enough already. Why tf is Airbnb still a thing?? Ugh, I never have, and never will, use one. Give me a Holiday Inn and day of the week...
Be_ Heard 1 year ago
I stayed at an Abnb and it was fine for the most part except when i got locked in the bathroom which had a strong thick door and a tiny window idk i could squeeze out of. I was terrified. If my sister hadn't been there, i could have been stuck for hours or days even. I didn't bring my phone in there or anything. It was fixed very quickly once the owner was notified.
Steve Robert 1 year ago
With all of the cameras, I now know where Pornhub gets its amateur videos!
Annik Perrot 1 year ago
We've been using Airbnb for years, and sure we did have a few glitches, but nothing on that level. And the cleaning fees are really out there. Mostly, for à 1 bedroom apt or house, we're charged about 80€.
WalterWhiteSavannah 1 year ago
Some hotel I stayed at with my ex once had given our room away despite making reservations a week prior so we had to stay in the only place un the area that had rooms left. It was a motel straight out of a horror movie, the owner / front desk guy looked like he could have been an Ed Kemper impersonator... and the bedroom closet had a hidden trap door into a crawl space that clearly connected all the rooms (I leaned down into it and shone my phone light around). So we took a chair from the other room, put it on the trap door, put our luggage on it, then did our best to tie the slatted closet doors shut with shoe lace. Literally got woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of the luggage falling off the chair. I wish I was making this up... I didn't sleep the rest of the night and we checked out at like 5am after the ex got a few hours of sleep before we could drive the 6 hours home. I assume he was just a huge perv and not a murderer, but that was the 2nd worst hotel stay ever.
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 1 year ago (edited)
These are the reasons why I only stay in hotels. Well, these and room service.
Donkeywheel 1 year ago (edited)
These are appalling but they are from the worst airbnbs. Now do the same article with the best ones. I can personally name at least a dozen in Spain, Italy, France, Korea, Vietnam with extraordinary value for money and in pristine condition. There are definitely issues with airbnb, especially in the overcrowded touristy city centers. But there are also incredible places for families or groups with absolutely no counterpart in hotels. When you’re traveling with kids, friends or family, the absolute best a hotel can do is providing adjacent rooms. No common place, no kitchen or dining room, that’s not even close to renting a bigger place on Airbnb. It’s not all black and white.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 year ago
Oh, so we're just gonna ignore the fact that Airbnb destroys communities, pricing out people who actually live there
Load More Replies... Frenchie Florida 1 year ago
I will never stay in an Airbnb. It's a rip off. I can cancel my hotel room at any time and get full refund. No cleaning fee or any other fee for that matter besides the taxes and tax resort. Can get an upgrade at no cost if I encounter issues. No put the sheets in the washing machine, take out garbage...
Marie BellaDonna 1 year ago (edited)
How is it legal for these owners to try to tell people how often they can do laundry, or that they can't even use the kitchen? Or worse, how is it possible legal AT ALL to tell someone what they CAN'T DO-no working, no studying, NO SEX??-in their own rooms, on their own time?? Do private property laws give these barking moonbats some kind of loophole here, or could the person who booked the room legally tell them to píss off? And if they were charged extra fees out of spite, would Airbnb really care? (Probably not.) And also, a lot of the notes left for the guests are written in very poor English. At the risk of sounding racist, are people from other countries buying up houses here just to Airbnb and make money? The housing crisis here is bad enough already. Why tf is Airbnb still a thing?? Ugh, I never have, and never will, use one. Give me a Holiday Inn and day of the week...
Be_ Heard 1 year ago
I stayed at an Abnb and it was fine for the most part except when i got locked in the bathroom which had a strong thick door and a tiny window idk i could squeeze out of. I was terrified. If my sister hadn't been there, i could have been stuck for hours or days even. I didn't bring my phone in there or anything. It was fixed very quickly once the owner was notified.
Steve Robert 1 year ago
With all of the cameras, I now know where Pornhub gets its amateur videos!
Annik Perrot 1 year ago
We've been using Airbnb for years, and sure we did have a few glitches, but nothing on that level. And the cleaning fees are really out there. Mostly, for à 1 bedroom apt or house, we're charged about 80€.
WalterWhiteSavannah 1 year ago
Some hotel I stayed at with my ex once had given our room away despite making reservations a week prior so we had to stay in the only place un the area that had rooms left. It was a motel straight out of a horror movie, the owner / front desk guy looked like he could have been an Ed Kemper impersonator... and the bedroom closet had a hidden trap door into a crawl space that clearly connected all the rooms (I leaned down into it and shone my phone light around). So we took a chair from the other room, put it on the trap door, put our luggage on it, then did our best to tie the slatted closet doors shut with shoe lace. Literally got woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of the luggage falling off the chair. I wish I was making this up... I didn't sleep the rest of the night and we checked out at like 5am after the ex got a few hours of sleep before we could drive the 6 hours home. I assume he was just a huge perv and not a murderer, but that was the 2nd worst hotel stay ever.
You May Like 42 Of The Worst Places People Had To Survive A Night In 43 Horrifying Things People Have Woken Up To That Still Haunt Them 5-Star Hotel Employees Spill The Tea On Hotel Secrets, And Some Get Really Dark
Ieva Pečiulytė
Dominyka Proškėnaitė
Karolina Kondratavičiūtė
Related on Bored Panda
