Airbnb has opened up a whole new world for travelers. Never before was it so easy to find unique, gorgeous and private accommodation when hotels just won’t cut it. But beneath the magical clifftop villas, star-gazing domes and off-the-grid eco cabins lies a parallel universe of pain and suffering.
Live like a local, they said. But what they failed to mention was that this also often means you might have to endure cockroaches in the bathroom, a nosy host spying on you, last-minute cancellations, photo listings that fail to portray reality, seriously unsafe conditions and exorbitant prices.
The internet is filled with Airbnb horror stories (along with receipts), and many might make an old beat-up campervan seem like a dream destination. Bored Panda has put together a list of the best of the worst Airbnb-related posts for you to scroll through before you hit “confirm” on your next booking.
#1
This hidden camera disguised as a clock in my Airbnb.
Image source: yumchasupreme
Airbnb crept onto the scene in 2007 and has subsequently changed the face of travel for millions of people around the world. For better, or worse…
It all began with two hosts welcoming three guests to their San Francisco home in October that year. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were struggling to afford their rent, and came up with a rather novel plan to make some cash. They simply put three air mattresses on the floor of their apartment and invited attendees of a sold-out design conference to come and stay – at a price. The duo charged $80 a night for the modest accommodation.
What began as an accidental success inspired them to launch AirBed & Breakfast in 2008, along with developer Nathan Blecharczyk.
#2
I reserved an Airbnb with Sea View…. can’t complain.
Image source: weully
#3
Water has been yellow and metallic tasting in our Airbnb for a week now. Owner says they can’t do anything about it.
Image source: Go_Commit_Reddit
Today, the Airbnb platform has more than 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2.5 billion guests around the world. “Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences, and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way,” reads the Airbnb Newsroom page.
With that many listings there are bound to be some blunders…
In 2017, travel blogger Asher Fergusson released a damning report claiming that the home-sharing service “has multiple dangerous loopholes and scams that are going unchecked.” Fergusson came to this conclusion after analyzing more than 1,000 negative Airbnb reviews.
#4
The ‘bathroom’ in my Airbnb will 100% result in encounters with the host.
Image source: TheInBredDragon
#5
Found this in an Airbnb in Istanbul. Came here with my wife. Oh well.
Image source: Responsible-Lack-285
#6
From a French AirBnB alternative.
Image source: robot_accomplice
Fergusson said that some of the alleged schemes included things like hosts canceling bookings at the last minute and demanding that guests pay in cash, and the advertising of non-existent properties. There were also reports of hosts creating several listings for the same location at different prices and then cancelling on the guests who booked at lower prices.
In 2021, Fergusson conducted a follow-up study in which he “analyzed 127,183 Airbnb guest complaints to find out which problems are most likely to be complained about via Twitter.”
He found that 22.27% (more than 28,000) of all guest complaints were related to scams. These included multiple listings of the same property, property not as described, fraudulent charges, fake listings and/or reviews and other scams.
#7
This is the hot tub of the Airbnb which was the main reason why I rented the spot. Smelled terrible and was obviously not cleaned in forever.
Image source: Forsaken_Storm_6397
#8
While my family with young kids were staying at this Airbnb, an old man walked into the backyard and started draining the pool.
Image source: Particular-Bike-9275
#9
At my Airbnb there’s a mushroom growing out of the bathroom door.
Image source: sipicup
Airbnb seems to have since taken note. “Last year, Airbnb’s anti-fraud systems blocked over 250,000 suspicious listings before they went live and cut clicks on risky links by more than 20 percent following a new feature launch,” said Roger Kaiser, the company’s Vice President of Airbnb Fraud and Safety Operations, in 2026.
Scams aside, Fergusson’s 2021 study also found over 7,000 complaints about unsafe conditions. More than half of these were related to infestations, unsanitary or unhealthy homes. Other negative reviews mentioned obnoxious hosts, unsafe or broken amenities, hidden cameras (251 complaints) and theft. 3.81% of the total complaints were about unfair discrimination.
#10
In our AirBnB in the middle of nowhere.
Image source: Lachesis92
#11
Booked an airbnb for vacation. This is the view from the shower. There is no way to cover it up.
Image source: Ingtar2
#12
$1,000 Airbnb (corporation owned and not home owner operated) wants guests to pay for fire wood? Am I crazy to think it should come with the rental, considering how expensive it was to book?
Image source: Alarmed_Telephon
While many people would rather steer clear of dodgy listings, it turns out that there are some very brave souls among us. In 2020, UK-based YouTube vloggers, Passion Squad, decided to pull a practical joke purely for content. They “opened” the absolute worst accommodation, took a few photos, and listed it on Airbnb, not really expecting much to happen.
“Earth house hosted by Jamie” boasted an outdoor location, and showed a mattress in the middle of an open clearing, with nothing but a tree to keep guests sheltered from the elements. They also included a bedside table, featuring just a lamp and two glasses of complimentary water.
#13
This 4 page cleaning checklist that is expected to be done before checking out of our AirBnB. And yes, this is in addition to the outrageous cleaning fee they charged when we booked it.
Image source: Party_Wrangler7949
#14
Roaches in our Airbnb.
Image source: Web-Slinger14
#15
Airbnb host tried to bribe me to remove my 3 star review?
Image source: reverse_mango
“This is inspired by one of the most exquisite and unique hotels in Europe. It has got easy access to wildlife, fresh air, and some peace. During your stay, you will find everything very nearby, including train station, bus station, and the local town,” read the listing.
“We gathered together a load of items we found on Facebook for free to assemble a terrible Airbnb experience,” travel-updates/travel-stories/youtubers-create-worlds-worst-airbnb-in-north-london-photos/news-story/25855139f93ba4710c6514936dc859f1″ rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>said Passion Squad co-founder Rhys Simmons. “But to our surprise when we uploaded this thing on to Airbnb, we had an insane amount of interest for people to come and stay within our establishment.”
#16
Airbnb wasn’t what we were expecting.
Image source: pokemon-collector
#17
Trying to enjoy my shower at this Airbnb.
Image source: daredelvis421
#18
Airbnb with a surprise waiting for us.
Image source: the_long_grape
In 2021, the content creators took it a step further and listed what they believed was even worse “accommodation.”
“They placed a chest of drawers, an inflatable mattress, some carpet and a questionable piece of art, overlooking the iconic arch at Durdle Door, Dorset, one of the UK’s most visited tourist destinations,” reported Metro news. Once again, their prank proved that some people tend to have really low standards when it comes to where they’ll rest their heads while on holiday.
“Some of the responses were absolutely hilarious, within the first 24h we got over 10 request[s] which was very surprising,” said Passion Squad co-founder Jamie Kamaz.
#19
Image source: danidonovan
#20
Notice to AirBnb guests.
Image source: peachydonut69
#21
If you needed another reason to hate Airbnb. 2 Weeks before our reservation our hosts tells us he overbooked??
Image source: veritas__a3quitas__
The Passion Squad guys may have had fun with their prank. But as many a disappointed traveler will tell you, dodgy Airbnb accommodation and bad hosts are no laughing matter.
“Airbnb essentially allows anyone to sign up to be a host, which will always prove to be problematic,” says Grace Moser, the owner of women’s lifestyle blog Chasing Foxes and a full-time traveler since 2016. “Because when you have people flooding in year after year who are seeing it as a way for them to make quick cash, you’re going to be met with bad customer service.”
#22
This Airbnb host’s kitchen rules…
Image source: randomredditguy94
#23
My AirBnb host said “the keysafe is near the white door… it is silver with black plastic.”
Image source: Arwell27
#24
Checked into our Airbnb and found these tiles.
Image source: ccrone
Moser feels that most hosts have stopped prioritizing the guest and instead, treat their listings/homes as just another income stream. “They do the bare minimum and know nothing about customer relations,” she said.
As many of the posts in this listicle prove, Airbnb has become stupid expensive, and it’s pushing people back to booking hotels instead. Kien Lam, a photographer, filmmaker, story teller and the founder of Where And Wander is just one of the many travelers who are turning their backs on the platform.
Lam writes that prices on Airbnb have risen enough that it’s no longer an attractive selling point. “Unfortunately, the higher prices are not always justified when you don’t have the same services and amenities of a hotel, like the common areas, pools, gym, front desk, and security,” they added.
#25
The stairs in an Airbnb I stayed in where every step is a different height, width and depth.
Image source: jingojangobingoblerp
#26
Left a 4 star review on an AirBnB. Host messaged me this afterwards.
Image source: nicoleeoliee
#27
The owner of the airbnb we stayed at texted us that after we rated his place. We gave 5/5 for everything except for ‘accuracy’ where we gave a 4/5.
They advertised for a “private swimming pool”; without mentioning that it would be shared with another suite, or that the owner’s private house windows give directly on the pool or that there is a camera pointed towards it.
We explained our ‘bad’ note, it had nothing to see with it being a suite.
Image source: maoussepatate
One of the traveler’s biggest gripes is one shared by many of us: the audacity of hosts to charge a cleaning fee while expecting visitors to leave the place spotless.
“I’m not going to trash a place, but if I’m paying a cleaning fee, how much more cleaning is required? Is the line drawn at washing my cups and dishes, taking out the trash, airing the place – or is it ok to require me to remove the sheets and put it in the washer?” questions Lam, and the rest of us would love to know, too…
#28
How I found my Airbnb when checking in.
Host only wanted to offer to return the cleaning fee for $190 when I paid over $1,000 for just the Airbnb. Walked in and the cleaners forgot that they were supposed to clean the house from the last guests.
Image source: boba_beans
#29
Airbnb host cancels reservation because it’s a high demand weekend.
Image source: Srihari_stan
#30
After a long day of doing tourist things, come back to the Airbnb to take a shower and the shower fights back. Going to a hotel, it’s 1am. Airbnb says we’re getting a refund thankfully. Tried to turn off the shower and the dial for the cold water went totally flying off.
Image source: XxMrCoolGuyxX
#31
This “bedroom” in the AirBnB I stayed in last week.
Image source: barriedalenick
#32
Airbnb host is using AI to talk to me.
Image source: Ta1kativ
#33
Airbnb apartment using extremely fake ai images.
Image source: wrong_axiom
#34
Floor temp of my Airbnb Kitchen.
Image source: SweetBread398
#35
Dirty is putting it mildly with this return air vent.
Image source: glibbed4yourpleasure
#36
#37
Image source: camjordan94
#38
#39
Image source: euphorixa
#40
Image source: ThunberStorm
#41
Image source: _Gottalovezik
#42
Airbnb host tried to charge us for changing settings on a thermostat.
Image source: ViberNaut
#43
AirBNB requiring users to “pick the image with dice adding up to 14” ten times in order to log in.
Image source: ResponsibleLine401
#44
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.
Image source: Finassar
#45
#46
#47
Our Airbnb, which included a $200 cleaning fee, will charge us if we don’t walk across town to empty our trash.
Image source: unknown
#48
5pm check in at our Airbnb and it was still dirty when we arrived. We had a 5pm check in which is the latest I’ve ever seen (normally it’s 2 or 3pm). We arrived at 5 to find it not cleaned. Check out is 11am so they’ve had at least 6 hours to clean.
Image source: Interesting_Move_846
#49
AirBnb sheets were moldy from their moldy washer. Host mailed us cleaner to clean his washer for him. Rented an Airbnb for a month. The sheets and towels smelled and were causing us to itch. When I went to wash them the washer smelled horrible and had black mold all over it. Host said he would buy something on Amazon that I could clean it with… so I get to clean his moldy dirty washer… Ugg.. after a test the thing is clogged so water just sits. Dishwasher is also broken lol.
Image source: BionicBelladonna
#50
Airbnb I’m staying at has very ugly and tacky AI images on the walls.
Image source: Conspiracy_Geek
#51
After a couple of nights of back pain and poor sleep (Airbnb), I decided to check what was under the mattress.
Image source: vertexar
#52
In the Airbnb I’m staying at the sink is literally in the shower.
Image source: Ashamed_Ad1622
#53
App needed to use AirBnB oven.
Image source: Miserable-Cell1331
#54
Airbnb kitchen hood
I had a feeling that the hood in my airbnb was ineffective, so I decided to open the cabinet that’s over the hood and I saw this… I don’t know what is worse, those cables or the fact that the hood leads nowhere and there’s a smoke detector next to the exhaust hole…
Image source: MaxNik24
#55
Nasty past guests on this Airbnb stuck gums under the table and now I have to see them everytime I lay on the hammock.
Image source: Correct_String7726
#56
This toilet seat at an Airbnb I’m staying at.
Image source: Logical-Bullfrog3216
#57
The signs in my $5000 a month Airbnb.
Image source: g0Ids0undz
#58
AirBnB owner blocks websites
Turned on wifi… Some sites won’t load on phone. Try laptop. Won’t load. Turn off wifi, those sites loads. Read house rules book, and they have a list of websites they block.
Image source: IntolerantModerate
#59
Magnet on fridge at Airbnb.
Image source: 3_4_dutchystrat
#60
This “artwork” in the Airbnb I’m staying in. Yes… I tried to fix it.
Image source: oldguydrinkingbeer
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