Airbnb

We used airbnb to arrange what we expected to be lovely cottage accommodation for family visiting for our wedding. With less than a week to go our booking was cancelled adding huge amounts of stress - I had been recommended airbnb by a friend but wish I had read this sights in advance as had I known this could happen I not have used airbnb.

Airbnb offered an extra £100 towards another booking but with so limited notice of the cancellation any remaining accommodation in the area was either too much or unavailable.

We had a great wedding but the whole experience would have been much more pleasant had we not used airbnb. I am sure you can get great value accommodation if you are lucky but I believe that our experience shows it cannot be relied upon - please avoid our mistakes.

My issue with airbnb started with being unable to use their service to begin with. I do not send images of my license or my passport to anyone but government officials. The "confirm a few details only you would know" choice let me to a never-ending loop. I replied to their email telling me that my reservation request had not been sent because I was not "verified" and that I could send a video. A video? Of What? To where? They refused to answer any more questions and simply kept sending the same email about my request not being sent. I contacted the host directly, but she did not understand what they wanted either and could not help me. They have my credit card number, my name, my address and my social security card number. How much "verification" can you possibly need? I feel sorry for hosts and am amazed that anyone goes through all this for a deal. It has been five hours of B. S. I am going to bed.

As a traveller, I would rather spend what little money I do have on seeing the world and the traveling itself than to spend it on fancy hotels and room service (or spending money on trying to make everything the way it is for me back home, which kinda defeats the purpose). Anyway, so for me airbnb has allowed me to travel places where I otherwise would not be able to go. For me that's not just "kind of good"... it's amazing. But I guess it depends on your priorities.

Ever try to talk someone at Airbnb who has the ability to actually help? Good luck! They gave me the runaround over and over, never communicating with me through a phone call, just random unexplained emails. Really terrible customer service considering the profit they take

Terrible! I submitted request for booking, they charged my card for entire stay over 90 days before the reservation. Owner contacted me via text for discussion about appropriateness of the rental. I quickly determined it was not going to work then during discussion I get an email saying rental confirmed. I send another text saying NO, I just cancelled. Then I immediately get a receipt that my card was charged. They claim they can only refund 50% on a reservation that should never have been made! Their final decision was to charge me $50 for the inconvenience of a reservation cancelled within 5 minutes that never should have been made in the first place. Forget poor business practices, this company lacks common decency!

I do not advise using Airbnb. Twice this year I had owners tell me at the last minute I could not have the rental promised to me months before. In both cases Airbnb staff were non apologetic. I did receive a full refund, but I had to scramble and was able to to only find new places in less desirable locations for more money. After lots of communication back and forth Airbnb did give me a small amount of money back as a rebate, but I won't be using them again in the future.

We rented a house through Airbnb. During the first night, we discovered mice in the kitchen. The next morning we contacted the host to inform them of the issue and that we were leaving and would not return. We rented another house on Airbnb and didn't have any issues there. The refund policy is to report the issue within 24-72 hours. We missed the 72 hour window by 4 hours because we were renting in the mountains and didn't have phone signal. We had WiFi at both rentals, but Airbnb asks that you ask the host for a refund first before reporting to Airbnb; the host didn't reply until after we had returned home. We then proceeded with a claim with Airbnb. We lost over $500 because of this. Be aware of the exact process for reporting an issue within their time frame, even if it's impossible to do so.

As a host, airbnb did not stand behind their own terms and conditions. When I hosted clients and they broke and did damage to my house, Airbnb encouraged me to communicate directly with the client, which I did. The client wrote horrible reviews about me, and my community, and Airbnb did absolutely nothing to control this belligerent client, nor recover some of the security deposit for me. I have discontinued hosting through airbnb, and encourage others to be very very careful, as when things are good, thats all great, but if something goes wrong, your on your own, plus you've paid for their services!

I found a mouse running in the flat and could not take a picture, broken shower or too hot or too cold so several times I felt bad and dust on furniture, winter cover with bed bugs, landlord said the trash needs to stay in the fridge near the clean food, landlord even complained for not true reasons. Asked for refund, they said no, before not replying for three days. Then I sent another message and they said ask the host. Host refused. Then airbnb resolution. Since no pics of mouse and of dust and of the shower (how do I show in a picture that it is too hot or cold?) no refund. Terrible help center. Price also vary randomly and never know why. In Italy then it is expensive as hotel. Definitely don't book! (Europe is also giving an ultimatum to Airbnb also for refund and also because they don't respect any law)

I will not use this site to book a B&B ever again. There needs to be far more accountability. My husband and I arrived at our Bed and Breakfast and was shocked! It should have been called NO BED and NO BREAKFAST. My chickens live in a cleaner and nicer shed than the one we stayed in for five days. The "bed," was a dirty foamy thrown on the floor and I cringe every time I think of the smell of the sheets and blankets. OMG - it was disgusting! The toilet was outside with a dirty sheet strung up for "privacy." The shower was wide open with no enclosure whatsoever. I'll leave you with some photos. You'll get the picture!

My husband and I are from N. S. and had never tried an Air B & B, so were a bit skeptical when we were looking for a place near Denman and Hornby Islands in B. C. When we arrived at Cedar Acres B & B in Fanny Bay, we were very warmly greeted by the hosts and felt so at home that we are looking forward to going back. The hosts made us feel like this was our home away from home and it was a spectacular experience. We were blessed by them sharing their home as a B & B. Their meals were more than delicious and their home was very clean and comfortable with a beautiful view down to Fanny Bay in the distance, over their well-groomed gardens and orchard. They were very knowledgeable of places and interests we may have on the Islands. What a wonderful experience!

Every dresser drawer and every closet was filled, and I mean filled, with this mans clothes. The clothes dryer was also filled. When confronted, the host replied, with attitude, "What's your problem, just move my clothes out of the way" There were only 2 clothes hangers available.
The TV was internet managed (to save money) difficult to control and of extremely poor quality. I watched the Superbowl with frequent interruptions (at key plays) by a spinning wheel and the notice that it was "buffering".
The bedroom windows had no blinds but fortunately because of the cold there was on one on the immediately adjacent outdoor decks.
The bathtub drain did not work forcing me to buy a drain block at a local hardware store. The shower was barely acceptable.
I was delighted after 10 days to check into a hotel around the corner for a bit more money. NEVER AGAIN.

Airbnb is great as long as you are lucky enough to book all good places based upon the reviews. But as we just experienced, even though we we have more than 10 years of experience with Airbnb, our due diligence was not enough, because we got a dump. We took one look at the place and realized that it was nothing like the reviews. Worst of all Airbnb could care less. We had to leave the place for a hotel. DON'T TRUST Airbnb!

I have listed properties on airbnb for several years. My most recent guest trashed my house, broke dishes and glasses, smoked pot and cigarettes in the house and left ashes everywhere, left a blood-soaked towel, broke the handle off the shower. I have sent airbnb photos and documentation, but Airbnb has refused to compensate for any damages, even though they retained the "security deposit". I accepted this guest after seeing 5 star reviews, now I believe that airbnb removes negative reviews.