We booked a week in London at a flat in Fitzrovia section. By the pictures we weren’t expecting any great shakes, but still, what a disappointment once we were there in person! But that’s not the worst of it. We had been in communication with the host all along that we’d be arriving by noontime from USA and were assured a key would be waiting for us. Well, guess what: no key. So now we’re sitting on a London side street pub bench in the cold wondering what to do next because the host would not answer text, calls or email! We sat there for over an hour without any kind of response from the host about the key situation. This was a Saturday so why wasn’t he answering! We had reservations for a show and wanted to get settled, rested and changed and here we were sitting outside a pub with luggage. I was blowing a gasket. Finally, we decided to go knock on the door hoping someone would answer and have an extra key. Fortunately, one of the tenants answered and was a relative of the host and had an extra key. 90 min wasted in the cold! If we hadn’t thought of blinding knocking on the outside door (5 apartments in the building), we’d have wasted even more time. The host NEVER got back to us with an apology nor to even a reply to our many calls, texts and emails –not the entire week. I’m pretty boiling mad! Now, the flat. Worn, old furniture, saggy bed, one toilet refused to flush right, the other bathroom’s shower head came totally off the wall (!), there was mold on the ceiling, dim lighting and barely any glasses to drink of in the cupboard. Towels were frayed and scratchy. Oh and the best was the 3 story flight of stairs that we had to drag our luggage up. On the upside, it had cable tv and wifi. This was my first Airbnb experience. It will probably be my last, especially overseas! Now I would be forever worried the host wouldn’t leave the key or be accessible to let me in in the future. No thanks, hotel from now on.
Author Archives: Liz
Host from hell
This story has a good outcome… the host got kicked off airbnb! I was her very first victim… I should of known better. Never stay with anyone that isn’t a Superhost. I have used the airbnb site many times and spent over $4,000 so far this year with them. I have an excellent rating as a guest and I have stayed with 5 hosts, one twice already, all have extended a “please come again”.
This host’s place was filthy. She didn’t have sheets or proper pillows, and she expected me to sleep on decor pillows with a pattern. I would of woken up with a nice inlay on my face. I ended up sleeping with two towels as a pillow. I was in her town for business, but she had no closet for me, just a small space to put stuff on the floor. If I had stayed the full time my clothes (for work) would of hung in my car. Airbnb refuses to let me give her a review, as they stated they know I will give her a negative. I am disputing with the credit card to get the extra day back they charged me for. I’ll pay for one night in hell, but no more.
Terrible airbnb in Exeter, uk
So, having booked 3 nights at a higher priced airbnb in Exeter, we arrive to find an old box in the bedroom, not enough towels for the expected guests, a dirty bathroom with no attempt to tidy up, a used old toilet roll in the loo and a stench of what smelt to me like cat piss throughout the property. Host suggested we don’t understand airebnb so it’s out fault! Short version is we didn’t stay, host got paid IN FULL! We got 1 night refunded and airbnb said they wouldn’t penalize the hosts.. the airbnb service is a joke. Avoid at all costs !
Airbnb party nightmare
I live in a block of apartments, of which 50% roughly are rented out through airbnb. We have huge problems with noise. People book in through airbnb and throw massive parties (one so bad that the police couldn’t break up). Airbnb refuse to acknowledge there is a problem. There is nothing legally that can be done about the landlord.
Bad Airbnb customer service – Canceled reservation without asking
I had a really bad experience on Airbnb today. I made a reservation, and 2 days later I realized I couldn’t make the trip, so I told the host that only my friends will stay in his place. (I don’t know if the host told this to Airbnb, or Airbnb is peeking our messages.) And then I got an email from Airbnb telling me I shouldn’t make reservation for others. The staff didn’t ask for my opinions or explanations and canceled my reservation immediately, which was really annoying to me. This cancellation caused me to lose 14 euros in Tax fees. The person cancelling said she will give me a coupon, but I don’t even want to continue using Airbnb after this bad experience, why do I need the coupon? I really hope Airbnb improve their customer service quality.
Crazy Hawaiian Host
How would you like to stay at a home of a major codependent lady host. This host in hawaii was so mentally unstable it was scary for me. She will say things so rude then immediately pull back with something like “i don’t mean it that way or this way”. Ridiculous! Host was always yelling at her child and husband. I also loved all the post notes that were all over my room and bathroom. The notes were reminders to turn off the lights, fan, don’t drop quilt onto the floor, fix your bed, be quiet, and keep door open. One day before checking out, host asked me to leave because I wasn’t respecting her rules. This rule that I broke was coming quietly home at 11PM. A crazy host in hawaii. nightmare!
FRAUD and SCAMMERS INSIDE AIRBNB!!
This is my sad Airbnb story. Me and a group of friends planned a trip to Amsterdam, we found the house we wanted on the site Airbnb, the host was a registered user with good reviews from the apartment, apparently all normal. We contacted the host through the Airbnb site, who responded to our request via email were we exchanging information to confirm the reservation. Back to the site of the apartment, to proceed with the booking, and once again all normal, or the site was a perfect copy of Airbnb, or even was the original, because everything was equal, logos, fonts, layout,etc. I proceeded with the reservation and confirmed the same, then I get an email at the following address airbnb@reply-booking.com (again equal to the sent by airbnb), to pay for the booking to a bank in the UK, Barclays Bank PLC; Payment due: 3 days IBAN: GB73BARC20077473958027; Bank address: 35 Frederick Street, Birmingham B1 3HH, United Kingdom). Unfortunately payment has been made, we received a new email confirming that he had been transferred the money, which the reservation was ready and safe, the host confirmed by email that Airbnb was informed that he had been paid the booking, saying that on the day of our arrival bound us to mark the delivery of house keys. With the approach of the trip, and no Host answers, we began to get suspicious that we were fraud victims. We contacted airbnb, who just informed us that there was no reservation for that number, and asked for payment and other documents, and it was all sent to them. More than 48 hours have passed now and no response from airbnb, which forced me to make a complaint to the facebook page of them, which by sheer miracle, made them immediately send an email, saying it had been a fraud. They apologized but said they can not do anything. It is amazing how a company with the size of airbnb does not help victim users of these crimes and take their responsibility for a scam that happened on their website! with a registered user, using their platform to catch the victims. The first contact of fraud is done on the Airbnb website, they have responsibility for it, I did not ask airbnb to give me back the money I lost, but at least to help me better and provide host information and method that was used in fraud . I believe it is an inside job of someone who works in airbnb along with another person outside the company, because all the initial contact, is always done in the airbnb site, where they “fish” their victims.
Airbnb, never more!
Bad review deleted!
I recently posted some criticism and some compliments on a host I stayed with on Oahu a few months ago. It was deleted within 24 hours of posting without explanation from Airbnb customer service. This host had nothing but odd rules rules rules and more odd rules. I always show respect and follow the rules of the house hence the many good reviews I received from previous hosts. This lady had nothing but complaints from the moment I arrived by taxi. Sounded like all of the guests she had were a bunch of idiots that couldn’t follow a single rule. It’s ok to compliment but not ok to criticize valid points. Shame on Airbnb for deleting reviews that are genuine.
Horrible Airbnb Review – Guest unable to check-in, and no refund – BEWARE and BE WARNED
I booked a week long stay starting Monday night in Paris. My flight arrived in Paris Tuesday early morning, but when I tried to check in I was told that even though we had booked and paid for the full week, we were unable to check in until that night. When I asked to be refunded for the day that the host was not allowing us to stay in the room I was told that they can’t refund us anything and that I would need to cancel the whole week – WHAT? I called the Airbnb customer service line and was told that they would call us back within 10 minutes. Hours passed, HOURS!!! I had my sister call from the States to minimize international call rates and she was told they couldn’t hear her or speak to her, they could only speak to the person with the reservation EVEN though all she was calling for was to give them the reservation info and request that they call my cell phone with the update that they had said would happen after 10 min of my original call. One of the WORST staying experiences I’ve ever had in my life and I travel quite a bit. I will NOT use this company again – BEWARE and be careful – they just want to charge without good service. It could be that others had better experiences, but something like this would have happened at a Paris hotel. HORRIBLE SERVICE!
Hawaii Hell
Airbnb guests need to be cautioned about a host in Honolulu with a listing called “surfers room”. This women is a psychopath. She will leave small notes everywhere to remind you about the rules of the house. When she talks she is screaming. She is always screaming at her daughter that doesn’t go to school. She sounds very nice before arrival, but afterwards she is a crazy woman. Be very careful with this host. If you like a woman who is always screaming and complaining, then you might enjoy the circus. I am fighting for a refund right now. Customer service apologized and told me they would file a complaint. Stay away from the “surfer room”‘.