Airbnb
1,233 reviews
As a host Airbnb is horrible. They promise “air cover” but rarely payout when guests have damaged the property, when they do it only partly covers the costs and only once court action is threatened. I’ve had guest black mail me for refunds otherwise they will leave a negative review and yet Airbnb leave the negative review up even with evidence of blackmail and me refusing to engage I. The blackmail. Horrible experience
Customer service is non existent. We saw a cockroach at the property and sent the photo to the host. She later accused us of lying (fake photos from another property) and wrote a bad review. AirBnB instead of checking photos as evidence refused to delete the review saying that the review follows their Reviews Policy. False accusations therefore… Read more
seem to be covered by their Reviews Policy and I won't be using them again after more than 10 years of mostly positive experience
I made a booking today and unfortunately my daughter ended up in hospital. I contacted the host straight away to cancel and explained it was a family emergency. Even though I had only booked hours ago, I lost over half my money which was just under $500. Be careful when booking, as no matter your reason they won’t be empathetic to your plight. Unforseen circumstances come up in your life and hey don’t care, it is all about the dollar! Show details
Reviews with attachments
I'm still trying to get a refund from November 2024 for 343 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda,VIC 3182. Issues included problems getting and returning keys, difficulty getting into flat, ill-fitted door, filthy bathroom and kitchen. I reported the issues when I arrived in the evening and they told me, a 72 yr old woman, to move to another place at 10 pm in… Read more
late night St Kilda! Late at night! I sent photos of the disgusting amenities but they just blocked me and refused because I didn't move out late at night. Until they refunded my money, I couldn't book another place. When I went to the site to write a review, they had removed the property. Their customer service protocols are fixed to deny complaints and refuse any refunds.
Worst Airbnb – One of he worst hospitality sector in the world …never use this platform …they only worried about their commission and commission only ….in service they are not even able enough to achieve ZERO …they are in Minus ….
- +4
My experience with Airbnb has been extremely disappointing. My 6-year-old daughter suffered a 2nd°burn to her scalp after using an unsafe hairdryer provided at an Airbnb property that catch the fire flame go to her sculpt. It was a frightening experience, and as a parent, it was heartbreaking to see her in pain. What made the situation even… Read more
worse was how Airbnb handled the claim. The process dragged on for more than nine months, only for my claim to be refused in the end. Throughout the process, I felt they did everything they could to avoid taking responsibility for what happened at a property listed on their platform.
I expected Airbnb to put customer safety first and to handle serious incidents fairly and compassionately. Instead, I was left feeling ignored, frustrated, and completely let down.
Based on my experience, I have lost all trust in Airbnb and will never use their service again. I would not recommend Airbnb to friends or family. If customer safety and support matter to you, I encourage you to think carefully before booking. My experience has shown me that when something goes seriously wrong, you may not receive the support or accountability you expect.
Airbnb Cared More About Deadlines Than the Condition of the Property I stayed at an Airbnb property in Chatswood, NSW and discovered multiple sanitation and maintenance issues during the stay, including visible mould growth, moisture-related deterioration and other signs that the property had not been properly maintained. I documented the issues… Read more
with photographs and later raised them with Airbnb.
What disappointed me most was not the property itself—it was Airbnb's handling of the complaint.
Rather than conducting a meaningful assessment of whether the accommodation met reasonable standards of cleanliness and habitability, Airbnb repeatedly relied on its internal 72-hour reporting policy. The discussion became almost entirely about when I reported the issue, not whether the property was actually suitable for guests.
I provided evidence, requested escalation several times, and spent weeks trying to obtain a proper review. My case was closed while I was still disputing the outcome and I received numerous responses that appeared scripted and failed to address the substance of the complaint.
The photographs showed conditions that appeared to have developed over a long period of time, yet Airbnb seemed unwilling to investigate beyond citing policy deadlines.
Consumers reasonably expect accommodation to be clean, hygienic and properly maintained. They also expect complaints to be assessed fairly on their merits.
In my experience, Airbnb failed on both counts.
If something goes wrong during your stay, don't assume Airbnb will fairly assess the actual condition of the property. My experience suggests that procedural rules may matter more than the underlying issue.
1/5.
- +3
What a place and location. This beautiful home/house is found on a contributary to the Edwards River in Deniliquin. Looking out from the lounge room the view is of beautiful gum trees lining the contributory and the Edwards. You can walk down to the water and paddle board, drop in a jet sky or boat. Anchor your sporting equipment to the supplied… Read more
logs and you have a fun time awaiting you. There is also a fire pit with wood supplied to enjoy the evenings. This is a large 4-bedroom house with open plan living. Main bedroom with ensuite. All bedrooms have walk-in robs and if you get cold a small heater and electric blanket are in each room. The home has a split system in the main area and for those sizzling summer days/nights there is central air conditioning. The cupboards have bits and bobs you may have forgotten to take. The overall serenity of this location and place will draw you back again and again
We booked a five-night stay through Airbnb at a property in South Australia, paying $1,297. The listing made no disclosure of active construction works at or adjacent to the property, which caused significant noise and disruption throughout the entire stay including safety concerns for our young kids as they dropped scaffold from 3 storeys into… Read more
our outside dining area. Upon arrival we identified multiple further failures: the property was unclean, advertised amenities (wi-fi, blankets, coffee machine) were absent or non-functional, additional undisclosed noise disturbances were present at 7am when workers began, and safety concerns existed that were not disclosed in the listing at any point prior to or during booking. All issues were documented with photographs, video, and written communications through the Airbnb platform. Concerns were raised directly with the host during the stay and subsequently escalated to Airbnb customer support. Airbnb's response has been wholly inadequate. An initial offer of $344.10, justified solely on the basis that we completed the stay. This reasoning has no foundation under the Australian Consumer Law. Relocating five nights of accommodation at short notice was not a reasonable option and does not constitute acceptance of the property's condition. We formally cited Sections 29(1)(a), 60, 61 and 268 of the ACL in writing to Airbnb's senior case manager and requested $650 as full and final settlement — a concession well below our statutory entitlement to a full refund for major failure. Airbnb has declined to engage substantively with our legal position and has not moved from its offer.
- +2
Airbnb completely ruined my first long-term travel experience I never thought I would write something like this, but here we are. I have known Airbnb for many years, but this was my first time actually booking. I planned a 1-month trip to work remotely, travel, and spend quality time with my family. Everything started beautifully. On December 28,… Read more
I made the booking. The host was friendly, responsive, and I was genuinely excited. For days, I was counting down to the trip imagining living in a new country for a month, working remotely, traveling, and creating memories with my child. It felt like a dream coming together. As the travel date got closer, I asked a simple question on January 4 since I was traveling with a child: “Is the kitchen fully equipped?” The answer shocked me. The host replied that everything was available but suddenly demanded an extra $120 for electricity. I questioned this because there was absolutely no mention of any extra electricity fee in the listing. Immediately after that, the host became aggressive and sent a message saying: Pay $180 or cancel the reservation. This was pure pressure. No explanation. No rules referenced. Just an ultimatum. I contacted Airbnb support, but there was no response when I needed help the most. With my trip approaching and no protection from Airbnb, I was forced to cancel the reservation myself. Now the worst part: Airbnb has still not refunded my money. When I followed up, I basically received a message saying the refund would not be processed. On top of that, the host started sending abusive messages like “f** boy”, “stfu”*, and other insults. Completely unacceptable. I later checked Airbnb reviews on Trustpilot and was honestly shocked. So many people sharing similar unresolved issues. That’s when it hit me: If Airbnb can’t resolve thousands of cases, my money is probably gone too. This experience: Changed all my travel plans Cost me time, money, and emotional energy Destroyed my trust in Airbnb as a platform For a global company, this level of guest protection and support is unacceptable. I’m sharing this here not for sympathy, but as a warning. If something goes wrong, do not expect Airbnb to act fast or fairly. This was my first and last booking with Airbnb.
- +2
We had a terrible experience with a Melbourne cbd apartment which was not as pictured and unsafe. We were given the option to leave with a full refund. Refund was never received despite contacting support. We were unable to leave an honest review as the review process won't save if you give less than 4 stars. It's completely fraudulent. Show details
- +6
[CLSF-05034672] [HMCWZXK38B] significant damage by guests and air Bnb cover declining to pay: I am sure I am not the only person to have experience this with air bnb but it is important to share these experiences. I recently had a guest, a host none the less, do undisputed damages to my table tennis table, cupboard, wall and cutlery drawer which… Read more
has been quoted by a handyman as being $3500 .. after many back and forths in emails including giving over 20 photos including from handymen and cleaners, a video, 2 handyman quotes and over 5 computer pages detailing the huge damages done to the equipment and house. The area is Lochsport which is a regional area which in the last census had a population of less than 2000 people and is described as a Regional remote area. They have declined my request for air BnB cover. Feedback was: needs to be on a letterhead.. did that.. needed to be more detailed.. did that.. need before and after and more photos.. did that and I even had 2 quotes detailing the same damages.. I should not be surprised the whole process seemed to be full of excuses..
Not surprisingly they sent me a message to provide guests with 10% off and during the peak season in January the smart pricing gave guests the minimum price for each night…
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Latest follow-ups
Airbnb hosted multiple illegal properties by the same scammer host on their platform. Even after we provided official confirmation that the properties are illegal, airbnb still sided with the host, & it took a month of constant emails & threats to… Read more
go to the media before they finally provided a full refund. We were left very disappointed with how they handled the situation.
Follow-up · We found out only when we arrived, & saw that the property was at a industrial area. We then contacted the local council who confirmed that the property had no permits, & was illegally built in an industrial area. The listing itself did not seem off. The reviews were positive, & we only had indication of the street where the property was - there… Read more
Go hotel not Airbnb for safety and reliability – Imagine that your plane is a little bit late and you arrive at your Airbnb at 11:20 at night and are told by the host that you can’t come in because you’re late. And the host is standing upstairs, looking down at you from their apartment standing in… Read more
a back street of Paris with all your luggage. This is an Airbnb apartment that I booked over six months before. At 1 am, my wife and I managed to find a hotel room in Paris An absolute disgrace with very little help from Airbnb other than the deepest sympathies. It turned out that a very nice 3.5 star hotel in Paris worked out cheaper than the Airbnb anyway and they have a 24 hour concierge.
Follow-up · SO much more civilised booking hotels! Gracious greetings, friendly staff who go out of their way to help you at little more than the Airbnb host from Paris who ruined our holiday with her arrogant and sanctimonious attitude
Company engages in false and misleading conduct. I had a nightmare of a time dealing with a last minute cancelled Airbnb, needed to threaten legal action under consumer law to get help. Told me i could leave a review of host for cancelling last… Read more
minute, then refused multiple request to send me transcript of call so i could verify this claim and then denied ever saying this was the case. Just get a hotel, do not use this company.
Follow-up · The host was NOT penalised, I was lied to over and over by Airbnb about them losing their super host status. I then found out the host is a scammer who has multiple duplicate listings and fake profiles. Airbnb are actively allowing them back on the site despite knowing this. I did get my refund and there was alternative accommodation offered…….an… Read more
Positive reviews
Lovely place in a quiet neighbourhood. Everything matched the description and the host was very responsive. I'd definitely stay here again next time I'm in the area.
Patricia and Laurie’s amazing host experience in Adelaide – Patricia and Laurie were a delight to have as hosts. From the very first day we were made to feel more than welcome and they went above and beyond to make us feel right at home and relaxed to make for an enjoyable and memorable experience. Would not recommend any other place if you are looking to stay in Adelaide and they are without doubt a… Read more
stellar and amazing air BnB that goes above and beyond and is a class above the rest. Five stars and we feel as though we have a family that we never knew about. Thanks and will definitely be staying again if the opportunity permits ☺️
Our stay – Our stay was perfect the location and views were amazing A very comfortable and homely feel We enjoyed every minute very clean ! beds are very comfortable having an electric blanket was a bonus Cookie the dog and the ducks were lovely to have around thank you to you both for having us
Negative reviews
Extremely disappointed experience — abandoned by the host last minute but even worse was Airbnb support. I booked this accommodation months in advance, specifically because I was travelling to a country where I had been advised not to be out after dark for safety reasons. On the day of check-in, approximately one hour after I was due to check… Read more
in, the host suddenly informed me that the apartment was unavailable. They then attempted to move me off the Airbnb platform and into an inferior apartment without air conditioning, while still charging me the same price. The host subsequently cancelled my stay, leaving me without accommodation at the last minute.
I immediately reported the situation to Airbnb Support and asked for help at around 3pm. What followed was incredibly disappointing. Two support conversations were effectively ignored. One Airbnb representative eventually responded and appeared to start helping me rebook, reassuring me that I should not worry about any price difference. She provided three separate options, and I selected one.
After I had made my choice and she had begun looking into the booking, the conversation was simply shut down. This happened after two other Airbnb ambassadors had also failed to provide meaningful assistance by closing the time crucial issue without resentment.
By this point, it was after dark and I was effectively stranded on the streets of a city where I had specifically been advised to take precautions after dark by being inside, with no accommodation and no practical help from Airbnb.
I have been a loyal Airbnb customer and have used the platform with the expectation that, when something goes seriously wrong with a booking, Airbnb Support will step in and help resolve the situation. Instead, I was left feeling completely abandoned at a time when I genuinely needed assistance.
The host's behaviour was unacceptable, but what makes this experience particularly shocking is Airbnb's handling of the situation afterwards. A last-minute cancellation is bad enough; leaving a traveller stranded after dark, after repeatedly contacting support for help, is simply not acceptable.
This was not just an inconvenience or a minor customer-service issue. It affected my safety, security and ability to find somewhere to stay. I expected considerably more from Airbnb.
Unit 6122 at Peppers Salt, [Name Removed]. Wrote a horrible review on my airbnb page which has made me to have to start another one. Upon arriving, her check in instructions for her studio apartment at Peppers Salt was completely wrong and limited. The fobs provided for ‘secure parking’ were not even the correct fobs / and or didn’t work. We… Read more
had to park on the street, leave a $150k car out in the open and lug our 3 suitcases 500metres into reception.
Day 2 Organising and getting ready for an event in Kingscliffe, I come to discover there isn’t any iron in the small studio apartment. Leaving my partner and I in a panic on how we are going to attend an event not looking like slobs. Every accomodation I’ve ever stayed at even the worst places have irons. This one had an ironing board with no iron. The lack of attention to detail is certainly worth noting.
It’s also certainly worth noting that [Name Removed] took our money for the airbnb booking, then after we had already paid says we cannot even access the pool which was part of the property description (direct pool access) because there was scaffolding blocking and impeding not only the access but any sort of view we would have had.
Beware of this airbnb host before she takes your money. Make sure you have everything confirmed by her before hand.
1. Will I actually get a view 2. Will I actually have pool access 3. Will there be an iron with the ironing board in the studio or do I need to bring my own 3. Can I actually access the carparks 4. Will any of the fobs provided actually work?
I wasn’t going to do her any harm in a bad review on airbnb but since she’s done that to me unfortunately karma is a b**ch. And I’m glad there are hundreds of thousands of people who visit this site.
Thanks for the stay!!
ZERO stars
I can't give a lower rating than one star :( I'm not a Host and I'm not Guest in this case. I purchased a property which had operated as an AirBnB before it was offered for sale. The listing was never removed and I've been the owner for THREE years. As such, the property can still be seen as available to lease on AirBnB ... and the AirBnB map… Read more
of the area shows the location of my property complete with internal and external photos!
People have been turning up at our door enquiring about bookings.
We've sent numerous emails to AirBnB requesting they contact the 'Host' and remove the listing. Their response is to copy and paste stating the following:
"Airbnb is an online platform and does not own, operate, manage or control accommodations, nor do we verify private contract terms or arbitrate complaints from third parties.
We do, however, require Hosts to represent that they have all the rights to list their accommodations. As such, we take these types of complaints seriously and are committed to notifying Hosts when we receive them."
We've requested AirBnB contact the Host to ascertain ownership of our property which would highlight the Host no longer owns nor lives in nor has a right to list the property and....
The same copy and paste comes back from AirBnB.
Customer Service either don't wish to understand or cannot understand.
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Recent reviews
Such a terrible customer service. Four calls and did not sort the issue and they disconnect the call and no call back. Look like a-scam. Management somewhere overseas. Put onhold many times. Corrupt. Never use. Show details
My issue is not simply with a single property, but with Airbnb’s handling of reported listing inaccuracies. During a recent stay, we booked a property that was advertised as a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment. In reality, it was a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment, with the second “bedroom” being a broken pull-out sofa in the living room. The sofa… Read more
bed was unusable, forcing our guests to sleep on the floor.
We reported these issues to Airbnb and provided details of the discrepancies. Despite this, we were advised that Airbnb could not amend the listing description and only offered a minimal reimbursement.
As travellers, we rely on Airbnb listings being accurate. More importantly, we rely on Airbnb to take meaningful action when a property is reported for material inaccuracies. If a guest can provide evidence that a listing does not match what is being advertised, yet the listing remains unchanged, it raises serious concerns about the reliability of the platform.
This experience has significantly reduced our trust in Airbnb. The value of any booking platform is that customers can have confidence that listings accurately represent what they are paying for and that issues will be appropriately addressed when they arise. Unfortunately, that was not our experience.
Going forward, I would be more inclined to book through other accommodation platforms where I have found listing accuracy, customer support, and accountability to be more reliable. Based on this experience, I can no longer confidently trust Airbnb listings or Airbnb’s process for addressing reported inaccuracies.
Airbnb is the worst company I have EVER dealt with. I arrived to an airbnb to realise there was construction right above my apartment all day long not allowing me to work and function normally. The host was amazing and agreed to a full refund. Airbnb then agreed, but then said their system is showing another amount and had to escalate it to… Read more
another team. I explained I was in a hurry as need a new place before work on the Monday. It took them until Tuesday (5 days) to respond. He then offers me a much lower amount. Then offers me an amount closer to what I agreed with Airbnb. Every single day someone new takes over the case, i have to explain myself to them again, and I did that yesterday to ask what the refund would be IF i checked out and they said they'd let me know.
But little did I know, they went ahead and reduced my stay to the date I asked what the refund would be IF i checked out that date. I am now homeless in a foreign country with no agreed refund amount all because of Airbnb.
AVOID!
We wanted to get away for a weekend and in order to stay at an Airbnb home, I had to open an account. Initially this seem fine, until they wanted a photo of me along with a copy of my drivers licence. I hesitate at first but against my better judgement I proceeded. We booked our stay at a lovely farmhouse and had a great time. The following week… Read more
after we returned home, I received the first of two new credit cards from banks I don’t bank with, they had opened 2 new bank accounts under my name. I was informed that my driver’s license was used on both occasions to open these accounts. This has nothing to do with the farmhouse but Airbnb itself. They have misused my information and have allowed somebody in their organisation to steal my details. I tried to report it to them but they were less than interested. I have closed my account and will never use them again.
Airbnb does not comply with its own policies/terms. We have been requested to pay a security deposit from a host where the requirement for payment of such a deposit was buried in the 'rules' section of the listing. Contrary to airbnb's own terms, the deposit amount was not clearly detailed in the listing's specific fee fields. Airbnb has supported… Read more
the host's request for the security deposit despite its own terms. This is misleading and deceptive conduct on the part of Airbnb.
Up until now my experience with AirBNB has been very good, as a guest. However my concern is with how they treat gift card redemption / account balances. Background: I was gifted a sum of money in the form of AirBNB gift cards. I redeemed the cards into my AirBNB account balance. All good so far. Attempted to make a booking, using the… Read more
account balance. At no point in the booking process was my positive account balance displayed so when checkout time came the only option I had was to pay using my normal payment method- PayPal. I expected a notification from AirBNB that my account balance had been used in lieu of the PayPal payment. But there was no such notification.
So I contacted AirBNB Customer Support seeking to have the PayPal money refunded and the accommodation booking debited against my AirBNB account balance.
Long story short AirBNB's Customer Service agents, including a Senior Case Manager, were unable to help. Yes, the Senior Case Manager, Uzair by name, acknowledged that their IT systems had a "temporary" glitch which failed to display and deduct the booking fee from my account balance. Uzair was being as helpful as he could within the confines of his role.
Repeated polite requests to have the PayPal charges reversed and the accommodation fee paid from my account balance went unsatisfied. Their "resolution" being that "[your] funds are safe in your account and can be used for your next booking." Unsatisfactory for me because AirBNB now have both my account balance funds and my PayPal funds which, in a normal business model I would expect spare funds to be invested. Therefore they gain interest on those funds, interest or access to my PayPal-paid funds in the meantime is unavailable to me. I believe that is unfair.
Has anyone else experienced this sort of situation in regards to account balances not being debited first, before any further funds are requested?
My next step is to now contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission which deals with, amongst other matters, unfair business practises. It is small money but the principle is key here. How many others have been inconvenienced with AirBNB system problems, temporary or otherwise? And an inflexible Company policy regarding refunds?
Kind regards, Denis
Stayed two nights at an apartment with a balcony overlooking a main road in a city centre. Host charged a an extra $99 cleaning fee for a stain on a cheap outdoor couch. I explained to Host and AirBNB proper that not only did we not use the balcony, but it appears to be BIRD FAECES. They also have no evidence that the bird poo stain even occurred… Read more
during our stain. Regardless, damage incurred by native fauna on outdoor furniture should NOT be the responsibility of the guest!! After extensive discussions with airBNB, they continued to protect the Host and forcibly charged my credit card. The degree to which all of their communication is AI slop is also deeply upsetting. Users beware. AirBNB will always protect the Host. Even if you are being scammed. I will never use airBNB again. You have ZERO financial protections from airBNB.
My reservation was cancelled by the host 3.5 months after the reservation was made and there’s no penalty to the host. If I cancelled I would be charged 50% of the fee plus the service fee. The host can cancel anytime without any penalty. When I booked I was charged 60% of the cost and I’m simply going to get my money back. The host offered to… Read more
swap to a different weekend, but if it more expensive I have to pay the difference. Of course it is more expensive 3.5 months later. No thank you.
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