I want to share my unpleasant experience with Airbnb, which showed that the platform doesn’t always protect guests in challenging situations.
I have rented apartments many times on Airbnb and other platforms like Booking.com, with over 30 successful bookings in total. I’ve never had any issues with hosts before, but this situation has made me feel very disappointed with the level of support Airbnb provides to its guests.
When I arrived at the booked apartment, I noticed an unpleasant smell in the room. To air it out, I opened the door after turning off the air conditioner, as the windows in the apartment didn’t open. A few hours later, the host contacted me, saying that I was not allowed to air the room through the open door, even though this information was not mentioned in the rules. I calmly explained that I would air it briefly and then close the door. However, shortly after, the host arrived in person, spoke to me rudely, raised his voice, and claimed that I would “damage his air conditioner.”
In the end, he demanded that I vacate the apartment on December 30, leaving me stranded in a foreign country, far from home.
Afterward, the host left a negative review about me, filled with false claims, including that I supposedly wanted to stay for free. This false review is not only offensive but also damages my reputation as a guest. All of our interactions were recorded on video by both the host and myself, and our conversations were documented on Airbnb’s messaging system. Despite this, Airbnb has ignored the fact that there is no evidence supporting the host’s accusations. I reached out to Airbnb, asking them to remove the review since it contained lies and violated their own review policy about “relevance.” However, my request was denied, with Airbnb stating that “it will not impact my reputation.”
On top of that, the host was extremely aggressive and disrespectful, using phrases like “shut up” during our conversation.
This experience has completely shaken my trust in Airbnb. I am sharing this post to warn other guests. On Airbnb, you can find yourself in a situation where a host evicts you without valid reasons, leaves a false review, and the platform remains indifferent. Despite my history of being a responsible guest and the clear lack of evidence for the host’s claims, I was left unsupported and unfairly treated in this situation. Be cautious and prepared to face such issues on your own.
