I have been a loyal Airbnb customer for…
I have been a loyal Airbnb customer for years and have spent tens of thousands of dollars on the platform. This trip through Europe was the point where I finally decided I’m done. The issue isn’t that things went wrong. Travel is messy, and I also own Airbnb rentals. I know staffing issues happen, appliances fail, and occasionally a property isn’t up to standard. What matters is how those situations are handled. During this trip I experienced an apartment where the master bedroom AC never became usable, forcing me to sleep on the couch for two nights before relocating. I had another reservation where I arrived to a strong musty odor, visible stains on multiple pieces of bedding, moisture in the apartment, and bedding I no longer felt comfortable sleeping in. I documented everything immediately, communicated respectfully, and relocated without ever sleeping in the bed, using the shower, or even using the towels. In another stay, I had to leave because I had an allergic reaction to a cat that I had overlooked in the listing. While Airbnb ultimately determined the disclosure met their policy, it reinforced a broader pattern I experienced throughout the trip: when something goes wrong, Airbnb consistently defaults to policy instead of taking ownership of the overall guest experience. I want to be fair because not every experience was negative. Many of my hosts throughout Europe were exceptional. Several became people I’ll gladly stay with again. In multiple cases, the hosts themselves handled difficult situations with more empathy and professionalism than Airbnb support. My frustration isn’t with individual support ambassadors either. Nearly every representative I spoke with was courteous and genuinely tried to help within the authority they had. My issue is with the policies they were required to follow. Time and again, I felt the platform prioritized contractual technicalities over practical resolutions that would have preserved trust. I travel extensively, with South America and Asia next on my itinerary. For years, Airbnb was my default choice. After this trip, it no longer is. This wasn’t one bad reservation. It was a series of experiences that steadily eroded my confidence in the platform. Going forward, I’ll be using Marriott, boutique hotels, and curated vacation rental providers instead. I genuinely hope Airbnb improves because I believe the idea behind the platform is still wonderful. Unfortunately, my experience this year convinced me that the execution no longer matches the promise.