A loyal Airbnb guest deeply disappointed – from a dream vacation to a nightmare
I’m not the kind of person who enjoys making complaints — especially negative ones — but what happened with Airbnb and this host left me no choice.
I have used Airbnb many times before, always as a respectful, decent, and considerate guest — kind to every host, careful with every property, and always leaving places in perfect condition. I believe in empathy and fairness, both as a guest and as a person. That’s why it hurts even more to feel abandoned by a company I truly trusted.
What was supposed to be a dream vacation turned into a nightmare of uncertainty, stress, and frustration. The apartment we booked in Bogotá was nothing like the photos: dirty, poorly maintained, and clearly showing signs that animals had been there. My husband, who has allergies, suffered an immediate reaction — confirmed later by a medical report.
We left the property the same day, with the host’s approval, because it was impossible to stay there under those conditions. At first, Airbnb acknowledged the situation and even offered to cover 20% of our hotel expenses — which we declined out of good faith. But later, they completely changed their stance, dismissed all our evidence (photos, videos, and medical documentation), and closed our case as if nothing had happened.
We paid 5,500,000 COP (around €1,180) for a place we couldn’t stay in for even one hour, and Airbnb’s final “solution” was to offer €200 as compensation. That is not customer care — that is an insult to fairness, respect, and the values Airbnb claims to stand for.
Between the money lost from this failed reservation and the expenses for finding a new place to stay, I ended up spending around 38,000 NOK (≈ €3,150) — an absurd and deeply unfair amount for something completely out of my control.
This experience caused physical, emotional, and financial harm. But what hurt the most wasn’t just the condition of the apartment — it was the feeling of being completely unvalued as a customer and as a person.
As a loyal and decent guest who has always treated hosts with kindness and responsibility, I expected the same respect in return. Airbnb should remember that its community is built on trust — and that trust must go both ways.