Like with everything else in life, when it comes to hotels and Airbnb, what you pay for is what you get. But every once in a while, travelers come across places to stay that exceed expectations in all the wrong ways.

So we’ve gathered some of the worst hotel and Airbnb experiences and failures that netizens simply had to shame online. We also got in touch with veteran traveler Monica Stott to learn a bit more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote the worst fails, and be sure to share your own ideas and stories in the comments section below. 

#1

That Went From Horrifying To Unexpected Perk Rather Quickly

That Went From Horrifying To Unexpected Perk Rather Quickly

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    #2

    My Hotel View. It's Actually Nice To Have Quiet Neighbors

    My Hotel View. It's Actually Nice To Have Quiet Neighbors

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    #3

    You Won't Be Getting Any Sleep There. Even With The Blinds Closed, You'll Know It's Watching

    You Won't Be Getting Any Sleep There. Even With The Blinds Closed, You'll Know It's Watching

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    Bored Panda got in touch with veteran traveler Monica Stott and she was kind enough to share some of her experience with us. First and foremost, we wanted to hear what advice she would give her younger self in regards to traveling. 

    “You don’t need all that stuff! Find your favorite travel outfit and stick with it and forget about all the ‘just in case’ items. You never need them. But pay for extra cloud storage and backup your photos and videos. Those photos are priceless, look after them,” she added, and for good reason, every single country in the world has something beautiful to capture. 

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    #5

    I Found A Pair Of Handcuffs Attached To A Leg Of The Bed In My Airbnb In Tijuana

    I Found A Pair Of Handcuffs Attached To A Leg Of The Bed In My Airbnb In Tijuana

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    #6

    While My Family With Young Kids Were Staying At This Airbnb, An Old Man Walked Into The Backyard And Started Draining The Pool

    While My Family With Young Kids Were Staying At This Airbnb, An Old Man Walked Into The Backyard And Started Draining The Pool

    The pool was included in our stay. We also rented the whole house which in my mind should include privacy and no interruptions from the homeowner.

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    When it comes to hotels, everyone has their own philosophy. Some prefer to rough it out and save their money for tickets and activities, while others enjoy living in the lap of luxury. Naturally, given Monica’s experience, we wanted to hear her opinion on when to splurge and when to save. 

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    #7

    AC Wasn't Cooling Effectively In My New Hostel Room. Maintenance People Didn't Respond, So I Decided To Take A Look Myself. This Is The Filter

    AC Wasn't Cooling Effectively In My New Hostel Room. Maintenance People Didn't Respond, So I Decided To Take A Look Myself. This Is The Filter

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    #8

    They Said That Hotel Includes A "Private Balcony". It's Just A View Of The Wall Of The Next Building

    They Said That Hotel Includes A "Private Balcony". It's Just A View Of The Wall Of The Next Building

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    #9

    My Airbnb Host Said: "The Lock Box Is Near The White Door. It Is Silver With Black Plastic"

    My Airbnb Host Said: "The Lock Box Is Near The White Door. It Is Silver With Black Plastic"

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    sbj
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I suppose it makes it more tricky to burgle the place

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    “If we lived in a perfect world then we’d all have plenty of time and plenty of money and we’d be free to make the choice about which is most important to us. But we don’t live in a perfect world and it’s not normally a choice. Some of us have one or the other, most of us don’t have enough of either!”

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    #10

    The Running Hot Water At My $550/Night Hotel Room In Paris

    The Running Hot Water At My $550/Night Hotel Room In Paris

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    Nadine Debard
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Paris has old plumbing, so if there was an intervention on the street it's very likely to have ground/rust during the first 5-10 minutes. Edit : yes, plumbery, like I definitely needed coffee and glasses this morning :)

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    #11

    I Found This Camera In My Vacation Rental

    I Found This Camera In My Vacation Rental

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    Mavis
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's the cameras you don't find that are the real problem.

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    #12

    I Stayed At Made Hotel In NYC, And This Was My View From The Bed

    I Stayed At Made Hotel In NYC, And This Was My View From The Bed

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    “Just remember that nothing has to be forever. You might prioritize time at one stage of your life (perhaps when your children are little) and then prioritize money for a while (perhaps in your 50s so you can retire young). There’s no right or wrong, we all just do what feels right at the time,” she shared with Bored Panda. 

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    #13

    I Was Staying At A Hotel In Canada. They Were Doing Construction And Didn't Bother To Put Any Signs, So This Morning, I Fell Down 3 Feet

    I Was Staying At A Hotel In Canada. They Were Doing Construction And Didn't Bother To Put Any Signs, So This Morning, I Fell Down 3 Feet

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    #14

    Salad In The Italian Restaurant In Egypt Hotel

    Salad In The Italian Restaurant In Egypt Hotel

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    Michael
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you go to an Italian restaurant in Egypt, you only have yourself to blame...

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    #15

    My Hotel Window On The 8th Floor Has A Window That Opens From The Bottom And Opens Up Far Enough To Fall Through The Frame

    My Hotel Window On The 8th Floor Has A Window That Opens From The Bottom And Opens Up Far Enough To Fall Through The Frame

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    “I definitely prefer traveling slowly and paying less to do so. But do I have 10 weeks to slowly travel around Europe by train? No, no I don’t. So, at the moment, I’ll be taking a quick flight every other weekend to European cities for a 2-night break!” After all, as this article shows, not all hotels are made equal, so it’s best to know what to look out for. 

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    #16

    I Stayed At A Hotel With Giant Fleas On The Wallpaper

    I Stayed At A Hotel With Giant Fleas On The Wallpaper

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    #17

    Welcome To The Underground

    Welcome To The Underground

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    #18

    This Has Made Me Laugh

    This Has Made Me Laugh

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    We also asked Monica to share her own tips on how to prepare for a trip. “I don’t like to over-prepare because it can take the joy out of stumbling upon things and enjoying the moment. There are a few things I like to do though: Book my accommodation, know how I’m getting from the airport/train station to my accommodation, and roughly know how much things will cost.”

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    #19

    View From The Hotel Room. They Claimed We Would Get City Views

    View From The Hotel Room. They Claimed We Would Get City Views

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    #20

    The "City View" From My Hotel Room In Istanbul

    The "City View" From My Hotel Room In Istanbul

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    #21

    I Tried To Open The AC Vent At The Airbnb I'm Staying At On Vacation And Found This

    I Tried To Open The AC Vent At The Airbnb I'm Staying At On Vacation And Found This

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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Kind of brilliant if you ever scratch your floors. Just put in a fake register!

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    “Have a short list of things I want to see, a few restaurants I’d like to try and plot these places on Google Maps so I don’t get lost.” If you want to learn more travel tips, check out Monica’s Instagram as well as her blog. For those who weren’t turned off hotels and Airbnb from this article, check out some travel ideas for 2024

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    #22

    My Airbnb Assured Me They Have A "Very Safe" Baby Gate

    My Airbnb Assured Me They Have A "Very Safe" Baby Gate

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    #23

    At The Hotel I’m Staying At. Definitely Not Suspicious

    At The Hotel I’m Staying At. Definitely Not Suspicious

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    #24

    The Airbnb Has A Window From The Shower To The Living Room

    The Airbnb Has A Window From The Shower To The Living Room

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    #25

    I Saw The Full Mirror In My Hotel Room Randomly Shake And Discovered This Space In The Wall Behind It

    I Saw The Full Mirror In My Hotel Room Randomly Shake And Discovered This Space In The Wall Behind It

    Apparently, the hotel tried covering up damage done by a previous guest.

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    #26

    The Sheets At My Airbnb. Homeowner Wouldn't Answer The Phone Because It Was The Sabbath, And He Couldn't Work

    The Sheets At My Airbnb. Homeowner Wouldn't Answer The Phone Because It Was The Sabbath, And He Couldn't Work

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    #27

    The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off

    The Staircase At My Hotel Room Just Drops Off

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    Jrog
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The name of the hotel is literally "Hotel Scalinata", meaning "Hotel Stairway" (it's located in Rome, close to the Spanish Steps)

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    #29

    First Day Of Vacation And Our Half Of The Hotel Doesn't Have Power. Guess Who Might Be Going Home Early

    First Day Of Vacation And Our Half Of The Hotel Doesn't Have Power. Guess Who Might Be Going Home Early

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    #30

    Why Hotels Do This

    Why Hotels Do This

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    WindySwede
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never have the number of your room on the card! I hope it just was for this photo!

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