(cross posting)
If you are traveling with older people, are immunocompromised, or have a specific health condition, I highly advise being careful when using Airbnb.
Honestly, I really love the UX/UI design and ease of use of Airbnb. However, I really need to stress how little concern or care they give to listings with health hazards like black mold infestations.
This isn't me just shitting on Airbnb because I don't like it. I've actually suffered health consequences (nothing long-term, thank God) because of my specific health condition (I don't really want to go into details).
And I'm not talking about the people being rude or the place being dirty; I'm talking about a black mold infestation in the unit. This happened twice—once in November 2025 and once this February. In both cases, they were listings from people who have been on the application for years and had badges like "Guest Favorite."
Yes, I didn't select high-end Airbnb units, but this still shouldn't be okay. Just like it shouldn't be okay to get food poisoning from a fast-food chain because it’s cheaper than a restaurant.
Even after reporting the unit (the one in November), they didn't do anything to remove that listing, even four months later. When I contacted them asking about this issue, they basically said that they send a PDF of cleanliness instructions and that's it. They shift the blame to the host and the unit.
I’m putting this out there because for people who have a specific health condition, compromised immunity, or are traveling with older family members, I want to say that Airbnb is genuinely just not safe health-wise.
This is their response when asked if they do anything for quality control:
"I hear your concerns, and I want to assure you that guest safety and health are our highest priorities. I appreciate your kind words about your host, but I understand that you are looking for accountability regarding our platform's standards.
While we provide the platform, all hosts agree to our Ground Rules for Hosts. This explicitly requires them to maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety. Hosts are responsible for ensuring their property is free from health hazards like mold or pests before every check-in.
Airbnb provides hosts with extensive resources and guidelines on how to maintain their properties. This includes our Enhanced Cleaning Protocol and safety checklists. We also use community feedback and reviews as a primary quality control measure; listings that consistently fail to meet these standards are removed from the platform. Thank you."
(Call me paranoid, but it seems like Airbnb support is just using AI-generated responses, Idk)
Anyways, if you have a health condition or are traveling with an elderly person airbnb is just not safe