Whether on a work trip or a vacation, there's nothing like returning to a comfy hotel room or rental after a day out. It's no wonder why many people spend hours scouring the internet before choosing their accommodation for any upcoming travel. But sometimes, no matter how much research you do, things don't turn out how they were supposed to. That's what happened to the guests on this list - their hotels and Airbnbs missed the mark so badly that they just had to take a picture for the rest of us to laugh at.
Is It Clever Photography or Photoshop?
Anyone with an interest in photography will know all about the importance of angles. In this case, the Hotel Alicja in Poland has worked those angles like we've never seen before! What initially looks like a quaint boutique hotel listing, reminiscent of something from a sleepy Mediterranean village, is, in actual fact, a green blob underneath an industrial monstrosity. Still, if you were advertising this vacation resort, what choice would you have?
The Hotel Alicja also has a restaurant, although we wouldn't recommend that any guests opt for al fresco dining. You'd be better off sticking to room service — with the windows closed, of course!
Glassless Window Into the Bathtub - But Don't Worry, the Bathroom Door Has a Lock
Lots of people travel solo, whether it's a work trip or even a vacation. That being said, the majority of hotel guests come as a pair or even a group. That's why these hotel guests were so surprised to find their room was a little too open when it came to bathroom privacy. Sure, there was a curtain, but even that was virtually see-through! At least these two were able to see the funny side.
We're not sure what the thinking was behind this design. Emergency access to the bathroom in case of food poisoning? The option to watch television from the bath? Who knows.
We Appreciate the Honesty
One thing that can be said for the owner of this Airbnb is that while they might have no idea how their apartment works, at least their communication is on point. It's not uncommon for homes to have the odd phantom light switch; we just hope these three aren't connected to anything too important — like the fridge or the oven. Perhaps the person renting this Airbnb could investigate and report back to the owner.
The lesson here is that if you're considering renting out your apartment as an Airbnb, it's probably a good idea to understand your electrics; otherwise, you might end up on a list like this!
Things Took a Dark Turn Here
Lots of fancy hotels enjoy delighting their guests with little touches or unexpected details, like placing a little chocolate underneath the pillow or creating cute animal origami out of towels. Sure, the little dog lying on the bed here is adorable, but what's with the rotisserie chicken strung up from the chandelier? This must have been an unnerving start to the guest's vacation. Room service? As long as it's not chicken, thanks.
In fairness, the hotel staff who clean and make the rooms must get pretty bored of doing the same thing time after time. Still, we'd rather they stick to a swan next time.
Welcome to the Headbanger Hotel
There's nothing quite like waking up from a good night's sleep in a comfy hotel or Airbnb bed, having a good stretch, and then sitting up to read a book or drink some coffee. You might regret that in this room. For some insane reason, a thick wooden shelf has been erected directly above the pillow, perfectly positioned to knock someone out and send them straight back to sleep.
Even more hilarious is the bizarre attempt to disguise this carpentry faux pas with the addition of a plant pot on the shelf. All is forgiven for the sore head because the flowers looked pretty. Or not!
When the Antifog Mirror Section Is Only for Tall Guests
The best hotels and Airbnbs should attempt to cater to as many different people as possible, whether that's families, solo travelers, or shorter guests. Unfortunately, this hotel seems to think that all of its guests are at least 6 feet tall. They invested in a genius antifog mirror, but the part that doesn't fog up is only visible to people who are at least 5 feet, four inches. We're sure they can take the technology and make the antifog part bigger and more inclusive!
Let's hope the hotel reception was able to make up for this slightly embarrassing design fault by delivering a stool to their guest alongside some complimentary room service.
No, There Are No Other Outlets in the Room
It's one thing having a plug socket on the ceiling, which is kind of weird, but it's another thing when this plug socket is the only outlet in the entire hotel room. The thing is, in what world did the contractor think that installing a socket in the ceiling was a good idea? Was it originally meant for a mounted television or a fan? We really hope so.
Still, a massive shout out to the guest of the room who, rather than demand to be moved, has made the best of a bad situation by charging their phone in the most precarious way possible.
Finding a Hidden Camera Is Our Worst Nightmare
A lot of the hotel room and Airbnb features on this list are pretty funny, but this one is downright creepy. The eagle-eyed guest at this Airbnb spotted that what looked like a clock was, in fact, a hidden camera. We're not sure where this "clock" was placed on the property, but it's likely that it was found in the bedroom. Not only is this illegal, but it's morally wrong.
We hope the owner of this Airbnb has been banned from listing properties on the platform. This serves as a good warning to anyone renting a property to give it a quick sweep before it's time for sleep.
Fancy a (very Dirty and Smelly) Late Night Dip?
There are many reasons people choose to stay in an Airbnb rather than a hotel. For groups, they provide a place to hang out together, usually featuring communal areas like a living room and a yard. Even solo travelers might opt for an Airbnb over a hotel or a resort to enjoy a personalized, local stay in their vacation destination. For this guest, renting this Airbnb was a no-brainer after being sold on the hot tub. Ouch.
As you can see, this not-so-hot tub resembles something out of a horror movie; the water is a brownish green, and the tub looks like it hasn't been cleaned in at least a decade.
They Have a "no Flushing at Night" Policy
When you're booking a hotel on vacation, especially abroad, you want to know that you'll have somewhere comfortable to unwind in an area you're unfamiliar with. This unfortunate guest arrived at their hotel room after a long flight only to discover the bed and the toilet was a little close for comfort. In fact, so close you could probably pee while standing on the bed!
This is a great example of hotels not always being transparent with their service. Sure, it's unlikely anyone would ever book to stay in the hotel if they knew their toilet would be next to the bed, but at least put up a curtain, no?
They Weren't Trying to Beat Around the Bush
Lots of resorts and hotels have amenities like swimming pools, spas, and gyms. These are perfect for when you're on vacation and want to be invigorated before breakfast or need to wind down after a long day exploring. Generally, there are some unwritten rules for guests when using these amenities, but others need to be spelled out. Clearly, this resort decided that being explicit about a certain condition was necessary.
The problem is hotel guests will assume that the pool is often used by people who are ill with diarrhea, hence the sign! We'd probably give it a miss.
We Just Want to Know Who Designed This Carpet
First impressions count for a lot, especially when you're staying at a hotel on vacation, so you can probably imagine the shock this guest had when they stepped through their hotel corridor and into a scene reminiscent of a horror movie. Perhaps the staff were getting into the spirit of Halloween and took it a little too far? Whatever the case, we'd be on the first flight home.
It should come as no surprise to any hotel owner that bloodstains (real or otherwise) aren't conducive to guests enjoying a relaxing vacation. Can we suggest new carpets?
When the Bath Water Looks More Like a Urinated Toilet
Staying in an Airbnb can be a bit of a lottery. When your experience is good, it can literally make your stay. When your experience is bad, however, you can end up with a bathtub full of water that looks like it belongs in the toilet. This poor guest took a photo to send to the owner, but apparently, there was nothing they could do about it. How about a refund?
Sure, sometimes Airbnbs and hotels don't look exactly like the pictures online, but basic hygiene should be a bare minimum. Let's just hope it was a short stay!
Not What the Guests Imagined When the Description Read "close to Nature"
This guest staying at a supposedly reputable hotel chain had a nasty surprise when they noticed an unexpected "feature" in the corner of their room. Basic cleanliness isn't a lot to ask from a hotel or Airbnb, but in this case, this place has a lot to answer for. How low must standards be to allow mushrooms to grow inside, let alone a bedroom? We don't think these were meant to be for breakfast, either.
Let's hope this guest received a full refund from the hotel. Perhaps they also offered them a complimentary stay, although if we were them, we'd politely decline!
This Is Where the "clean" Sheets Are Stored
This poor hotel guest had the displeasure of seeing "behind the curtain" of his hotel, and behind the curtain, we mean the store cupboard where the cleaning staff supposedly keeps fresh bedsheets and soaps. We're not sure what's more concerning, the fact that the bedsheets are literally kept on the floor or that the soaps are stored inside a wall that looks like a pretty cozy home for a rodent.
Once you've seen this kind of thing as a hotel guest, you can never really trust anything else for the rest of your stay. Continental breakfast? We'll pass, thanks. Room service? Let's do takeout instead.
Just Don't Lose the Key
We're not entirely sure where this hotel is, but they certainly don't want guests to lose their room keys! Perhaps this hotel is in a remote location where guests are out doing activities all day, or maybe the hotel's location makes getting hold of spare keys difficult. Either way, there's not much chance of this enormous key getting lost. Hopefully, the staff at reception are happy with guests leaving their keys with them while they're out and about.
It would be kind of ironic — and pretty funny — if the actual room key came off the chord, leaving just the enormous wooden version for the guest to deal with.
Privacy? What's That?
Many hotels and resorts fall into the trap of assuming that all of their guests are couples. Or at least, that's what the room designs feel like. Many people go on trips and vacations with parents, kids, friends, and even work colleagues. In none of these scenarios would you want to open your hotel room door to discover nothing but a pane of glass separating the bed from the bathroom.
Unfortunately, this is precisely what this guest found, so they couldn't resist sharing their frustration on social media. And no, moving the towel across might isn't exactly a solution.
When the Curtains Are Designed by Freddy Krueger
This hotel guest was a little concerned when they looked at the curtains in their room and for good reason. What were the designers thinking when they came up with this blood-spatter print? Presumably, they didn't think it looked like the scene of a crime, but most guests will be looking twice before being able to sleep at night. This certainly wouldn't get anyone in the mood for room service.
We hope this guest ended up having a relaxing stay at the hotel once they'd gotten over the initial panic of the curtains. They still probably bolted the door, though.
Watch Out for Blackmailing Hosts
The great thing about platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo is that they open up a whole new marketplace for travelers looking for great places to stay. The downside is that you're reliant on individual owners being decent, honest people. This, of course, isn't always the case, as this conversation shows. Imagine being provided with a sub-par service and then being blackmailed into giving a good review in order to be refunded your money. Awful.
Let's hope Steven, the owner of this Vrbo rental, has his comeuppance. An exchange like this can ruin an entire vacation, so we really feel for the poor guest who had to deal with it.
This Bathroom Comes With an Obstacle Course Included
Whoever designed this hotel bathroom really didn't want to make life easy for its guests! In what might be the worst-designed bathroom of all time, the poor person needing to use the toilet has to climb in and out of the bathtub before they can relieve themselves. Is it like a gameshow, a challenge? Do the different colored tiles mean something? Who knows. But good luck if you need a pee during the night.
What's especially crazy about this design is that the sink area could easily be half the size to accommodate the toilet beside it. Unfortunately for the guest, we're not in the business of designing hotel bathrooms.
Stairwells Aren't the Best Place for Optical Illusions
Here's some free advice to hotel interior designers: if the stairs have to be carpeted, please don't use a striped design. That is, of course, unless the hotel is looking to be sued for a lot of money by guests who constantly fall down the staircase. Even fully sober and walking slowly, these stairs are an accident waiting to happen, so how about for guests who are augmenting their vacation with a couple of margaritas? We dread to think.
The only possible benefit to having stripy stairs is that they hide dirt. The question is, can they hide the bloodstains from all those people falling down and hitting their faces on the floor?
The Dirtiest Carpet on Earth
Disneyland certainly has a reputation to live up to since its official tagline is 'The Happiest Place On Earth.' Unfortunately, for this resort guest, their hotel room felt more like the filthiest place on earth. Disney sells its guests magical moments, but this magic doesn't come cheap — surely a clean carpet isn't too much to expect? At $250 per night, guests could rightly expect a marble floor.
We're not sure how Disneyland makes apologies, but we hope Micky Mouse himself passed by for a personal apology after this debacle. Maybe not, but a refund would be a nice start.
When You Get Back to the Hotel and Find All Your Stuff in a Trash Bag and Your Room Occupied
This photo was taken by a hotel guest who'd been out working that day and returned to find that the hotel staff had bagged up all his belongings in a trash bag and given away his room to another guest. Now that's what you call service! In all seriousness, how does this scenario even happen? It's one thing moving a guest's belongings and checking them out, but putting the belongings in a trash bag? Wow.
Perhaps there's another side to this story that we don't know about, but either way, this isn't a good look for the hotel. We're not sure where it is, so we can't warn you to stay away, unfortunately.
Every Step Is a Completely Different Size
Sure, Airbnb rentals are often popular due to their homely feel and quirkiness, but this staircase takes that a little too far. When "character" becomes a health hazard, it's probably time to check out and check into a hotel. These stairs aren't just wonky; each step is a different height — not great when you've just woken up or had a beer or two!
Assuming this stay didn't result in any injuries, we're sure the guest had a pleasant experience. However, a broken leg is certainly one guaranteed way to spoil a vacation.
That Shower Was Electrifying (literally)
Something most people learn from a pretty young age is that water and electricity don't mix, which is why in 99% of bathrooms, you won't find a plug socket or any live electric equipment. This Airbnb bathroom in Croatia must be the 1%. Incredibly, the guest who posted this photo actually stayed in the Airbnb for a few months and showered every day with the precarious-looking heater looming overhead.
We're pleased to say that he didn't end up getting electrocuted — or barbequed — but did complain that the heater used up virtually all of the electricity supply in the apartment!
Snacks Over Fire Safety
Most of the time, hotels have their priorities right. Health and safety on behalf of hotel guests usually trump everything, but not in this case. Sure, if a guest is in desperate need of a cold can of soda or a bag of chips, then great, the vending machine is right there. But if a guest of this hotel is in desperate need of access to a fire extinguisher in an emergency? Oh.
It surely won't be long until the authorities force this hotel to get their act together, but maybe a post on social media from this guest might speed up the process.
Who Likes Being Watched?
Plenty of resorts and hotels cater to families — Disneyland, for example. Others, like this fancy-looking location, focus on couples and singles. Fair enough. However, what happens when guests aren't romantically involved with the person or people in their hotel room? Shower times need to be on a rota, or things could get pretty awkward. Even some couples would find this centerpiece shower cube a little bit exposed, surely.
The other logistical consideration is the windows. Depending on what floor this is on, guests presumably need to remember to roll down the blinds before hopping in the shower, which kind of kills the vibe.
When The Pool Is More Like a (toxic) Pond
This guest had a sinking feeling when they arrived at their Airbnb booking in New Orleans and saw the swimming pool in the yard. Less swimming pool and more Louisiana swamp; this probably wasn't the "local experience" the guest was hoping for when they touched down from their flight for vacation. Not only that, but the Airbnb host had conveniently forgotten to mention the air conditioning unit was also broken.
If you've ever been to Louisiana — or anywhere in the American South, for that matter — you'll understand how important air conditioning is, especially in the sweltering summer months.
Not Exactly the Dream Vacation Waterfall
At first glance, the sink faucet in this hotel bathroom seems to have been installed too far away for the water to reach the basin, but the issue might be less hilarious. Sure, moving the faucet closer would mitigate any water pressure issues, but it certainly looks like the pressure — or lack of it — is the main fail here. Either way, this hotel guest had a hard time brushing their teeth.
An issue like water pressure isn't exactly something you want to be stressing about when you're on vacation and staying at a fancy resort. Let's hope the hotel guest had this fixed fast.
If This Is What the Hotel Kitchen's Oven Looks Like, We Don't Wanna Stay There
Cleanliness is paramount in any hospitality environment, but none more so than in a kitchen. Preparing and cooking food on dirty surfaces or filthy ovens can lead to serious illness and even death. Based on the state of the oven, this restaurant doesn't think hygiene is such an important issue. What's even crazier is that this isn't some backwater diner; it is actually the oven in the kitchen of a famous hotel.
Unfortunately, the member of staff who took the photo didn't name and shame the venue, but it can't be long until health and safety officials take some action.
This Shower Needs to Take a Bath
Supposedly, this filthy showerhead can be found in a 4-star hotel. Well, they need to remove at least one of those stars until the hotel staff has given the place a proper clean because this isn't worthy of a $20 motel room, let alone a resort. Guests who stay in the best hotels always reference attention to detail as what sets them apart from other places — this is the opposite of that.
No hotel guest should feel the need to take another shower immediately after having one, but it's pretty likely that plenty of guests here have felt exactly that.
Security Is Overrated
A guest staying at this hotel reported that his girlfriend, not realizing the lock was in place, gently pulled the door open, and this happened. Understandably, they were both left feeling pretty unsafe for the remainder of their stay. The question is, what is that lock made out of? Die-cast metal? Cleanliness, comfort, and security are some of the fundamental features any hotel should strive to offer, but this place clearly failed at the first attempt.
This is also a great advertisement for latch locks that don't rely on a couple of screws and a flimsy piece of metal. Hopefully, this couple managed to get some sleep.
No Matter How Hard You Shake...
Okay, so not all hotel stays are — or need to be — luxurious experiences. Some hotels provide a no-frills service that does a job, no more, no less. This is the vibe we get from this photo, taken by a guest who found it hilarious that the basic level of service went even as far as the salt and pepper shakers. At least there are plenty of sachets in there, right?
While this hotel is unlikely to win any awards, a lot can be said for basic cleanliness and efficiency at a fair price. The question is, do they have any ketchup?
You Have to Pay Extra for Leg Space
If you're staying at a resort or a hotel on vacation, comfort is a high priority. You might choose to spend a little more for that extra bit of space as toom will be your base for the duration of your trip. If, however, you're staying at a hotel for work, finding a home away from home isn't as important, so let's hope this hotel guest was on a work trip.
We have no idea how someone is supposed to use this toilet — sit on it sideways?! Clearly, accessibility and design went out the window when this hotel was being built.
The "built-In" USB Charger Is Not so Built-In After All
In many ways, it's never good to look "behind the curtain" at hotels and resorts. The hospitality industry is a fast-paced and often stressful environment, with lots of hard work happening behind the scenes to provide a seemingly effortless service for guests. In this case, the same can be said for the hotel's electrical fixtures. When the USB plug wasn't charging his phone, this guest took a look and had a shock.
While this may be a fire hazard waiting to happen, we're not sure about the guest taking matters into his own hand by ripping the foam covering straight off!
Is It a Television or a Tablet?
In fairness to this hotel, the room looks pretty nice and spacious. Why did they go and undo that hard work, though, by installing the world's smallest TV? Perhaps it was meant for the bathroom, where guests would be a lot closer to the screen. Either that or the hotel hasn't upgraded its TVs since the mid-00s when this would've been considered a state-of-the-art widescreen.
Hopefully, the guest who took this photo either had incredibly good eyesight or requested that a pair of binoculars be sent to the room along with room service.
We Just Know This Closet Has Caused Plenty of Head Bruising
Germans are known for their engineering prowess, but this bizarre hotel room closet makes zero sense to us. It's the kind of thing where the more you look at it, the more confusing it becomes. Clearly, the manufacturers also realized it was problematic since they had to slap a "caution" sticker on every door opening. Even with all of the warning signs, we're sure plenty of guests have hit their heads on these crazy closet doors.
In defense of the closet, even though the design makes an injury very likely, they do provide ample storage space for four different guests. Unfortunately, the health hazard kind of overshadows this.
How's It Going Down There?
Just like the incredibly creepy spy camera designed as an alarm clock, this potentially illegal "mirror" sits directly above the toilet in this guest's Airbnb. The reason this is suspicious is that we can't think of any legitimate reason why a mirror would be put up in this position unless it was a one-way spy hole. The first thing this guest should've done is cover this mirror up. The second thing? Probably check out.
It's really concerning to know that there are Airbnb owners out there carrying out immoral activities like this. If in doubt, opt for a reputable hotel on your trip or vacation.
Pays Over 100 Euros a Night, Gets Only One Pillow
When you pay over $100 for a hotel room, as this guest did, the least you expect is a decent pillow. Well, that was too much to ask at this European hotel, where apparently, less is more when it comes to that particular area of bedding. The pillow itself is actually pretty big, so the guest presumably folded it in half, but still, a good pillow should be more puffed than a pancake.
Still, the hotel room more than made up for the pathetic pillow with the enormous size of the bed! Perhaps there were a few spare pillows stored in the drawers underneath.
A Room With a View
It's one thing having a window in between a hotel bedroom and bathroom, but it's quite another having one that is designed to frame the toilet like some kind of romantic era work of art. We're not sure why any hotel guest would need a peephole into the bathroom — or into the bedroom from the bathroom, for that matter — so good luck to any guests hoping to feel comfortable when nature calls.
What can be said is that this is better than a hidden camera, at least, although that's not exactly a high bar. Perhaps the main benefit is for athletic guests, who leap through the hole for a nighttime pee.