Everyone loves a vacation, but there’s nothing worse than a trip going off the rails.
Whether it’s a flight from hell, a hotel nightmare, or a freaky discovery at an Airbnb, there’s no shortage of awful experiences that tourists have documented over the years.
So, before you book your next family vacay, check out these harrowing encounters and be sure to ask yourself if that trip is worth the risk.
Woman finds man hiding under her bed in Tokyo hotel
Ah, Japan. One of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet. But for one woman, traveling alone became a harrowing experience.
On her second night in Tokyo, she arrived back at APA Hotel and noticed a “weird smell” coming from under her bed. When she peaked underneath, she found a random man who proceeded to scream and run out of the building.
Despite the police getting involved, the lack of any cameras in the hotel meant they couldn’t find the intruder. While the woman was issued a refund, the whole situation left her totally disturbed.
Airbnb clerk asks to take nude photos of Pokimane
TikTok/PokimaneWhen Twitch star Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys stayed at an Airbnb in February 2025, he was baffled after discovering a series of nude portraits on the wall.
The streamer revealed that the owner of the Airbnb was the one who took the photos and when she checked into the property, a clerk offered the owner’s services for a photoshoot.
This immediately set off alarm bells in Anys’ head and her viewers were worried too, urging the content creator to be cautious during her stay. Luckily, nothing ended up happening, but it’s safe to say she never expected to be asked to pose nude when she first booked the rental.
Man injured after getting trapped in airplane bathroom during flight
SpiceJet/RedditIn 2024, a software professional on a flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru was traveling on low-budget airline SpiceJet. When he went to use the bathroom, he found himself stuck as flight attendants couldn’t get the door open.
The man claimed he suffered injuries as the plane was landing and was tossed around like a rag doll. To make matters worse, he said he was offered little in the way of assistance during the whole ordeal, which he filmed.
Adding insult to injury, the 37-year-old was offered a $60 flight voucher as compensation – something he refused to accept.
Housekeeping uses man’s toothbrush to clean Vegas hotel
Unsplash: Towfiqu barbhuiya / TikTok: buyandsellwithlavellWhile staying at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, realtor Lavell Jackson was perplexed to discover that his toothbrush had been used to clean the hotel.
In a TikTok video, Jackson told his viewers to be mindful about leaving their toothbrushes out while at hotels, stating that he knew something was wrong “as soon as it hit my mouth” as the brush’s bristles had become “deteriorated” and “mushy.”
Unfortunately, the hotel would only offer him a $50 credit and a new toothbrush as compensation. Not exactly what the realtor expected from one of Las Vegas’ prime locations.
Airbnb bans streamer’s account after scary home invasion
YouTube: Justa MinxHome invasions are one of the most terrifying things someone can experience, but the rotten cherry on top of this melted sundae was the fact Airbnb decided to ban the user’s account.
In 2022, Twitch streamer JustaMinx said that Airbnb terminated her account after two men broke into the property she was staying at.
Law enforcement then discovered a cache of illicit materials that the intruders had purportedly stored there. Minx also claimed that the intruders showed back up to the property after the invasion and threatened her.
Baboons break into Airbnb and steal alcohol
Twitter: MsWIlliamsssIn one of the wildest and most unexpected nightmares on this list, a woman on vacation in Knysna, South Africa with her friends was traumatized when baboons entered her Airbnb.
In a scene like something out of Jumanji, the woman claimed the wild creatures ate the avocados she and her friends were making for breakfast, and drank their Hennessy.
A viral video even showed one of the baboons on top of their kitchen counter eating a bag of chips. Even small primates can create King Kong-sized problems.
Flights to China ruined after pilot forgets passport and turns around
PixabayEarlier in 2025, passengers on a United Airlines flight from LA to China were forced to change their travel plans after the pilot realized he had forgotten his passport.
Just two hours into the journey, the flight had to be redirected to San Francisco before finally taking off again a full six hours behind schedule. This mishap caused some passengers to reschedule meetings or change tickets to catch a connecting flight on their long journey.
Just like other situations on this list, the people on this flight didn’t get much in the way of compensation with the airline only handing out $15 vouchers to the 257 who were affected.
TikToker finds hidden camera in Airbnb showerhead
TikTok: nathantriska / AirBnBIn a video that shocked the internet back in 2022, TikTok star Nathan Triska claimed he found a camera hidden in the showerhead of his Airbnb.
According to Triska, he had stayed at this location many times in the past and never found the camera and suspected that it had only recently been hidden there.
To make things even scarier, he revealed that he tried contacting the Airbnb’s owner to no avail and received a mysterious message from a random number warning him that he’d “regret posting that to TikTok.”
Tourists accidentally let over 2,000 moths into hotel room
TIKTOK: jemmasayerIn 2024, a couple of British tourists freaked out after over 2,000 moths suddenly swarmed their hotel room.
According to TikToker Jemma Sayer, when she and her friend had checked into their hotel room when they noticed the bugs coming in through a gap by the door. Despite trying to block the crack with a towel, Sayer said that when they opened the door “a cobra launched at us and over 2,000 moths flew into our room.”
Thankfully, the two were upgraded to a different, moth-free room, but even though they had better arrangements, the travelers couldn’t get much sleep after such a scary experience.
Airbnb suspends listing after guest exposes roach-infested house literally falling apart
X/SureAsMelA writer paying $2,500 for a month’s stay at a nightmare house had to deal with cockroaches, rodents, leaks, and horrible customer service. The guest, writer M. L. Rio, documented her stay in a viral X thread, revealing that the house was different than the one in the photos when she booked
After complaining to Airbnb, the writer was told she would be refunded, but had to move back into the property after the staff she spoke with didn’t call her back and the two other reps had no idea who she was in contact with.
Eventually, only after her plight went super viral on social media was she granted a full refund. Additionally, Airbnb told Dexerto that they had suspended the listing from the platform because the building violated the service’s quality standards.
