Sad how disgraceful this place is - Anonymous employee Airbnb Employee Review

1.0
19 Jan 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Free food, made in house Quarterly Travel coupon Great product Beautiful office space, not very functional though Excellent maternity/paternity leave

Cons

Most people are only looking out for themselves. Either they are waiting for their RSUs to vest and/or are trying to climb up the ladder using ugly tactics so that they can take that title to the next company. Morals are nonexistent in some groups, especially managers. It's such a shame because the company has a very strong mission but they've made very poor hiring decisions. And if you try to talk to HR - they'll just come back and tell you that you are the one who is at fault. Have never seen this level of unprofessionalism and ruthlessness any where. People don't even think twice about sidelining those who they think aren't cool enough I.e. Have families whom they have to get home to, don't drink. This is a alcohol heavy culture and it is NOT inclusive of those who don't join in. Also, pay raises, promotions, spot bonuses, are VERY random, no transparency. People go out and get other offers and come back and negotiate their package. If they REALLY believed in the mission, they would not be doing that. Again, week management gives in and rewards people who would be considered mediocre at best at other places OR be fired for harassment of their direct reports.

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5.0
8 Jun 2026
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CEO approval
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Pros

Laid back, strong mentorship/training, and good team chemistry.

Cons

Online only, they had summer branch offices, but nobody went in.

5.0
4 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Airbnb's mission of creating a world where anyone can belong anywhere strongly resonates with me. I'm excited by the opportunity to build products that operate at global scale and directly impact millions of users. My background in full-stack engineering, distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and AI-powered applications aligns well with Airbnb's focus on innovation, reliability, and exceptional user experiences. I am particularly attracted to Airbnb's engineering culture, emphasis on ownership, and commitment to solving complex technical challenges while delivering meaningful value to hosts, guests, and communities worldwide.

Cons

One challenge of working at Airbnb is the complexity that comes with operating a global platform at scale. Engineering teams must balance reliability, performance, compliance, and user experience across many markets and stakeholders. While this can make development and decision-making more complex, it is also one of the aspects that makes the work technically interesting and professionally rewarding.

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