I recently had a very rough time with the platform so let me share the late knowledge I painfully acquired :
1. Easiest solution : just don't book through the platform - go for a hotel or apartment through Booking.com or another professional website. And, yes, the keyword here is 'professional'... you have much less chances to suffer in an (apart)hotel compared to a random flat since the former has taken a rather serious investment to build it up which, in its turn, increases the chances that the people you will deal with are solid. Now, that's a bit ironic to say since I am also planning to buy a flat and put in airbnb (or Booking.com - it also accepts single flat registrations:)) but, that's really the plain truth...
2. If the best option seem to be available only through airbnb, then pick places with several good ratings. This is a technique I typically apply in booking.com: I find hotels with many reviews, top score and then read the comments sorting by lowest first. If the negative comments are about a receptionist's smile not being bright enough enough or the room being too small I am perfectly happy with it. In this horrible airbnb experience I somehow skipped this check. The place looked stunning in the pictures, was much above average priced so I just attributed the very few reviews on this (most people wouldn't pay such an amount for an airbnb). FATAL ERROR: don't assume that an expensive, stunning place won't have abnormal issues.
3. Just take a video when you enter the flat. If it's dirty, has damages etc then instead of playing cool and try to focus on your holidays, better protect yourself from an unscrupulous host blaming you for causing all this mess. Do notify airbnb support and the host of the situation you are facing in written immediately. Also take a video when you leave the flat.
4. Superhosts mean nothing, it's just a marketing thing.
5. Do not try to get the Hawai-based airbnb reimbursement support team to reason (you will end up going mad). My situation was absolutely crazy : I did manage to get a refund due to the dirt in the flat (and also because of failing electricity - different story) but since the host had the incredible nerve to also ask for a refund accusing me for the mess in the flat, the obvious argument that 'the other airbnb support department gave me money for the same reasons how is it possible that you are supporting this fraud' won't work.
6. If the Hawai-based department does decide that you have to pay some ridiculous amount, do keep opening airbnb support tickets until you find someone serious to see that you have an obvious point and make sure you don't have to pay anything. Do keep in mind that, theoretically, airbnb is entitled to withdraw money from your credit card in case they decide you are to blame for damage.
7. To protect your sanity, do not take the Hawai-based reimbursement department too seriously. Maybe what I was facing was not about me having to pay but some kind of random insurance claim which had to have some story around it :) (the unscrupulous host also was also assuring me about that but I didn't want to believe it). I also read similar stories in the airbnb forums so, unbelievable as it sounds, you better just not care if they ask you for money.
All in all, visit an airbnb only if it has enough good reviews and you take an in & out video - enjoy!
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