A recent guest gave me a 4 star review (I’ve been a 5 star rated host for over a year). Her only negative comments were that the space wasn’t “particularly stylish” and the stairs were steep. But she raved about everything else, including how clean it is. All of her detailed rating feedback was 5 stars. Maybe I don’t understand how the stars work, but wouldn’t getting 5 stars on everything mean a 5 star overall review??
No, the guest assigns stars to each category including overall. So maybe I give 4 overall because it’s just not up to that level of what I consider a 5 but each of the specifics rates as a 5. So your communication was good and it was clean, a good value, etc. But it just lacks that certain je ne sais quoi.
I’m speculating of course, I know it doesn’t make sense. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it though.
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Sometimes there is just no understanding the thought process of some guests…
5 star overall.
Review stated “Terri and Jim’s house is extremely convenient and supplies everything a traveler needs at a great price. I’ve stayed there twice and I’m sure will stay there again.”
4 star for location 
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Happens all the time. There’s no correlation between the overall score and the component score. We even got a 3 star overall review once with 5 stars on all components and no negative feedback
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I’ve had the same happen, and I’m not gonna lie - it peeves me! In over three years of hosting (in home host listing a private bedroom and private bath), I’ve only had six, 4 overall star reviews out of 269 reviews (all the rest are 5 stars). Four of those six had 5 stars in ALL SIX categories. So I inquired with the last guest that gave 5 stars in all categories (back in May), but 4 overall. I’ve attached two, consecutive pieces of conversation below so you can see the logic from the guest’s perspective . . . then a piece of my reply to his.
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I don’t agree with his logic but understand it completely. That’s kind of what I was trying to say in my post. This is people thinking of a 5 star hotel so only the top line Airbnb’s can get 5 stars. This is where having access to how many stars they usually give when reviewing would be nice. Then I could make sure to give him a “No, I do not recommend.” Then if he asks why I could say
“Hi Mike, thanks for your question about why I wouldn’t recommend you. I’m a hard grader but do often give “yes I recommend.” It’s just that you weren’t the perfect guest like most my other guests. It’s hard to explain but most my guests are like super guests and you just weren’t. You just aren’t as handsome, personable, or rich. I know you’re doing the best you can with what you have which is why I gave 5 stars in the separate categories.”
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Dying here . . . 
These are the things we all WANT to say, but are too professional to (outside of our own heads)!!
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Funny (not haha funny, the other kind) this guy has no problem saying privately, you are doing the best you can but saying it to him privately would be off limits. I suppose a better analogy would be if we told guests “I only gave you a 4 because you booked my $55 a night Airbnb. I save 5 stars for my guests who pay more on weekends or for events.”
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It floors me the people who stay at my “budget” listing (while other area hosts tell me I charge too little) . . . but expect so much. It’s the most well off people who tend to take my personal food, help themselves to all the extras I provide (snack basket, chocolates in the room, etc.) . . . but then leave a critical review. Honestly, many of my best reviews come from college/post-college age guests!
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So, basically, another “it’s not the Ritz” rating.
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I would SO respond to the “hard grader” with this.
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This issue has come before on here. Someone had stayed as a guest and the place was fine: clean, accurate, the host communicated in a timely fashion, the location was fine but… it just wasn’t a 5* experience. There was no hospitality to speak of, there was nothing to make it particularly worthy.
So it’s kind of reasonable if you think about it logically. It’s fair to reserve giving 5* for the places that are memorable and really extra nice. It’s not always about price. Blame Airbnb, not the guest!
I’m probably going to lose superhost status this quarter due to some tricky guests over the summer. I’m trying not to care… but it’s hard when you know that actually you really ARE a super host. Not because you have a super duper place in a fantastic location but because you never cancel on anyone, you accept everyone and never discriminate, you never take up CS time with trivial matters and you take care of your guests and look after them if anything ever goes wrong for them on their trip.
So yeah, Airbnb can shove it’s 5 stars.
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I got this twice with no explanation, even after asking, and it baffles me. I spend time making sure guests understand traffic patterns and the constant road construction outside of the Tampa area. My home is on a canal and a large lot in a quiet neighborhood (my Dad used to say the lack of noise was like being on the inside of a tomb). My pictures are up-to-date. smh
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Thank you for the laugh. Best. Answer. Ever.
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I’d be okay with being marked down because, as a guest, I bargain hunted and therefore you didn’t make as much money as you need to make a profitable business. As long as that was included in the review, perhaps “she managed to grab a date I had mistakenly allowed to be marked down, so despite her being clean and quiet, I know this booking wasn’t worth my time.” Then, for those stays I am offering to pay top dollar, that host can decide if it’s worth it to them.
As I mentioned, I read reviews, but don’t look at super host status as a plus or minus. If a review says “it’s exactly as pictured and all amenities promised were delivered” I wouldn’t be put off, regardless of the number of stars. However, a recent 5 star review that says “the flat was noisier/smaller/more worn than the pictures/text led me to expect”, we’ll, that would be a no.
One time I had a reviewer who raved and raved about how good of a communicator I was (even said I was the best communicator he had ever encountered), yet gave me a 4 out of 5 on communication.
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Cray, cray! Maybe he thought it was too much of a good thing? 
guests! Can’t live with them, can’t make money without them!
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Maybe! I certainly scratched my head for a while. LOL.
We composed and framed these signs in all of our rentals in 5"x7" photo frames and also include it in our checkout email when we thank them and return their deposit. We had to leave it in the rental too because some guests review us before they check out (before they get our email with deposit refund):
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I also educate my home-share guests on the how Airbnb applies the ratings to hosts. I do it verbally, since I usually have lots of opportunity during chats about all kinds of things. I don’t do it with seasoned Airbnbers, as they are already aware, and some guests have had friends or family who host, so also know.
Most guests are shocked to find out that Airbnb considers anything less than a 4.7 average to be a fail and that we are stripped of Superhost status for less than 4.8. They have actually thanked me for letting them know. Most guests think they are rating well if they give a 4*- that’s in fact what Airbnb tells them. Good guests have no intention of harming a host by giving 4*s- they just don’t know.