I’m finding this quite incongruous - how is it possible to describe our Location (and everything else) with 5 star accuracy yet be given 4 stars for Location. Or sometimes no rating, which I think I prefer.
They chose to come to our off-the-beaten-track place but then find it’s not quite to their liking. If we’ve described it accurately how can we be responsible for their choice?
We recently had a girl book here for a friend’s wedding. I pointed out that we were quite a distance from where the celebrations were taking place and that public transport didn’t come near. She still booked saying that she would use taxis. Nice girl, gave us 5* overall but 4* on location & 4* on check-in (never had that before!). She clearly couldn’t find anywhere else to stay, perhaps within her budget, and possibly (naively) thought Uber would get her door-to-door. Uber doesn’t exist here 
Even the local taxi dropped her at the top of the track!
So - is Location a duff category? We get 5* from most because they like what we described, what they experienced, and they paid some attention to the description. All the other categories are about the Guest’s experience but Location is about their expectation. How can it be right to be marked on their expectations - or their budget, or whatever else?
Location has always been a “duff” category, if I understand your slang correctly. We should not be rated on where we live; we can’t help that.
Sadly, I can imagine a time when Air says – Ok everyone who has more than X number of 3 star ratings for Location will be closed on February 30th…
This category is ridiculous. I tried to move my location but my house refused and my cats got pissed.
We have 100% 5 stars overall but the most 4 stars (7%) for location. We live on an island. There is no reason to come here unless it’s your destination as we are not convenient to most nyc tourist spots by public transportation. The whole island is 1-1/2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide so our house is convenient to everything on the island. You can walk everywhere and if you drive on the island there’s plenty of free public street parking. We also give guests a parking spot on our driveway.
All I can say is grrrrrrrrrr
It’s totally silly. The map shows where my house is within a two block radius. YOU KNOW exactly where you are booking before you book. I also describe in detail about our location, what it has to offer, transportation options, etc. Only 4-star I’ve received was for location. Huh? That’s really on the guest, but air should not even make that a rating category. IMHO
Yep def a duff category. I had someone recently who booked my place in the north but they wanted the west of the city. They dinged me on location AND accuracy, the only inaccurate thing was her mind. There’s no consideration of the location in its own right. I had another guest who was doing a course in an industrial part of town and dinged me for being in the (expensive!) middle of cafe culture. It makes me want to move to a cheaper neighbourhood.
Not a crazy rating category. People are not experts on every area. If your listing is next to a garbage incinerator, crack house, or cat food factory, maybe not best location even if mapped correctly.
I disagree. Most responsible hosts would put disclaimers in their listing, also, the potential guest can zoom in via google maps satellite and street view and see your neighborhood. I don’t think your examples qualify as remarks on location, but rather “the space”
Like others I’m more likely to get 4 stars on location than any other category. I don’t know why since I accurately locate it, they can see it on a map and I describe it as “modest, working class, single family homes and duplexes built in the 1970s.” I do think that when they get here and see cars parked in front yards, iron bars on windows, no front laws, some houses with weeds, trashy neighbors they knock off a star.
It doesn’t really bother me nor does the occasional 4 star in other categories. It’s the overall that matters not that one in 10 people who deduct a star here or there.
I’ve just had someone wax lyrical about how tranquil our village is, how peacefully they slept; close to Dover, the Castle and White Cliffs etc etc, then give me 4* for location. Perhaps the roads are too narrow…
It’s an annoying one sometimes, I had a booking.com guest book 2 nights about 8 months in advance, needed hand holding. She then complained about the location in the review, I pointed out to her that she picked my house, my location was obvious before booking , down to the nearest road, she was basically giving herself a low mark for not choosing a location that would suit her needs.
My house is beside the sea, close to airport and city but its a family location no nightclubs, which was what she perhaps wanted. My listing states all this so advised her to choose her listings more carefully in future
There are lots of topics hereabouts regarding this as most of us have had 4 stars or even less for location - from guests who say they’ve had a fantastic stay. Resign yourself - it’s going to happen and there’s no point stressing about it.
Our rentals are in a fabulous location. They are close to everything, are located right on the water with splendid views, are located alongside multi-million dollar properties with luxury yachts moored outside - yet the area is quiet, safe and peaceful. I honestly think it’s one of the best locations around - which is why I live here. But we still get dinged on location. Once it was because there was construction work going on making the car ride to the beach all of three minutes instead of two. Strangely the city doesn’t consult me on these matters… 
Did you try searching for location in this forum?
Try this search.
https://airhostsforum.com/search?q=location
You will get 50+ results - the first 16 or so are this exact topic.
I own two full house STR, 3 blocks apart, both in the same neighborhood.
One has a 90% rating for location and the other has a 100% rating.
No logic / no words.
Oh yeah, I get hits on location. Says 1 mi./1.6 km to the metro right up front in my listing. I also get dinged on value occasionally, which is a headscratcher when I’m cheaper than hotels, in line with other Airbnbs in my area, not to mention free driveway parking, and the accomodations and amenities get great comments. I quit trying to figure it out it’s too crazy-making
Well clearly one is in the better neighborhood of the neighborhood 
I think what we are dealing with here is the perception of the question. Yes, from a map perspective people know in advance where they are staying but they are marking hosts on what they thought of the location.
If I am going to NYC I can look up what Midtown is like vs SoHo or Williamsburg and see where a property is on a map. What I can’t see is how fabulous your street is compared to others around me, how I like to vibe of the area, how close it is to my new fav coffee shop and the convenience of the transit when considering what I actually did each day. This is what I believe people are making down on. Right or wrong.
@Emily - I agree with your comment regarding “perception of the question” - but shouldn’t a question that is used to evaluate what you offer to Air Guests be much less open to difference in perception.
The more I consider it the more strongly I feel that “Location” has more to do with a guest’s expectation. So how does one manage expectations when that guest clearly hasn’t read the listing? Answer me that and I’ll (and many others I expect) be forever in your debt.
Bizarrely I’ve never had a complaint about noise, or any dings, which would be the biggest issue with my room I host I would say. I live on a major intersection, there was actually a fatality here a few weeks ago, all roads closed, guests didn’t show any concerns, again bizarre. I think I manage the expectations clearly by stating it in the listing and in limitations. I state clearly it is in a great location if you want trams and buses right outside the door and to walk to cafes but this is at the Cost of the noise of the traffic. It even annoys me after 4 years.
I also believe possible negative responses are outweighed by the obvious, that it was their choice to stay here and noise was disclosed. Also most of my guests stay 2 weeks to 2 months, in that time they have broken stuff, done lots of stuff to annoy me which they factor in and we have built a bond with the little things I do to make them happy. Listen to their woes about not being able to cook, looking for work, jobs etc, moving to a new city and that most are very young or very old and probs feel a bit sorry for me that I am on my own trying to save for a first home and work very hard 9-5. I think they realise I need the money and am doing to best I can and don’t charge the earth so they don’t leave bad reviews out of respect. Most say it’s the best Airbnb they’ve stayed at and it can’t be the fanciest so it must be the clean towels each week, cleaner fortnightly and little chocolates on arrival etc.
Location is a tough one. I get dinged on location for not being walking distance from downtown Seattle. I’m in a lovely residential neighborhood two miles from downtown, with ample public transit and free parking, practically across the street from a beautiful 230-acre garden. Meanwhile, I see the downtown listings get dinged on location because of the homeless and the drunks. Guests want to be downtown but without the problems of urban living. That doesn’t exist in Seattle.
I believe “location” is code for “ethnic” or “lower class” and therefore I think Location opens ABB open to blatant discrimination. But who am I to say?