We forgive guests who load the dishwasher and forget to turn it on. At least they have not left dirty dishes everywhere.
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If I got asked to leave a 5* review it would make me quite cross and make me feel like doing the opposite! Also I have stayed in a lot of Airbnbs and have never had a host ask for a 5* review.
As part of my welcome message when the reservation is confirmed I have this:
I strive to offer a 5 star experience, therefore please message me here so that I can assist immediately (rather than letting me know later in a review) if there is anything that makes your stay less than 5*.
And in a 4x6 photo frame on a shelf I have this and thatâs as much as I do:
I agree with you; the thought of leaving it as clean as you ideally found it seems unreasonable. Straightening things up is what Iâd expect.
Attached is what is in my guest manual. I message the guest the day before with a status, thanks, and I attach this as a reminder (for those that donât look at the manual).
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While I know what the host means by this, I donât think all guests would understand it just means to put everything back in itâs place and if you spilled something sticky all over the place for exampleâŚitâs only polite to clean it up right away so it doesnât harden everywhere.
But yeahâŚthat term needs to go away. When I hear some people say their guests always leave the place cleaner than when they arrived - it makes me scratch my head. I know what they mean by the sayingâŚbut it doesnât sound so goodâŚlol.
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Hi Poppy, I have heard that comment before from other hosts but honestly I never seem to get any throw back from the guests. Nearly 95 percent of my guests leave a review. I write their review the same day they leave. At this point I have over 250 reviews with 93 percent 5 star so I donât have to worry about a bad rating but I really donât get them anymore. Lynn
Well done! My stats arenât as impressive:
My philosophy is that you have to teach guests to be good AirBnB guests.
Hmmm, I provide tons of information before people check in and I have guidebooks in the suite that serve to both reiterate and provide additional information (about where to park, check-in and out times, wi-fi code, reminders about no extra guests allowed, fire safety, property perimeters, etc.). The guidebooks have interesting information about fun things to do in the area too.
Gosh, my guests are on vacation, I donât want to post lists and rules on the walls! I want the space to be inviting and warm and as free of ânoisyâ instructions as possible. Dontâ get me wrong, I do have information everywhere (light switches are labeled, and there is information posted near the coffee maker about which faucet provides filtered waterâŚstuff like that). But, the thought of being on vacation and being told to wipe things down, wash dishes, remove or not remove the bedding, âleave things the way they were when I got thereâ, would be a HUGE turn off! The room is so organized and clean that most guests âget itâ, and are kind enough to leave the room in good shape. I assume that the guests who leave the place in disarray, are the same guests that wouldnât follow cleaning instructions either. Caveat: the suite is attached to my home (private entrance/no entry to home), and I am usually there. So, I do understand that my proximity affects peopleâs behavior.
These are my check-out instructionsâŚthey are sent via the Airbnb messaging system in the morning (the instructions are always tailored/personalized for the current guests):
"Good morning! Today is already check-out day (time sure can fly!). I really hope that you have enjoyed your stay here at the Blue Moon King Suite.
Official check-out time is 11:00 am. If for some reason I donât get to see you on your way out this morning, you can leave the key on the dresser. 
I do want to thank you for reserving your stay here at my home. If you enjoyed your stay, you are welcome to spread the word about the suite. And, of course Airbnb loves reviews. 
You are welcome to leave a note in the room in the guest journal. And, if you would like to share information about your visits to any local venues with future guests, I am sure that they would love to hear about your adventures!"
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