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We got some remarks on our listing, saying it was not accurate.
We found this was a difference between the app and the browser version.
We have several washing machines and dryers in our basement.
Since these are professional machines, and essential to our business we do not let the guests operate them, but do the laundry for them at a small fee.
As you can see the browser version shows an extra pop up saying it is in the building, and free or at a fee.
The app version does not show this, so guests are assuming it is in the apartment and for free.
I have now put an extra remark in my listing about this, so it is clear for future guests.
But you can imagine it was an unpleasant surprise getting a lower rating on accuracy because of it.
I had an Italian couple here who for some reason thought they were renting a self contained apartment. The first thing out of their mouth was to ask/say “There is a kitchen in the apartment, right?” Although I had a friend over for dinner I dealt with it by saying. Oh no, sorry you misunderstood it’s only a private room with a bathroom. But let me clean up the kitchen and you can come use it." My friend and I retired to the back patio to visit and I made sure the guests had all the pans and utensils they needed." The next morning, again, I left the kitchen to them. I also changed the wording on my listing, in my house rules and the captions on the kitchen pictures so there would be no future confusion. Though we both mentioned the kitchen mix up in our reviews I got 5 stars across the board. Just a thought, if a guest seems genuinely confused and not trying to take advantage, resolve the issue to the benefit of the guest (let them do a load of laundry for free) and then change the wording on the listing. Not only is it maddening to not have the same thing on the app and the browser version, it makes it look like we don’t know what’s on our own listing. >:(
Absolutely, if there is a point of discussion, and the guest would have told me that his app showed it as free. Then I would have given it for free.
In this case he asked where the machines were, and I told him about the service and the fee. He told us that it was oke, and they would look look for something in the city at their next place.
Yes, that is the most frustrating, I try to be as clear as possible in my listing. But sometimes things show up I cannot foresee.
I even removed a picture from one of the sites near our house. It was a beautiful glacier lake in the mountains near our village, in the description I mentioned something like “Glacier lake, one of the must see sites just 20 minutes from our house”. I got a bad score from a guest (first time user, and only polish/russian speaking) saying he thought the house would be next to water… sigh
This is too nice of you and would have made me resentful. The fact that they didn’t read is not your fault. I wouldn’t have stepped aside for a guest who is too lazy to read!
I think it was an honest misunderstanding. Their spoken English was very good but they were Italian. It was also their first airbnb stay so I don’t think they understood the difference between private room and entire apartment. Saying there was a private entrance and ensuite bathroom may have also confused them And I do allow use of my kitchen and have pictures of it on my profile. I really do take pride in my hospitality and I think it shows in my 97% 5 star reviews. Now if they had also downgraded me on stars I’d have been furious. I took it as a learning experience and clarified the wording in my listing.
Understanding of you but underscores some of the challenges we face with guests whose first language is not English. Did they at least offer you some great Italian cooking?
LOL. They might have but I’d already prepared dinner and my friend and I ate and then went outside to visit and left the kitchen area to them. They were very kind but since this exchange I went back and looked at the review they left me, then went to see other reviews and if they had any more issues and I found this review and response. Again, someone might take offense I just see this as a communication breakdown. Or maybe I dodged a bullet.
