This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
I bent over backwards for one guest and acquiesced to his request for a very late checkout, provided everything he needed and was given an overall 5 star rating, but dinged on location (3 stars) and value (4 stars). It really shocked me as none of my neighbours in the same building complex has received anything less than 5 stars on location. In the almost 100 reviews I’ve read across all the 5 available listings in my building and one other listing nearby , only one other guest gave the same 3 star rating on location. This guest is an Airbnb newbie and probably has no idea how damaging his 3 star location review is. I know this statistic gets averaged out over time, but as a new host with only 2 reviews at the moment, I’m feeling sorry for myself and imagining the impact this would have on my detailed aggregate score and future conversion rates. What could I have done to filter out such guests in future.
I feel really sorry for you as this is totally out of your control. I manage two units separated by a double garage and one has been was on a full star lower in location than the other for quite a while. It is now better and is rated at only 1/2* less, they are less than 20 meters apart.
However, I do find that the guests of the one that rates lower often rate it lower on other things as well. For example, just today I received a review where the guest said I should let them know what time the automatic plant watering system comes on as it leaves the decking wet. I already feel I bombard the guests with too much information, I don’t think anyone wants to waste their time reading this as well. It comes on at 11.30am and the cleaner is there to mop it up before she leaves. For guests that are staying for more than one night we thought they would be out and about exploring the area at this time of the day. We can’t think of a better time of the day to set it for.
Yesterday a guest wrote a review for the same property and said they weren’t sure if they could smoke in the same fully enclosed deck/spa area as there wasn’t a non-smoking sign and I should put a sign up. We have a number of “signs” in picture frames and I had one guest who said they felt this made the place unfriendly, so I really don’t want to add anymore.The guest that was confused about smoking had acknowledged the house rules that state that the entire villa is smoke free but we do permit smoking on the outdoor front veranda, please use the ash bucket provided. This is also listed in the online and printed house manual. And who smokes indoors anyway?
Both places are very similar with the same rules but guests are harsher on this one. The only thing I can put it down to is that the other one is “sexier”. Strange I know. Reviews are subjective and it’s tough for us hosts.
Exactly how I feel. Can’t walk 10 minutes to the nearby street for a restaurant? Jelly legs?
It’s amazing how this guest can request a six hour late checkout and still ding me on value. Booked a place which clearly states it’s a residential area and still expect a restaurant downstairs. They wanted a hotel, booked an Airbnb on the cheap, and then dinged the host for not providing a hotel-like experience. Honestly this was a lousy piece of business.
You’re right. I think I need to stay away from bargain hunters. Once a person doesn’t perceive the value he or she is getting, it also colours their perception of everything else.
I had a owner want me to drastically drop the price to get more reviews. I was totally against it but at the end of the day it’s her place and I am just the manager. We only had one guest stay at this ridiculously low price, which was the same as the local crappy hotel and he gave us 3* for value. It was earlier this year and I am still angry about it!
We had a guest use the code and check in at least 4 hours before check in and they dinged us on value! It’s always the same type of guest.
We have guests who pay a fortune (much more than it’s worth) and they leave us 5*, swings and roundabouts in the fight for positive reviews. In general guests are generous.
I had an almost identical situation a few months ago. It was a family of three and they turned up at 8 am in the morning instead of 3 pm with no warning. I bent over backwards to give them a good time and they dinged me on location and value. They chose the location and the price. Beats me. The whole time they were here it belted down with rain so maybe that was the reason
In the UK people who smoke inside are seen as pariahs. I viewed a house for sale where there had been an elderly smoker. The discussion was around ‘smoke damage’ to the property, and the fact that every surface would need to be redecorated and all the soft furnishings skipped. It took £1000s off the property and put it into a fixer upper category regardless of anything else. Smoking inside is a massive no no.
Don’t worry about these stars that much. Do your best and " they will come".This summer i had a family staying for a week . The things they said, my god. It was like a household inspection. 2 lights went off during their stay and was immediately fixed and they they just wrote : there were no lights in bedrooms.
Some people are just like that.You can’t change them and you will get these kind of guests occasionally. Good news are that they are in minority.
I just stayed in amazing hotel. From.now and then I splurge and go to 5* just to pamper myself.
This hotel waa a storytale with 1000s reviews . On booking.com total score was 8.8. 155 reviews out of thousands were 1* .
In my view everything in this place was luxury and perfect. The most amazing was staff. And even they got critisised.
I never lowered prices to get reviews. Dont think it’s such a good idea.
