We used to use Homeaway/VRBO. Found Air to be so much easier, but maybe that site has improved over the years. Agree that if too much time passes, I can forget guests and/or their details, even when going back to our messages.
Some hosts perhaps have younger brains and greater recall, but I bang out reviews (almost 100% now) to guests within 24-48 hrs after check-out. I have to think long and hard about the tactful way to warn other hosts of a problem guest, without appearing snide or angry, which only harms my business, in my experience.
In the beginning, I used to host fewer guests for longer periods and made very personal, very specific reviews. Still do that, but the “fear factor” as mentioned by another previously, and terrible repercussions from bad reviews from guests I believe, is what prevents many hosts from leaving more detailed reviews anymore. In the beginning with Air, I noticed the majority of hosts’ reviews were a paragraph+. Now, the majority are one to three lines, (including my own, except on rare occasions).
I want to warn other hosts, but I do NOT want to take the dings from a “problem” guest. In our 10+ years of hosting, it has been our experince that 100% of truly negative reviews (i.e. 2 star) have been 100% retaliatory from guests who damaged something or who were caught breaking house rules (i.e. smoking or sneaking in guests). >>> 100%<<<< The lowest we’ve ever gotten from anyone else was 4 star overall, with perhaps a ding on something that occurred, like a problem with check-in, etc. I am talking hundreds of guests, not a handful. Every, single low rating (and you know if you’re starting a new listing, that HURTS) was from a disgruntled guest who broke the rules or damaged someting.
Would love if Air had better review oversight (I suggested this in feedback), of any guest who has a pending damage claim, or if the site started a hidden review only seen by hosts, like in the private feedback section, where you can get more detailed info. to other hosts without it biting you in the arse.
@happyfrog Just hd a guest this past week with numerous postive glowing reviews who destroyed linens (coffee, make-up and some type of color/dye) AND smoked. The guest paid for the damage (and was very apologetic), but I had to wonder about the previous reviews…?? Perhaps it was a new travel companion. Also had this happen a few weeks ago with another guest who smoked weed in the unit. He had ten (!) positive reviews. Thankfully marijuana dissipates easier than cigarettes, but it just confirmed our thoughts that reviews are [mostly] shite.
You simply never know. We have hosted so many people who have never been reviewed, didn’t have complete profiles, didn’t say the prupose of their trip, or were new to the site…who turned out to be stellar, lovely, ideal guests for whom we were happy to be their first great review.
I don’t know what the best solution is for the review process, because it is certainly necessary, but is deeply flawed. Totally skewed towards the guests at present.
Did I make enough paragraphs? I’ve had too much caffeine today. Should just give my brain and fingers a rest… 
jk) Is it really common to accept people with generic vanilla reviews and end up with a guest who breaks rules left and right? I haven’t found that.
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