First 4 star review

Any idea if your local hotel/hostel went back to their old ways?

No I think they are trying to continue improving. Here’s an article.

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Ratings are subjective, and different people have different baselines for rating. Now having been a host, I realize how important ratings are and won’t mark-down unless something was wrong or not fixed. I’ve stayed in some world-class accommodation as well. (rolls eyes who says that with a serious face?)

It’s frustrating when people mark-down for the sake of marking down. It’s clear from her response there is nothing more that you could have done.

We were marked down by people for our location even though it’s very clear on our ad and in our pricing where we are. Frustrating because there isn’t anything I could do about it. At least with cleanliness, I could spend more time cleaning or refurbish something or doooo something.

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It’s my favorite meal! I buy these a lot. Kinda expensive but worth it. Green wine!!!

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Yea! …that is “hotel Impossible” and I think it is a must watch for anyone in hospitality.
This Four Seasons is part of the 5 star hotels and showcases only the very best.
Anthony is dramatic, but he sure knows his stuff.
And for goodness sake, obey all safety and fire laws when under his watch.

love them
especially imported from
Spain and enjoyed with bubbly

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Or at least pick up a broom and dust pan…lol. I sometimes have to wonder if they tell the hotel owners to allow their place to get as filthy as possible before the recording takes place. Shaking my head…

@J_Wang yes it’s called green wine (it’s actually red though but boy so delicious!)

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Imported from Portugal is wonderful too. Those guys know their canned fish every time I go I bring back loads of cans.

My 5/4 star reviews break 80:20. Some of the best reviews, really over the top praise for the place and me the host, gave me 4 stars. I’ve decided not to let it break my spirit :slight_smile:

I have a booklet I leave for guests to read with rules, tips, local things to do and see, a bit of history, and this. Not sure if it works yet. Any thoughts welcome.

Reviews&Ratings
I really appreciate it when guests take the time after they have left to leave reviews and ratings. You probably read some of them when deciding whether this place would suit you or not. For people new to AirBnB a rating of “5” means an “A”, not that it is the same as that amazing brand new 5 star resort in Phuket you once had a holiday in. 95% of ratings on AirBnB are either a 4 or 5 so a 4 means a “B”.

You can also leave “private feedback” that only I can see. If, for example, you decide to give a 4 for cleanliness I would really appreciate it if you let me know what it was that you thought could be improved or that I might have missed. The bedroom heaters, games, mini oven, dish rack and the heated towel rack are all examples of things that were suggested by guests. I really do take them seriously.

Hosts also leave reviews for guests on AirBnB. My philosophy is not to sweat the small stuff. It is not a test of character. For example sometimes people forget to take the kitchen bin bag out but I still give them a 5 if everything else is left clean and tidy.

Again thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

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Your post has made me more committed to my recent thoughts that I will not give my guests 5 stars anymore unless they leave a gift like a 5 star hotel and leave the place spotless and follow all my rules, they rarely do, but seem to be applying this same thinking to us, thanks in part to ABB hints. 5 should be everything was as described, clean etc and host was welcoming.
My last guests are similar to most, left the window unlocked in bedroom when we are in a wealthy and thus very high break in area, despite me explaining in person exactly how to lock it and to tell me if they can’t, left all their large boxes of rubbish (shoes, pizza etc) for me when I ask them to take all this rubbish direct to the bin outside, never said thank you for wine, chocolates on arrival or extras in their fridge or chocolates on Xmas day, didn’t even say Merry Xmas to me (they are Christian too). So even they didn’t do much wrong, it’s that they didn’t go out of their way to be nice so I am not giving any of these people 5 stars anymore.

FYI I have been looking at ABB in Cuba for next Xmas, they all have 5 star, no internet, no telephone, basic accommodations outside of Havana …how would this lady cope, there are no ‘world class accommodations’ there so I guess they would get 2 stars. She’s a sickhead so I would move on and not give guests 5 stars anymore unless they do something spectacular.

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What an idiot! We just stayed in a Hampton Inn (or something like that) recently. We went online and gave it 5 stars - because for what it was - it was excellent. It wasn’t the Ritz so we didn’t compare it to the Ritz when coming up with our rating! That woman is really stupid.

But I bet you anything she’ll never leave 4 stars again after getting your message!!! That taught her a lesson I bet. I’m sure she had no idea that hosts can see how many stars they leave! And she’ll leave 5 stars from now on just so she won’t get a reprimand. Good job!

I’m so glad you wrote and asked her why and I’m glad she wrote back and explained. We’ve had people do the exact same thing. They leave raving reviews and then they give us 4 stars. It makes you wanna bang your head against the wall.

Emily - I like your idea on giving guests 5 stars only when they do something extra. Maybe we won’t give them 5 stars anymore unless they leave is a TIP a nice tip - like you do in 5-star hotels.

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I do like everyone’s suggestions about only giving guests five stars if they’re exceptional. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander !

I left my room tidy, took all my rubbish out and left a little gift for my last host even though the stay wasn’t exceptional. My host didn’t even bother to message me to say thanks so I didn’t bother to massage the stars on her review !

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It OFTEN helps to give people an outlet to voice themselves at the end of their stay. Your eagerness to hear criticism and seek improvement is often enough for them to feel their voice was heard and keep negativity off their review. One message and the end of their stay thanking them and asking for suggestions can go a very long way. :slight_smile:

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I just read my host report and it said I got 5 stars 91% of the time in Dec. I hadn’t realized I’d gotten a 4 star. I looked at my stats and it said my last 9 overall ratings were 5 star. Before that, it had been “your last 123 (or so) were 5 star.” So I went back to my reviews and counted back to past guest 10 and it was no surprise to see who it was. Still he gave 5 stars in every category except possibly location. I can’t tell on that because only my last 4 location ratings were 5 star. What was the problem? The profile and reservation was in the name of Sally. The husband’s name was not on the reservation or the messages leading to arrival. I sent a message on the morning of check in saying “Good morning Sally, what time do you expect to arrive today?” No reply until about an hour before arrival. Although I addressed the guest as Sally he didn’t bother to correct and say “oh, it’s Harry here, sorry for the confusion, I’ll be there in an hour.” So when a guy rang my door bell an hour later I was competely taken aback and didn’t offer a friendly greeting. It was more like “Yes, can I help you? Who are you? Oh the husband? Well this is irregular usually the name of the guest and the name on the reservation need to match.” He feigns surprise, says he doesn’t know. I did know Sally had a husband so I let him in the room and doubled checked the name on the reviews and let it go. I did tell them in private feedback that the name on the reservation and the name of the guest need to match and they changed the profile to put on both names. I also mentioned it in the feedback to airbnb. I gave him 3 stars for communication but a nice public review because he was an excellent guest.

Short story long, we often get 4 and 3 star reviews for things that aren’t our fault…may even be the guest’s fault. It doesn’t really affect anything unless it happens more than 20% of the time.

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@KKC he must have given you a four star on overall too as that is it’s own area you need to rate and in fact the only one that counts to superhost.

Yes, I know and I thought I said that. It’s just interesting that he gives 4 star overall but 5 on every specific category (except maybe location, I can’t tell.) I look forward to getting the visible star rating for every guest.

I think I saw the Gardener Hotel on Ghost Adventures! Is it famous for being haunted?

To the OP, Your post made me secretly laugh. i have received so many four star reviews, that the four stars have left an impression an inch deep in my computer screen. :smiley: I’m a budget minded place by the beach, not the Mauna Lani., which is five stars.

You know, people will still book. Don’t obsess about it getting four stars.

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I don’t know. As the oldest continually operating hotel in El Paso (since the 1920’s) I wouldn’t be surprised.

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