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Yeah, the cognitive dissonance is killing me. It’s kind of cute how she’s coming to the community for help, but doesn’t want to help the community by leaving an honest review.
It’s like “Help me - this happened to me” and “f*&k you - I don’t care if it happens to you” at the same time.
Hi River,
I appreciate responses and have the opportunity to take in and think about the responses. Your entitled to your personal views and responses. However, respectful response is appreciated.
How was I not respectful exactly?
It’s not disrespectful to be honest, just like when you are reviewing someone. I have refrained from getting personal, kept it businesslike. Just because you do not like to hear it does not make it disrespectful.
You have the right to not review. I have the right to think that’s a big middle finger to the rest of the hosting community. I have a hard time with your hypocrisy and will call it like I see it. You’re surprised that guests who had glowing reviews could leave your place a shambles but have no issue perpetuating the problem.
No point beating a dead horse. It sounds like you got the answer you required about responding to a review. Best of luck to you. I hope you get more of my honestly reviewed guests than I do of your “let’s just brush this under the rug” ones.
Just curious, why half an hour? I don’t EVER review a guest until I am completely done cleaning the house, which is at least 3 hours after they leave. I want to make sure there isn’t any damage or mess that I may have missed on my first walk-through of the house.
Not wanting to get into the ‘we must review because we’re a community’ malarkey (but yes you really should review properly @Jen1), I’d just like to say that this sounds like a CLASSIC case of the Entitled Experienced Guest.
They have a bunch of good reviews under their belt, they’re “seasoned” airbnb’ers … so now they’re bloody travel writers too and have comparisons to make: your place didn’t have what their last place did. The last host let them leave luggage, you can’t do that (bad you!) etc etc etc.
Give me sweet virgin newbies every time.
God that sounds bad But it’s true - my least pleasant guests are the snotty entitled ones with loads of reviews. They think they can do what they want and somehow the rules don’t apply to them because… I don’t know… they’ve stayed in other airbnb places??
Based on the group that just left my house this weekend, I’m inclined to agree! He booked for 6, packed himself and partner and 8+ teenage girls in the house for his daughter’s birthday He cleaned up the house (and his tracks) and is clearly expecting a good review. He has good reviews prior but I wonder how many people he pulled this with, that didn’t catch him (or didn’t review him). As for me, I’m waiting for the midnight hour …
I had a guest who was also a host very much like this. She thought the sun shone from her derriere but in reality she was a pain in it. High maintenance, clueless, not taking responsibility for her own decisions and lashing out at others when she messed up.
Good song by Brian Ferry. Seriously I thought the review time started from when Airbnb notify us X has checked out and to write a review. So if the notification was 11.14 am we’d best do our review at 11.13 2 weeks hence.
Right? I don’t know how many guests you guys have hosted but if you look back, you might be surprised at just how many of your shitty guests were “regulars”, so to speak.
It always makes me wince when I see hosts worry about taking newbies.
If you don’t want t review them maybe you can mention the muddy mess in your response to their review. You can say something like "Thank you for staying at my home. I appreciate the business. However, I wish you had followed my “shoes off” house rule, especially since there was mud on the floor. "
I am responding not to your original question, but to your situation in general. You could always leave them an aggressively mediocre written review such as, “They were a good group.” But you could reflect the reality in the star ratings. You could also not recommend them. The written reviews seem censored to me. But the stars and the recommendations tell me the real story. Speaking as a new host, so I may be out of turn here. Just my thoughts…
I have noticed this too, not everyone of course, but there is a correlation at times?
I have had more experienced guests thinking they need to give unsolicited advice, as opposed to some new people just being excited to stay in a nice place that they can stretch out and feel at home.
But no other hosts would ever see that unless they went to this host’s page. Also, you aren’t notified when someone responds to a review, so the guest probably would never see your comments.