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For guests with whom I’ve had great interactions and who I think liked our place (they said so), I leave a great review and follow-up in a couple of days with a text message with something like “I enjoyed hosting you! if you liked your stay, a review would be much appreciated!”. Some guests respond back with a review; others don’t bother.
I find it a little odd why guests who claim they had a great time, don’t bother to write a review, especially when they know I’ve written them a good review. Of course, no one’s obligated to write a review, but if they really liked their stay as much as they said, it only takes 5 minutes…
I’m new to this and so reviews help a lot and am wondering how you handle situations like these. I don’t want to nag the guests, but at the same time do appreciate it if they take the effort to review.
There sometimes are guests who don’t realise the importance of reviews for hosts, even though they are lovely guests and want to return. Airbnb and its systems are new to them.
And we never know what’s going on in our guests’ lives. A few months ago I hosted the most wonderful couple who absolutely adored the place. But on their last night here, they heard the sad news of a family bereavement.
Do doubt when they got home, writing a review for us as hosts was the last thing on their minds.
We’ve had plenty of guests who have used our rental as the first stop on a two, three or four week road trip. They are constantly travelling and excited about their vacation so leaving a review is not on the top of their list of priorities.
There are so many reasons why guests might not leave a review. It’s best just to be cool with that
I also think some guests like to have some privacy. They don’t need everyone who can access the web needing to know where they were and what they were doing.
Agreed. Remember the kinds of guests who are most motivated to write a review are those who loved or hated your place. If your treat your guests well, then you shouldn’t worry about having too many of the latter.
The ones I’m the middle are less inc,inked to write, and it’s best not to push the, into it, because they’re the ones who will probably come up with more mediocre scores and think of negative things to say… Best just to let it all unfold naturally.
Yeah I wait until the guest writes a review before I write one - air notifies you that they’ve written a review. I don’t want to waste my time writing a review to not get one back.
^^^ I do the same, if they leave one, I leave one. Oftentimes, I will write one for a good-great guest even if they don’t leave one. to help other hosts.
Well I have wondered and posted about this same thing. I agree with brook2 - I think some guests may not want everyone knowing where they went on vacation. And some guests are having affairs so they don’t want to post anything.
What gets me is the ones who will leave a long letter filled all kinds of wonderful compliments and how it was the best vacation they ever had. Sometimes I will type up what they wrote and tell them if they wish to leave a review then they can cut and paste if they want. And of course I thank them for the lovely letter. But they don’t post a review.
I think I wouldn’t have hardly any reviews if it wasn’t for my partner asking for them. I was a bit taken aback when I found out a few months ago that he had been asking guests for a review during the tour. Say what?? I give him credit that it worked, but I just don’t like that at all. Not sure exactly how he was asking but I told him I prefer to ask after they have left and expressed they had a wonderful time. So now…I don’t get reviews. I did get two on Airbnb from families who stayed over the holidays. And basically I had to do the “thanks so much to taking great care of the place…I left you a great review” - hint hint pleeaaase leave me a review. They did.
But my last guest didn’t leave a review and my partner said he thought the girl he was with was his sugar mama. So maybe that is the reason. But he left a review at a previous place.
Kirsty - I always feel like a sucker every time I leave one and then the guest doesn’t. I can’t believe they aren’t even curious. So then I always tell myself I am not leaving a review first to build up their profile, while they don’t bother with one for me. And then every time I end up leaving one just hoping that they will be curious and will do the same. Call me a sucker.
Also, another reason too I think guests may not be reviewing my place - is because they know the more reviews you have the more popular you will be and more guests will book. Then you can increase prices. Some people don’t review because they want to keep certain places a secret and all to themselves. I had one guest jokingly say she didn’t want to leave a review because she wanted to keep the place to herself. But I think she did leave one.
Another thing - the other day I received an email from a guest who stayed last summer. He said he didn’t think he got back to me about the activities his kids enjoyed during his stay. I think I had spoken to him over the phone when he was leaving and told him if he had any kid activities to recommend that they enjoyed to let me know, and I will recommend to other parents to add to my list.
Well I received this email almost 10 months later and he took the time to write up all the things they enjoyed and said unfortuately they wouldn’t be able to come to the area this summer and visit. Then I look at the email history and see that he told me 10 months ago his wife would be leaving a review. Never happened. Strange.
What’s funny is that the first say, ten guests, left reviews then after hosting 20-30 guests I stopped getting reviews each time. That’s when I employed my method. I still use this method, but now after around a week with no review from them I send them a message ‘hope you had a good stay with us etc etc would love if you could give us a 5* review’ - it’s worked the past four guests… 5* as well!
I use Air (as a guest) and I get repeated reminders to leave a review throughout a 2 wk period. After a few good reviews, that’s sufficient for most guests to feel comfortable booking your place.
Cabin – i don’t think it’s strange at all! Some people might be overthinking what needs to go into a review and then put it off, feeling like it will take more time than they have. I write my reviews in around 8 seconds but I’m not too OCD. And I completely see how someone might think their partner is going to write the review (even though the reminder is sent to whoever’s email is on the account, etc).
+1 on people overthinking stuff. I do it all the time. People forget that life is short, but something is better than nothing. (Now I sound like a fortune cookie. Sigh.)
If that is literally true, I’m impressed. Review sample, please.
It’s not one of the seven deadly sins for nothing.