I have a local company that has been using my Airbnb for their employees/clients. The same “guest” has been booking and leaving good reviews every month. I am a fairly new host and worried this gives off a sketchy vibe. What are your thoughts?
Non sequitur. I fail to understand why you think good reviews from a returning corporate guest are “sketchy”…
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I don’t think they are sketchy.
I’m concerned it will appear sketchy to any potential booking guests.
Slight different question- I just got my first booking from a boss for his 2 employees (we have lots of tradesmen come to town)- he has great reviews as a booker and a host- do you ask for the 2 guests names? How do you handle companies booking for their employees- this isn’t 3 rd party booking is it? If there is any damage is the person booking on behalf of his workers responsible? Is it prying to ask for the guest’s names? thank you. I have had no bookings so am very happy to finally get a booking (as I added a 2nd bed to my office for this very reason)- to attract the workers coming to town. Just not sure how you handle it.
It won’t appear sketchy to potential guests who see the reviews. Are you worried they will think it is a fake review to boost your ratings?
It looks good to have a regular who returns often. If you’re worried about it, reply to the review and say, “it was a pleasure to host you again, [guest].”
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I have reviews from returning guests and I view it as a compliment. “My rental didn’t come through so I booked another stay with Bella The Bengal and d’Arcy because it feels like home” is one of them. I always write a 5* review saying “Great to have you back again! Bella adores being spoiled by you,” and other guests see that and feel they’ll get the same treatment - some have commented on that as in “You must be doing something right to have repeat guests who are so happy.”
Now set up your business direct-booking website (and your LLC) and take the bookings direct without both of you paying ABB fees, unless the companies required ABB bookings.
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Ask for the names via ABB Messenger. I always ask for the full names of both parties staying.
“Hi, please send me the full legal names of the upcoming guests. I need it for insurance purposes. Thanks in advance.”
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Perhaps you could be proactive by leaving a public response to the reviews –
“… We really appreciate that you have chosen us to house your work crews when they come to town. We enjoyed hosting Mario and Luigi last week – as always, they were excellent guests.”
And then change the wording every time so it isn’t identical
This gives the reader a back-story. (No protection against conspiracy-theorists, of course, but maybe that’s a good way of filtering out the nutbars 
.)
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As a newer host you probably want as many good reviews as possible. I get it that someone might think you just have a friend who keeps writing reviews if all your reviews are from the same person. but I wouldn’t worry about that- as others have said, seeing that someone keeps booking with you is good. Once you have a good number of reviews, you can tell a repeat guest they don’t have to bother ro leave a review every time.
I had a guest recently who booked two weeks (my max), and then another week right after it. I told her she didn’t need to write 2 reviews and I only reviewed her once as well.
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The idea of replying is smart.
I had considered asking the guest to not leave another review because they had just stayed two weeks ago. Appreciate the feedback.
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Really like the idea of a response to their review and will do it. Thanks for the idea.
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I had one previous returning guest and felt like her reviews really helped me get started. I just don’t know how many is too many.
The direct booking idea isn’t for me right now. I’m already spread pretty thin on time. We don’t usually hold onto properties for a long time (flip and burn) so I don’t want to get too settled.
Thanks for your help.
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Yes, I am afraid that’s how it will look. Seems like everyone here says it’s good and agrees with your thought to reply to their review. I like the idea and will use it soon. Thank you
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Are the bookings coming from AirBnB for Work? If the boss is booking for employees he should open an AirBnB for Work account and book through that. Otherwise, if he books the stay for his workers, but doesn’t stay himself, that is considered a third party booking which is against AirBnB Terms of Service. You won’t be covered by any of AirBnBs guarantees, in that case.
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Thank you. I will mention this to my repeat guest. This is the ideal solution! Thank you for the idea.
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There’s nothing sketchy about a return guest giving you good reviews. They might mention that this is their umpteen stay and they like it so much that they choose to book over and over. You also can respond to their review by thanking them for choosing your place and for being a good guest. Thirdly you can leave them a review and mention that it’s a return guest that you welcome and rate highly.
There’s absolutely nothing to misinterpret about that scenario.
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Potential guests trying to decide will rarely – if ever – drill down far enough to see your review of a past guest.
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