Does anyone know how I can have 5 stars from all my guests but still get a 4 star on location? Is it just because I live in a rural area? I have 5 stars on location from all the guests Ive had.
We’ve discussed issues around ratings and location at length.
You might want to have a look at these posts (using the search function to help you locate them).
It’s difficult to comment without seeing your listing, but if everyone else gives you five stars for location I wouldn’t worry too much about one guest who doesn’t.
Yes same here I’m a fairly new host and just received 4 stars for location.
Location is a duff category. Airbnb are going to stop it I think. Use the search function to look at posts.
Maybe the guest thought it was a 4 star location.
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Always means “neighborhood” in my listing. It’s a very subjective measure. If people are used to a nicer neighborhood where they live, I get less than 5 stars.
My neighborhood is 30 years old and many of the homes are run down and need a paint job. My house is at the end of a cul-de-sac and in good condition with a huge, beautiful back yard which guests often comment on since their entry door is from the back. So some people give 5 stars because my property is nice, and some people give less because some of the other houses they passed getting here offended them. I don’t mind, though, because they offend me too. 
I have a similar situation. I’m always a little surprised when people say the neighborhood is nice, lol.
Totally. Location is pretty meaningless. I’ve had guests rave about my location because I’m 15 minutes from lots of cool towns in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, but I’ve had people complain about my location because I have a neighbor who lives in a single wide trailer. As with many aspects of Airbnb I feel like it is skewed towards young guests and urban hosts. Location usually meaning “near the action” …
Don’t sweat Location.
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I promise location is still a duff category
I don’t know what duff means, but whatever. I wasn’t disagreeing.
Duff means rubbish, meaningless category. I am in an expensive, happening city location. Guests choose the wrong side of the city and ding me on stars etc. They also have no concept of cost and value for money.
Like the person who posted about brekkie and cello bags, some slang is lost on an international forum. As for location, it can feel like more of a blow when your just starting out because you don’t have the review average. But as others have said who are more familiar with Airbnb algorithms, they don’t believe location is heavily weighted in the overall star average.
Good value and good customer service always wins a majority 5 stars no matter where your location is.
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I thought duff was American!
Guests can underscore for value because they dont count how vastly expensive the property may be, or the running costs. It seems they expect hotel standards for half the price sometimes.
Maybe I was a bit unclear in my thread starter. What I wonder is how I can get 5 stars on location out of 4 guests who has written me a review out of 5 guests in total (the 5th guest didn’t leave any review and was a newbie). So what has brought my star rating down? If it was the guest who left no review it would also have made an inpact on the other star ratings, right? To have it only inpact the location doesn’t make sense to me?
What was the overall rating at the top for each review? Thats the main factor.
When guests check-out I usually send them a message immediately afterwards telling them what good guests they were and how I will be sure to write them a good review. This defuses any anxiety on their part and also suggests that they should return the favor of writing a review. It also shakes loose any gripes they may have had during their stay. When they air a grievance, be sure to acknowledge it, apologize and depending on the severity, send a reimbursement.
In my experience, all of this is rare. If they are getting a good price vs value, most guests know it.
Good value generally equals good reviews. But if your space lacks the basics of cleanliness and or utility, it won’t matter how cheap it is, there will be dissatisfied customers.
I dont think you read my post. It often doesn’t matter how clean etc. you are.