Welcome to the forum. I can’t disagree with what anyone has said and @faheem is certainly right that you can run things by us in advance. @felixcat and I would like to see your listing if you don’t mind sharing the link. If you’d rather not, that’s fine too, lots of people don’t. Since you already have several bookings and have been doing this awhile I’m sure you’ll be adjusted to the airbnb adventure soon.
Just chiming in, @jeezlouise - you’ve had a lot of good advice already. I’m so sorry this happened; what a disappointment!! I remember my first, undeserved, critical review as a guest. It wasn’t even so descriptive and still it devastated me for some time. You worked so hard and really gave of yourself, of your heart, and the guy spit it out back in your face. So, so, sorry.
As @faheem said, do come to us and hit us with your replies and we can help talk you away from the edge of the cliff. Just earlier this week this group of compadres did that for me.
Good luck in the future - I hope your next guests are amazing and restore your love of hospitality. How cool that the next guest didn’t allow the crazy to upset their plans.
Keep us posted!
3 Likes
WHy is it such a big deal to fold towels?? People make big deal out of everything. Folding towels should not take more than couple minutes. I had guests who critisized me for left towels in a dryer, pots and pans clean but not put away. When lady called me about it , i just asked her 'SO?". She said, whoever does cleaning for you, did not put pots and pans back on shelves. I said, i like them sitting on a stove. If it bothers you, then put them away, they are clean.
I am wondering if people realize when they book someone’s house, that it is in fact someone’s house. It s not a professionaly run hospitality business and most of the time price reflects it. And each of us have different ways on how to run our households. Universal should be only cleanliness (and also with variations, but acceptable level) and safety.
2 Likes
Very interesting and informative observations on ‘El Cabron’ and expectations of the local culture.
3 Likes
Sorry you had to go through this 
Ireally sympathize. That’s a horrible way to start out, and the bad review sounds totally unjustified. Here’s an idea - start over with a new listing? Just discount it deep to be able to get that first five star review, and then after that you’ll be good.
I had a 3 star review from a german guest. I picked her up from the airport for free and dropped her into the centre of town at 5.30am, she bought me flowers to say thank you for everything i had done for her and said I went beyond what any other host did for her ever.
Then left a 3 star review saying my kitchen and bathroom was dirty, both of which are definitely not true as every other guest said my house was spotless and the airbnb photographs show my house is clean.
I emailed airbnb, and explained I thought it was very unfair that one person could bring your overall ratings down and possible reflect on future bookings . All other guests have given 5 stars and lovely reviews. In fairness, they fully understood what I was saying and they apologised they could not remove her review and gave me a voucher as they knew everything I said was true, and I just had a walter mitty
Some people are just odd
You know, I really wonder if Germans have a heightened sense of cleanliness to the rest of us! I also was criticised (in a Trip Advisor review) by a young German couple who wondered whether “the cleaning between guests had been forgotten” … NO. it certainly had not And I am generally known as the Queen of Clean around here … of course it made me completely paranoid for a while and I practically went around with a magnifying glass looking for crumbs and hairs …
1 Like
Thankfully i had 3 german couples after her, and they were lovely. We sat having coffee and chats. My hubby did not like her as she was very blunt, her first words after hello was asking was i doing airbnb for money. I dont mind direct questions but himself would consider that none of anybodys business. Most days we got similiar questions. She was like my 7 year old no filter on the mouth😀 next time a guest gives me flowers i will be worried.
When I get a question that’s clearly meant to throw me off if I have the presence of mind my best response is, that’s an interesting question, why do you ask? Then I shut up!
6 Likes
What a great retort, I hope I remember that!
3 Likes
That’s the only problem is getting myself out of the answering mode and answering a question with a question. When I was a kid my dad would say why do you ask when he didn’t want to answer me! And it worked, I would think about it!
1 Like
I had that same question asked of me by my Alberta bitch. " do you work?"
As though I am a lazy welfare queen … That was the tone.
Thrown off, I sheepishly answered that I’m a teacher and a writer. Lady why is that your business? Should have known it was a loaded question because she came up to crab about wind chimes that were not even in her part of the rental.
2 Likes
I get that kind of question constantly, I just respond by saying, off course I am, but I also enjoy it to etc etc…I also get, ‘is it good money, How much would you make in a month, what else you do, Is it worth it doing it for the money, How much do you spend on outgoings…
I think most people are just curious. especially when they are thinking to do air themselves.
I think the way she asked ’ Are you doing it for money’, could of been worded much better.
Everyone is ‘in it’ for the money to at least some degree, if not, I guess we would be offering our accommodations for free wouldn’t we?
2 Likes
I’m 85% money / 10% something to do / 5% human interaction. Haha
4 Likes
Priority Order:
1 - Money. (Partially for income and partially for furnishing the rooms.)
2 - Learning a bit more about small business operations for possible future endeavors.
3 - Enjoying guest feedback and knowing people had a less-vanilla vacation or business trip.
4 - Not really sure what to do with the extra space when family and friends aren’t visiting.
1 Like
Money else should we had a normal tenent if it was not worth the time etc
Or a regular flow of Couchsurfers.
Well it’s an entire 90 square meter appartment (half of our house) so it’s best for a few persons