New guest, probably bad review, suggestion for my review?

Great advice and perspectives here everyone, thank you. I will leave an honest review. Will follow up later once I see his review in case you’re all curious.

Thanks again.

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Oh, hellz yes…:laughing:
20

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It doesn’t matter if he has left you a good review; this is not the point of reviews. He was an uncommunicative, somewhat rude, messy guest and fellow hosts need to know this. He’s already left you a review, which will probably be as short as his response to shipping her shopping, but not necessarily bad.

Leave a factual, objective account of your experience hosting him; I would not want this man in my house. Would you host him again?

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Just curious… if you felt he was leaving a good reviews- do you think yours would change at all? A bit messier than normal and things moved around may be annoying and worth a docked star or two but I dont think I personally would put “do not recommend.” Maybe it’s because its early and I havent finished my first cup of coffee but I read this almost as though you’re anticipating a bad review and so want to make sure yours matches.

Thanks for all the input and the needed lecturing. I appreciate it and deserve it. :slight_smile:

Here’s what I’ve come up with based on taking a bit from different suggestions above:

“The guest left the home a bit messier than I would have preferred with numerous used tissues strewn about and left on the counters and around various places on the floor, and half ripped-opened food items with a couple of bites taken and then left back in the basket of chips and granola bars I leave out for guests. With three waste baskets provided in the studio this seemed quite unnecessary and unsanitary. I know this is a first time AirBNB guest but I can not say I can give a positive review and will not host the guest in the future. Probably better as an hotel guest.”

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Well I posted my review as above. And I was right. He left a bad review. 3 stars overall , 1 Star for accuracy, 3 for Cleanliness, 4 for check-in, 3 for location, 3 for value and 5 for Communication:

“Place is not similar to what you see in the photos. It is a basement, dark with no natural light and very compact. There is no vent for cooking. However, host is very responsive and provides great service.”

Sad really. I’ve had this unit on AirBNB for over 2 years, have 122 reviews, 4.8 stars and am a Superhost. The photos are 100% accurate and it’s not a basement either, not below grade or ground at all. My description details exactly what it is: a studio behind a garage. And it has three windows on 3 of the 4 walls. He obviously didn’t really read description well and had misplaced expectations as a result as a first time AirBNB user. Let alone a disrespectful slob.

I’m thinking to leave a reply to his review as I should correct his factual errors and stand up for myself and the many many great reviews my place has gotten. Input and thoughts on this proposed reply would be appreciated:

“Not sure how you can say the place is not similar to what you see in my listing as all the photos and my description are completely accurate to my listing and the studio right down to every detail, and my high accuracy rating from over 100 previous guests attests to that. One factual correction as well: is not a basement as the studio is completely above ground and has three windows on three of the four walls with plenty of light. Regardless, I’ll let my 122 reviews averaging 4.8/5 stars and Superhost status speak for itself. I recommend to this first time AirBNB user (as I would for anyone) to please read the details, descriptions and past reviews of any future AirBNB properties to properly inform yourself and so you are more aware. Or perhaps a hotel would be more to your liking?“

Too long and sarcastic.

“It’s not a basement and has 3 windows. You must have mixed up my rental with another one.”

I would absolutely leave out all that other stuff about how many guests and reviews you previously had. As we always say, just stick to the facts, not the emotions and speculation.

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Thank you KKC. This is why I took a few breaths, counted to 10 before posting a reply and decided to seek the good advice of my fellow hosts here. Any other thoughts anyone?

Although I have to say yours is a little sarcastic too, no? Though I like it…

This advice applies to life! Take fewer things personally and you’ll be much happier!

What? Me? A little sarcastic? :wink:

Absolutely.

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True that. I guess a fine line between being sarcastic and being “too sarcastic”. I agree the long reply now that I read it again seems to portray nervousness and insecurity too. As much as I want to point out everything that’s wrong with his review my reply does not come across well.

In all my time on AirBNB I’ve been lucky and this is really only my second truly bad review. The first bad one was after many good reviews but was ridiculous. Accused us of providing dirty towels and dirty linens when all were pure white, almost new and all washed for each guest and sparkling clean. It made zero sense. I didn’t reply at all to that one since Airbnb’s algorithm put that bad review way way down the list at like number 70 so I doubt anyone would see it. Plus it was blatantly different to all the positive reviews I wasn’t worried. I was afraid if I replied to it then it might pop to the top!

This one is the latest review in the list though and deserves some reply to correct the factual errors first of all. Funny how someone can accuse a place of not resembling the photos when they’re practically exact. It’s only a one room studio!

That’s not now it works. That must have been a foreign guest. If you are in the US and the guest is from overseas it puts their review last in the list to US viewers. But if they were say, from Spain, Spanish guests would see their review at the top.

Guests will see that’s the case. You are right, if you overdo it on the response it makes you look like the odd one, not the guest.

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The response is okay, but i would cut out the last part that is a bit sarcastic and unprofessional.

Many of the experienced hosts here dont like to provide aggressive responses. But i respectfully beg to differ. I’ve once had a guest like yours who provided a bad review, and I provided a public response that was just as bad - no surprise that it left a lot of the experienced hosts here in horror. Since posting that review there has no drop in my view rate or booking rate. Views and bookings have continued to go up over time.

As long as you keep it factual but not sarcastic, in my own opinion its fine. But that’s my opinion.

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“Place is not similar to what you see in the photos. It is a basement, dark with no natural light and very compact. There is no vent for cooking. However, host is very responsive and provides great service.”

Thank you for the compliments and feedback. This is a XXX square foot above-ground unit with windows on 3 of the 4 walls as accurately pictured.

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Thanks LoneStar. I went with that.

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