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What do you all think about petitioning AIRBNB to show the guest review prior to our writing a review? Reason why I ask this is I’m quite considerate as a host, specially in writing reviews. 3 to 5 times within 2 years, I found myself stomped about what to write about a guest after the guest wrote a review because of a few reasons such as 1) guest did not communicate at all so I have no idea how their stay went; 2) just a general bad feeling about a guest. If I have nothing good to say, I generally do not write a review UNLESS the guest writes a review. When this happens, I tend to give a review on the neutral side but I do flag with airbnb that I would not host the guest again.
A couple of times, I got blind-sided by guests leaving me bad reviews. First time, the guest stated that I didn’t state that my listing was not for an entire flat although I do state that it’s only 1 bedroom suite that I am renting. The guest also gave me a 1 out of 5 for cleanliness in the bathroom. She is the first to give me a 1 for cleanliness out of 400+ guests that I have had. I’m thinking that perhaps she does not read english well?
The second time, the guest stated that I did not give them good directions. When I went to airbnb message and showed them my lengthy instructions; then they said “Never mind. It’s does not matter.” I replied: "Sure it matters for a couple of reasons: 1. I ALWAYS send the detailed instructions - in fact it’s an automated message. 2. If they travel without those directions and are lost, it means that they are late and that also messes up my schedule.
The second review was from a couple that were using AIRBNB for the first time. This couple for some reason thought I was at their beck and call 24x7. They lost their luggage and they asked if it can be delivered at my address and I said sure, why not. The following day , they went out to go sightseeing but bombarded me with text from British Airways as to when the luggage was going to be delivered. That ruined my work day as I had to stay home and wait for their luggage. Finally, their review still stated that: “I did not give them directions and that I was not friendly.”
My rating now shows 4.8. 5.0 is not my goal. I just would like to be able to read the guest review first prior to my writing a review; specially for guests were I just have an unsettled feeling about?
You should review every guest every time, why would you skip it especially if you have nothing good to say? The reviews are for your fellow hosts, how can we know if hosts only review positive stays?
Why? Why would you flag a guest do not recommend for no specific reason?
Wow, just wow
Oh now I get it, you do not want a double blind review system. Good luck with that. LIkely in the next year or two we will lose the ability to review guests, no other business’s that I can think of review customers.
Petition?? Worthless! Air will just laugh as they toss it in the waste basket.
@Mari_Te — YOU need to review every guest every time – good, bad or indifferent. Reviews are NOT for the Guests. Reviews are for your fellow Hosts, to let us know what you thought of these Guests. That’s what makes the checks & balances of Airbnb work.
If I got a bad guest after they stayed at your place and you didn’t review them as bad… I’d be royally peeved!
I think every host should review every guest honestly. It sounds like you want a system where you only give a bad review if you get one.
I guess other hosts had nothing good to say about the guest with eight 5-star reviews when he trashed their house like he did mine, too. Pity I wasn’t warned. However, now y’all are. I appreciate those of you who review honestly. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, be quiet” isn’t supposed to apply in this case.
Hang on. You want to see what the guest wrote about you before you write about them??? I hope I’m reading that wrongly because it’s one of the daftest things I’ve ever heard.
You don’t review every guest? Well that’s up to you of course but I’m very surprised that you admit it on a public forum, a forum for hosts. You’ve also let us know that a) you’ve had bad reviews b) that you don’t like guests who ‘mess up your schedule’ and c) that the unfortunate guests who had their luggage lost by the airline ‘ruined your work day’.
Wait, aren’t you the one who complains about Chinese guests and hid a Kitchen Aid mixer behind the sofa? Correct me if I’m wrong.
Your reviews of guests are for other hosts. If you do not review, it is disrespectful to your fellow hosts.
So that you can retaliate with your own bad review instead of just be honest and objective? Do you know what that would actually be like? Hosts would see a guest’s review, then they’d write their own review and pile on tons of petty details to make the guest look worse but actually make themselves look like a fools. Do you want to know the easy solution? Here it is: WRITE A REVIEW THAT IS HONEST AND OBJECTIVE FOR EVERY GUEST. You’ve got 14 days after each checkout to let your emotions settle so you can write a review that shows only the important facts that other hosts care about and doesn’t make you look bad. Use all 14 days if you have to. There are even hosts on this forum that would be happy to help you with it.
We used to be able to see the other person’s review before writing our own. It wasn’t always double blind. I am guessing 5 years ago is when it became double blind.
Unless my memory has gone completely bonkers, which I admit is always a possibility, the OP complained about Chinese people and had a guest who stole her Kitchen Aid mixer that she’d hidden behind the sofa.
I didn’t hide my kitchen aid behind the sofa. There was no space in the kitchen and it should not be used anyway. So I did place it behind the sofa as I placed the items I need to transfer to my other flat (from Paris to London). I review guests about 90% of the time. And yes, I do this on the side and I have my regular job.
Retaliate no. In this case, I wouldn’t be neutral and I would also say honestly what the guest did or did not do. I’ve been a host since 2014 and my rating is 4.8 on the average. What kind of a forum is this? It seems like some people here are frustrated and can’t respond in a decent manner?
Not at all. My reviews are mostly 5 stars. There are a very few which I really felt unsettled. I have a ton of repeat customers and I think that says a lot about how I host.
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