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Hi, all! I’m a new Airbnb host and quite new to this forum. I’m hosting guests since May and everything wasn’t bad. My flat is in a remote location from the centre, so most of my guests weren’t foreigners. World Cup changed things. I was cleaning like mad, being 24 hours on the phone and tried to bring the best service I could.
However, I faced a problem with a really difficult guest. They were late for check-in (2 am), I didn’t want to spend money on a taxi so I left the keys for self-check-in. We had friendly communication. They checked-out later, ignored instructions (just left the key under the doormat) making me rushing to the flat.
When I entered I found a flat very messy. There items (old underwear) was in the middle of living, mess was everywhere… The bathroom was flooded, they used washing machine wrong, the mat was completely soaked.
I requested some money for extra cleaning, but after his refusal I decided not to proceed.
Of course I’ve got a bad review after… And I left something neutral. Now I don’t know should I reply for his bad review? “Muy buena atención, Eva siempre estuvo al tanto de todo, desde la llegada, la estancia y hasta la salida, incluso siempre está disponible en (Hidden by Airbnb) para cualquiera duda o información que necesitaba”- he left 4 stars for everything and claimed there was no wifi.
Actually, my listing is very clean and new and the price was the lowest you can find for the WC2018, nobody experienced troubles with wi-fi…
Please, help!
Mila, please don’t! Every time I see host’s responses to reviews the host tends to make an idiot of themselves. I’m NOT saying that you will but please be very careful. Hosts replying to reviews make the bad review stand out. It’s the one that potential guests’ eyes are drawn to.
You are truly better off ignoring it and concentrating on your next guests and giving them a wonderful stay so that they give you a fantastic review.
Thank you! That what I actually wanted to hear! I was trying to write most neutral and not angry response I could, but I can’t figure out how to do this and yes… thinking that better not.
The biggest problem is to overcome the stress of 10 hours cleaning after them and calling to house service to check floods… I don’t know how other hosts deal with situation of getting not fair reviews (actually with lies). I have near 10 amazing reviews (the flat is just perfect)- I wonder would I get any other views?
I know what the stress is like but please don’t add to your stress levels by worrying about responding to reviews by malicious people. Concentrate your energies on being a great host and making sure that future guests have a wonderful time
Once guests are gone, they’re gone. Forget about them. Even if they do leave a rubbish review. Focus on the future. That’s what matters.
If a guest had only left me the 4 stars and possibly left subjective criticisms (I.e. "the house wasn’t as nice as the pictures, etc), then I definitely wouldn’t respond.
However, in your specific situation, if I responded to anything at all, it would only be to the wifi complaint. And I would say something like this- “I’m so sorry to hear about the wifi issue you had. If I had been made aware of it, I definitely would have done everything I could to get this issue fixed immediately. I apologize for the inconvenience and will make sure to test the wifi in the home for any issues.”
The only reason why I would do this, if at all, would be because I would want future potential guests to see that having dependable wifi at my Airbnb is important to me as a host.
As a rule, only reply to bad reviews if there is something in the complaint that is objective enough that you could respond to it and calmly show it to be unfair or untrue.
Bad review not worth responding to: the bed was stiff
Bad review possibly worth responding to: the bed didn’t have sheets.
Bad review not worth responding too: the coffee didn’t taste good.
Bad review possibly worth responding to: the Keurig machine didn’t work.
Hope this helps somewhat. Sorry about the negative review, but don’t let it get you down! Keep up the good work. Everyone will see all the other positive reviews and will ignore the random jerks!
Stay cool, reply with the facts and how you are happy as a host to help.
It sounds like they were nasty guests. Perhaps only ask for extra cleaning money after someone has written a review, so it doesn’t spark a retaliation review. Next time write an honest review for people like this rather than a neutral one. Sadly I have more often regretted my generosity in my reviews than my honesty.
I do everything I know how to make my guests have a great comfortable stay - cleaning, getting professional cleaning assistance and all. Guests leave and send notes or tell me in person “the place was great” and they are “giving me the best rating”, etc. Then, the rating comes and with complaints about cleanliness most of the time. It is an old house in a wooded area and dust is a problem when windows are opened.
Why bother to send a NOTE stating everything was great, giving good rating, etc.? Does Airbnb talk to guests about my service and then write personal critics for me? “Guest says, xyz” It feels funky somehow.
Those comments about hotel quality - what can I say - it is not a hotel. Price is well below market value for same accommodations. 6 rooms, private, full kitchen, etc… Normally do not respond to bad reviews unless it is a gross error giving future guests wrong impression - like bedroom on 3rd floor and house is 2 story house.
I feel your pain… Once I’ve got 4 star for cleanliness out of nothing, the guest claimed it was dusty, I think she had windows open all the time and the city is a bit dusty.
Well, we are doing a business so better just to move on. I counted the benefits of the service I provide and decided to stop airbnb flat after the summer. But maybe I will cool down after World Cup.
If " “Muy buena atención, Eva siempre estuvo al tanto de todo, desde la llegada, la estancia y hasta la salida, incluso siempre está disponible en (Hidden by Airbnb) para cualquiera duda o información que necesitaba”-
Is what they left in the public portion of the review, - there is nothing bad about it. It is a good review for you.
No need to reply and certainly no need to reply anything about wifi issues or not.
I get the dust complaints because I live opposite a dirt road from which the wind blows in summer and guests leave the doors open. Similarly there is a dairy farm behind me that generates lots of flies in summer if the wind blows from the other direction. I put a section in my handbook called “Dust & Flies” pointing out why this is to be expected and can only be stopped if they close the doors. They are probably the same people who leave the doors open with the aircon on. After 200 bookings I don’t worry about it anymore - all my scores are 5s except Cleanliness which is stuck on 4.5 and won’t be moving up or down any time soon.
Yeah I used google translater and got: "Very good service, Eva was always aware of everything, from the arrival, the stay and even the exit, it is always available in (Hidden by Airbnb) for any doubt or information I needed ". If they also mentioned poor wifi then just respond to that as it doesn’t seem like a bad review otherwise.
Thanks, JamJerrupSunset,
It does help to know that others are experiencing the same thing - thought I was the only one. I too have just stopped stressing about it - my ratings are also all 5s except for the Cleanliness issue so I’ve let go of ever becoming a ‘business host’ as that takes a perfect 5 every time. I am a SuperHost so I take solace in that accomplishment and will continue to do my best.
Thanks again, your response has made me feel a lot better and relaxed about hosting. My need for perfection was beginning to get to me (:>)).
I’ve been doing this about as long as anyone here and my ratings never seem to move up, they are all stuck, despite having received mostly five star reviews of late. I think once they start out stuck, they just don’t really change.
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