This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Guest booked in December 2017 for a stay in June 2018. 1 hour before check in guest texted to state they’ve had a change of plans and will not be checking in. The next day guest requests full refund. Guest is not getting it. I was able to review the guest: “Guest never checked in. Cancelled 1 hour before check in as they stated they had a change of plan. Was on our calendar for 6 months. Wanted refund. We cannot recommend this guest to other hosts.”
Guest is irate and message me through Airbnb stating I “slammed him.” Guest now has gone onto Trip Advisor and given us a one star review. Guest goes by the name, “Honest” on Airbnb. Would love to add him to the hall of infamy.
The hall no longer exists for a number of reasons.
Sorry this happened. As for the Trip Advisor review, I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s like all the trolls giving the Red Hen one star; all they are accomplishing is a degradation of the entire review system everywhere. Eventually we will be back to the pre-internet days of doing business with people and having no idea if they are good or not. Rating services that are verified like Fodor’s and Zagat will make a comeback. LOL.
Understood. I certainly hope this person does not darken the door of any Airbnb host. The review system is sickening. Have we become so marginalized in society that the only way to feel power is to review the bruschetta?
I don’t understand why one would not recommend him for asking a question or even why one would leave a review. Maybe I don’t know all the details, but you got his money and your calendar is freed up, right? Sure, his request was inconsiderate and you had every right to refuse but isn’t this an instance for a private educational moment than a public flogging? You’ve screwed his chances of using Air again (instead of perhaps being a wiser traveller) and he’s probably never going to recommend Air to anyone, which diminishes the whole sharing economy. No wonder he’s pissed.
Those are the details I guess I missed: First the guest “requested” a refund. And now it becomes “demands”? Which is it? If someone is an A-hole to you - sure call him out.
@Nancy_in_TO If I had the kind of listing the OP has and someone had planned for six months to come to my listing and then cancelled an hour before check in I’d be perfectly comfortable with a thumbs down and saying “can’t recommend.” It’s a special and out of the way kind of listing and the chance of rebooking, especially for the day of arrival, is non-existent. And then to ask for a refund because “plans changed.” Now if the guest had said “we were driving up there from Phoenix and got word that my mom died. We’ll be back in touch about any possible refund soon,” and the OP left that review it would be another thing.
Well it’s ironic that the OP was complaining about how much power reviewers have and in fact she let loose the first punch. Did the OP wait until the last minute to post it to avoid a retaliatory review? Just curious.
When people cancel on us last minute, we do a happy dance! Money for nothing! Even better if we can rebook! If they request a refund, we don’t go in for revenge at the nerve. We just point them to Airbnb to educate them. That’s what our fees pay for — those CSRs who do the dirty work. No point attracting bad karma!
…All of which makes me wonder how anyone booking a vacation six months in advance can expect to get off scott free an hour before check in. And then leave a punitive review.
The issue here is the metrics of a poor review. Leave it until you are ready, and then ask for the review to be removed. Walk Air step by step in terms of what happened. Better still if they were involved.
They never reviewed us on Airbnb. Just TA and now Google. It’s a clear revenge review. I’ll try to have them removed. If not it will be buried soon enough.
i have had 2 1-star reviews in April, and i am at 94%. I was very upset. One guy was drunk for nearly 2 weeks and quarreling all the time (we don’t allow alcohol) and the other refused to leave my home, despite our best efforts. i got the last one removed.
Guests see past this nonsense very quickly. We all see clearly punitive reviews every day. Fortunately, future guests can think.
We had a three day booking about 11 months ago for a festival next month. They cancelled a few weeks ago and got half back and haven’t asked for a further refund. Within half an hour we got a four day booking to replace it. That weekend will be. A good income earner.
When using TA to check out a place I love reading the 1 star reviews. It just proves how deluded and entitled some people are. When the hotel managers reply with “we are sorry that our hotel didn’t meet your expectations” they should continue with “of having the facilities of a 5 star Raddisson resort for budget travellers, with a view of the Eiffel Tower AND walking distance to Disneyland where the local people all speak perfect English and restaurants provide dining options from your country.”.
