Wow. I’m new to hosting but genuinely concerned by the discrepancy of recommendations regarding reviews. Some folks say a 5 regardless of experience and others say let it all hang out. Why would someone leave a positive review for a negative experience on either side of the equation?
@ccportland, though it could appear that way, I doubt those are indeed the choices when it concerns reviews of a ‘bad’ guest in this forum; meaning those types of guests requiring some form of a critical review. With those cases is where we do split in opinion as to the degree of criticism (aka style)… Speaking generally, one style tends to be more thin of detail and the other more explicit.
No different then any other forum, at least those in which people get to state their opinion freely without having to conform to only one ‘accepted’ way of thinking. The best of forums are where newcomers get divergent opinions and then get to form their own opinions. Like a bicycle wheel, where each spoke (member) starts from a different point and get to ‘meet’ in the middle (the forum) and share ideas, independently.
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I’ve not seen anyone here suggest “5 Stars regardless”. And very few, if any say “let it all hang out”.
Remember that the review you write of the guests is more for your fellow hosts’ sake, than for the guest. Guests really don’t care very much at all about reviews.
We try to counsel new hosts to moderation, generally. But if guests trash your place, they need a decidedly negative review – not that it will bother them, necessarily, but to warn your fellow hosts that this guest may be serious trouble if you accept their reservation request.
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Agreed. I was not referring specifically to this forum.
I guess you ask if your place a truly 5 star place and would you want guests to review it for what it is or review it in comparison to the market.
All the people saying to provide “frank and honest” reviews listing every minor fault for normal guests would be greatly disappointed if guests were to apply the same standards to their reviews.
Normal = 5 stars in todays online review systems.
My suggestion is that no point philosophizing over the review issue.
Just list your place and learn from the experience.
Each guest is different and their motivations, outlook, fairness vary widely.
You eventually figure out from reviews (or hopefully more from private feedback), what things about your specific listing (and this is different for each listing) guests like and don’t like and improve on what can be improved on.