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It sometimes takes me longer because I am still refining our listing, messaging and how we provide our hospitality.
There are some very experienced Hosts here who really have their system well defined. I think these Hosts can do the review VERY quickly because their system is not so much a work-in-progress and they’re entirely hands on.
But I take your major thrust that it can take longer.
The thing is, too, that once you have your system in place and it’s working well, you typically have great guests and there’s little to say other than thank you for . . . . We just had one check out this morning,. They did everything right and it really will take just two minutes if that.
I’d say about 3 minutes. Takes about 30 seconds to click on the star ratings and “would you host again” and another 2 and a half minutes to do the written part. Have no idea why you think someone can’t write a useful review in that amount of time. Even if it takes 5 minutes in total, what’s the big deal?
As far as something significant to add to the equation, simply the number of reviews a guest has are a factor in “significance”. A guest who has 20 good reviews is likely going to be more readily accepted than a guest with 1 or 2 reviews.
Experienced guests with lots of reviews tend to be a lot easier to deal with. They have their notifications turned on and answer messages in a timely manner, they read the listing info, they are seasoned travellers, hence more adaptable, they know that expectations vary across listings as far as house rules, amenities, and check-out routine, so tend to ask if necessary (Do you want me to strip the bed?), or just go ahead and do even more than expected.
I’ve also found that some newbie guests do fantastic before-check-out tidying and cleaning, because they want to build up good reviews. If the host doesn’t bother to review them, it’s a disservice to them and shows a lack of appreciation.
Reviewing every guest honestly is a reward to good guests or a warning to other hosts in the case of an objectionable guest. And for those so-so guests, a review alerts them to how they could improve, and what hosts might want to pay attention to as far as conveying expectations.
Cannot paste the clip about no lights on at night. I have to say, at least in rural California lights on at night, excepting closely-timed motion sensors, are an absolute ‘no’ . There are very strict Dark Skies ordinances that many counties are adopting; all outside lights (inc those affixed to the building) have to be close to ground level fully shielded projecting downwards and emphatically OFF by 10pm. And if you have them on a timer you will also get dinged, for having them on when no guests are present . Sorry this is a pet peeve for me - we’ve had very vigilant neighbors who’ve complained a number of times about lights (but don’t hold non STRs to the same standards). It may or may not be true for this neighborhood, but trust me, this one is hard to navigate.
We have a number of motion-activated lights but we also have 12V lights that are just ‘ON’ from dusk to dusk + ‘x’ hours (we vary ‘x’ with the season).
But it would be more energy conscious to have them on motion sensors, even though not required. I’ll want to look into how that could be done and costs.
While there are no regs about outside lights where I live, I hate outside lights left on at night unless they are actively needed. I turn on outside lights if my guests are out after dark, but then turn them off after they get home. And there is an outside light switch right outside their bedroom door, should they need it.
It certainly is. I don’t live in a rural area and haven’t rented an Airbnb in a truly rural area but as an aging person who sees less well at night all the time, it’s something to consider. I have my phone flashlight but may need to pack a flashlight or headlamp as a matter of course in future travels.
I live in a city and have lots of light not just for Airbnb and my in home dog business but also as a deterrent for shenanigans by neighbors and criminals.
Wow! You guys are prolific! After my original post and a few replies, I went about my holiday and didn’t reply to all the further comments.
After a good night’s sleep, I was indeed less cranky and could assess the place more clearly. Below is my more level-headed assessment. I would add the the caveat that my brother booked the place for us (he lives in town) and I don’t know the exact cost. He said somewhere around $600/night. The place could sleep 8 but we were 6. So, not super expensive, but not a cheapo place either. I know that I am repaying my brother something like $130/night which I guess includes fees, etc…
Btw, my brother did tell the host that he was not staying there and he listed those of us who were. I wasn’t part of that whole process, and so I cannot account for why the Host allowed a third-party booking. But that is neither here nor there.
The place was very clean and spacious, and the kitchen was reasonably well equipped. The communication was good. (I saw her texts to my brother giving door-code instructions, etc). However, the mattresses and towels were of very mediocre quality, and not commensurate with the price point nor with the description as being ‘very comfortable’. Upon arrival the place was very very dark – no lights (motion-detected or otherwise) inside or out, which made getting in less than ideal after dark.
Anyway…I am back at work now and need to move on. It could be debated endlessly I am sure what constitutes 5 stars. I personally still feel that the future of AirBnB relies upon Hosts considering the basics as sacrosanct: Comfortable mattress, nice linens, clean and safe space. All the rest is gravy. I know that some respondents thought I was ‘expecting’ a;; the same extras that I provide. I was not. I was simply saying that a basic place is not the same as a ‘luxurious’ space. But that even a basic place ought to provide a mattress worth sleeping on, and some nice enough towels. Even budget-friendly hotels have those!
I know you aren’t going to read this but for others who will…
It doesn’t get more budget chain than a Motel 6. Last time I tried to stay in one it was literally the only choice left for the softball game I went to in a small TX city. My room had no bath towel. It turned out to be a blessing as when I went down to ask about getting a towel, I was able to help a family whose reservation was messed up. Anyway, I’m not staying in any more Motel 6’s. I’d rather sleep in my car in a roadside rest stop.
Had the cleaners just forgotten to leave towels, or is that Motel 6’s MO now?
On another note, one thing that guests should be aware of is that sometimes in areas that are very hot and humid, hosts purposely provide thinner towels (which is not to say threadbare) because thick towels never fully dry and get funky quickly. I provide thick towels, even though Iive in that type of climate, but some hosts do think it more practical to provide thinner ones.
I think the more important question here is “How DO these places get 5 Star Ratings?” I’ve unfortunately chosen this type of Airbnb a couple of times. I mention things in my reviews regarding cleanliness, old or stained linens, pillows, beds and appliances/tvs that don’t work etc. I don’t expect other Hosts to be as OCD as I am, but do expect cleanliness and for things to be in working order. One host even wrote a private note to me saying “We didn’t expect a good review since you are also a host.” I told them I give honest reviews, not good or bad…
Anyway, I know my very appreciative, yet very picky guests would never have rated them that high.
If anyone figures this out, please share.
Thanks,
I’ve never understood this, as I have hosted several guests who are also hosts and were lovely guests who left 5 star reviews and had no complaints. But I’ve read enough posts where hosts say other hosts have been their worst guests to know it must be true for some.
I’ve never been a guest, but if I were, I think I would tend to leave a 5* Overall rating unless there were issues like it not being very clean, missing advertised amenities, or the host not being suitably responsive, or something else really unacceptable, as I wouldn’t want to tank their rating or cause them to lose Superhost if they had it.
I would tend to do this more with listings with hands-on hosts who seemed like they were trying to be good hosts, but maybe just were falling a little short. If it was a place run by property managers, I’d not be reticent about giving lower Overall ratings, if I felt that was deserved.
But with hands-on hosts, I would mark down appropriately in categories, mention both the positive and negative in the written review, and send them private feedback if I felt they needed to step up their game.
I had an upholstery client who had a large rental property and though she had a cleaner and a full time handyman/jack of all trades/pool cleaner, she paid me for awhile to go through and check the cleaner’s work, as there were things she noticed her cleaner tended to neglect to do and knew I had an eye for detail.
One was topping up the soap dispensers. Also dust on the picture frames, fingerprints on the kitchen cupboards, and making sure the icemaker and the scoop for it were clean. I’d also sometimes notice things like dirty window screens, dead leaves on the potted plants at the entranceway, and dusty glasses on the bar shelf.
Honestly, with the inflationary nature of Airbnb, reviews where many hosts with more than two listings are simply using templated reviews and “five star request emails”, I’m just happy when I can actually get a one-off legitimate response from an Airbnb host that is not some automated/canned template message.
As others have suggested, I also make a habit of checking, whether or not a host has multiple properties listed and I’m far more likely to choose a host who only has one or two for fear of QC issues you describe above.
My favorite was a booking an AirBnB stay in London several years ago where I was immersed in automated/scheduled template emails, but could not even reach the host to report that the key to access the unit was missing. Even though we had reported ETA in advance and were left out in the cold at midnight having to book an emergency hotel nearby at premium.
As someone who also takes great pride in in the individual/personalize nature of welcoming guests I can understand and appreciate that hospitality approach. I will also say that many of the items you’ve laid out in your own listing to welcome guests are not things that I could scale across listings that are located hundreds of miles away from me. I am fully dependent on the turnover team, who is mostly focused on cleaning sheets and making sure the space is setup for the next group, regardless of the checklists I give them. I have also found that cleaning teams where there are multiple different employees involved have a harder time keeping pace with turnover checklists in general, as opposed to listings where I have a single cleaner who I have worked with over time and who understands the goal of ensuring that welcoming space.
For those of you that have the luxury to walk next-door and do it yourself, I am sure you have far better luck. But we all know the quotes around if you want something done right, and that is not always something that all of us can afford (or desire) to do at scale.
Once again, I have booked an Airbnb and over 24 hours later I haven’t gotten an acknowledgment of the booking/any kind of message from the host. Like all the places I book, it’s a highly rated place (currently 4.95) with hundreds of reviews (currently 724). I’d say this has become the case with about a quarter of the places I book.
This used to bother me as I always message a guest within minutes if not hours, of a booking. But I’m learning to not expect it and the upside for me is that it’s another thing that makes my hosting above average. I have gotten a few “thanks for the quick reply” messages that I didn’t get when I first started doing Airbnb and this is probably why.
I’ve gotten some “Thanks so much for the prompt and detailed response” messages and it didn’t occur to me that it was because other hosts ghost them, I just thought it was because they were polite, appreciative people with good manners.
I guess I don’t have to feel so remiss if I’ve been powerwashing or weedeating and didn’t hear my message alert until a couple hours after it was sent.
I’m curious- if you look on the listings of these hosts who never send a message back acknowledging your booking, does it say “within an hour” by their response time?
