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Just curious, how do you get 4 stars when all the 6 individual points you’re reviewed on are all 5 stars each??
And just want to VENT - I know, I know we’ve had this before - but it is SO irritating to get 3 or 4 stars for location when you clearly state that you are NOT in the heart of the resort area but a quick 5 minute drive from it - in at least four places in my blurb. But we also know most guests do not read all our blurb!
Nope - they want your place at your price in the front row or close to whatever… so it becomes your fault that it isn’t so you get the crappy location rating when THEY chose it!
Maybe we should all write to Brian Chesky and tell him that if he want an “infinite company” that he’d better put the rating system into at least the 21st century by changing to a 10 point scale like every other rating system on the planet.
Huh? No.
Most rating systems for US based companies (even if now international) are 5 stars. From health care to hotels to Amazon to films to military’s highest rank to Yelp to record reviews to Ebay to stocks to infinity!!!
It would only be confusing if Airbnb changed it.
People are notoriously bad at staying focused and on topic when reviewing things. Take a look at Amazon reviews or any seller. People will give a product one star when the issue was with where the FedEx guy left the package or something totally unrelated to the function/performance of the product. Makes me crazy.
The 5-level/star concept is a bit off-setting for me. I like a 3 level rating:
1-needs improvement
3. satisfactory-performing as needed/expected (which is a good score; you are doing what is expected)
5. Exceeds expectations.
Comment sections are where to document how it exceeds expectations and if by a little bit or a lot.
I personally don’t understand why Airbnb sets 5 stars as the desired standard instead of 3 stars.
Standard = clean neat room, as advertised, comfortable bed to sleep on, safe environment, reasonably quiet, treat me with reasonable respect; value as expected for the price
My car repair place called asking me to consider giving them all 10’s on their customer service survey. They met my expectations but they didn’t exceed my expectations—it was just an oil change and they were pleasant while I waited.
If their score of 10 means they met my expectations; what can I give the maintenance place that washes my car and gives me a really good cup of coffee?
We are trained thanks to Airbnb and others to give everyone an exceeds standards for simply doing their job.
Now of course—I think I’m different and if anyone ever gives me all 3’s I would be hurt!!!
deleting… cause it turns out I want to.
So - I am guessing that you can’t just pick up your airbnb and move it closer? 
Me either. I get dinged on location all the time because “its not close enough”.
…what? Come on, you can’t leave it like that.
Smack Chesky? Move house? Hunt down those guests and lock them in your basement and feed them cheerios through a cat-flap?
Whaaat??!
Because they’re saving 5* for a really really special place. Yours wasn’t it. That’s fair, don’t you think? They are normal people. The problem rests with Airbnb and their absurd insistence that anything less than 5* is failure. So hosts are devastated when they get less than 5* and complain about it and start hating guests and stressing about it and so start being not very good hosts and …etc. etc. etc. Honestly, it’s the stupidest thing ever.
Hey Chesky! Listen mate, call Michelin and find out what 5* really means.
So I’ve found out that the stars for location are NOT used towards overall rating. I’ve also found out that they may well give us 5 stars in all 6 categories but overall only give 4 for some other reason, not covered by the 6 categories, and that they choose not to tell you about. What amazes me is that just a few 3 or 4 star reviews pulls down your overall a lot and for a long time. Oh well!
Not really fair no as often it’s because they don’t read all you blurb. Fortunately I far from stress about it and certainly don’t hate guests - or anyone for that matter.
@Glad. Please don’t stress over it. It’s not worth it. If you provide a nice place at a reasonable price and people like it and leave nice reviews, you’ll be fine.
Fortunately the location stars don’t count on overall rating, according to Airbnb 
Yes it IS fair. You can’t expect 5* all the time. It’s unrealistic and no other business on the planet would expect to achieve it. And honestly I don’t subscribe to this whole ‘oh they didn’t read my listing’ excuse. I know it’s frustrating when that happens but really, it’s up to you to make sure that all your guests know exactly what to expect. Communication with guests, tiresome as it may seem, is part of the business I think.
yikes, sorry if that seems harsh. I just hate when hosts feel pressured by the whole 5* thing
It is a bit harsh as you don’t know me but that’s ok, and I do communicate clearly in many ways. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. You also can’t please all of the people all of the time. That’s life.
Glad, not to be cynical or anything, but who told you that? The last CSR you spoke to? They make up stuff you know.
Thanks. I realise I come across a bit strong sometimes and don’t express myself properly. Please don’t stress about the star reviews, honestly. It has such a spiralling negative effect, ie, you start to resent and mistrust guests because they didn’t give you 5* so you approach your next guests with caution and mistrust which they sense and so they feel a little uncomfortable and so they don’t give you 5* …and on and on.
Brian Chesky et al could do with a real life lesson on the monster they created.
To be fair, though, the location rating really doesn’t affect overall rating. Only that golden overall experience does that.
Feeling benevolent tonight so I’ll only add that the reps are doing the best they can with minimal training and are drugged up to eyeballs with the Airbnb stuff. Be patient with them, they need our understanding.
It’s on the Airbnb Community by one of the ‘top’ posters - I’m assuming (probably incorrectly!) that it would be accurate! It’s probably one of those things - ask 5 different customer service people and you’ll get 5 different answers!