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I agree that responding to reviews often looks like the host is trying too hard! Or is a maniac!
However what would you do if a guest leaves a false or vindictive review. I think in that case it can be helpful to set the record straight. when I see a negative review and the host calmly and non-emotionally states the facts, that usually reassures me about the property.
Maybe also some people just donât care that much!
Probably they donât realize it though. I once responded publicly too quickly to a review that lied about one of my amenities, it made me look like an idiot and you can never erase it, itâll be there forever.
What? Responding to the reviews look bad?
I respond to every review so far with something like âThanks for the visit!â Or âglad you had a good trip, thanks for the kind wordsâ of the review was really complimentary.
Now I feel like Iâm too eager 
What would I do? Itâs in the past. Forget it. A couple of weeks and it will be relegated to the second page anyway. One poor review amongst good ones wonât matter to any reasonable guest. (And I think we all prefer reasonable guests!) Guests are generally bright enough to figure things out.
For example, I regularly have:
You need a car when you stay here as itâs too far to walk to the beach
Followed directly by another review that says:
This is a great place to stay if you donât have a car as itâs an easy walk to the beach
I would say I have that little sequence every month or so. They canât both be right but guests can figure it out.
Many great hosts do this. It looks bad if they are defensive or if it isnât typical it looks odd. And specifically as the title of the thread indicates, it looks bad if the guest leaves a good review but mentions something in the private feedback like âthere were ants in the kitchen the last day.â Then the host says in response âof course there are ants in the jungle and if you wouldnât leave the window open and the sweets on the counter there would be no ants.â
I only respond to bad reviews if they violate the House Rules⌠ie: The host ruined our stay by making us leave the home when we had guests over. my response: The guestâs reservation was cancelled due to the fact the guest violated our House Rules by hosting a party in the home which is not allowed.
Came across this review tonight and thought Iâd revive this thread. This host also has 12-18 security cameras on the property, according to some of the other reviews!
Idiot. But at least no full on insults like some Iâve read. However, I wouldnât stay with her. No, I donât want to be called as she watches my every move on camera. And 4.66 is too low a rating for me. And third, I donât want any âGod Bless Youâ crap from such an obviously angry and paranoid person.
I donât understand why hosts give such rude responses, it would discourage me from staying there too.
For many hosts itâs about them, not the guests. This host doesnât even know how responses work. Like does she even read her own listing? Can she not see how dumb it looks to respond to private feedback. I donât want to take my chances staying with someone that clueless after 40+ stays. I understand you can make that mistake once, but time and again?
