HOw can I access guest reviews BEFORE they book rooom?

[Samira37]

Hello,

I recently had a bod experience w disrespectful guests..

Is there a way that I can I access guest reviews BEFORE they book rooom?

[Helen427]

@Samira37  If you use related keywords in the search box here in CC you will find a wide cross section of information that others have contributed over the years to give a wider balance of suggestions.

Whilst you may be reluctant to host someone who may have what you term a "bad review" look at them with an open mind as there's always 2 sides to a story and the truth.

Be mindful sometimes people may have personality clashes for whatever reason that may result in bad reviews and don't jump to conclusions.

So long as the person hasn't broken any laws, why don't you accept people with an open mind?

Also put yourself in that person's position how you would feel if you  were treated with discrimination based on a single review.

 I've hosted people who had what some may perceive to be a "bad review" who were upfront as to the background of the reviews so maybe take each guest on a case by case basis and move forward positively.

All the best.

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

@Debra300 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen427 

Things must be really different in NZ.

There would definitely be 83 hosts in America wishing they had known the history of guests booking their accommodation after the shootings and deaths in their listings and, if you have ever been to Egypt, where people live on the sides of buildings with only three or two walls sometimes, or as I was, kidnapped  - well, you'd certainly want to know the history of your guest before allowing them anywhere near you or to stay in your house with you!

@Debra300 @Samira37 

[Anonymous]

@Debra300   "Only hosts with listings that accept Instant Booking can see a guests reviews before booking. "

This is incorrect. Non-IB hosts can see all of the guests' written reviews, but only IB hosts can see guests' star ratings.   I often bring this up as a reason why it's important to leave an honest review rather than expecting a passive-aggressive star rating to do your heavy lifting.

  @Samira37  The AirReview extension, like many other "free" plug-ins,  requires a permission that allows it total access to your browser data, including the ability to edit text. It's a useful idea, but terrible software.

@Helen427  Your distortion of the word "discrimination" is questionable at best, but also irrelevant here. Of course it would be wrong for hosts to be prejudiced against a guest based on an immutable distinction such as their rage, age, or nationality. But making an informed decision based on what you can glean from a person's specific words, actions, and past references is not "discrimination," and to suggest so is to trivialize actual discrimination. Rather, it's that thing you seem fond of calling "common sense" regardless of whether you're exhibiting it.  The subjective notion of whether a review is bad, good, or neutral is of far less importance than the substantive content - one more reason it's important to be honest and thorough enough to help each other make educated decisions. Most adults do happen to have the sense to recognize that one person's opinion is not the entire story, and everyone does in fact have the chance to present their side in a response if they were mischaracterized.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Thanks @Anonymous 

At least we know now that @Samira37 should be able to view any reviews associated with a guest attempting to book.

Would you know whether there is any deviation from this if a 'Booking Enquiry' is sent or whether just an 'Enquiry' is sent - or even if both are the same thing?

[Anonymous]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0   In both cases, it's possible for hosts (with or without IB) to directly open the user's public profile, which contains all the reviews that have been posted. The only feature that's obscured from view in the public profile is the photograph (there is a way around this if the guest has prior reviews).

Guest star ratings can't be seen by guests themselves or by anyone else except IB hosts. This policy makes no sense as anything other than a pressure tactic to get hosts onto IB. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Anonymous 

The only feature that's obscured from view in the public profile is the photograph (there is a way around this if the guest has prior reviews).

I think I can guess that one 😀

[Anonymous]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  It's a game of Peekaboo that tells you exactly how mature Airbnb regards its users  to be.  I don't know if condescension is actually part of their brand, or their staff is just too young to recognize it.

[Debra300]

@Anonymous,

Thanks for correcting my statement about viewing guest reviews.  Recently, I had turned off Instant Book, and thought that the warning message said that I'd no longer be able to see guest reviews.  Since I am not currently accepting bookings, I've not received any inquiries so that I could confirm what guest information is visible.

@Samira37, @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0, I apologize for providing inaccurate information.

[Sally221]

Some bad reviews are the result of not so great hosts; I had some guests who booked late at night  for the following day (I didn't grasp then that a next day booking could happen at 11:59 the night before) & had been given a terrible review, this was when I had IB enabled. I was pretty freaked out but when I read the guest's temperate response to the scorcher I realized who the bad apple was. The guests were quite lovely, they had been struggling to get a signal on their phone all that day as they traveled out of the mountains & were very grateful to get a mid-week last minute  booking.

[Anonymous]

@Sally221   As a guest, I sometimes choose hosts who have especially comical bad reviews dragging down their listings' ratings. One was for a lovely apartment in Italy in a 17th century building whose selling feature was a scenic rooftop terrace. The guest didn't seem to understand that Italy is not in the tropics, and in the winter it can get too cold to leave the windows open all day - but not only that, after doing so she insisted that the apartment gave her Herpes. I spent a week there and was happy to report that the historical building gave me not one single STD.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Anonymous 

Recounting your story, I'm guessing that the guest might have meant Hypothermia.. That makes it even funnier!

[Sally221]

The host who gave the terrible review was outraged that, for a booking for 2 families in a listing touted as perfect for large family gatherings &  sleeping up to 14,  my guests & the other family  filled up the 1 garbage can & used all the towels (12)  provided over a 5 day booking. OMG! The horror!