Compliments to the host

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Compliments to the host

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There’s nothing like getting a “job well done!” when you’ve worked hard. And so many of you do go the extra mile to create magical stays for your guests. Our team that works on reviews knows how much positive feedback matters. So during one team brainstorm, they came up with this idea: What if we gave guests a way to quickly and easily specify what was so great about their stay with a host? We could identify the most common themes that guests love about their top-rated trips and list them out for guests to choose from. Fast forward to today and their idea is coming to life. Here are the top seven themes that emerged:

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Now when a guest gives their trip an overall rating of 4-5 stars, they’re automatically prompted to give a little more detail about what made it memorable. Guests can choose as many of the seven compliments as they like, and (as always) they can elaborate on their experience in their own words in public or private feedback. So the next time you wow your guests, here’s what they’ll see:

 

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And we’ve added a special “Compliments” section to your review summary when you’re viewing it from the Airbnb app on your mobile phone—so you’re sure to see what they appreciated about your space and your hosting style. The team is adding the final touches to this feature on the web, so soon you’ll see the Compliments section when you’re on your computer as well.

   

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There’s more soon to come. We’re working on ways to make these compliments show up in guest searches so that they can see what makes your hospitality shine. It’s another way to help set guest expectations and reach your hosting goals. Whether you already have a few compliments, or you’re looking forward to that first one, we’re cheering you on.

507 Replies 507
Dixie7
Level 10
Dunsborough, Australia

I agree with you Bronwyn. I get 4 stars quite often for location when it is clearly stated in my listing that it is 2kms to downtown and a little further to the beach (and it is very obvious from the map). I have to ask myself, why would they book my place at $65 a night when there are plenty of places to choose from that are twice the price and upwards which have the location they appear to want? Got me flumoxed. Makes me wonder if they've just seen the price and the pics and thought "wow" that looks good, and it's one of the cheapest places listed, without even reading a word about the listing. I don't really think making the listing more cumbersome is a good idea for me.

I agree re location. I am 15 minutes from the beach and theme parks but close to trains, buses, motorway, large shopping centres etc and this is all on my page but still I get "could be closer to Surfer's Paradise". This is the only 4 star that I have ever received and it pulls my rating down.

OMG, I have had that as well Jo-Ann and I'm only 7 mins. from Surfers.  Can't please everyone. 

Yes, and the stats provided at the top of our listing don't correspond to the actual percentages.  One 4-star rating for location out of 50 does not make a 95% location total.   I've requested help from support and created several feedback tickets about these negatively reflecting offf-putting inaccuracies right up front at the top of our listings and its not changed, and is now alogrhythmically being migrated into my "progress" stats, creatkng utter chaos there as well and threaening my superhost status)...does anyone actually check that in searches)?

 

My listing is ALL about location, view, and all but one guest has rated it 5 stars...and the one that rated it 4 was a first-timer unaccustomed to driving in city traffic from the airport to our very uncongested country/coastal location. When I inquired, he gave "location" 4 stars due to the traffic and mapping apps that had nothing to do with my location as I spent 2 hours guiding him to my location from the airport via ABB messaging.  He had no clue what they were assking him to review.  Clarity and been requested of ABB many times with no chnages.  Remedies requested in this instance.  None given.

 

I DO wish ABB would hear us.  It's best for everyone to keep things simple and clear from hosting, travelling and ABB profit persepctives.

Katherine340
Level 2
Combe Martin, United Kingdom

Yes, Susan makes some good points and I  agree with  Bronwyn too. The location is something the guests choose, why would they choose somewhere that they don't want to be and if they do, that is not something that the host should be reviewed down for, unless the reason is specified. 

 

Read guests. If the guests want to be downtown, but they book mine which clearly states it's a suburb,  it is not me to be penalized on location when it was their choice in the first place . Also I have no control over g oogle maps , I give them step by step directions , and they follow GPS even though I warn them that g oogle will lie to them..then they ding me on location because it was hard to find! Not if they followed my directions  

I agree! Location is something they choose when they book! Ratings for location seem a bit out of place IMO as it is all in what the guests need or want. What determines a great or not so great location?? close to town? out of town?  blah blah blah. 

Linda909
Level 3
Aberdour, United Kingdom

Yes, I totally agree that guests should be asked to qualify any  response which is not 4/5 stars in certain catagories.  If things are exactly as described, then hosts should not be penalised because guests failed to read details, and found trip was not what was expected, or because the accommodation was not as luxurious as others they may have used previously as has happened. 

Guests need to reflect on their requirements - if they want to be handy for pubs hotels shops and public transport, they they should not be able to complain that they are on a main road!

Brilliant feedback Susan as Location is where most hosts loose out according to feedback. Location should be where the accommodation is located if it’s accurately portrayed  and the amenities and description of the property is accurate as we all can’t live right next to a supermarket and a bunch of coffee shops and restaurants. In that case the guests should book a Hotel 

My Property is in a beautiful quiet location by a national park and many of my guests love the place for its beauty and quieteness. There are few amenities within walking distance but lots of restarants, beaches, shops  and sightseeing easily accessible by bike or car. I make all this very clear in my listing.

 

All but one guest out of 87 so far have given me 5 stars for accuracy but over 30% give me 4 stars for location, whilst giving me 5 stars for everything else 

 

I love the idea of questons like "Was the location as described?"

 

 

Elaine14
Level 10
Leeds, United Kingdom


@Jack11 wrote:

My Property is in a beautiful quiet location by a national park and many of my guests love the place for its beauty and quieteness. There are few amenities within walking distance but lots of restarants, beaches, shops  and sightseeing easily accessible by bike or car. I make all this very clear in my listing.

 

All but one guest out of 87 so far have given me 5 stars for accuracy but over 30% give me 4 stars for location, whilst giving me 5 stars for everything else 

 

I love the idea of questons like "Was the location as described?"

 

 


II agree!  Most of the time hosts have simply failed to read the information provided in the listing, and have concoted their own view exluding the gven facts.  For example, there is a box that we can tick to indicate if the room or listing is used exclusively for rental purposes or if it also contains the host's personal belongings.  Guests don't notice this, then complain if there are things inthe cupboards, like the host's own food items!" 

Another example is that in the directions that are sent to each and every guest I mention that we are on a steep hll, but then get poor location feedback , as they find it difficult to come on foot from a party, as they had planned, claiming they were unaware of this!   Not everyone has a listing in a holiday location, where they would always get 5 stars for location.   Being a Superhost should be just that , not about having a super location,  when the location was actually chosen by the guest themselves to suit their needs in the first place! 

I was as detailed as possible with description, house rules etc but a lot of people do not read and then complain. We also have all the info, house rules etc. in their rooms and a lot of them still don't even look at it. frustrating but that seems to be typical human behaviour...

 


@Susan1028 wrote:

Thank you for evaluating this expansion.  I offer my guests several opportunities for suggestions in addition to the public and private feedback guest and host are already afforded.  

 

I appreciate the effort to “tease out” more positive details of what makes each stay special and offer the following based on my experience:

 

1- please make it very clear to the guest what each category includes

2- state that this new level of feedback must be based on actual guest experience

3- the attributes being evaluated are within the hosts’ control.

 

For example the “location” category could get tricky because of the following :

1- google maps and other gps services that often give inaccurate directions

2- bookings in a busy city are not going to be perfectly quiet

3- bookings in rural locations with few stores, restaurants and neighbors nearby etc...this may be new to those unaccustomed, but are not a reason to penalize a host 

4- the weather is not included in the evaluation or within host control

 

It would be helpful to offer some boundarie / qualifiers like:

1- was location type as described?  If not why?(ex: listing stated “entire place,” quiet with “panoramic views” but I arrived to find a single room in the basement of a shared house with noise and foot traffic overhead, view is a fence blocking a busy noisy street, and the only sweeping view possible is from the second storey master bedroom that isn’t offered.

2- Did it have the number of rooms and type of rooms as described (full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, #bedrooms...)

3- Did it have amenities described? (ex: free parking/fireplace/hot tub/#beds, breakfast/full kitchen...)

 

and so on...

 

Thank you for requesting feedback.

 

 Actually Susan, guests do already get asked this if the host hasn't had any recent feedback.   I often travel with Airbnb, all over the world - for 7 years now - , as well as hosting on Airbnb, and until very recently was meeting many hosts in my professional capscity as a photographer for Airbnb too.   Guests have always also been able to give feedback about the acuracy and condition of all aspects of their stay, in the itemised private feedback.  Believe you me, they love to do so if not 100% happy! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Felix171
Level 2
Stonehaven, United Kingdom

Susan I agree with you observations on the location category.  I've got caught with 4 stars for that even though it's explicitly stated in the description that it is in the middle of the countryside and that a car is needed.  It was particularly annoying when location was 4 starred by someone who  booked it especially for its location as he knew the area and was visiting relatives.  

@Airbnb

 

"And we’ve added a special “Compliments” section to your review summary when you’re viewing it from the Airbnb app on your mobile phone—so you’re sure to see what they appreciated about your space and your hosting style." >>> I suppose it's still a test as I don't have any Compliment section on my android app (such as a vast majority of hosts I'm in contact with in EU).

 

Quite redundant and messy improvement when those feedback (adding the 2nd part you didn't speak about: "missing amenities") are asked ONLY in english. I think you are not familiar to the fact only 50% French people do NOT understand English.

 

If you add that the sign you used to tick something NOT AVAILABLE is a cross (X) and that, at least in FR, a cross is only use to validate if something is OK you will understand why hosts could be livid when receiving glowing 5☆ reviews we are warned guests informed you that all amenities listed are NOT available...

 

A positive mind would ask what IS really available...