In Case You Missed It: Review update, Host Guarantee & more

[Airbnb]

We’re excited to share what we’ve been working on over the past few months, from expanding our efforts to tackle inconsistent reviews (we heard your feedback!) to offering new promotional tools that can help your listing stand out. Read on to learn more.

A review update inspired by your feedback

Late last year, we announced a new tool to help address inconsistent reviews. Here’s how it worked: If a guest gave you a 5-star rating in each category (cleanliness, value, etc.) but 1, 2, or 3 stars overall, they’d get a prompt asking them if they wanted to correct that inconsistency.

We got lots of great feedback from hosts on the new tool, and some of you asked why we set the threshold at 3 stars or less—in other words, why wouldn’t a 4-star overall rating trigger the prompt if the guest gave 5 stars everywhere else? We heard you, and we’ve changed the system so that now, even a 4-star overall rating will trigger a prompt if the guest has given 5 stars in each of the specific categories.

With this update, we’re continuing our work to make reviews more relevant and useful for hosts and guests, and we look forward to sharing more changes later in the year.

New custom promotions to get your listing noticed

We recently rolled out our new custom promotions feature, which lets hosts choose their own date range and discount amount. Hosts who set custom promotions can get access to special perks, including:

• An eye-catching strikethrough price in search pages and on their listing (e.g. $100 $85/night)
• Special callouts on their listing page, and the discount clearly detailed in the price breakdown
• A spot in the emails that go out to guests who browsed their listing

If your dashboard doesn't currently show custom promotions as an option, it may be because you're in a location that isn't supported or because you've had fewer than three bookings in the past year. In the meantime, you can still offer deals to guests by setting a lower price for specific dates, or setting up weekly and monthly discounts.

Host Guarantee will soon cover damage by assistance animals

We know that assistance animals (which include service and emotional support animals) play a crucial role in the lives of many of our guests, and we appreciate your willingness to accommodate them. We also know that there are rare cases where an assistance animal causes damage to a host’s property, so in the coming months, we’ll be expanding our $1,000,000 USD Host Guarantee to cover those incidents. (Keep in mind that the Airbnb Host Guarantee is subject to certain terms, conditions, and exclusions—you can learn more about it here.) We hope this update helps bring peace of mind as you continue to welcome guests with different needs into your spaces.

As always, we’d love to hear your feedback on these changes in the comments below. We’ll continue to work on updates that help make hosting easier and more enjoyable for you, so stay tuned for more to come!

[Beth44]

I have a comment, query to other hosts & question to airbnb. I am traveling throughout Vietnam in other airbnb places. A Viet host told me he lost a whole months booking because of corona virus scare. It’s a cancellation that doesn’t reflect on host just circumstances. Couldn’t airbnb help hosts who are cancelled due to extenuating circumstances by bumping their listing up in  search to promote visibility and hopefully booking?

[Matthew1065]

We received a 1 star overall rating from a guest who was upset at a bottle of milk that had been accidentally left in the fridge, which he said had spoilt. His category ratings for us averaged 4.2, yet Airbnb let the 1 star overall review stand, despite my email explaining the situation. The guest never replied to my query as to whether the 1-star overall review was a mistake or genuine. 

The inconsistent 1-star rating has prevented us from becoming super hosts for the last year, despite receiving all 5-star reviews since, and we have just got back up to 4.7, so have only just had Airbnb's threat of removing our listing lifted. 

The new review system seems like it may help prevent cases like this in the future, but it does nothing to correct our unpleasant situation. Airbnb have been no help whatsoever.

[Marija32]

We also like  airbnb promotion feathure, specally because of the offers with visibl discounts
Pet damage insurance is welcome as both the host and guest want to feel protected from this risk. But the only damage done to us from pets is the yellow grass in the garden 🙂

[Betty235]

when i search airbnb chania crete greece there are more than one official website and some do not want to search the above only what they want you to book so how are people going to find my place. i was on the web for 1 hour and couldnt get into the airbnb website to see if my place is still listed.

my house is not on these websites.

in chania old town i have a 3 story house and you are still comparing the booking price on one room. i have 3 private bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. how can i put the price you recommend when its for one room when they have access to the whole house.

its also hard to log in and get on the dashboard i dont know what you haved changed but it is making it difficult for me to change the photos on it. it just logs out.

[Elizabeth10]

@Airbnb Regarding the “enhanced guest standards” that just scold “first-time” bad guests enable guests to continue to ignore the house rules.   The bad guests \ party house issues with AirBnb will not stop until AirBnb kicks their non-respecting rear parts off the platform at first transgression!  They are ADULTS, the booking is a LEGAL CONTRACT per your terms of service.  They were provided the rules and they choose to ignore them.  That is due to the fact there really isn’t any major repercussions to their bad behavior. The existing and future host are susceptible to a plethora of damages and lost income, not to mention extra time to report and document.  This week just had a 5 star\4 reviews guests  smoke, brought an animal, noise, unauthorized guests, disregarded parking, etc. Doesn't that tell you your verification and review system is broken?   Also, when you are going to stop allowing bad guests to delete their profile and create a new one?

[Alex-And-Rhea0]

@Elizabeth10 Hi! These problems will continue until you are legally required to keep the ID of your guests.

Whether that is Federal or State I don't know but here in Japan it is the National Law and any Air Bnb or Japanese Innkeeper is required to keep ID on Japanese Nationals or Passport details from Foreigner Travellers.  Ever since the anonymity of guests was replaced with compulsory ID the quality of my guests has changed. It was the new law that compelled Air Bnb to require us to have Hotel Licenses to enable us to request ID from our guests.  Hope this helps.

[Ruth255]

I love the idea about the new custom promotions feature since we have different high and low seasons than other locations and places.

[Waltraud--Kiana-0]

The 'Overall Experience' rating seems to be still sometimes problematic as guests not always understand that this is a rating about the listing itself and not about any experience they had about weather conditions or the town or whatever else. I had already guests who gave me a low rating in 'Overall Experience' because the sea was rough during the four days they were at my place and they could not go swimming, or because there was some issue going on in town one mile away from us.

[Alex-And-Rhea0]

@Waltraud--Kiana-0 Hi! I always have a review ready for my guests, and if they write s**** one although it is disappointing, I have the opportunity to defend myself and point out that their review is unfair because it covers a subject out of my control and is not in the Description of the Premises. People read review,s and the intelligent ones will be able to discern the truth from lies. We all want intelligent and respectful guests,  don't we? 🙂

[Andrea-and-Joseph0]

I cannot find the "custom discount" feature in my dashboard, so I will assume as it is stated, that feature is not available in my area yet. Is there information available as to what areas it's not available and why would that feature not be available in "certain areas" as the article states?

[Jamia0]

Hi there, I submitted my case to the support center already. One of my recent guests just rated her trip. She chose 5 in all of the subcategories, but I still got a 4 star overall for her trip. It's been awhile since we received a 4 star, so I wanted to know why the update didn't apply to us. Thank you for your help!

[Jamia0]

The review was posted this morning for a guest who stayed a few weeks ago.

[Naledi2]

Hi

What about untrue reviews?

9/10 of my reviews are 5 star. I had a horrible guest who lied on their review and went as far as to say people should avoid booking my listing because it is illegally on Airbnb. She gave me 1 star.

What can be done about this inconsistent review if I can prove that she’s lying/in the wrong?

[Alex-And-Rhea0]

@Naledi2 Always have a review for your guest.  And that is disappointing when you have written a good one for her and she has not. But bear in mind that even after the review has been published for the public to read you have the opportunity to reply and deny the statements.  People read reviews and not everyone is a bad egg, many are sympathetic and will read between the lines. Then call CS and explain the situation. Remember that they will not take your side-ever. Why? Only they know. But give it a go.

[Jen5221]

Thank you, this is a good innovation. I was given glowing comments from two Korean guests who seemed happy with everything --but who gave me three stars. This had all sort of ramifications for me as a new host. The star system is ok if used as intended. I suggest the airbnb system giving all new guests a little brief about the star system at the time of their first three stays. BTW, the communications and accessibility of airbnb is awesome, thank you! 🙂