Airbnb Answers: Guest information and flagging guest behavior

[Airbnb]

You asked: Can Airbnb share more information about guests, like their ratings, full name, etc.? Can we get the ability to flag bad guests and make this information visible to other hosts?

More guest information

We're taking a close look at what additional information we can share to help you feel confident about the quality of every guest, every time you host. Currently, before confirming a booking, you can see a potential guest’s prior reviews and profile information (including hometown, education background, hobbies, and languages spoken). But in order to protect the privacy of both hosts and guests, we don’t share last names until after a booking is confirmed. If you don’t feel comfortable accepting a reservation with this set of information, you may message guests with additional questions. We don’t share guests’ home addresses because that information is not relevant or required to make a booking.

Every guest is required to provide their full name, date of birth, phone number, email address, and payment information to Airbnb before being allowed to book a reservation. As a host, you also have the option to require guests to provide a government ID before booking your home, which is just one feature of our ongoing effort to build trust in the community.

Flagging guest behavior

In the coming months, we’ll be adding more ways for you to report guest behavior that we might need to address. Stay tuned for more, but know that host reviews of guests remain the most powerful flagging tool for the community.

More than ever before, we’re using your reviews to signal both excellent and not-so-great guest behavior. We’re developing a Superguest program that will help you identify experienced travelers with excellent ratings. And for the rare occasions things don’t go well, your reviews will help us identify poorly behaved guests, issue more specific and strict warnings, and remove those guests who do not improve their behavior.

Be assured that when guests get negative reviews from hosts, Airbnb follows up. We make sure guests receive warnings about unacceptable behavior, and in some cases they can be blocked from booking entirely. We take the safety of you and your guests very seriously, which is why we require everyone in our community to uphold our community standards. Your reviews of guests are essential to establishing trust in our community, and we’re dedicated to taking action on your behalf to help ensure high quality experiences every time you host.

In the latest Host Q&A, CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky answered top-voted questions during a livestream event. For questions he didn’t have time to address, we’ve introduced Airbnb Answers. Want to ask more? We’ll invite hosts to ask their questions before the next quarterly Host Q&A. We’ll keep you posted in Airbnb Updates.

[Nicholas39]

@Melanie0

So I had an idea for this, making a 30 sec "how to" video guest must watch before booking on what's expected for those who enter others homes. Something in the style like those old disney shorts with goofy. Because it seemed like I started getting guests who've never had house training at ALL lol.

[Tom213]

I believe it would be great if hosts could post comments that are only shared with other hosts. I recently had guests that left vomit in vases, bottles in the jacuzzi tub, piles of trash, used every single towel in the house and left a sink filled with food covered dishes. 

Because they were relatively local, I hesitated posting all of this publicly out of fear of retaliation to the property. If I could have just left a less than stellar "public review" and then left a 2nd "hosts only review", it would be, I believe, a better option for sharing both the negative and positive information. 

[Yoshi11]

A

[Akina0]

I think it’s a good idea for host to see a private note on guest’s behaviors becos it will help the host in deciding if he or she should accept the booking without letting the guest know which the guest can retaliate by giving a bad review. I am lucky that so far, knock on wood, that my guest are pretty good and the damages are minors: broken class, my song flower plot, broken shower head, broken closet doors and etc.  All these damages I didn’t mentioned online or claim the guest for repair money becos I am afraid it will affect my rating!! What is what bad is that when I claim it to AirBNB, they want me to charge the guest!  I can’t do that also as they just gave me a great review and don’t want to ruin that relationship.  I feel like I am being held hostage when this happens ....does Antonio Mr has any solution to this?  

[Natalie13]

Natalie ****

Florida, USA

I have had an airbnb for three years, a studio attached to my house with a separate entrance.  I have experiened almost entirely thoughtful and careful guests, of all ages, from many parts of the US, and various countries.   Often, after guests have left, I see they've made the bed, tidied up, and certainly used everything, but were careful not to damage anything.  I always have the place very clean when they arrive, of course, and put out nice quality snacks and drinks, fresh cuttings in a vase, a welcome note with a sheet of how to's and chocolates on the bed.  I think if they see a host is treating them as special guests, they will return the favor.

[Ross58]

i Agree with above, it’s hard to be objectionable when we have to wait to see a guests’ review and then they have the option to go back in and comment on something after the fact. 

[Connie27]

It is very difficult for a host to give an honest review without upsetting a guest. The paying party feels they have paid you adequately for your troubles, while many hosts may feel undercompensated.  I agree that airbnb make available warnings about guests for hosts to see only.  I had a guest who broke a lock into the cleaner's closet.  I felt uncomfortable writing this critique on his public review, but really wanted to warn other hosts that this guest was impatient and likely to cross boundaries by taking matters into their own hands.

[Kay81]

This is a wonderful update.  Thank you for helping us Superhosts give the very best, and expect the same.

[Amy203]

Here's the thing...I had a terrible guest, but I did not leave her a bad review as I should have because I was scared SHE would leave ME a bad one  so I just let the sleeping dog lie as it were until the deadline to leave reviews had passed and then I filed in the Resolution Center for payment for her damage.

I did get paid, happily...but it did not help other guests know about her behavior

Fortunately this is a pretty isolated incident and most of my guests are just fine (One left me a bad review, unjustly in my opinion, but that just comes with the territory I suppose

[Terry160]

You have to understand that some people are totally ignorant to the etiquettes of Airbnb. So I prep the “non-reviewed” with an expectation that they are trying to earn a great review from me.  I start with, I have reservations with those guest who have no reviews staying in my home. Please tell me why I should feel comfortable allowing you in my home. Then I wait for their response. They’ll normally say I’m new to Airbnb and blah blah, but I also look out for those who host just don’t review because they were so bad and afraid of a rebuttal. If I’m comfortable I’ll come back with I’ll be more than happy to host your first Airbnb stay and help you to earn your first great review. That lets them know that reviews are important and they should be aiming to get a good one. 

[Igor55]

I usually get issues with first time Airbnb user. Common issues include not reading the description and the rules/expectations. Likewise there are guests who appreciate your place yet they give you a 3 or 4 star rating. Some also expect a lavish stay when they only pay little, well for San Francisco, my rate is cheaper but it could be expensive as compared to other places in the U.S. and the world. Some guests do not understand it. And there are those who expect a very big room and a very big bathroom. This is not Texas. Lol! 

[Angel152]

Could Airbnb offer a “Host to future Host” feedback that when checking potential guests reviews would only be accessible to hosts

I’m in Hawaii and my guests like to have “fun” and I’m in a remote area so I’m somewhat flexible..but still have guests that even push that line. And as many had mentioned the current review process leads us to censoring our comments on their behavior.

[Akina0]

Sorry about all the mistakes due to auto type.....resending with corrections.    

I think it’s a good idea for host to see a private note on guest’s behaviors becos it will help the host in deciding if he or she should accept the booking without letting the guest.  If they know, the guest can retaliate by giving a bad review. I am lucky that so far, knock on wood, that my guests are pretty good and the damages are minors: broken glasses, burnt plastic dishes, stolen flower plot, broken shower head, broken curtain rod, broken closet doors and etc.  All these damages I didn’t mentioned online or claim the guest for repair money becos I am afraid it will affect my rating!! What is what bad is that when I reported it to AirBNB, they want me to charge the guest!  I can’t do that also as they just gave me a great review online and don’t want to ruin that relationship.  I think AirBnB should I ay for such things or at least subsidise without impacting the guest and host relationship from their insurance pilic.  I feel like I am being held hostage when this happens ....does anyone has any solution to this?  

[Lindsay111]

I find it really annoying when I write a nice review for a guest and they don't bother to reciprocate. As reviews are put up at the same time or at the end of the two week period, there is no way to be able to modify my review and let the guest know that it is courtesy to do so as it benefits the host and the guest with future bookings. In future I shall be checking the guests reviews and if they haven't bothered to place a review for their hosts at all, then I will think seriously about not accepting them.

Airbnb should find a way to add a comment after the two week period.

[Jennifer954]

We have taken extra measures even though we live at the same property. New security system installed and everything. The main issue is the review system for us. We have been able to contact air bnb and say that the reviews violate the review policy but it takes a lot of time and energy. If something goes to the resolution center then that guest should not get the chance to review the stay.

Also we should be able to see there reviews from other hosts more and scores. Our hosting scores are shown we should have equal if not greater access since this is our home and property that is being damaged and disrespected.