The reviews system is being updated

[Jenny]

Hosting connects you to strangers from around the world that you’d likely never cross paths with if you weren’t a Host on Airbnb. Reviews are an essential part and natural conclusion to each stay – whether a Host rates a guest or a guest rates the experience they had during their stay, reviews are displayed publicly for everyone to see. With that being said, sometimes reviews left by guests may feel unfair. You’ve told us that you’re frustrated with the current reviews system, so we’re updating the way reviews work as a result of your requests.

Feel more comfortable hosting guests without worrying about the possibility of receiving a retaliatory review or not having enough info about potential guests with the following upgrades:

• Learn how you can dispute retaliatory reviews under our updated reviews policy.
• Flag reviews from guests who commit a serious policy violation or violate your house rules.
• Read specific details left about guests by other Hosts—and leave these details when any guest stays with you. 

Early next year, we’re also introducing a chatbot to make it easier for you to initiate a review dispute—without having to contact Community Support.

The same process applies to the reviews guests leave for you. Guests will still choose one to five stars for their overall stay. They can now also add a star rating—and specify what went well or could have gone better—in several categories. Only your overall star rating is factored into Superhost criteria, so your star ratings and feedback in specific categories won’t impact your Superhost status. 

Read more about it on the Resource Center.

[Resort-Vacation-Rentals0]

Yes, we totally agree Melinda.  AirBnB has to make it clear that 4 stars is a flag that indicates a problem with the rental and that hosts need a 4.3 average to stay on the site.  That is the very least they can tell guests on the review page if they are going to continue to hold hosts to such a strict standard.

[Jonathan2244]

Right on Melinda, I noticed a steady stream of lower reviews starting this year, really terrible what AIRBNB has done.  Should be interesting to see if it matters being super host or not...

[Jonathan2244]

As a Super Host for the last 4 years I've been on AIRBNB, I have officially lost my status.  Not because anything I have done differently, but because you all have made it much more easy for guests to give lower stars for things that are not actually matching the experience.  

What ever the reason, I really get the sense you guys don't care about the hosts and maybe in the future I will be forced to go to VRBO and other platforms in my area.  

For now, will see how it plays out with not being a super host.  My houses by the way are among the most popular in our community... aka always booked and a "rare find".

Best,

Jonathan