5 Star Feedback but 4 Star for overall review?

[Gail84]

Hello fellow Hosts,

I have a gripe about the star/ratings and how it is applied.  I have had 5 stars as my overall rating for some time but recently two guests gave me 5 stars in their feedback (for all areas) with a glowing review but then marked 4 stars as the overall for the review rating.  How can this be?  surely if the guest/s felt 5 stars was appropriate for everything then AirBnb with their constant algorithyms shouldn't allow this to happen.  It should be an average of what the guest gives feedback on in the star system.  Either that or the guest/s have to give a reason for marking it down overall, it doesn't make sense.

[Anonymous]

@Gail84  The Overall rating has never been an average of the individual scores. Guests are prompted to leave feedback when choosing a score other than 5 stars, but they don't always choose to do so.

The likeliest reason for choosing the seemingly mismatched Overall score is that the guest had an issue that doesn't relate to the individual categories. It could have been something about the beds, the temperature, the home decor, an odor, insects or spiders, or some other detail that didn't meet their expectations. But although Airbnb pushes 5 stars as the only acceptable rating, most people genuinely believe that 4 out of 5 is still a positive score. It'll drive you crazy if you let it, but hosts who fully ignore the stars and badges and all the silly Silicon Valley stuff can get every bit as much out of their work as hosts who let themselves get obsessed about it.

[Dolores96]

@Gail84 I think that the same thing happened to several of us, my recommendation is that you don't worry so much about it. Go ahead, the next guest will be better. I understand your point of view regarding the algorithm, I also think that they should be statistically discarded and the standard average taken out.

[Michelle2137]

Yes I see an inconsistency too but my thoughts are that although the guest loved your place they realised that it was a little too far from where they were going or yes maybe there were spiders or in my case mosquitos on the veranda in the evening which spoiled their stay and in their mind didn't give reason to give you a 5 star rating overall. I've found that being in Australia and being waterfront is not the ideal for say a Canandian or American or even someone in a cold climate who is not used to millions of bugs....yes we do have relentless bugs everywhere. so you would have to take the fact that its not what they're wanting into the evaluation. unfortunate...yes.  I think overall it eventually evens out when you have many guests who do follow thru with the 5 star rating. hth

[Ashley678]

airbnb's marketing is geared towards , PLUS and Lux now;  and guests are never satisfied because they expect this type of luxury and or service.... If you have a normal awesome stay and are a super-host who bends over backwards these days for five star rating it's so un fair this rating system where guests who have never hosted expect the world on a silver platter... and i even have silver platters.. 

[Alyson2]

This has happened to me too on at least three occasions. It does not seem fair or right

[Breighana0]

When I called airbnb to ask them this exact question, the reason they gave was because the guest left the category "respects house rules" blank.  It turns out that it is a hidden category that apparently guest as well as hosts cannot see, but airbnb can.