First time for me…

[Colleen253]

Just got a request. I have IB on, so red flag alert on high. Guest has 3.5 stars in every category, and three reviews. Two most recent are from large vacation rental outfits…typical  ‘great guest’ reviews, though one was much more specific than the other. The troubling one was the first review (only 7 m ago) which mentioned late checkout, a mess and smoking. I’m thinking a straight NO. I really don’t wish to spend two nights worrying about my place. What wound you do? Would you ask them to explain the reviews? Ask if they’re reformed, lol? Give them a chance, or just no…..

[Colleen253]

Not wanting my calendar blocked, I went ahead and declined without asking about the reviews. Just said ‘so sorry but your first review is concerning.’ Received this reply “that was just friends I had over at that apartment. I don’t even smoke.’ Ughhhh. I made the right call!

[David7870]

We had one like that just today.  Almost reached out and hit the decline button then I read her reply to the bad review.  Looks like the host didn’t go into the place to clean after the group right before her and the mess and damage was caused by them!!! She had a witness in a neighbor? Or cleaning lady?   So glad I read the reply to get to the bottom of it.  

[Anonymous]

@Colleen253  Late checkouts and untidiness might be acceptable up to a certain degree. But if there's ever smoking in a non-smoking home, it's an absolute deal-breaker. There's no "just one cigarette" defense for that - even hosts who allow smoking can safely assume that such a guest will have no respect for their property.

[Colleen253]

@Anonymous Yeah, the smoking thing was the biggest concern, and the other two added to my overall dubious impression of this one. It was the two good reviews that made me hesitate to flat out say no. That lasted about the 20 minutes I spent contemplating the whole thing. The answer I got back from the guest solidified my suspicion that the two good reviews were probably left by property managers who leave good reviews for everyone, no matter what. Hats off to the ‘regular-joe-just-like-me’ host who left an honest review. She saved me from a bullet. Very thankful. 

[Anonymous]

@Colleen253  I wonder if some guests are actually unaware that they've been reviewed. You'd think that someone who knew they had a recent bad review would try to get in front of it in their request. 

Like, if you get set up on a blind date, and your name happens to be William Cosby, the very first thing you'd say is "BUT NOT THAT ONE."

[Colleen253]

@Anonymous Lol! 

You’d think. I suppose guests who earn  reviews like that are just generally clueless. 

[Olivia-and-Olivier0]

No, absolutely no. The price of mental peace and reinstating your place to its initial look might be too high to be worth it. I would not even engage in a conv. bcz most likely guests do not agree with bad reviews given to them. When in doubt ... thing of Grumpy Cat meme... No!

[Sarah977]

@Colleen253  Gotta love the way he outed himself about not one, but two unacceptable attitudes in one sentence.

He thinks it's fine to have friends over and doesn't think he bears any responsibility for what others in the place he booked might do.

[Colleen253]

@Sarah977 I know, right!? Incredible. 

[Lawrene0]

I think you did the right thing, @Colleen253 , but I have to say I recently hosted someone with a terrible review. Really terrible. She booked many months ago and that review came in just shortly before she was to check in here. I decided me asking, her being defensive, etc., wasn't worth it and so just went with worrying. 🙂

Nothing bad happened. In fact, she seemed to be on her best behaviour. 

I think if the bad review had been on her profile when she booked, I would have said something and then cancelled if the answer was sketchy. (The answer you got was sketchy.) But as it was, it all turned out in the end, and now she has a good review to counteract the bad. 

[Sarah977]

@Lawrene0  Did she have no reviews when she booked, or some good ones? 

Contrary to what many hosts believe, some guests do take bad reviews to heart and will change their behavior. 

Or sometimes the listing and host, and the guest, were just a really bad fit, got off on the wrong foot to start with, and everything went downhill from there.

I read a post where the host accepted a guest with a really bad review, and when he arrived, she straight up said "Whatever you did at that place in Italy to earn such a bad review, just don't do it here." He chuckled, said okay, was a non-problematic guest.

[Colleen253]

Ha ha ha, I half expected this….Inquiry just arrived for the same dates from a new profile, no reviews…she and her boyfriend are looking for a getaway, and wonders if I allow late check in…same thing the guy asked for. Time to block those dates. No one else is likely to want them anyway - fairly short notice. 

[Sarah977]

@Colleen253  What astounds me is that people would keep trying to book a place by devious methods where they are clearly not wanted.

What kind of people feel okay about imposing themselves where they aren't welcome?

[Anonymous]

@Colleen253  Usually when declining, I block off at least a portion of the dates by default, so it appears plausibly deniable that the stay could have been accommodated in the first place.