Guest Reviews

[Nick1866]

Hi,

sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere before - please refer me if this is the case.

I'm not sure I should be asking this, and it's unlikely I would ever go through with it, but would love to get people's views on this...

What do people think about helping the guests understand the way the Airbnb review system works? As I guess all hosts know, while in normal terms, a four, or even a three-star stay in the real world should be seen as a positive, on Airbnb it's potentially quite damaging given the sword of Damocles hanging over our heads regarding the minimum standard of 4.7.

I've been in youth hostels where the owner has unashamedly asked me for a five-star rating. I would never do that. But what do people think of suggesting that certain ratings are required to ensure one can still offer cheap accommodation? I am able to keep my accommodation cheap as I do not need to hire professional cleaners as it's such a small space. But obviously if I did not hit certain ratings targets, then I would have to then consider bringing then in, and raising my price.

And obviously if I am not on the Airbnb platform due to the lack of a minimum standard, then I won't be able to offer any price at all!

It's not been a major issue up until now, thank God. But it's an anxiety that I know a lot of other hosts would share.

Love to know your thoughts,

Nick

PS Just to reiterate - this is not something I've done in the past, nor would ever do in the future!

[Pat271]

I don’t ever ask for reviews. If the guest was a good guest and left the place in good shape, I express my appreciation the day of check-out and leave it at that. 

However, I am not against some form of guest education. I could see providing a 1-page addendum at the back of the Welcome packet/House Rules with simple descriptions of what each rating means and its impact for both guest and host.

My impression is that guests are starting to understand Airbnb’s review system better. Maybe browsing the various host and guest forums has helped to educate them. 

[Anonymous]

@Nick1866  As a guest, I'd find it super tacky if a host tried to influence my review, and downright condescending if they presumed to "educate" me about how important it is to get a 5 star rating. Many hosts have different views on this, but I think it's degrading to the overall quality of the hospitality to fixate on superficial ratings.

However, if you're sharing living space with the guest and establishing a personal connection, I don't see any topic as off-limits. 

[Lawrene0]

Same as the others here, @Nick1866 : I've never asked for a review, and I've certainly never asked for five stars. I cannot imagine saying the words. However, pre-pandemic, guests would chat over breakfast, and if reviews came up, I would tell them how it worked, keeping it light and fun. If they were new, they were often shocked to learn that I would be reviewing them. 

I've been lucky, like you. Reviews have not been anything to worry about. I'll see whether I'm singing the same tune once we're out of lockdown, though. I haven't been allowed to host since late December, so six months of no reviews will put more weight on the few I will maybe get in June, if we're open by then. Perhaps I will learn to stew about reviews then. 🙂

[Nick1866]

thanks to everyone for their feedback, i really appreciate it.