Hi all!Anyone have any great wins this summer they want to ...
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Hi all!Anyone have any great wins this summer they want to share - Reviews, 1st super host, new listings? Let’s hear about i...
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We hosted a family with two cars which we were already skeptical about parking. She assured us that her husband leaves for work at 6.00 am and will keep both cars out of out way. We also mentioned about the laundry situation. When they arrived her husband said that he will stay home and doesn’t go to work. We accommodated them and let them park one car in the garage and had to go clean snow off our car every morning so that we dont disturb them. Every night we waited for them to return at 11 - 11.30 so we dont have to bother them in the morning. We did our laundry once a week as the laundry is in the rental unit so we dont have to disturb them. We mentioned all this before. The guest goes and posts a long review mentioning the laundry situation as awkward and saying they had to move their cars everyday. During their month long stay we had asked them to move their car twice. Rest we managed by parking our car elsewhere. In the private review the guest says we were the best hosts they have come across so far. What do you do when guests complain/give feedbacks on things you cant change?
@Sarah4304 Ah, she said there wasn't a stove, so that was misleading- a stovetop is fine and definitely allows guests to cook. You should just make it clear that there is no oven. I didn't see a photo of the cooktop or the fridge- maybe I missed it?
You might consider replacing the mini fridge with a simple medium size fridge- no need for anything big or fancy with water dispensers or ice makers- you might be able to find a good one on Craigslist or some other online local marketplace. It would just give guests more space for groceries.
There's no reason why it isn't suitable for a vacationing family staying a few days or a week who are out and about doing things a lot of the day. But when they are staying for a month, they are "living" there, which is another reason not to take month long bookings.
I realize the laundry machines are in the guest area, and that you do say in your info that you use it as well, but as you only have a few photos (I think you could do with a few more), it really stands out, and because a lot of guests don't read all the information provided, it can just register as part of their private space.
Yes, some guests will mention "cons" that are clearly laid out in your listing info. Try not to take it personally as a complaint- sometimes they just mention it because while they were aware that whatever it is wasn't advertised as provided, it's something that as a guest would have been a welcome addition, so they mention it in the review to let other guests know.
That's not always a bad thing- it can alert future guests who may not throroughly read your info and arrive with unreasonable expectations to something that would be a deal breaker for them.
@Sarah4304 You can leave a brief response to the review. "Some of the "cons" mentioned in this review are clearly disclosed in the listing information- that we use the shared laundry facilities occasionally and that vehicles would have to be moved. When this guest booked and I expressed concern about there not really being space for their 2 cars and our vehicles, the guest told me it wouldn't be an issue as her husband left for work each day at 6am. This turned out not to be the case- he didn't work outside the home at all, leading to a situation which was extremely inconvenient to us, as we had to park somewhere else on the street or wait up until 11 or 11:30 when they came home so we could get our car out in the morning. "
Her comments about the kitchen are justified. You need to remove the "with full amenities" from your title. It's inaccurate. Full amenities would include a stove and a full size fridge. You need more photos of the kitchen so guests can see what is there and you need to describe what is there in your listing info. You should say "limited cooking facilities" and detail what that means. A place with no stove and a mini fridge is not at all suitable for a month long booking for a family.
You really have barely described the guest space at all. And remove the photo of the washer/dryer. That makes it appear that this is major feature of the listing, when in fact it is a shared facility.
Don't take long term bookings in the future. A month is too long to be saddled with annoying or annoyed guests.
Thankyou so much for replying. The kitchen has a full sink and built in stove top with 5 burners. Yes we have a mini fridge and dont have an oven. Do you think we should still say no cooking facilities?
The guest knew about the mini fridge and got their own fridge but still wrote about it. My problem is that the guest wrote about issues that were clarified to her through listing as well as private message.
The laundry is in the guest unit and we only go once just to put our clothes in the washer, then transfer to dryer. It is very convenient for families and I wanted to advertise, but I will remove it.
your advise is very valuable. I will reply to her review.
@Sarah4304 Ah, she said there wasn't a stove, so that was misleading- a stovetop is fine and definitely allows guests to cook. You should just make it clear that there is no oven. I didn't see a photo of the cooktop or the fridge- maybe I missed it?
You might consider replacing the mini fridge with a simple medium size fridge- no need for anything big or fancy with water dispensers or ice makers- you might be able to find a good one on Craigslist or some other online local marketplace. It would just give guests more space for groceries.
There's no reason why it isn't suitable for a vacationing family staying a few days or a week who are out and about doing things a lot of the day. But when they are staying for a month, they are "living" there, which is another reason not to take month long bookings.
I realize the laundry machines are in the guest area, and that you do say in your info that you use it as well, but as you only have a few photos (I think you could do with a few more), it really stands out, and because a lot of guests don't read all the information provided, it can just register as part of their private space.
Yes, some guests will mention "cons" that are clearly laid out in your listing info. Try not to take it personally as a complaint- sometimes they just mention it because while they were aware that whatever it is wasn't advertised as provided, it's something that as a guest would have been a welcome addition, so they mention it in the review to let other guests know.
That's not always a bad thing- it can alert future guests who may not throroughly read your info and arrive with unreasonable expectations to something that would be a deal breaker for them.
Hi Sarah, I have taken your advice and added more photos of my listing. I also wrote a reply to the guest. Thank you so much for being such strong support for new hosts like us, someday with enough experience, I aspire to be like you.