How would you word this review?

[Heather1086]

Hi all,

I had some interesting guests a week ago and have been fumbling around with how to review this guest (knowing that I probably will end up with a low review from them). New guest to airbnb platform. Asked the typical questions beforehand and took their booking. She assured me that all the house info had been read, etc.

I sent an email the morning after their arrival to ensure everything was as expected (do so with all my guests) and she indicated that there was only 1 roll of TP left in each bathroom. I contacted my housekeeper who let me know there were about 9-10 extra rolls in the house when she finished cleaning. As act of goodwill had my housekeeper stop by the next day and drop off 6 rolls of TP on the porch. When I inquired about them receiving them she said yes, but then indicated that my housekeeper failed to leave a roll of paper towels??? She then asked if she could return the next day with paper towels, to which I answered no and let her know that there was no indication of a lack of paper towels in her original message (we leave two rolls per guest). 

She also messaged me that my bowls and mugs were too large? That was a first.

When my housekeeper went in after they left the extra rolls that she delivered were still wrapped up and unused and there were half used TP rolls all over the bathrooms (what was originally left) there were even multiple half used rolls in bathroom trash cans.

I am obviously going to write something to the effect of better suited to a hotel. The messaging won't be around cleanliness, but expectation of daily housekeeping and wanting the space to fit their specific preferences even with dinnerware.

Thanks!

[Sarah977]

@Heather1086  The very last part of your post is what I would write-- "expectation of daily housekeeping and wanting the space to fit their specific preferences even with dinnerware." As well as something like "Requested more toilet paper the first day, although 9-10 extra rolls were left by the housekeeper who then dropped off another 6. After checkout, multiple partially used rolls were found all over the house, as well as half-used rolls in the garbage can- a real head-scratcher."

"Better suited to a hotel" tells me nothing about the guest's behavior and I don't find it of any value. I like to know why a host wouldn't want a guest back, as another host's reasons for finding a guest objectionable might not be the same as mine.

[Heather1086]

That is perfect. Thank you so much... I'm guessing they have had reviews in the past that weren't so flattering, hence a new airbnb account to start over.

[Brian2036]

Beautiful place.

 I guess I would wait to see the guest review before I posted mine.

 If they gave me 5 stars I would ignore the TP issue. It doesn’t cost much.

 The whine about the size of the crockery is just absurd. I’d ignore that too.

If they posted a bad review and complained about the consumable supplies I would probably say something like “Guest made various unreasonable demands which we attempted to satisfy when possible.”

And if I didn’t want them to come back I would say so.

[Colleen253]

@Brian2036 You can't see a guest review until you've written yours, precisely for the reason you mention.

"Our community relies on honesty and transparency. Because both guest and Host reviews are posted at the same time and can’t be edited afterward, there’s no need to worry about the other person reading your review and changing their own as a result. Find out how to write an effective review."

[Brian2036]

@Colleen253 

Okay, thanks. I didn’t understand the details.

In the past we had a property manager who never gave us access to the review process. I don’t know if he ever wrote reviews but if he did he did it without any input from me.

Probably automatic 5.0 no matter how horrible they were.

 I have seen posts in which people mentioned waiting for the absolute last minute to post their review. I thought that was so the other party couldn’t counterattack.

In a way it does that, if you expect a negative review, but you just have to hope that they don’t review you.

I’m not a procrastinator, more the opposite, when I get a note from Airbnb telling me to review a guest I do it immediately.

 The last one I did, after the “nature lover” who was so terrified by the forest, the trees, and wild animals, was immediately answered by a claim that our listing is inaccurate. I assumed that she had seen my review in which I noted that she checked out immediately after arrival without telling me or responding to my “Is everything OK” message.

So anyway, it’s a double blind system. I guess that’s a good idea.

[Colleen253]

 “I have seen posts in which people mentioned waiting for the absolute last minute to post their review.”

@Brian2036 Thats simply a tactic to use with a troublesome guest or stay, to avoid triggering a review in return, if you anticipate it won’t be a good one.

[Sarah977]

@Brian2036  Property managers  tend to leave generic "Nice guests", with zero real information, reviews as long as the guests don't burn the place down.

When I see those types of reviews, I used to look at the reviews of the other guests that so-called host left for other guests. They all said "Nice guests". So now I know to discount those reviews, they are useless.

[Kelly149]

@Brian2036 

“ I guess I would wait to see the guest review before I posted mine.“

seriously?!?  Reviews don’t work this way. At all.

[Heather1086]

I was hoping this guest would just skip the review and I'd lodge one at the last minute, but she submitted one which I am anticipating is going to be as head-scratching as the stay was. I'm at the point that I have enough reviews that one isn't going to hurt my business and I have most weekends booked through the first part of Oct anyway (fall is our low season).  

As far as the TP it doesn't cost much, which is why we leave quite a bit in the house as a "starter pack" but my housekeepers time to go to the house, get it out of storage and leave it on the porch does. There was no way I was going to repeat the exercise the next day for a roll of paper towels... I try to accommodate, but do set boundaries with guests, knowing most times in situations like this it will lead to a negative review. Just part of doing business!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Heather1086  you are absolutely right

If they already left a review you can wait until the end of the review timeline to leave yours. You will get a few more reviews until then so their review will not be on the top.

I am always struggling with reviews as well bc English is not my primary language and the tone of communication here is different than in USA where everything is wrapped and tied with a bow 😄 ( we are more direct and simple)

I wouldn't go into details and I prefer @Brian2036  sentence: "Guest made various unreasonable demands which we attempted to satisfy when possible.” 

[Brian2036]

@Heather1086 @Branka-and-Silvia0 @Sarah977 @Colleen253 

Now I have a somewhat similar situation and I’m still not sure how to review the guests.

 I really don’t want them to come back, and I doubt that they will, so I could just ignore the situation, but I’m sure that someone else will encounter the same problem very soon.

Apparently these people are similar to the couple described by Lobo in 1971. 

“Me and you and a dog named Boo,

Travelin’ and livin’ off the land…”

It seems that COVID-19 has revived the 1960’s in some ways. I am guessing that these people live wherever they happen to be at the moment and move frequently.

Now some of this was clearly my fault because I accepted Airbnb’s recommendations, priced the house too cheaply, and offered a 49% discount for a month or more. If I hadn’t done that I doubt that they would have come here.

And on the positive side, they were polite, quiet and made no demands.

They didn’t make a mess inside or outside and even washed the linens before they left.

BUT: Despite our very clear smoking policy (Smoking is allowed OUTSIDE ONLY!) it was obvious that they smoked inside — a lot. The house stank and we found cigarette butts behind the kitchen trash bin.

It took three days to get the house aired out.

Furthermore they lost the remote control for the TV, which necessitated an unplanned trip to town so that the next guest could use the TV.

This was embarrassing and annoying, and yes, I also purchased a spare universal remote for when it happens again.

 I don’t anticipate a bad review from them although they left early for reasons that were semi-legitimate.

 The air conditioner was struggling with the brutally hot weather but they didn’t want me to repair or replace it. Probably because the house stank.

They saw a couple of wasps in the house. Well, you can expect that in a log house, in Arkansas, as fall approaches.

They saw a flea in the bed. It couldn’t possibly have come from a dog named Boo.

 I did give them a cash refund for the 10 days they didn’t use.

They have posted a review so now it’s up to me. 

I’m leaning toward giving them 4 stars and noting that “Future hosts should make sure that these guests understand the host’s policy on smoking, if any.”

Is that enough to provide a warning to hosts who are adamant about keeping their places smoke-free?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Brian2036  I would include something positive as well ...

X and Y left the place tidy and were polite and quiet guests. However, Future hosts should make sure that these guests understand the host’s policy on smoking inside.

What do you think?

[Emilia42]

@Brian2036 

4 stars for breaking a no smoking in the house rule?! I don't think so. Try 1 star!

[Colleen253]

@Brian2036 I'm confused, because I looked at your listing, and it says in two places 'smoking is allowed'. It's easy to see how guests could get confused. If you don't want smoking in the HOUSE, then you have to be 'no smoking'. Then, you can add in your house rules 'smokers are welcome to step outside to smoke.'