I figured out why I can't see potential guests "star ratings" that hosts leave them!

[Donald28]

I had no idea about this. Everyone should be able to see what other hosts rated a guest in each category. It's totally ridiculous to allow only those hosts who use instantbook to see the ratings. At the point the host can see the ratings, it's too late to act on them because the guest has already booked! LOL

Sure you can "cancel penalty free" maybe once or twice a year but you'll lose your superhost status immediately.  Try cancelling more than that and you'll find your listing removed. 

This is a total one-sided implementation of the guest star system to try to force hosts to use iB. Hosts without the iB on would benefit most from seeing the potential guests star rating. At least WE could decline guests based on too many less than 5 star ratings. 

When you let guests book instantly, you’ll be able to see how other hosts rated them on cleanliness, communication, and how well they followed House Rules. Guest ratings will be available for any booking you get while Instant Book is on.

If you’re ever uncomfortable with a reservation, you always have the option to cancel penalty-free.

[Susan17]

@Sarah977 

My friend had his review of a guest removed when the guest complained. It said "Xxxx became  rude and hostile when it wasn't possible to allow him a 9am check-in". That was it, nothing else, and Airbnb took it down, no questions asked. And I've seen and heard countless similar reports. Another reason why so many terrible guests don't have any bad reviews on their profiles.

[Sarah977]

@Susan17  It's a shame that hosts have to tiptoe around what they say about a guest. I think it's important, if you are reviewing a less-than-stellar guest, not to word things like "guest was rude and hostile" , but rather to word in "I" statements. Like "I felt hostility in the guest's response when he was informed that I couldn't accommodate a check-in time outside my stated times." I'd like to see Airbnb try to argue that one down, as I am clearly describing my own experience and perception, rather than accusing the guest of being hostile.

[Susan17]

@Sarah977 

Honestly though - what host actually knows these things about how they're supposed to structure a sentence, or use the right combination of words, or speak in a little-known code, or desist from referring to certain things (sex, drugs, illegal activities, bodily fluids etc), in order to compose the perfect bullet-proof review that will escape the censorship scissors?

Airbnb can - and routinely do - come up with a gazillion ludicrous reasons to remove guest reviews, yet they regularly refuse to take down false, nasty, defamatory reviews of hosts, that are publicly accusing them of all sorts of terrible things? It's not only the star ratings that are broken beyond repair, it's the entire review system. Nobody has any faith or trust in it anymore, and at this point, it's become so totally corrupted by fake, extorted, retaliatory and incentivised reviews, that it's doing hosts, guests and Airbnb's brand image far more harm than good. 

[Sarah977]

@Susan17 Agreed, absolutely. That's what I meant by it being a shame that hosts have to be so careful about how they word things, and not everyone has the writing skills to do that, or the time to figure out how to pussyfoot around things so they'll still be informative but not give cause for removal.

Between over-the-top political correctness these days, the misguided self-esteem movement that became popular in the late 90's, where it was suddenly not okay to tell a child that what they did wasn't okay, or that they needed to do a better job, instead praising them for everything (and a lot of the Airbnb muckedy-mucks grew up in that era) and Airbnb's guest pandering attitude, it's hard to say anything these days that someone can't take or profess offense at, unless it's all sweetness and light.

I even see that on the forums, where some posters push back against any advice they are given that doesn't support their point of view, accuse any dissention as "negative" or get mad and hostile when it's pointed out that they actually brought on a bad situation themselves by the way they handled something, or how they had worded their listing info. 

If Airbnb had their way, every guest, no matter how bad, would be a 5* guest. After all, it's a place where "everyone belongs" : -(((

[Ange2]

@Sarah977    "it's best to only mention the booker in the review."  

Yes, absolutely, good one for hosts to know.  I only ever mention the booker(s) name and more often than not I just say 'the guest', respecting a guest's privacy is paramount. Even using 'guests' can get you into trouble if an interested party sees a work trip was not a solo event!

[Donald28]

I made the mistake of saying something like... " angie and her boyfriend were great guests"... in a review. The girl didn't want her family knowing she was out canoodling with a guy overnight for religious reasons I think!

Whoops! How was I to know?!

She wasn't happy. I did call airbnb and explain that and they just deleted her review entirely.

From then on I just started saying "angie and her guests/s"... not being specific at all about anyone in the party other than the booker. 

[Emilia42]

@Ange2 @Sarah977 Although I have never had this experience, I would assume that a bland review of 'stayed three nights' would not help a host in getting a reservation canceled plenty free. If I called Airbnb and wanted to cancel a reservation based on that sole review do you think they would let me? Or do you think they would say "What's wrong with that review? The guest did in fact stay three nights."

[Lawrene0]

Oh yes, @Emilia42. Good point. But those "stayed three nights" reviews are accompanied by low stars and "would not host again", so maybe Airbnb would look at that? No?...

[Sarah977]

@Emilia42  Yes, I could definitely see that happening.

I realize that "Guest stayed 3 nights" means the host couldn't find anything good to say about the guest, but it tells me nothing valuable, really. Home-share hosts and entire place hosts have different criteria in accepting guests, so it's much better if hosts can find a way to make things clear. If I just say the communication was poor, other hosts could think that meant that the guest never answered messages and didn't give their ETA when asked, but it could just mean that the guest had poor social skills and avoided having to talk to the host, which generally makes a home-share host uncomfortable, but wouldn't matter at all to a host listing an entire house.

[Ange2]

@Emilia42  

Non-IB  hosts who can't see star ratings decide whether to accept or decline, cancellation is not an issue unless they decide to accept.  1* across the board, and a thumbs down is quite damning, even Airbnb might concede that point.  Unfortunately, there was not much more I could say given the constraints because I had a claim in.  As for IB hosts (allegedly) 1* across the board and a thumbs down means the guest wouldn't be allowed to IB.

[Ann489]

@Emilia42  when i

[Ann489]

@Emilia42  when I first started hosting I had IB turned on(I finally turned it off a year ago).  I actually had one of those reservations where the only review the guest had, simply stated,"xx and xy stayed the weekend at our apartment."   Nothing else.   Since the guest was able to IB, I'm assuming that he didn't get a "would not host again" from the host.   The red flag for me was the communication-or lack thereof.   He was not responsive at all and replied to my pre-trip screening questions in bullet format, one or two words.  That, along with the bland review was enough for me to call Airbnb and have the reservation canceled.  I simply stated that I "was not comfortable with this guest".   I was not asked any more questions,  I was just given the usual "spiel" about canceling too many reservations, blablabla.....

[Emilia42]

That is good to know @Ann489, thanks for mentioning.

[Lawrene0]

Same, @Ange2 . The star system is broken. Beyond repair. Needs scrapping.

My "fear of retribution because it is a local who is scary" review, used twice now, I think, is the "stayed three nights" one, too. Can't think of anything better. Really hope other hosts understand that more could not be said. 

I did list a guest's transgressions very recently. Knowing that some things bother some hosts and not others, as @Sarah977 says, I put the actual broken rules in the review. That way future hosts know it wasn't some weirdo camping rule they broke that pertains only to my listing.  

"XX and XX were cheerful and punctual, so it was discouraging to find that the "no smoking" and "no candles" house rules were ignored. We wish them the best at listings where these things are possible."

As of today, the review is still there on her profile. Maybe she hasn't tried to get it taken down. I'm hoping it is deemed fair enough to stay up, because if it does come down, I will be furious. Took me hours to get the cigarette smell out and to scrape the wax off the floor...

[Helen350]

@Ange2 Agree! - My suggestion was in fact more of a 'What do people think?' - cos I could see the pros & cons.... I agree that there is a case for NOT being too specific, when we want the review to stick! Hence the codes & euphemisms...

Sad tho' when guests can bad mouth us, and 'It's the guest's experience', but WE are not allowed to tell the truth... (according to posts on here.)

Someone needs to start a thread on 'Review speak' - Phrases which will pass the censors, not be removed, but we know what they mean! I've seen a few examples somewhere on here....