The location rating-- what do you make of this?

[Laura2592]

We had a great guest who has already booked another stay. I don't really look at the nitty gritty on every review each time I get one and I assumed that he had left 5 stars with everything because he booked another stay immediately and seemed super happy with our space. But he didn't. Turns out he left a 4 for location. Location feedback was "accurately described. Cottage is not near supplies, grocery stores or cities." Huh. So I do say in my listing and house guide that the nearest grocery store is a ten minute drive, that you need a car, that the closest small city is about a 25 minute drive away, driving distances for other small cities and attractions, that it isn't walkable, etc. Not sure how much better I can describe where we are at.

I have conversely had other guests give me a 4 overall because my cottage wasn't remote enough for them. I really just wonder-- what the heck is the point of the location rating? What would you do, if anything, to improve how expectations are set with guests if you were me? Looks like I can expect another 4 in this category when he returns. 

[Gordon0]

Early on in my Airbnb 'career' (and before I was checking individual ratings) a five-time-stayer left me a four star overall rating (and on location too). 290+ stays later and I'm still 2,000+ reviews away from repairing that damage. Huh?

[Lawrene0]

All of our locations should be 1 star right now! The only 5-star location is the guest's own home. 

Anyway.

So many threads about the location rating, @Laura2592 . One philanthropist-guest wrote, when he knocked off a star, that he didn't mind the drive out to my place, but others might. 

Thanks, buddy. 

It's nothing to worry about. Unless they do what they did to @Gordon0 , and decide to lower the overall rating, too (a sort of guest math), it doesn't affect anything that counts. 

Also, they are just doing what the system tells them to do. The instruction above the review is all about telling your host what you loved and what they can improve. A guest who takes this seriously will wrack their brains for something for both sides of that. "Well, there could have been some shops closer by" was all the guy could come up with. It's a compliment in a way. 

A star I am happiest about losing, since it has nothing to do with me, is a location star. Cleanliness, accuracy, check-in, communication, overall -- those are more personal. And overall is what the system cares about.

Are you going to bring it up with him, since he is coming back? I'm not sure that I would, but it wouldn't be out of line.

[Laura2592]

@Lawrene0  I wasn't going to bring it up. We have debated over and over putting something about the meaning of each category and how ratings work in the house guide, but have ended up not doing so... at least not as of yet. I can't do anything to improve the distance from the shops so my guess is that I will get another 4 stay for the next stay.  Its a little frustrating but I don't know that I have many options. We did really think he was a great guest. 

[Sarah977]

@Laura2592  The location rating is bizarre, as if the host has described it all accurately, as you have, or if a host hasn't been forthcoming about it, that should fall under "accuracy". So I agree that there is no point whatsover to having a location rating, as what is the guest supposed to do with that? If they liked the location, they're going to rate it high, if they didn't, they'll rate it low, even though there's nothing at all a host can do about where their home sits.

I guess that's why, from what I've read, Airbb doesn't send out warnings to hosts about low location or value ratings, as they do if a host has a low cleanliness or accuracy or communication rating. As strange as a lot of their platform and policies are, at least they seem to realize that those ratings aren't anything a host can improve on.

But I don't know why they don't just eliminate them entirely.

[Laura2592]

@Sarah977 I agree, its a weird rating. Not anything a  host can do something about. You could have a great view and have a neighbor build to obscure it, you can't move amenities and towns closer, etc. 

[Teresa31]

I've argued with Airbnb over the LOCATION rating since 2009. It's stupid and not fair. Now, in my listings, I address the issue in my greeting and repeatedly thruout my listing. Since I've done this my ratings have improved in that department. There is no excuse now. I ask that they check out on a map where they are going so they are not surprised. "Know before you go" is my motto. I suggest folks continue to pester Airbnb about this. It should be dropped, it's a matter of opinion. And some guests have NO idea where they are going, then blame their poor planning on us. UH! I so agree with the host above, a five star is your own home! 🙂

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Laura2592    Location, Location, Location,  are without a doubt thee three most important Real Estate sales and purchasing factor for sure.  The only thing is, Location Is nearly 100% subjective acording to the situation and parties involved especially when it comes to our very questionable and very unbalanced rating system.  Its about the only thing I get dinked on out of hundreds of reviews and its the one thing that really hasnt changed since the glaciers carved our hillside out, Bearpath Lodging hasnt moved more than an inch or two in 220+ years since Mr Philpot constructed it.  To be sure, Its all exactly where it was the moment they booked it and nowhere else.    I once got dinged because we have no streetlights or Bus service, what part of "Bearpath" don't they get, it wqas once a Path for Bears!!!!?  Location, Location, Location may be #1,2 and 3 in Rel estate but its unreal on our estate!!!!!!!  Dont get me going!   Stay well, JR

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Laura2592 if the guest doesn't like your location you are supposed to move your home - didn't you know that?!

I would decline to host that person again, but I'm very fussy.

[Debra300]

Location and distance are purely subjective.  However, describing where you space is, and any travel requirements to get around are almost useless.  Guests don't read, especially those who are looking for a place on their phones.  All they are doing is looking at the pictures, possibly the little map with their search results, and the price.  When they arrive, it's "I didn't realize that the place was...".  If you mention that the information is in the listing details or the (unanswered) emails that you've sent, they will casually tell you that they didn't read any of it.

For example, our guesthouse is 2.7 km from the main tourist area where most businesses and one of main beaches are located and you can catch the local bus to other parts of the island.  Since we are not directly in the tourist hot spot, our rates are priced so a prepared guest can either rent a car, or afford to take a taxi, if they don't want to walk.  We also state that a vehicle is the most convenient mode of transportation, but you can get around without one by walking, using the bus or a taxi.  We find that some people book our place because we offer nice amenities for the cost, but their budgets doesn't afford private transportation, and then they complain about the location.  I wish they wouldn't book, because of their laziness, they just stay in the guestroom all day running the AC and watching TV.

[Sarah977]

@Debra300 It's pretty astounding that guests would book a holiday in a gorgeous tropical setting, come all that way, just to sit inside and watch TV, isn't it?  They might as well have stayed home.

My place is a 20 minute walk from town and the beach, and none of my guests arrive by car. But I seem to attract guests who do thoroughly read the listing description and I reiterate the walk when they book. So far all of them have not been at all bothered by it, some even making the trek twice a day and saying they really enjoyed the exercise. Only had a couple of guests who found it challenging.

[Debra300]

@Sarah977,

I think this ties into other discussions that you and I have exchanged about gaining internet usage maturity and the fact that many people primarily use (or only have) a mobile phone as their web access tool.  I have used the Airbnb mobile app, and on a listing page only a few lines of the host provided details are shown followed by a "Show more" link.  Many people choose not to click the link, because they do not realize the importance of the information provided on that next page.  They also do not scroll down the entire listing where they would see the house rules and cancellation policy sections.  Lastly, folks do not know how to download their itineraries to their phones so it is available when offline, and most international travelers will not have mobile data while they are traveling.  Regional and local guests represent a good portion of our clientele.  The lack of a mobile data plan is very pervasive in the Caribbean where the majority of phone plans are pre-paid without data.  Frequently, upon arrival the first thing a guest will ask for is the wifi password so they can use What*app/FB/IG.

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  Yes, I've never used the app, but even on the desktop version,  the bulk of the listing description requires a "show more" to read through, as well as the house rules and cancellation policies being hidden way down at the bottom. That info used to be right under our listing description, where it was much more visible, but Airbnb reformatted the page- what they refer to as "making improvements". There was a big outcry about it here on the forum, but of course it wasn't listened to.

I guess it comes down to whether a guest is the type to be a thorough reader or not. Like actually want to make sure they didn't miss something crucial they should be aware of.  I get a lot of seasoned Airbnb travelers, and they seem to realize how important it is for their own travel experience, to make sure the listing will be suitable for them.

I'm the type that sits down and reads through the instruction manual of a new appliance or power tool cover to cover before I use it for the first time, but most people, in my experience, don't refer to the manual unless they have a problem.

I would have assumed you got primarily international travelers (I do and I know they often don't have mobile data, or sometimes they can't get their phones to work here at all- I send them a map to my place and urge them to print a hard copy just in case), interesting that you get a lot of local and regional guests.

[Debra300]

@Sarah977.

I would say that 30% of our guests are from the region.  Many are limited to staying in the region because a visa is required for most people to travel outside of the Caribbean.  The $160USD fee for a US visa is non-refundable even if the application is rejected (which is highly probable if you're not a mature aged person).  I am not sure what the fee is for a Canadian visa or an EU visa, but a Caribbean traveler is also required to have travel insurance with medical coverage and they must demonstrate that they have enough money to cover their travel expenses in order to visit a Schengen country.

However, the lack of reading and complaints about location have been heard also from North American, European and UK guests.  Ironically, I don't every recall location being an issue for our guests from Asia (eastern and and southern).  They promptly inquire about transportation options and quickly make their own arrangements.  Whether it be walking, bus, taxi or rental.

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  Some foreigner visitors to Canada require a visa and some don't. US and Mexican citizens do not, and there is a list of countries that don't need a visa in order to enter, but need something called an Electronic Travel Authorization. I think those are free and visas are $100 CAN for those who are required to have them. Visitors entering Mexico don't require a visa, as such- it's just called a tourist card, or goes by other names. That's paid for with a "tourism tax" which is about $30, and if you fly in, is included in the breakdown of the flight cost. If driving in, you get it at the border. I imagine that countries which rely on tourism as one of the main sources of income have a minimal visa charge, so as not to discourage tourism, but I've never researched that.