What is the question, "would you host this guest again" question all about?

[Nancy22]

Hello Everyone. 

I just recently reviewed a guest and it's the first time I actually said "NO" to the last question- "would you host this guest again". Apparently the answer only Airbnb sees. I thought it might allow me to elaborate a bit, but it doesn't. I felt a bit guilty clicking that box, but even worse when I could not leave a reason. 

The guest was nice, and I left her a nice review, but I don't think my property was suitable to her, even if she thought it was. I felt I was constantly defending all/any issues that came up- which were frequent. Felt I was always on my guard- don't want that, but otherwise, I am sure she'd be liked by just about everyone, including me.  

So what is that question for? Are they checking to see if the reviews match that checked box?  Because if they are, it's very unfair. 

Insight anyone? 

[James2566]

This is very interesting. I have a current situation where a seasoned AirBnb guest with several five-star reviews sent me the following message:

Yes, they understand my cancellation policy but they also want a full refund. They understand that whether they cancel now, or on day 8 before arriving, they still get 50% back. If they cancel one week before, they'll prevent me from recovering the other 50% (too last-minute to get another booking), therefore, they gave me a chance to give them a full refund. 

I declined because since it's so close, I have no chance of securing another booking. They said they will therefore cancel right before arrival and suffer no more losses, so it is my loss. I reported to AirBnb as bullying and bad faith and since they're such an established guest (over 25 reviews), AirBnb is stumped and we are at an impasse. I really feel this is a form of bullying or harassment and a guest who is aware of loopholes that allow for manipulation of the cancelation policy.

[James2566]

I has a similar experience this month, the guests were tidy but so demanding of my time, I’d never host them again. The thorough home inspection they sent me after arriving was so disheartening to me (it’s my garden studio), that I offered to let them leave the next day and they declined. I braced myself for a week of non-stop complaints and observations. It truly was a daily dialogue with this one. Eventually I started replying once a day or ignoring ridiculous comments (like all my labels make her feel nervous). While they left me a positive review, I felt a responsibility to warn future hosts of the extreme amount of contact she needs. I believe I said “Left the place clean and tidy but not a great fit for us.” Hoping hosts will see my hint. And I clicked no, I wouldn’t host her again. I felt a tad guilty that she left us a good review (after all, she left a parting list of things that could improve written in our guest book), but doesn’t change the fact I’d never have her at any of my homes again. I believe when you click that, AirBnb sends an automated email to the guests on how to be a great guest, and I also believe that this prevents them from instant booking anywhere. That’s why sometimes I get a request to book while the person should be able to instant book, it’s a flag to me that they’ve been given thumbs down. I didn’t hear back from this guest after posting my own review, which is surprising. 

[Colleen253]

@James2566  "I believe when you click that, AirBnb sends an automated email to the guests on how to be a great guest" 

What makes you think that? 

[James2566]

I read it somewhere over a year ago, I’ll try to find it.

[Nancy22]

Oh my @James2566 - this worries me some, because it was not my intent to cause her any problems in the future either, but I guess I had to know the question was there for a reason, and would have some consequences.  I can completely understand your frustrations with those guests you described, I hate it when someone says, "you know what you should do?". I think, how about you host people on your property and do those things!! 

[Sarah977]

"Not a great fit for us" doesn't  really tell me anything as a fellow host. What might not be a great fit for you might be fine with someone else. For instance, I'm a home share host and it's not a big deal  for me if a guest has a bunch of questions as to how things work, etc, because it's not like I'd have to have my phone ping all day and answer all the messages- it would be a verbal communication in the moment. Maybe the guest is challenged by being in a country she's unaccustomed to but would be fine in a place where she understands how everything works.

So I'd rather read something like " XX left the place clean and tidy but was challenging for us to deal with due to constant messages with observations and questions during her stay."

@James2566

[James2566]

Thank you, I struggled with writing this review and this would have been better. I'm always working on a simple sentence that heeds the appropriate warning. In this case, the guests were horrid, insulting, contacted me a dozen times a day and I've never experienced that in two years and we have over a hundred five-star reviews. I did cater to their every need and they did leave a good review but their presence on the property was unfriendly and negative.

[Susan1188]

@James2566 
The "would not host again" does NOT prevent them from instant booking.
Only a bad review 2 stars or less will stop them from IBing and only if it lowers their average to lower than 2 stars and it only blocks on properties who have set up the parameters to refuse guests who are not "recommended by other hosts".  Everyone should have this parameter turned on.
If they got a thumbs up from someone else your thumbs down is not gonna have any impact.

As for the email about how to be a great guest... wow and yikes!  Is that true?  That means that a guest will know you left a bad review?!  Yikes - dangerous - all the more reason wait till 13.5 days out to leave the bad ones.

As for your needy guest - I think you could have been more explicit in your review, warning other hosts perhaps without rankling the guest.

"Mary required more interventions than most guests during her stay".

or "Mary was very expressive on a daily basis, about her concerns, questions and issues during her stay.  Most guests do not require as much attention on our part.  I hope our multiple responses and interventions met her satisfaction, but I would not host Mary again". 

[Colleen253]

@Susan1188  re “The "would not host again" does NOT prevent them from instant booking.....” and the rest of your paragraph.

How do you know this? I’m just wondering because Airbnb has, to my knowledge,  never clarified how the “thumbs” or “would you host...” actually works. There are lots of theories floating around this forum but nothing official. It would be so helpful if they would address these things for hosts. Transparency has never been their strong point. 

[Nancy22]

@Susan1188  You know what, I am going to ask them directly in a chat right now. I am so curious about what it actually does. I suspect they do NOT send out a 'how to be a better guest' email. This is because the guest I pressed "the button' for has had a airbnb listing, so would be aware of this unusual occurrence, and we are still talking. 

[Colleen253]

@Nancy22  The problem with contacting Airbnb CS to get an answer is they are outsourced call center workers who very often don't even know basic Airbnb policy for heavens sake. You can ask ten different agents the same question and get ten different answers. They usually guess and pick an answer that sounds like it fits.  

[Susan1188]

You're right I should probably qualify... I was told that by various support staff.  But I absolutely agree that support staff frequently don't know what they are talking about.

I had a very problem guest once and a support staff who seemed to know what they were talking about and that's what I was told.

[James2566]

I remember asking them directly the first time I had to give an honest review to warn others, but I can't find the message. I will ask them again. I do know it prevents them from instant booking even if they meet most requirements and have often used this as my red flag and denied.

[Susan1188]

@Colleen253 

Every time I have an issue with a guest I engage client support to try to learn more about these things.

But you are right, CS agents sometimes say false things or just don't know so I maybe shouldn't be so definitive about it.

I had a guest leave my place disgusting.  And when I asked CS how they were able to instant book, I was told, that only a 2 star or below average was considered "bad rating" for a guest, enough so that they cannot instant book.  Not one, two star review on one category.  But two star average.

I also asked about the thumbs down and this CS agent said it goes into the overall profile of the guest, but it does not block them from IB.  

[Colleen253]

@Susan1188 

When  I say ‘Airbnb’ has never clarified how these things actually work, I mean Airbnb brass, not ‘client support’. Client support is a joke.