As a host, what happens if i don’t review a guest?

[Willow8]

Hey fellow hosts, 

Just had a pretty terrible guest who I’m sure left a negative review (which is awaiting my review) and I’m hesitant to leave one at all, or do I go with a neutral one even tho in truth I don’t recommend them?

Do I then write a public response to their negative review, assuming they did so? Or, what happens if I don’t write one at all -does theirs also not get posted? 

Thanks in advance for your advice! 

[Fred13]

Yes, you get a chance at a response, and that one is best if you make it a good one. Oh, remember, they get a chance to response to your response, BUT few guests know this. 😉

[Michelle2900]

Are you sure about this? I thought your response to a review was the final correspondence allowed?

[J-Renato0 · Accepted solution]

@Willow8

I think @Fred13 suggestion is great. I go with him.

In additon or as an alternative, I have an idea to test. Anyway, I have never done what I am going to say.
If you are sure the guest is going to write an unfair and negative review you could leave something like the following: "I strongly recommend reading my response to this guest´s review by visiting my listing page (Title of the Listing) or by visiting my profile page".

Maybe  it is kind of a checkmate! And of course, give the guest a thumb down!

[Fred126]

Touche Jose!

[Lilia22]

Man... does this one just hit the nail in the head!!!!  The guests that just left my place today never:

- acknowledge receipt of the check-in instructions and/or thanked me for telling them they can check in after 12pm instead of my usual 4 pm;

- never advised me that they arrived (I don't live nearby and feel better if I know they are "home" and safe), which is something that I ask with all checking in and checking out (it's written on the messages I exchange and it's on the house manual!)

- never received a Bye, we are checking out even thou I waited until this morning to thank them once again for using Villa Lizette (which is my usual routine).

Upon my mom and I arriving at the villa, to turn it around for the next guests, they left dirty dishes in the dishwasher and used Dawn to start the machine because there were tons of bubbles!!!!! (may I add that the dishwasher pod was right in front of their face?); one of the white hand/face towels, it's now ready to go in the garbage, even thou I state that there's paper towels to clean anything that is dirty!

On the other hand, they were extremely happy to drink the water I leave for the guests, eat the entire bowl of chocolates, the apples and nut bars!

So, I have been thinking how to word the total lack of communication from the guests and if I should even write a review.  And yes, I think he/she is going to give me a negative review, which will affect my 97% (down because some people gave me only 4 stars for location even thou I have satellite pictures, distances, times, as to where the villa is located) rating.

So, upon advice of the most experienced, how do I rate them stars wise?  One can interpreter the questions such as how the guest communicated (something, something, can’t remember the rest of the question); my first want is to give them a three out of five, because they didn’t communicate with me whatsoever, besides the original message stating why they were coming to HHI, SC.

If a guest does not communicate with me, and does not follow all the house rules, I want to say that “guests were extremely quiet” / “guests kept to themselves”.  And as for the Dawn in the dishwasher I want to blast them… but off course, I will not do it.  Perhaps I will copy and paste one of the above host comments, or plain and simple state, “Thanks for staying at Villa Lizette”, when usually I write something nice.

We can only learn if there’s communication; something that is not up to pair perhaps can be easily fixed; than again if we are not told, how can we know?

So, I advised the next guests, arriving today, to please use the bottom dishwasher until I can go back the try the Google fix to get read of all the bubbles.  Let’s see if these also forget to check in and check out, as my rules mandate.

Hosting… not every day is a good day!

[Fred126]

@Lilia22Why would you expect they be giving you a 'bad' review if they were the ones lacking the minimum of social graces or kindness? What do they have to be mad about?

   I would give them a deadpan 'flat' review - 'X stayed with us for X days', and that is about all unless you can think of something wittier. This type of feedbacks conveys to other hosts you had ~nothing~ nice to say, yet the mean-spirited guests do not have any reason to retaliate with.

   As to the public response, (the most important to you as a host), that one you can have some 'fun' with, depending on what they do write.

[Sandra126]

I believe that Airbnb sends guests messages of a similar ilk to what hosts get when stats go too low. Warnings etc. So the fact of giving low stars etc will mean that machinery will kick in too. I would follow Fred's advice to the letter. And yes, do put your response up here before posting to your page if you like, as it will mean more than the actual guest review and needs careful thought.

[Helga0]

Thanks for staying at the villa! We are also happy to inform you, that the dishwasher did survive being used with laundry soap, although we had to do all dishes again. There were just too many bubbles... 

not recommend and a private remark on the communication.

[Fred126]

^^ Speaking of wittier..yes say something how the ~dishwater~ has recuperated. 😄

[Robin4]

@Lilia @Fred126 @Helga0 

And I would almost lay a bet if they washed their clothes while they were there this would have been the result........

Some people just don't make their way through life with a standard footprint!

Cheers.....Rob

[Lilia22]

@Helga0 @Robin4 @Fred126 Fred, as a mature woman I have learned to fully trust my gutt; today when I walked in and saw that only 1 hand/face towel was used, as well as a bath towel, saw the dirty dishes in the dishwasher full of bubbles... I just got that feeling, you know.  The total lack of communication from them just cemented that feeling!  

I have hosted a total of 33 guests (since I started in September), and only two, if we count today it will be three, gave me no review. 

The first no review, I walked in the villa and again, that gutt feeling; she put the bed shams on the floor, slept on top of the bed, there were bread crumbs all over, and on the table left me 13 cents!!!  I still don't know what the 13 cents stand for! lol

The other guest, all went just fine, and on her way out she stated if she can figure out how to leave me a review she would; still waiting to hear from her!

I left him a review: "Gabe's party of two was extremely quiet.  I certainly hope they enjoyed the villa as well as HHI."  As for stars, I gave them 5 for Cleanliness, 1 for communication, and 3 for observance of house rules.  And thumbs down for recommending him/her to anyone else.  Airbnb usually would ask if we wanted to tell Airbnb something about the guests; I guess that rule is gone.  And no, I did not give them any private feedback!

To the lady that left me 13 cents, I simply wrote: "Hope you enjoyed the wedding" or something to the effect.  No private feedback and thumbs down.

Helga, your comment made me laugh; thank you.  Robin your picture... OMG... lol  It was not that bad at all.  But nevertheless, I could not get ride of the bubbles; since than I have learned I have to do the fast cycles after I pour salt on the bottom of the dishwasher.  I did several fast rinses, but did not know about the salt.  You see, on my late teens early 20s, I washed the living crap of some dishes by putting extra soap in it!!!  The one I remember the best I did it in this "fancy lady's" apartment facing Central Park... and I was like... Oh S.... I am in trouble! lol

[Fred126]

In the extensive "Annals of Hosting", the 13-cent 'tip' is a brand new one.  I am at a total lost also as to its meaning, beyond being absolutely childish. You should have pushed the Thumbs Down button 13 times on him for good measure! 😉

[Lilia22]

@Fred126 Oh Fred, I wanted to do such so bad... but we are only allowed two kinds of thumbs... lol

My guests for tonight, have not checked in at least advise me that they are in!  I think "things come in droves"... I am having one of those droves! 

[Sarah977]

I'm not sure why you think she left you 13 cents. People strew loose change around. She was probably just cleaning out her bag or pockets.

[Lilia22]

@Sarah977 She is one of two that did not leave me a review!  The one that as soon as I walked in the villa my gutt feeling told me that she hated the place.  Also the only one to leave behind any kind of change!  Insert emoji of thinking head!

But, I do like your positive explanation :O) Most of the time I live by the motto my glass is half full not half empty.