Guest leaves overall 4 star after rating every category as 5 star

[Ashley397]

We recently had a guest stay and rate every category as 5 star and then rate the overall experience as 4 star. Despite their late arrival, 2 am, they said it was due to “lack of sleep” =\  how as a host is it our issue that the guest arrived at 2 am? Sometimes these reviews make me want to throw in the towel as a host because people are so ridiculous.  

[Linda108]

Many, many hosts have this experience and it is weird that all the host stuff is rated 5 and the overall is rated 4.  Actually the reverse can happen as well, that is, some lower individual ratings and overall 5.  

[Robin4]

@Ashley397

Ashley, they at least gave you a reason. I did a post on this same subject the other day, the only difference, there was no reason....nothing I could work on to get back in Airbnb's good books!!

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/September-has-come-HOORAY/m-p/805529#M193129

We just have to accept that this is the way the system works but as @Linda108 says, it can work the other way (and has for me at times) were the guest gives 4 in the categories but an overall 5 .

We have to leave it behind and get on with the next!

Cheers.....Rob

[Ashley397]

Haha at least we aren’t alone in this!! We love hosting and meeting new people and sometimes it’s just like everything was fine and still sub par review LOL such is life!

[Paula659]

I feel the same way

[Nicole700]

You are not alone, this happens to all of us from time to time.  Just this last weekend I had a guest give me an overall five star rating however, for location I got 4 and for value a 3, both of which are quite subjective in my opinion.  Also, on occasion I also get fives stars in all categories but an overall 4 star rating.  Sometimes I find if a guest perceives the location to be four star it can also influence the overall rating that they give you.  I find that the rating system is flawed in so many ways.  We are a 10 minute walk to the beach and our home is located on a golf course, so it's both a peaceful and picturesque location in my opinion.  The only reason I think as to why I only get 4 stars for location is that we are not in walking distance to shops or cafes, but it is only a short drive (5 minutes), the same for walking distance to the beach, and for many of the tourist attractions in the area it can be a 20 minute drive but that is standard where I live, and the location is quite central.