Is Airbnb review system credible enough?

[Nikolay26]

We stayed at Airbnb places multiple times and everything seemed OK until we once booked the room in the NYC. All reviews to this place were generically well but the site turned out to be just ugly. Cockroaches, stench, unfriendly host... I just can't believe my eyes! I riched out Airbnb support and they checked whether all reviews were real. They were.  Furthermore, I kept to monitor the place and people continued to call it "gem", "perfect stay" etc. Unbelievable! 

My guess, due to a strict policy of "uncorrectable, undeletable one-chance reviews" people are trying to be overkind to prevent any chance of a bad review on themselves. While it could be good to some extent, all reviews seem to turn into "kindness exercise" rather actual ones. They are simply misleading.

As a guest ("client") I also feel sometimes uncomfortable. I pay money (comparable to the hotel most of the time) and willing to expect some freedom and service rather thinking all the time, whether I left the room clean enough or did enough kindness to obtain positive review on myself.

Recently I got another false negative review and I believe it was caused by my initial fair demands of the host. She obeyed and was very sweet, even kissed me on check-out (now I understand that is all for better stars!). Nothing looked squally, so I left the perfect review (hiding initial problems that could help future guests).  So, it looks like a kind of "revenge" from the host and simply odious.
I feel that is just wrong.

After two years of exiting of Airbnb I changed my mind due to these reasons and now booking.com or similars are my first choice again, keeping in mind the fact that many places are now listed on them too.

Any thoughts? 

[Syl11]

@Nikolay26  I understand what you are saying, because I had a guest who stayed and after the stay completed, she had booked a place closer to her workplace. She asked me to help take her there and said I can go in with her to see the place she booked, It was a really scary small studio, marks all over  walls, paint scales falling off bathroom ceiling, stunk of smoke, we nearly fainted. That place had decent reviews. The host wasn't there for her check in and the guest immedately contacted the host to complain, I don't know what happened after that.....!

Good to bring this up!

(earlier on i did check bookings.com and home away sites, I prefer the airbnb pictures so its a matter of getting the system right for most users, just my thoughts!)

[Alexandra316]

@Nikolay26As the reviews are blind (you can't see their reviews until you post yours), there is no chance of a retaliatory review. Also, people can't review unless they actually made and paid for a reservation, so while it's true that it's possible to game the system, it's pretty much as  difficult as they can make it. The whole premise of reviews is that people are honest: it's your decision how honest you are. You can't be mad at your host for being more honest than you, surely. 

What would you suggest to make the review system better, if you feel it's flawed?

[Nikolay26]

@Alexandra316 Yes, this is exactly the point. Since reviews are blinded and non-correctable they become kind of "psychological contest" rather actual experience reviews.  If you ever watched Netflix "Black Mirror" series they have one episode exactly on this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosedive). The world cares about reviews only, not about actual things. 

My last experience was odious: the host made herself sweety just to obtain her 5* but then recouped on bad review on me. I see that many hosts experience the same in opposite direction.

Yes, it forces both parties to keep themselves appearing sugary (and sometimes it's good) but I would prefer to have host honest while I'm staying rather on its emotional feedback afterward. You know, it compels me to see next hosts through the prism of past experience, whether he/she really kind and good to me, or I'm doing something wrong from their point of view and he/she harbour thoughts of revenge. This is quite uncomfortable! 

I do not know how to improve the system while keeping it as simple as it is now. It's probably the matter of brainstorming of the entire community.

My guess, reviews should be at least somehow discussable.
For example, I thought to reach out to previous guests to ask their opinions about the host but it's not possible. Perhaps, previous guests and previous hosts can be somehow involved in review reviews.

[Syl11]

@Nikolay26Thankyou so much for bringing this topic up, its way too important because its so TRUE! Hosts sucking up for 5 stars every time to compete in the game of thrones....its pathetic actually, its become scary waiting for your reviews and its not as natural as it should be. I think management knows that and its extreme & designed to exaggeration. I'm so sorry that your host did that to you, two faced and disgusting! 

And yes after witnessing that vile studio with my previous guest, I can't believe some hosts get away with it with good/great/decent reviews. We couln't figure it out, after we thought maybe those type of guests are rednecks who doesn't know better giving those reviews. Its the kind of place that you walk in and run out!

[Alexandra316]

@Nikolay26I do hear what you're saying about the "fake" aspect to it: I love Black Mirror, and that episode also made me think of Airbnb. I can imagine that happening, but I don't really see much of it: most guests and hosts I've encountered have been pretty great. 

I just don't know that making reviews editable is the way to fix it, nor is it likely to ever happen, because if you think people are retaliatory now, I can only imagine what it would be like if people could edit the reviews after the fact. Again, personally, I try and be as honest as possible in my reviews, while not being either fake or emotional. If someone isn't the best guest, I try and address issues with them before it gets to the review point. However, if I've done something "bad" as a guest, I would anticipate that it could potentially come up in the review. Again, if it's factually true, I wouldn't expect the host to leave it out.

I don't know why anyone would lie about the condition of a place they'd booked on their review of a host. Again, with the double blind system, there would be no reason to do this. Maybe other people's expectations, based on price or the photos, were different from yours? Maybe they got all their friends to book and then reimbursed them? 

[Ben616]

Exactly true - the Black Mirror "Nosedive" effect seems to be rife on airbnb, and it makes the whole review system completely worthless. 

I think airbnb needs to look at anonymising the reviews, only showing agregated ratings, and only showing detailed commented reviews after a time period has lapsed - even randomising the release and dates of reviews so they can't be traced back to specific guests.

I also received direct email from a host asking me to leave a 5 star review, and if I feel like leaving anything less than 5, I should NOT leave a review at all and instead contact them directly to resolve any issue. People should be encouraged to report such behavior.

[Nikolay26]

Yes, right, thanks for support.

Meanwhile, I have decided to stay away from AirBnB for this reason. For the last half-year I stayed 10-12 times with Expedia/Booking and felt just perfect.

The only time I stayed with AirBnB in Paris because prices times lower compare to hotels (that is pretty unusual now - I have no idea why in Paris), do I deccided to gave a try.  Host confirmed my stay without looking on my last two bad reviews and then concerned a lot abot me as she said me later on. While host turned out to be great person and left very positive review on me, I felt that I had to be "honest" this time as suggested in this thread and left not-so-positive review. Afterwhile, after reading very positive review on me, I started to feel guilty.

All in all, these "feelings" is just very annoying in either way, so I plan to keep away AirBnB as much as possible. 

[Alex-and-Vaughan0]

> While host turned out to be great person and left very positive review on me, I felt that I had to be "honest" this time as suggested in this thread and left not-so-positive review.

I don't understand, did the host deserve your not-so-positive review?

[Nikolay26]

I don't know. I'm missing in this game. Probably, host deserves more positive review while site deserves lower one. I gave neutral one but 5*. Does it honest enough? 🙂 

[Nikolay26]

@Alexandra316 Majority of reviews (maybe 80 or 98%) reflects the fact the people are great by nature so nothing wrong neither with people nor reviews. The rest, however (and it is a key part) in fact is a bit problematic.

The reason is that the view of what is "bad" and what is "good" not always coincide and not so easy to determine as depends on culture, expectations, habits and so on. Your honesty in the review can be perceived not as you planned. As social and emotional ties much, much stronger than material ones, people always try to avoid such misunderstanding or, generally speaking, anything negative and change their behavior respectively. 

I liked your way to address issues before posting it to the public. Why do not make discussion any negative points obligatory before posting public? Then, if you feel that the final posting is wrong you could apply to the independent judge referring on this discussion. BTW, that is how it works on Aliexpress (Chinese version of Amazon). For example, in my NYC stay I anticipated negative review on me and made photos of all property on the check-out (just in case) so could easily prove that "I left dirty kitchen" is the false claim but now there is simply no way for that.

Basically, we need judging authority. 

[Kath9]

@Nikolay26, of course reviews should be blind and uneditable otherwise can you imagine the backlash from guests and hosts? I notice that you have at least two negative reviews (mayybe more as I don't read French or Russian) and only 4 out of 9 hosts have recommended you. Maybe you need to look at your own behaviour as a guest. Hosts have a right to expect that guests read the house rules and respect their homes.

You stated that "As a guest ("client") I also feel sometimes uncomfortable. I pay money (comparable to the hotel most of the time) and willing to expect some freedom and service rather thinking all the time, whether I left the room clean enough or did enough kindness to obtain positive review on myself.". Well, maybe you ARE more suited to a hotel environment so you don't have to worry about whether you've left the room clean enough! If prices are 'comparable to the hotel most of the time', then go stay in a hotel.

[Nikolay26]

@Kath0, technical question - how did you count 4 of 9 recommendations? Do I miss something and there is a counter? For the French and Russian reviews, you have "Translate to English" link next to them.

My post, however, was about review's system, not about me.

For example, you probably counted my very first stay at Airbnb with "open windows" as a negative review, so other hosts probably will do the same. However, it was nowhere stated that I have to keep windows closed, the neighborhood looked safe and I always keep windows open in my own house. I'm not sure what I did wrong, why it was a mistake and why it was mentioned in the review. Perhaps, it's a common known in this area or country but should I really have to know that?

This is a mild version of such misalignment in reviews, the hard version I explained above. The point is that that current system does not allow to correct or prevent such missreviews, whether they are "mild", honest version, or "hard" ones when host or guest post review specifically to hurt another party. Such reviews are basically misleading as well as many positives ones that were left just because people want to be kind (overpositive perhaps have even less meaning).

Common question: do you really use these reviews to make a decision? I found that it's funny to read reviews while I select next place to stay but in fact, I do not rely on them at all. Location, Google street views and photos are much more important. Reviews are only helpful in the part of facts, like "there is no AC" so I understand that there is no AC, but all these "exceptionals! and gems!" mean nothing. If so, what the reason for this system?

[Sarah977]

@Nikolay26   You shouldn't have to "think all the time" whether you are leaving a place clean or not. You either leave it clean, or you don't. Hosts don't expect guests to do heavy cleaning, like washing the floors (unless you spilled a bunch of sticky stuff on them or tracked mud all over), vacuuming, dusting, etc, but guests are expected to leave the dishes they used clean, not leave grease all over the stovetop, garbage stinking the place up, and so on.  In other words, deal with the mess you created. If you're not willing to do this, then, yes, you should stay in hotels, not people's homes.

You have a couple of reviews stating that you didn't clean up after yourself and also that you left doors and windows open, which, as I'm sure you can understand, is a security issue. You might want to listen and improve, as you would appreciate hosts doing.

I'm sorry you found the place you booked unacceptable. There are definitely some listings that shouldn't be on the site- they are way below par. I couldn't say why they had good reviews, it's too bad people can't be honest to help out future guests and hosts.

[Letti0]

@Sarah977  I rented a place on VRBO once with hundreds of 5* reviews. The place was flithy, the furniture not as listed and had a really strange smell through out it. I called and demanded to be put in another listing ASAP took a day for that to happen, so we went to a hotel the first night. I absolutely would not stay there and neither would my daughters, husband and youngest son didn't care one way or another. Next day we got a call after I sent all the pictures we took and they explained what the problem was. Someone bought the place from the orginal owner's daughter when her mother pasted and let her keep the listing. She gave her passwords and such with the sale. So all the good reviews belonged to the deceased woman, not the new owner. The listing was pulled, but I was the only one to complain for over 2 months and none of the other guests put reviews up for that time period and just sucked it up and stayed. It was $395 a night. I had booked for 2 weeks with no discount and a huge cleaning fee, I was not going to suck it up and stay. They got me another place to stay that was close and comparable and ate 20% of the cost to make up for my 2 hotel rooms (women in one & men in the other) the day before and all the problems.