'It was basic but that was reflected in the price'

[Ben253]

I have been hosting since the beginning of this year (on and off, as and when I feel like it) and have mostly had pretty good experiences with Airbnb but just recently have had a string of four star reviews.

The most recent I feel was judging me against a luxury hotel, and I have yet again seen the line 'It was basic, but this was reflected in the price'.

I actually somewhat resent this; my guest paid for a private room (which she got) access to the kitchen and bathroom, and actually I was not at home all evening and did not arrive back until she had vacated the following day, and so she had the whole apartment to herself! I am probably overthinking this, and beating myself up to a degree thinking 'well, what more can I do?' - everything that is listed was provided, and then some little extras on top to make the guests stay that bit more pleasant. I charge well below the going rate for my area (the closest hotel to me charges in the region of £150 a night, and when I had a friend staying there recently was surprised to find that their rooms are definitely not £150 a night material!) 

Is there anything in my listing that I should change? or am I just trying to please everyone and should just accept the fact that will never happen? I love hosting on Airbnb, but I love my home more, and am more inclined to stop hosting all together than face people slating my home! 

[Marzena4]

From my experience, @Ben253 - I fall into the category of "minimalism," it's good to state why the price is low. I have two listings - one 'commercially' prepared (no private stuff but still basics), the other - only rented at weekends because it's my work room.  There is a difference in prices and I can see now that sometimes a guest will book the cheaper one even if both are available. But recently the workroom has been pretty lucky with 5* reviews as well. The words did the trick.

[Ben253]

I have been really lucky to be honest, just this past week has been dreadful - guests who actually have had the run of the apartment and paid no extra (as I have been away) or who I have actually barely seen. I feel like I have some great guests who see the low price and ask if linens and towels are provided and are sometimes surprised to find that they are! And then others who seem to expect the bed to be made and the room cleaned for them daily (even though I charge zero cleaning fee!) - it can be infuriating. I am going to have a tweak of the wording on my listings but honestly... I think it pretty much tells you exactly what you are getting! Some just do not read the text I suppose 😕

[Gordon0]

Cheap rates = cheap guests. 
One of the reasons I never discount. 
I'd rather have an empty room than one with cheapskates who think they're due 'luxury'.
Move on, you're better than this. 

[Ben253]

Yeah, I am moving toward this way of thinking! Much rather have an empty house than over entitled people paying below the odds! 

[Elena87]

@Ben253

Sometimes reviews are not of any benefit to you at all. Your listing seems perfectly clear as what guests are to expect plus your previous reviews are all very complimentary and so, best to focus on just that.

This comment the guest left says much more about her thinking than about your place - she would like to stay in a boutique hotel somewhere in Mayfair but can't - so the glass is always half empty for her.

Best thing for you to do after this review is -

Stage 1 - Shout at the computer screen using words and phrases that would shock even Malcolm Tucker.

Stage 2 - Weep and rage uncontrollably about the angst of the world and airbnb guest reviews then think of cruel and unusual punishments to wreak revenge on the guest.

Stage 3 - Compose yourself and devise a cunning plan to turn your pad into a masterpiece with an eclectic range of contemporary furnishings as well as hand-selected vintage pieces.

Stage 4 - Balk at the cost of turning your pad into a masterpiece with an eclectic range of contemporary furnishings as well as hand-selected vintage pieces.

Stage 5 - Make yourself a brew with a half coated chocolate hobnob and decide to carry on about your business as per usual.

NB Stages 1 - 5 best completed within a duration of 10 minutes.

[Ben253]

This is the best response thus far; I avoided the shouting at the computer screen, but have currently got a nice brew and some caramel digestives on the go! 

[Joanna85]

I have this EXACT issue you have.  I price my place accordingly--I live in a REALLY nice neighborhood but my house is old.  I decided not to furnish my space Four Seasons nice becuase regardless I knew my place was so old people would have a hard time getting past it and to break even if I had nice furnishings I'd have to charge well over $100 a night, which nobody would pay.  I actually have been Superhost but as the year has gone on, I am finding people's expectations are just simply ridiculous.  My space is clean, it has it's own sepreate entrance and private bath--really nice and the price is way below even crap up the road....but still, I get lots of four stars and even a few three stars.  People even say things that are not true as a reason to give me low ratings--just got a review the mini fridge has mold...yeah, it definately does not--it is squeaky clean.  People complain it's not good enough yet they literally check in and don't leave...they RARELY leave and my space is in Las Vegas, so you'd think people would just sleep,shower, then leave to see the sights but that is not the case.  It's three star worthy to guests but yet they are comfortable enough to literally check in and not leave--so it makes no sense to me. The other thing that gets me is when someone has a complaint or issue, they don't contact me.  You'd think if the fridge was moldy or there were ants all over, they'd call me and scream "I CAN'T PUT FOOD IN THE FRIDGE BECAUSE IT'S SO MOLDY" Or if the guest leaves trash in the basket over night and wakes up to ants he'd call screaming, "I NEED SOME RAID...THERE ARE ANTS ALL OVER THE ROOM."  Yeah, doesn't happen.  

Airbnb is for the budget traveller.  Plain and simple.  The guest wants as much as they can get for as very little as possible.  What feeds in to this is hosts who will do anything to get that Superhost status--hosts who provide 500 thread count sheets and rehab their spaces but charge less than they should just to get a booking.  It isn't a level playing field.  Guests can't afford a fancy casino so they book my place but what doesn't make sense is they are not using the mentality that my space is just a room in my house, it's not the fancy hotel they couldn't afford--they feel that because Airbnb is marketing our spaces as hotel-replacements that I should be as nice or nicer as a five star hotel, which that isn't comparing apples to apples.  It makes no sesnse.

So----you're getting paid regardless.  Let them leave a 4 star review.  Who cares.  Superhost makes no difference. From my experience--and I"ve hosted over 142 bookings since February so I consider myself kind of an expert, most people book based on price and location.  If they want Four Seasons luxury, sorry--they aren't getting it for the price you and I charge and they can just--well....go to you-know-where.  We are still getting paid for the booking and we still provided a space exactly as we have stated. I have never said my space is something it isn't and I can't really get upset if a guest either didn't read my listing and can see it's exactly what it is for the price or they just feel they are entitled to a night at the Ritz even though they cannot even  afford a meal at Applebee's after they check in to my space.

It is tiresome.  Really, really tireseome. However, it is what it is.  I don't want to make renting a single room out of my house a full time job and ultimately I have to break even on it or it doesn't make any sense for me to continue.  I"m not badmouthing guests, I"m just saying I find Airbnb guests to have a few things in common and as long as my effort is exactly as I state in my listing and I stay true to providing what I say I do in my listing, I have no issue with getting four star reviews.

[Ben253]

I am glad I am not alone in this! I have personally not stayed in an Airbnb whilst travelling as I know what I like from accomodation; I like a hotel, often like a pool and breakfast thrown in. I expect to pay out whatever it costs for that - there are just some people who cannot be pleased, and it has been so refreshing to read the responses from other hosts today as it has made me feel a lot better. Of course it is basic! It is a room in someones house, I don't know how much more is expected on that? I would have thought basic was no linens, no towels, no kitchen access whatsoever... they have all of those things, yet some people still like to moan I think.

The one that infuriated me recently was a mention that 'there was dust in the bath' (thankfully writted in Italian, so most cannot understand it unless they decide to translate it!). This makes zero sense to me; these guests stayed for one night and left super early in the morning - my bathroom gets cleaned every day, rain or shine, and the only dust I can think would have been in the bath would have been from their own feet! I am not sure what they wanted me to do about that to be honest - I have had some rave reviews for how clean my place is (minor case of OCD, I'm a real clean freak!) so at least those complaining it is not up to standard are in the minority! 

I would hate people checking in and not leaving... luckily, it does not happen much for me. Maybe this is where the basic comment comes from? When I first furnished the room I was going to put a TV in there and thought 'that is just asking for people to sit around watching TV all day!'. Personally, when I travel, I want to spend as little time indoors as possible! Especially in a new city - and if I was in  Vegas? NOT A CHANCE! Vegas is on my hit list, I would most certainly not be sitting around wasting my time indoors when I could be exploring!