Read reviews that guest leaves to other hosts!

[Farah1]

I am currently hosting a very complicated lady. Only for a night, but it feels like a week... haha

So, she has some reviews and they are positive reviews. One thing that I missed was checking the reviews she left for the hosts.

It started with her being not that responsive even before the reservation is confirmed, but hey, maybe she is busy.

Here is the timeline of what happened:

- One day before her arrival day, I sent check-in instructions as usual.

- On her arrival day, I asked her about her estimated arrival time as she never responded to the check-in instructions (check-in is at 3pm) and I did not hear from her until 6pm letting me know that she'd arrive closer to 8pm

- The room DOES NOT come with on-site parking amenity, she decided to parked there (it blocked the access to my car), so I explained that I am letting her park on the side of the carport because the other room was vacant (she did not say thank you or anything - instead complaining that it is hard to find on-street parking while it is literally less than 1min walk from the house!) nobody promises that she will find parking right in front of the house

- She asked for the wifi password (even though I have sent this to her in the check-in instructions) no big deal, I gave it to her

- She asked for an extra pillow, I gave it to her

- Then she asked about the TV (my fiancee and I were watching the final college basketball in our living room). I explained that by the house rules, house silent time started at 10pm (and it was only 7:30pm). Then she said that she usually go to bed by 8:30.... hmmmm ok... so I need to adjust my schedule to fit your sleeping schedule that has not been communicated before and not follow my own house rules? I explained that it should be done by then and we are planning to grab dinner afterward (I felt really uncomfortable, it feels like I am staying at her house instead).

- At 8:10, she asked for ear plugs as she is planning to sleep at that time and the game was not over yet. I explained that there were only 10mins left in the game and she said "oh ok, I can handle that"

So, this morning I feel really curious how can she get good reviews? Apparently, that is the way she does airbnb (she is not being clear/communicative about things then leave bad reviews). ALL last 4 hosts that host her gave her good reviews, but all of them received bad reviews from her because of little things/she expects that the airbnb will be exactly like her house/something like that.

I just offered her a french toast for breakfast which I do not need to do, but it was on my kitchen counter (probably because deep inside I'm a good host 😛 ), so this will be interesting to see the review she leaves for me. If she does not leave a bad review and be grateful of the french toast, I call that a win... and I will get my good karma in the future.

As a conclusion, I need to start reading the review that potential guests leave to their previous hosts too. This is a good example of guests who hurt you through review even though there is not necessarily a  problem (they are just creating one).

[David126]

Big Thumbs down and better suited to a hotel would seem to be your review.

[Farah1]

Haha @David126 that is how I feel. I have been running the review 'draft' in my head since last night. How to be honest without being hurtful and stay professional. I think one of the ways that can help is by not leaving the review right away. I had a conversation with her recently over breakfast and it was okay. I asked her how is she liking airbnb and the interesting thing is she shared the bad airbnb stories which are the last 4 bad reviews she left that I mentioned in my original post (I somewhat knew the story already from reading her review), but listening to the story in person kind of giving me a better understanding of where the bad reviews come from. Though I think a better communication between her and the hosts can improve the situation/solved the problem and no bad reviews are that necessary.

[David126]

Would you be happy to host her again?

[Farah1]

@David126 no thank you, I will pass. 🙂

In general, she does not fit airbnb (at least not for a private room type listing). I think it is inappropriate for guests to rule the hosts around, so they can do what they want/are planning to do (especially if it has not been communicated before).

She asked whether it is quiet during sleep hours or not and whether it is easy to find parking/not. I said yes it is quiet (which is true) and house silent time starts at 10pm every night. 1 thing that she did not mention was that she goes to bed early (compared to me) and expects that everything will be silent when she wants to sleep. About parking, it is literally less than 1min walk (I think her standard of easy parking is right in front of the house), but when you live at a residential in the city, sometimes it is not possible and I never promise that either (the listing does not even offer a parking spot). So, if she has communicated her standard before, I most likely would not accept the reservation and suggest her to find a place that fits her needs better. I asked her if she had a good sleep and she said yes, but she just had a hard time falling asleep.

[Cormac0]

@David126

That question should be on the Airbnb Host review section, David were you a barrister in a previous life?

Regards

Cormac

The Explorer's Club Krakow III

The Explorer's Club Krakow VIII

[David126]

So now 5 Hosts in a row who do not want to see her again.

[Farah1]

@David126 yes, which makes me feel that it is important for me to leave an honest review. So, no other hosts need to experience this. I mentioned in the original post that the last 4 hosts left her good reviews, but she left them a bad review. Then I found out that she is complicated. However, I did not know that prior to the stay because I did not check the reviews she left for them. One of the hosts that received a bad review from her is a super host!

[Ange2]

@Farah1   Great idea.   Years ago, I accepted a guest on the basis of the stellar reviews he had received from hosts.  He was quarrelsome, agressive and dishonest. I didn't look at the reviews he had left hosts before accepting him, it would have been very helpful.  He told me in one of his bullying rants that his Airbnb stays had always been awful and he had always been refunded in full !   And the result  -  hosts had rewarded him with great reviews.  Go figure.  I called Airbnb and his profile was deleted, he had a history of complaints from hosts.

It is SO VERY important for hosts to write honest reviews,  flag guests who threaten, and not be cowed  into writing a less than honest review by the guest, Airbnb warnings and penalties  etc. –  the next host will suffer for it.

But be careful what you write because Airbnb appears to be in the habit of deleting bad reviews if a guest complains.  Not sure if that is because the reviews are too detailed or could be seen as defamatory or is bad for business   Bland and general something along the lines of  "better suited to a hotel ..."   is a fairly safe option, everyone knows what it means and Airbnb appears to let it stand as is.

[Farah1]

@Ange2 I have left a bad review for a guest who broke my house rules before. He brought a girl into the house that he claimed was his cousin + being super loud at 1am in the morning and left all of my kitchen cabinets open. So, I stated those facts in the review then I found out that it was removed. I called airbnb to asked why this was removed because all of those did happen and my review did not violate the airbnb guideline. The person who was helping me publish the review back, she agreed that the review did not violate the airbnb guideline. I just checked and the review still there. So yes, I will be careful and stay professional and pay attention to make sure that my rights to leave an honest review is not taken away from me.

[Ange2]

@Farah1   Great to know that they reinstated the bad review.

[Bruce43]

@Farah1 yes dealing with airbnb you can bend the rules but not break them,i only once used them and was pleasently suprised.

always use the bnb message system.........and act like a host not a friend,that sometimes comes later.and i posted a review when i was new at this because i didnt know better.

the bates hotel

[Farah1]

@David126 @Ange2 I would like to get an input from you. So, this guest has checked out and of course, she left me not only a "bad" review but also a lie/not accurate.

I left an honest review for her.

This is the review I received from her >

There is not on street parking as described in the listing. My room was right next to the living room and it sounded like the TV was in my room. I mentioned it to the host and she said quiet time began at 10pm and did not offer to turn the volume down. This home has 3 airbnb rentals.

There is clearly street parking, otherwise, where would people park their cars? As I mentioned, it is not exactly in front of the house, but nothing is promising that in the listing. It is literally less than 1min walk to the available parking spot. Also, why would I turn the volume down at 7:30pm if she decides that she wants to sleep then and never communicated it to me? And actually, we did turn down the volume. She was literally bossing me around in my own house. What an awful person! I do have 3 different listings (but her statement makes it look like my house is crowded) when in reality 1 is a totally separate unit downstairs and the other room was vacant during her stay, so why would you rant about this? Ugh! I am so annoyed.

So, I would like your input on how to respond to her review. This is a new listing and the previous guest has not left a review yet (as they are traveling to other states), so this is the only review that is visible.

She left 3 stars for accuracy

She left 4 stars for value > she paid $36 for that 1 night!

She left 4 stars for location > my house is literally a super short drive to the place she needs to go to

[J-Renato0]

@Farah1

Well done Farah, you did the right thing leaving a honest and bad review to her.

Unfortunatelly, some hosts try to persuade or to convince some guests to leave a good review by saying to the guest they will leave a good review to them, being the guest good or not good enough. 

I have notice that, some guests are complicated and I would say some of them are a kind of "serial bad review writter".  They have no mercy and it is useless to think that this kind of guest can writte an honest review, or at least that they can understand what is good value for money.

I have came across this kind of guest, and I have notice that they usually looks only for the price and are really complicated. In some cases they do not communicate very well and do not make an effort to be friendly.  

[Farah1]

@J-Renato0 yes yes yes yes on all of your point. I really think that it is very important to leave an honest review. Like in my situation, I did not know that she is awful until it's too late (reservation is already confirmed) because other hosts left her a good review (I guess they did not know that she is complicated beforehand as well). Also, I think that host tend to waive some things that are actually an issue (i.e. if the guests break the house rules, some hosts do not write that in review) while guest mostly very thorough. Guests also do not know how much "damage" the star rating can cause for hosts.