private feedback to Airbnb - what's the purpose???

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

I've recently started to draft (in my head for now) a review for my current guest and was wondering, what is the purpose of the private feedback to Airbnb?

I've only done a couple reviews till now and I am well aware about the 3 levels of reviews/feedback the host and guest each get to write - (1) public review (for everyone to see)  (2) private review (for guest/host eyes only) (3) private feedback to Airbnb (not shared with guest/host) I get the purpose of #1 and #2 but I've started wondering...... what does Airbnb do with the private feedback people leave? Not that Airbnb is known for being transparent, honest or consistent when handling host/guest relations (LOL!), but still, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't share the contents/details with other people, or let the other side know what the host/guest said in confidence.

Also, for those of you who have left private feedback only for Airbnb, what did you write? Nitty-gritty bad stuff you didn't want to get into with the public or private review? or anything positive? - I'd love to know what other hosts usually write in this category.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@David126

Until I got half-way thru hosting my current guest, I thought it was a bit silly - kinda like tattling to the teacher. But now, I can see why it's necessary 🙂

[David126]

My suspicion is that it goes into the void, has anybody had a situation where such previous comments have been helpful.

I have not really had a situation where I have felt the need to comment.

[Fred13]

Considering guests do not have a visible star rating, and opinions and exchanges are buried in mountains of back and forth text - imagine a short, one line and dead ~honest~ description of a guest by a host, imagine many saying the same thing over time; for example -

1.  This guest was a bear to keep happy, absolutely exhausting. (and the host is embattled in a feud over a 2-3s star review)

2. This guest acted as if constantly looking for an excuse to get a refund for 'anything'. (and the guest is wanting a refund)

3.  This guest could care less to bother to read the House Rules,  and yet claiming ignorance when breaking them left and right. (and ignoring the House Rules is the subject at hand).

The Airbnb review system, does have one inherent dilemma, both guests and hosts are not quite sure what the other will write, so oftentimes the host stays on 'safe' grounds and gives a diplomatic review, but not necessary a dead honest one. The guest does get the last word, another tricky part, which serves to keep the host opinion somewhat 'at bay'.

This feedback should be treated as a synopsis of the overall experience. Hopefully in one line, so it comes across to Airbnb loud and clear.

P.S. If I was Airbnb I would make this a maximum of 50 words or less.

[Jeanette37]

Hi Jessica and Henry.  I know this is not very helpful but I usually put "no" here!  I don't feel that there's any purpose to this section either.  I've had some awful guests but if I don't recommend them I'll just say so when leaving my review.

[Susie5]

@Jessica-and-Henry0, I actually use it mostly to say nice things about guests I have really liked, something like "Fantastic guests - more like them, please!" I have used it to say that guests smoked outside (against rules), were not very good about communications etc. but mostly I use it positively.

I kind of think that I'm banking a positive vibe in case I ever need to call on it to counterbalance a negative review.  If there was a dispute, there would be a record of a positive vibe, and Airbnb should be thinking something along the lines of "She's usually so positive about her guests, this one must be a real stinker" and would give me the benefit of the doubt in case of a dispute - which I've never really had with a guest (knock on wood!).

Of course this could all be total stupidity and wishful thinking on my part, but it costs nothing... 🙂

[Edwin57]

Every host is right,but it is basically to keep track,and to make room for improvement let said is like some what like a surveys, but in this from is more in detail