"New to aribnb" guests leaving poor star ratings and what to do about it...

[Michael144]

Hi All,

I have not tried posting here, so I am going to and see if I can get some feedback and figure out what to do and if my ideas are good.

For context:

We are relatively new to hosting, though we have now gotten a superhost status, and I have 14 reviews and 18 completed trips (probably will be 17 reviews by the time they time out, seems almost everyone leaves a review).  We do not list our place all the time, and when we do we have almost always had bookings come in.

We have almost all 5 star reviews for everything.  The only reviews we seem to get that are not 5 stars across the board are from people who are new to airbnb, and leave positive comments, and seemed to be completely happy with the place, but decide to leave 4 star or 3 star reviews appearing to believe that is a positive review.

I do not know how airbnb explains the rating system to guests, I was a guest before I was a host and the thought of giving the host less than 5 stars did not cross my mind as the place was as I expected it to be.  I have started with my last few "new to airbnb" guests, sending the below message.  I am posting here to see what other hosts and guests might think?  I am not sure about this, but I thought at least a guest should know if they are going to rate us poorly with 3 or 4 stars that it is a problem for us and negative since they cannot change it after.  What do you think?

Hi (guest name),

I wanted to thank you for staying with us and tell you I hoped everything was great in your stay. I wanted to ask if you could leave us 5 stars for a general review, and to leave us 5 stars on each of the sub sections. If you do decide to give us any negative reviews (less than 5 stars) I hope you can tell us what we can do better and I promise we will make adjustments based on your feedback. You can leave us 5 stars and still tell us what we can do better and we will certainly take your advice, but leaving us less than 5 stars is encouraging people to avoid staying with us

I am asking because I noticed you are new to Airbnb and I wanted to tell you that on Airbnb anything below 5 stars is a negative review. I have not left you a review yet, and when I do I will give you 5 stars on everything because you were a great guest (anything less than 5 stars would be telling other hosts not to have you stay with them). You can change your review until I leave you one, so I wanted to give you a chance to update your review if you wanted to. Any section with 4 stars tells people you would not recommend staying with us, and a 3 star review is equal to warning people to stay away. I hope you are able to give us all 5 stars, it would be greatly appreciated. In general on Airbnb giving no review is the way to say things were less than perfect, but giving 4 stars is very negative and lets people know they should not stay with us.

I hope that helps, I am only sending this because we have had a few people new to airbnb leave us a 4 star review and later not understand that was a very negative rating. We have reached Super Host status on Airbnb, and for reference we would lose that rating if 2 of 10 people gave us a rating of anything less than 5 stars. We hate to have to ask and explain in regard to reviews, but every negative review we have gotten has been from someone who told us they loved staying with us and would recommend us, but still gave us 4 stars because they thought that was a positive review and this has hurt our ability to rent our place.

I hope you had a great stay and a great trip home! Please let us know if you would like to stay in Santa Monica again!

Thanks,

Michael ***

I am interested if anyone has any ideas or thoughts about this.  I am thinking of just starting to refuse bookings from new members, but I actually want to allow new members a chance to stay at a nice place if they seem reasonable, though I am thinking it might just not be worth it.  We have never gotten anything but 5 stars across the board from people with any previous experience and ratings.

I think many people who are new to airbnb think my home is a hotel, and when it is not they think that is some kind of failing even though it was exactly as described and is well taken care of etc.

I had responded to some guests in the review response the past, but I think that is probably not as helpful as I wish it would be, because future hosts do not see that unless they do some research.  I have taken to clicking on the hosts who have reviewed people before I approve a booking so I can read any responses the previous host has left to the guest review.  I am not sure how many people do this, but I think we should since we cannot know what a guest has said until we leave a review, and anything that has to do with the review process will not be visible other than in the response from the host.   Of course, for new people who have no reviews, this is not helpful at all.

I recently had one guest, that though he left me a good review and a good star rating seemed offended by the fact I sent him the message asking for the 5 stars and explaining what I think the reviews actually describe to the community.  I would rather have positive reviews and a negative private message, but honestly I am thinking maybe just refusing bookings from new members might be the way to go.

Do experienced hosts with nice places eventually just start refusing bookings from new members to avoid this drama?

Thanks for any comments or experience!

[Scott58]

 I am afraid Dylan has hit the nail on the head. While Airbnb might do well to change the implications of lower ratings that’s the way they are. Like it or not in fact we are in competition with not only other hosts but  also hotels. I am unaware of any service industry that would prompt me to alter my review. I’m afraid reading posts from hosts sometimes leads me to think that everyone is actually cut out to be a host. Part of the business is he starting assumption that the guest is always correct, especially if they are not engaging in Egregious bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

I’m also angry with this systems lately I have had 2  4 star reviews which has affected my listing position, in both cases the guests wrote glowing reports. 

Maybe it’s time that as a matter of course we don’t give guests over 4 stars that way maybe air b n b will work out how flawed this system is . 

[Russell49]

The rating system is garbage.I have had guests rave on the reviews, but then turn around and give me 3 stars because their "pillows were too big"....this is a clear example of guests who shouldn't be allowed to review.

I have been upset about the rating system. I give 5 stars if they are ok guests...I look past a few things, because I am forgiving....BUT now, after being judged and reviewed poorly, I am more prone to be more strict-which will in turn promote a lack of return guests because they will feel they were reviewed critically. See the flaw in the system?

Air BnB relies on the guests being honest and fair (which requires smarts and compassion), when in reality their subjective and often fake opinion dictates your business's outcome.There should be a sort of way to contest these reviews/ ratings that are misleading or unfair, but instead they stay with you like a red wine stain on the carpet...that the slobbish guests may leave and not have to pay for!

[Claudio-and-Moo--ส-บย-คล0]

If a guest makes a stain and does not leave you money to replace the item. You must leave that in the review.

It will save future host from renting to them and having the same issue.

Also it will make it difficult for that guest to rent a place again. Making it a deterrent for other guests to be bad guests.

I know a man who was a bad guests, got a bad review and now is unable to get accepted by hosts.

Now his wife has to make the booking and they are perfect guests because they worry to get another bad review.

The reviews work both ways. Guests should be scared to create problems or they may wind up not beigb able to rent anything on Airbnb.

[Russell49]

lol-The stain reference was merely an analogy. Mainly pointing out that Air BnB has a very flawed rating system that is judged by people who feel entitled and qualified to judge our property as if it is a hotel and they are some sort of connoisseurs, when in reality they are tight-asses who don't want to pay hotel prices, but want all the generosity that hosts like me provide due to this environment of paranoia of being rated/reviewed through a screwy system that Air BnB has created.

Air BnB themselves place too much hope, faith and trust expecting some of these people will be able to actually judge anything properly, let alone accurately. I was given a 3 star rating on location despite the guest asking to return. It turns out she gave me 3 stars because she had to drive here...How the hell is that my fault? If she had her menstral cycle perhaps my value rating would have been lower! lmao

[David126]

@Claudio-and-Moo--ส-บย-คล0

As you pointed out the Guest has a way out, the wife now makes the booking.

The other option is to delete their account and start again.

Now a Host could start again but they have a lot more invested in the system than a Guest has.

[Russell49]

Air BnB need to take a better approach to this. They also need to refer to the hosts as Air BnB's business partners just as booking.com does. I like a lot of what Air BnB does, which is why I do this. It provides me a fair living, but some of the guests are not so fair....nor educated in their reviewing approach.

I think ultimately it does no good to obsess about the rating process. NOBODY will ace the test with every guest.I shaved extra truffles into my guests breakfast...he still gave me a 4 on all criteria, despite that I am able to prove him wrong on some of his reasonings. Sometimes you just have to do this as a job and meet good people and treat the jerks like business.

[Claudio-and-Moo--ส-บย-คล0]

You have a great aproaapp and philosophy. Thank you for sharing.

I also love Airbnb and the great opportunity they provide me with in terms of rentals.

[Russell49]

There is so much I am thankful and love about Air BnB. The minor things are why we can vent here as hosts. Sometimes the negative things can be over-emphasized. I feel the star ratings are one of them...It is a good/bad sorta thing because Air BnB themselves almost encourage an obsession for these ratings and superhost status so that guests can be satisfied and Air BnB will gain a positive reputation, BUT it helps as a host to not be overly aware of the status of superhost as there are negatives with it.

I noticed I mainly get 5 star reviews but once I became superhost then the guests got bitchier and I got more 4 stars than before I was superhost. It encourages a pocket of phony connoisseurs and false panel type judging mentality, when this is more appliable for hotels, not spaces where people live,yet host.

[Sally44]

The problem is all a guest has to do is create a new identity and start again.

[Russell49]

I'll be honest. The star ratings are a joke. The reason being is that there are too many things to judge that really require too much brainwork for guests. I had one guest leave me a 4 star on our location, despite them getting the location that they loved because it was across the street from their friend. What would it have taken for him to give me a 5 star on location? Sometimes guests are plain stupid.

Are we as hosts supposed to suffer in ratings because some idiot doesn't decide to do their due diligence and read descriptions, then turns around and nonchalantly feel justified giving a harsh rating for something that they-not us, screwed up on?

Some of the ratings are useful clearly such as cleanliness, accuracy and check in, but some ratings for value is a joke. It's pretty safe to say that when our guests are given free wifi, netflix, streaming,free chocolates, chips, drinks, breakfast menu cooked by a chef ,etc etc etc...then how can they complain about value-especially since it is cheaper than the standard that they are judging us on? Sometimes guests treat the ratings like they are judging a hotel, when in fact they were too cheap to book a hotel where they wouldn't get ANY of what is offered by us....It is like a viscious dog that chases it's tail.

I cannot help but mention a review I received by a guest. She left a 3 star on our location, then told me she wanted to book here again. I said "Why would you want to book in a location that you graded a 3 star"?!!! This is where AirBnB gets screwy, because the guest claims it wasn't great by being a 3 star, but they want to return-this tells you they are reviewing falsely and innacurate....and who suffers for this sort of BS, fake, snobbish keyboard connoisseur type reviewing? The hosts....the ones who benefit AirBnB and line their pockets.

[Claudio-and-Moo--ส-บย-คล0]

When a guest leaves me 4 stars review or less, I do not accept to rent to them again. It hurts my rating and lowers my income in the long run. 

I tell them to find a place worthy of 5 stars to them.

Some book something else and some say they want to re-book because this is the best listing they can find. I then ask them if this is the best they can find how was it not deserving of 5 stars. They usually then promise to give 5 stars if I would please let them stay again.

I think it's fiancilfina better for host to not rent to guests who gave them less than 5 stars or who they think will leave them a poor review.

[Russell49]

100% I agree and did the very same thing tonight to a guest who wanted to stay here but left a 3 star rating based on location.In her words she told me she left me a 3 star review becase she had to drive here....as if that is my fault....How else did she expect to get here? Did she want me to have her jump on my back and carry her here? lol

[Helene135]

Dear Michael,

my name is Helene and I am new to Airbnb, as a host, and as a traveler. First, I find your letter to be unnecessarily forceful and rather tasteless. It’s almost a way of bullying. I think the guests needs more credit than that. I’m sure many travelers are sophisticated and know how to answer questions for a review. I am surprised that it’s only the 5 stars that count here. What if a guest didn’t find your home to be five stars, are you not wanting an honest vote? People read reviews, they don’t just look at the stars. When I travel I want to read real reviews from honest travelers, I certainly read the reviews and make up my mind based on what people wrote. I’m sorry to be harsh and at the same time wondering if Airbnb knows you are soliciting stars.

Warm regards, Helene **

[The-Pvkid0]

I have several Airbnb listings most are high-end beachfront condos in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. I do very well on these and I am a Superhost and consistently get 5-star ratings. (over 300 5 star reviews)

I am helping a local person out and I am listing their small little places at between $10-$15 a night. They are very basic not in the tourist area have no wifi or AC. I am consistently getting bad reviews with 3 and 4-star ratings even thou I say in the listing "no A/C, no wifi, not in a tourist area might be loud" Does anyone know how to handle this? I even say in the listing "please read carefully so you can leave an accurate review" Keep in mind, these are not dirty bad rooms, they are small, clean sleeping rooms that people book because they are CHEEP. It amazes me that people book these rooms for $10 USD a night and then give 3 stars on value. $10 USD a night is the lowest Airbnb allows on a listing. The same thing happens for location. I have been getting 3 stars on location even thou I say this is not in a tourist location and it is noisy in the description. Any ideas from anyone?