Addressing an Unwarranted Review

[Janine560]

Dear Airbnb Community,

As a dedicated Superhost, I’ve always taken pride in providing exceptional experiences for my guests. Recently, however, I encountered a review that  was unwarranted and does not accurately reflect the quality of my hosting.

The guest in question left a low rating despite clear evidence and prior communications that contradicted their claims. I have documented text messages that support my case, and yet Airbnb has determined that the review does not meet their criteria for removal.

I’m sharing my experience here to highlight the challenges that hosts can face and to seek support and advice from fellow hosts. I remain committed to providing top-notch hospitality and appreciate the community’s understanding and any guidance you can offer.

Thank you for your time and support.

Janine

[ManiKu0]

My lovely friend Janine, I can truly feel your emotions. I recently went through a similar experience, but we must stay consistent — after all, we’re dealing with humans. It’s not easy to please real, grown adults. I often remind myself that even making a child happy can be difficult, so trying to make adults happy is certainly a complex task.

These guests come from different continents, beliefs, expectations, and completely unimaginable mindsets.

Let me share a quick story: one guest called me at 1 AM saying, “I just checked in — where’s the switch to turn on the lights?” I replied, “My lovely guest, it’s right next to the door.” He said, “It worked, thanks.” Imagine his situation — he had just finished a long drive, was exhausted, and simply wasn’t thinking clearly. He still gave me a good rating.

Another guest arrived around the same time and asked the same question. I said, “Just look on the wall — it’s a big switchboard, clearly visible.” He didn’t respond but left a low rating the next day.

I’ve learned that when a guest arrives at midnight, it’s best to speak softly and kindly. These small gestures come with hosting experience and a deeper understanding of people.

[Jason114]

That's really frustrating, Janine.. and you're definitely not alone. Many experienced hosts have faced similar situations where a review feels unfair or misleading but still doesn't meet Airbnb's strict removal criteria. Unfortunately, Airbnb tends to err on the side of keeping reviews up unless there's a clear policy violation.

The best approach now is to post a calm, factual public response to the review. Avoid emotion or defensiveness.. just clarify the situation briefly and professionally so future guests see your side. For example, mention that you communicated clearly, resolved concerns promptly, and that the guest's experience doesn't reflect your typical standard of service.

It's clear you care deeply about your hosting, and that consistency will shine through over time. One poor review won't outweigh your track record of positive ones.. most guests can tell when a bad review doesn't align with the overall pattern.

[Janine560]

Thank you so much for your kind words. It truly means a lot to me as a host. It’s also really nice to know I’m not alone — your support and kindness are deeply appreciated. 

[Joan2709]

@Janine560 

What were this guest's previous star ratings? Looks like he only had 2 previous reviews. The other's Hosts review was only 2 words (red flag).

What star ratings did you give this guest in your review of them; especially for Communication and House Rules? This is the only way to prevent this guest from doing the same to other Hosts. It's possible there was a language barrier, but messages on Airbnb can easily be translated to whatever the language the guest prefers. House Rules can also easily be translated to their preferred language.

Your review of them just says "Quiet". I would have said something more regarding their poor communication and did not read House Rules. 

[Janine560]

Thank you for reaching out and for your feed back . I want to clarify that I provided neutral  review as he did follow some house rules.  Like being quiet.   However, communication was minimal and, unfortunately, there was an instance where the guest used the shower after checkout time, which impacted the rating.

You’re absolutely right; I should have included these details in my review, and that’s on me. It was definitely a learning lesson, and I appreciate the feedback as it helps me improve as a host.

[Janine560]

I forgot to mention.  If I would have seen that somebody wrote a review "red flag" about someone, I would never let them book with me. I don't see that written for him anywhere.  🤷🏻‍♀️

[Joan2709]

@Janine560 

I should have explained....when I see a Host write only a one or two word review, that is a "red flag" for me". It usually means there was an issue, but the Host didn't want to go into detail. If it was a good guest, the Host generally writes at least a sentence or two. Hosts won't write something obvious that Airbnb will remove like "red flag". It's always best to write an honest review of guests. Maybe a 4 for communication and a 3 for House Rules, since he stayed on property after checkout time. You can still keep it generic like communication was lacking and an important House Rule was broken. That will not cause Airbnb to remove your review. 

Also, this guest had 5 previous trips but only 1 review? That is another "red flag" for us. Some Hosts won't write a review if there have been issues with a guest (not always though).