Hosts Deserve Better Protection – My Experience with an Unfair Review

[Ayoub57]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share my recent experience as a Superhost and highlight a serious concern about how Airbnb handles unfair and retaliatory reviews.

A guest, Tamara, recently stayed at my listing and left a review that was not only misleading but also in clear violation of Airbnb’s policies. Her review stated:

"Quite noisy inside and outside, you can't use the kitchen even for a basic need like water, you can't eat in the room either, everywhere dog hair, bathroom is shocking."

However, the reality of her stay was very different:

Noise Complaint: I have never received complaints about noise before, and any external sounds are beyond my control. There were no unusual disturbances during her stay.

Kitchen Access: My listing clearly states that kitchen access is limited. Despite this, I ensured she had everything she needed, including water.

Eating in the Room: This is a house rule stated in my listing, yet she violated it by eating in the room and leaving trash behind.

Pet Hair Complaint: She willingly played with my dog, yet she later complained about pet hair, which is contradictory. My space is cleaned regularly, and no other guests have raised this issue.

Bathroom Complaint: She did not mention any specific problem, making it impossible for me to address her concerns.

Tamara arrived before check-in time without notice, yet I accommodated her. Despite my efforts to be welcoming, she left this review, which I believe was a direct retaliation after I left an honest and fair review of her stay.

I reported this to Airbnb Support, expecting fairness and protection as a long-time Superhost, but to my disappointment, my concerns were dismissed. The review remained, even though it was clearly retaliatory and inaccurate. This has severely impacted my trust in the platform, making me feel unprotected and undervalued as a host.

I know I’m not the only host who has faced this issue. It’s frustrating that we work hard to maintain high standards, yet when we need support, we are left without real protection. Hosts are the backbone of Airbnb, and we deserve a fair review system that doesn’t allow guests to harm our reputation unjustly.

Have other hosts experienced similar situations? How do you think Airbnb can improve its support and review system?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best,
Ayoub

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Ayoub57 A few points:

Your review cannot have influenced hers as she will not see it until she has reviewed you.

There is nothing wrong with her review  per the rules

Noise though external is critically important to many people. Obviously if there is a motorway outside its not your fault BUT guests deserve to know about it.

I feel Tamara's review is helpful to potential guests and should be allowed to stay.

[Ayoub57]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

That being said, what about the fact that the guest criticized house rules they had already agreed to, like kitchen access? Or that they described the bathroom as "shocking" without any explanation, despite over 150 previous guests never mentioning an issue?

What about spending the evening playing with my dog, only to later complain about dog hair? And mentioning noise both inside and outside, yet never raising any concerns during their stay?

If these issues were truly a problem, why didn’t they address them with me directly? Doesn’t this seem more like a retaliatory review rather than fair feedback?

[Ayoub57]

I also believe that Airbnb’s review system and support are not always just. For a fair investigation, I think they should follow these steps:

1. Review the Evidence – Carefully examine my listing, house rules, and past guest reviews to see that Tamara’s claims are inaccurate.

2. Check the Guest’s Communication – Look at our message history to confirm that she was aware of the house rules before booking.

3. Compare with Past Reviews – I have hosted many guests without similar complaints. This should raise concerns about the credibility of her review.

4. Assess Policy Violations – Ensure that the review follows Airbnb’s guidelines and does not misrepresent the experience in a misleading way.

A fair system should ensure that reviews are honest, balanced, and not used as a tool for retaliation.