Lower Ratings 2025

[Sarah6458]

I am getting a lot of bad guest reviews this year from nitpicky women, and I am wondering if anyone else is dealing with this. In the past, I mostly got 5 stars.

[Emilie]

Hi @Sarah6458, 

I'm sorry this year is off to a challenging start for you hosting-wise!

What kind of feedback are those reviews focusing on? Is there anything actionable in there that you could address to help turn this trend around?

I will tag in a few other hosts who might have more advice for you as well: what do you think @Joey28 @Mia1090 @Zachary289 @Angela3583 @Oksana127?

Thanks everyone 🙂

Emilie 

[Sarah6458]

No, they are just making up reasons to complain. Thanks, but I am ok.

[Helen3]

I'm a little confused @Sarah6458 

all your recent reviews look very positive which bad reviews are you referring to??

[Sarah6458]

Most recently, I had some reviews from Erica, Joni, Grace, and Chere in March.

[Sarah6458]

Also Rebekah in March and Amy in January. The one by Erica did the most damage, because it caused my listing to get a warning for suspension.

[Oksana127]

That sounds frustrating @Sarah6458 , especially after you’ve put so much into building a high-quality experience. You're not alone — many experienced hosts have noticed a shift in guest expectations, especially with more people using Airbnb like a hotel and expecting hotel-level service, even in home-like spaces.

A few thoughts and questions to maybe help you sort through it:

Are the complaints consistent? For example, do they focus on cleanliness, communication, accuracy of the listing, etc.? If so, maybe it's worth tweaking descriptions or retraining the cleaning team — or just proactively managing expectations in the welcome message.

Are these newer users? Sometimes newer Airbnb guests don’t understand the platform or the difference between staying in someone’s apartment vs. a hotel.

Could it be seasonal or market-related? In quieter seasons or when prices are lower, the guest profile can shift, and some hosts report more issues with picky or high-maintenance guests.

Have you responded to those reviews? A calm, professional public response can help protect your profile's reputation with future guests. I can help write some if you’d like.

[Frances3408]

@Sarah6458. Cost of living crisis is squeezing those with champagne taste but beer wallets 😂.

In my experience pickiness is not a gender exclusive thing but I do believe women notice these things more- whether we get pinged for them as hosts I guess depends on how we managed the rest of their expectations.

Host Circle is a good, safe place to vent if looking for advice. All the best.