Airbnb Removes Access to Guest Star Rating Unless You Allow Instant Book

[Shannon23]

Hello,

I am beyond dumbfounded by a move Airbnb has made that puts hosts at risk.

I use star ratings and reviews of guests to gauge safety for my shared home as I write reviews for guests with this same consideration for other hosts.

I previously listed my space on Instant Book but removed this option in the era of COVID as I have many questions that need answering prior to approving a stay for everyones safety in a shared home.

When I received a request today and I went through the normal process of looking for their reviews and star rating before sending an email with my COVID and any other clarifying questions, I found that unless I turn on Instant Book, I cannot make an informed decision regarding my safety.

This is INSANE and yet another example of Airbnb setting rules and making changes without consideration for the hosts safety.

I hope that this will be overturned and the reviews and their star ratings reinstated as I cannot agree to reservations without it and refuse to go back on Instant Book until we are through COVID.

Anyone else have thoughts?

[Nanxing0]

I notice that as well and I complete agree with you @Shannon23 . Actually at the begining of the pandemic I asked Airbnb customer service since we have local restrictions on STR and they actually SUGGESTED me to turn instant booking off. And now they are penalizing us for turning the instant booking off, which is completely self-contradictory.

[Sarah977]

@Shannon23  This isn't something new. I have never used IB and have never been privy to star ratings.

But I'll tell you something- I couldn't care less. Star ratings are totally subjective- I have no idea whatsoever why another host would give the star rating they did. I follow another host forum and a host posted about some guests they'd had, asking for input on what ratings other hosts would give to those guests. The answers ran the gamut from 2*s to 5*s. These were all experienced hosts.

When you don't use IB, you read the written reviews, which tell you far more than the star ratings do. Personally I dismiss reviews that just say"Nice guests" or something to that effect, because when I look at the other reviews that host leaves for guests, they are all the same "Nice guests". That tells me nothing. I rely on the reviews that actually tell me something, and to a great extent on the way a guest communicates with me through messaging. 

If you are used to using IB and relying on star ratings, it will be a bit of a shift for you, but I think you'll find that you'll end up feeling way more in control of a booking and possibly even getting better guests once you get the hang of answering requests, and reading reviews before accepting, rather than putting much stock in star ratings. Requiring Requests is less  of a risk than star ratings and IB.

[Amy621]

But when there is only one review and it is a "nice guests" review, you could hope that they provided a bit more information in the star ratings.  Every piece of information is important.

[Anonymous]

@Shannon23   I don't know what you mean by "changes"; Airbnb has never made guest star ratings visible to non-IB hosts.  But a star rating does not constitute "information." As @Sarah977  pointed out, the information is located in the text of the reviews and - more importantly - in the correspondence with the guest. If you feel that you need further information, ask follow-up questions. 

[Amy621]

I used to see star ratings.  And why else do them at all if hosts are not allowed to see them?  Instant booking is not a good thing, except to make more money for Airbnb.

[Sarah977]

@Amy621  Exactly.  Airbnb "punishes" non-IB hosts by not letting them see star ratings, because IB brings in bookings faster than if a guest has to send a booking request and have it accepted by a host. Everything Airbnb does is motivated by them making more money. 

[Kate721]

I totally agree @Shannon23 I also turned off IB during Covid.  We have an asset to protect and should have access to as much information about our guests as possible as they do with us and our listing.