Bad review

[Barbara2518]

ralative got him the room. He came by for 10 min we were getting rid of  some bees  the room had been remodel some but was the same . he seem very happy with it , ask about wifi told him had two   . that all he wanted to talk about. was wifi. i was confused wifi is wift . so ask a friend here to ans his question. 

He left said he would probably stay with friends that night . well he never came back. I have a beautiful place . but he told the ralative that there were bees and the room did not look like the picture.  i had remove the wallpaper and painted it a beautiful blue...so the relative wrote a real bad review . blew my mind . hurt my feeling as i worked very hard to keep to high standerd . I wrote the ralative  back .  

told them he only stay 10 min. so what did he know. not i have a bad review  my first one. have had suggestion which i appreciate very much and address them right away  which makes a good improvment  . always want to know if they were unhappy with something so it wont happen again.

Thanks Barbara **   Super Host 5 times...and now this... plus airbnb said i was lower down on the list for renting' 

**[Name hidden - Community Center Guidelines]

[Bethany195]

I'm not sure but isn't it not allowed to rent for someone else. Perhaps take that angle with the Airbnb CS rep. 

[Huma0]

@Bethany195 it is true that third party bookings are against Airbnb policy. However, if the host chooses to accept one, which seems to be the case here, then the host is on their own. They made the choice, so they are also breaking the rules. It also means that the stay is no longer covered by Airbnb insurance.

@Barbara2518 To my mind, accepting a third party booking is a very bad idea, for the reasons above, as well as several others. It is always best to communicate directly with the person who will be staying so that they understand what they are booking and and to avoid any misunderstandings. 

For example, if this guy was so concerned about the WiFi (I assume the speed?) these are questions that could have been asked/answered before the booking was made, or at least before the guest's check in date. Then there wouldn't have been this confusion.

It's actually not unusual for guests to want to know more about the WiFi (which is why Airbnb even has a speed test you can do so that this is clear on your listing) because people have very different needs and will need a better connection for say Zoom meetings for work than for just simple web browsing. 

I have a mild phobia of wasps due to a bad experience and even bees make me very nervous if they get too close. I would feel very uncomfortable staying in a room if there were bees in it when I arrived! If I learnt there was a nest nearby, I would also have found that problematic. It seems the guest was worried because you were going to use gasoline to get rid of it.

Also, even though you feel the room looks better after you redecorated, the guest may feel confused and mislead if they think you advertised a different room. Best to take new photos and post them asap but, failing that, add something to your description about the change in decor, or let guests know in a message before they come. I think people are usually fine about these things if they know in advance.

I'm not criticising you or your listing as obviously most of your guests really like it, but having some prior communication with the guest who is actually staying is really important. This guy was clearly computer literate if he was so concerned about WiFi speed, so you should have told his relative that he needed to book the room from his own Airbnb account.

[Bethany195]

@Huma0 Thank you. That's good to know. I suspected as much after reading the CC boards. I learn a lot here and recomend reading the posts to everyone, hosts and guests alike, so we can figure out how to make the platform work for us all. I think of Airbnb as renting someone's place not a hotel. Some guests and hosts do too, but not all, and I think that discrepancy is the root of all these issues. I myself am trying to learn how to sort them out in the best way possible.

I sometimes feel that since there are professional managers with income property and hotels here as well as private owner/operators it does get confusing for both parties.

[Huma0]

@Bethany195 

Yes, I have learnt so much from the CC. It's not like I don't still encounter problems but I think I have probably avoided a lot of them due to the knowledge and advice I've found here.

I am sure you are right. If Airbnb was still just the 'live like a local', homestay set-up, then guests would have different expectations than they do today. Because there are now so many different types of listings, we have to be quite vigilant about managing those expectations and making sure the guest understands what they are booking. 

I hosted one couple who had stayed in at least 25 airbnbs. They expected me to be their concierge, maid, errand girl and even cook their meals. I have no idea where or how they formed this expectation. 

[Jennifer1897]

@Barbara2518  As Bethany mentioned Airbnb does not allow third party rentals, meaning someone books for another person. It appears this guests' reservation was booked by a family member that was never actually present. You could take that approach in trying to get the review removed. However a short constructive response to the negative review is typically the best course of action. Overall you have positive reviews so I wouldn't be overly concerned about this one. It will likely be pushed down the list shortly.  

Just a side note to add. I did read the review for context and I am just offering an unbiases opinion as I don't know what is actually a fact. He mentioned a full nest vs a few bees.  For myself that would be a reason to leave, as I am allergic to bees and could not risk a full nest outside an entrance. Nest are not something that appear overnight, so just be mindful and stay on top of issues like that. Also, it's always good to know about the amenities you offer and how to assist guest with them. I am by no means amazing with tech stuff, but I know the basics and can assist guest with wifi  questions or basic issues if needed. Lastly,  if you update/remodel your space make sure your pictures reflect that. Guest like to see an accurate representation of what they are booking.