Directional Challenging Guests

[Nicole563]

I had a older couple during the weekend, they are new to AirB&B. I know GPS would most likely route them to a slightly challenging road. I sent them a very clear map and check-in instructions( I will be home, just ring the doorbell) on the morning of their arrival day. They didn’t read my message seriously, sure enough they had problem finding my place. They eventually found it after reading the map I sent. Let’s say that 99% of my guests had no problem finding my place. Review came in this morning, 4 stars on Accuracy, Check In and Location. “Unbelievable” that’s all I can say. My first 4 star for Accuracy and Check In. Second 4 star for Location from people who didn’t care to read messages. Tired of the clueless people!!!

[Ana1136]

@Nicole563 you are lucky that these are the first ones after more than 60 reviews. I am exactly on the main street and some people still cant find the place. You are doing everything right and you have great reviews, don't get upset over these occasional ones from people who need guidance every step of the way. 

[Mika8]

@Nicole563  ... I have even got 1* for accuracy and check-in because the airbnb system misleads my guests (to a place just 2 minutes away) and I clearly tell everyone in CAPITAL letters, that they should not follow the link/map from the airbnb system .. .. the explanation from the guest was: I walked 2 hours around but then I read your instructions and found it very easily .. not to mention that I was waiting over 2 hours for him. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Nicole563@Mika8 

same thing here, I tell everyone in CAPITAL letters that they should set our address manually in GPS and make sure they don't end up in another city because our street is named by famous poet and every city has a street or a square named by him 😄

I also tell all of my guests via message + have it written in my listing to TAKE A TAXI from the bus station or the airport and not the public transport. I even offer to organize their transfer. It costs almost the same as public transport but I know the exact time of their arrival and it is more comfortable. But no, they want to save 2€ and will keep me waiting for an hour , not to mention all the trouble they go through with currency exchange, buying tickets, waiting, dragging heavy luggage in and out the bus and tram etc... unbelievable! I mean, they have paid expensive plane tickets from Asia to Europe and then they are too cheap to take a taxi and spend 2€ more ?!!?

But they don't listen, so they are late or get lost and arrive tired and nervous and then I got a retaliation review . Our worst reviews came from guests who didn't read our messages, instructions and our listing. Of course they all blame us for their mistakes. It's like parenting - mum is always guilty.

[Mika8]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  .. you're so right!

this is my last pearl I received:

And this is the very first sentence of my description:

for light travelers only

then further:

| the 4S stands for |
| a Small room |
| for a Small price |
| for easy-going people with only Small/NO luggage |
| and that a Small breakfast is included |

Welcome!

I rent a cozy bed in a small room, like a sleeping alcove .. the room has a good bed, a big table, and a nice window but not much more, it's really only some square meters (around 6 sqm)! AND it has only a CURTAIN, NO DOOR

And of course it is also stated at the very beginning of my house rule, because this is a really special rule which I have to set with my HOA that they allow me to do airbnb. There is no problem to rent my room to guests with small luggage and I force nobody else to rent my room. 

The sentence about the check-in time is also great .. just for info: the girl made a booking at Saturday evening for the next day with this words: Looking forward!.

After I had confirmed the booking she wrote: I will eat in early morning tomorrow. When is the earliest convenient time for you that I can check in. Thanks,
Pin

As I had already plans for the next day I wrote her that the earliest time is 5 pm (I changed my plans that I could make a check-in at the earliest time according the check-in time from my listing which is 5 pm).

She wrote: Ok. Noted, thanks! (I had no idea if she really likes to came at this time or not .. and then the next day around half past 5 she wrote: I am on my way. Also this gives no idea at which time she would arrive as it was speculative from where she is on her way, probably she made a short stopover in New York, who knows... 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

hyaoo @Mika8  ... O M G...

I have to admit before I start hosting I thought humankind is more intelligent. Three years later and I am really horrified.... I don't think our planet can survive so much stupidity for much longer  😞

[Nicole563]

I start to lose patience.

[Mark116]

@Mika8 

Wow.  Oh well, not that we needed any additional evidence that guests don't read the listings.  Sad.  What a b+++ though to leave 1 star.  

[Mika8]

@Mark116  .. yeah, luckily I have enough other reviews that I'm still at 5* overall, but for a newbie with only a few reviews this would be horrible and the best would be to close this listing and open a new one.

In this superhost period I had the luck - or bad luck - to have 3 such duchbags (on different listings), this girl, another who didn't like to pay for two additional people and one group who made lot of damage, which I claimed .. all gave me 1* .. and I just checked, in all listings I still have 5* average .. and interestingly as I checked I saw that I have only 4,5* on value at one listing .. this listing is the same room as another listing, this is the cheap one (but only for one night, that we could use this room during the day) and the other is more expensive (for several nights) .. the more expensive one has better ranking in value (both have around 60 reviews).

[Mika8]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  .. yeah, this have been my thoughts too .. back in 2014 .. btw, the guy who wandered around for 2 hours is a professor from the college of humanities at least, this stands on his profile. Or I had another well educated girl here and I explained her (with a map) the public transport in front of my house, which is really really easy .. so, I explained her, that in front of my house number 9 and number 10 drive .. then she took a letter and read the instructions of the job offer she had to go the next day, in the letter was written that she could go there with number 7 and number 9 .. yes, and then she asked me, which number she should take .. yeah .. probably number 9 as number 7 doesn't drive in front of my house? .. the use and function of a shower curtain is also very difficult .. I know that certain countries have 'wet bathrooms' .. but is it really so difficult to think about the function of a shower curtain, why is it there? how has it to be set, that the function is maintained? .. .. or my door, it locks not automatically, for so many guests it's unbelievable that they have to turn the key the other way round to lock the door then to open it.... or or or .. so many more stories ...

but the other side and that's the really sad story which I learned .. .. I could partly understand if people came from somewhere, where education is low or not focused on self-thinking that they waste energy and resources .. because nobody really informed them and as said - especially from one huge country - the government only like to have marionettes and not self-thinking-people (we could only hope, that this will change soon). But also in other countries people do not think at all about their actions .. and I really appreciate your statements when it goes about 'disposable toilet cleaners' or 'single-use shampoo/soap' etc.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

auuuu@Mika8  don't tell me about the shower curtain outside the bathtub! Every second group flood the bathroom!

And a key! ... we had to install an expensive digital lock to avoid keys but they still have to close the door manually and it was too complicated for 2 groups in 2 weeks!

And have you noticed how nobody uses windows for ventilation any more? They Just turn on A/C. So even at the evening when it's 17C outside they will use A/C to cool down! I don't have to tell you about the smell and humidity I often find after they check out.. 

Every year, after I turn off the heating, not even a week goes by and guests already ask for A/C. This year the record was broken by one group from Hong Kong, they have asked for A/C while the heating was still on and it was 18 C outside 😄 I told them to turn off the heating and open the window, they were surprised but said OK 😄

Unbelievable....  I feel like I work in the mental hospital 😄 

[Mika8]

@Nicole563  .. yes, patience is really necessary which such clueless people .. I was once only a dime away to rename my listing instead of | the 4S | .. to | the 5S |  .. and add a line | for Smart people only |  ... if I only had a little hope, that it would help I would have done it. .. but as anyway only smart people reads the description, it would not have made a difference.