Going to be a bad review

Lindsay76
Level 1
Pleasant Hill, CA

Going to be a bad review

We had a guest book for 8 days. Everything was going fine until a couple days before the end of her visit. I got a message from her saying it smelled like someone smoked in her room. That was strange as this is a non-smoking home. I checked the property and didn't detect any smells. I suggested maybe the air conditioner was the culprit so I shut it off.  The next day, she messages me again insinuating that someone is coming into her room and smoking in there. I assured her that no one has smoked in or around the property. My brother and I knocked on her door to try to resolve this issue for her. Upon entering her room, neither of us could smell anything offensive.  I offered to freshen her room and she declined stating she had brought scented candles with her. I was confused what she was complaining about since no one else could smell it.  She then wanted to go into the rest of the house and insinuated that we were calling her crazy.  We offered her a refund.  She ended up putting in a grievance with airbnb to get a refund for her remaining 2 nights and stated that we did nothing to attempt to fix the issue and that we laughed at her. She also stated that we lied in our listing about the house being a non-smoking home.  Honestly, I was glad to have her out of the house as she was making us very uncomfortable. I wasn't going to review her as I knew she would leave a negative review back but I just got an email saying she has left a review. Tomorrow will be the 14th day so I feel like I need to post something as well. I've never had any problems with any other guests so this whole occurrence was very strange. How should I word this review? I don't want to sound rude but I feel she was being unreasonable 

4 Replies 4
Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

“Better suited for a hotel environment”

@Lindsay76   As said better suited to hotel, make it short and professional. But, you should definitely respond to her review if she mentions unfounded negatives, again short and professional. Long, combative responses and reviews can be a turn-off for future guests, however much deserved they are.

Lindsay76
Level 1
Pleasant Hill, CA

I left the "better suited for hotel environment" comment and here's her review. I'm too angry to write something back right now but this is all bull. I also had people staying back to back before and after her stay and never had any complaints. Not sure how to handle this one. 

“This place is pretty accurate to its pictures and Janice was a decent host when she was there. However she was not home the entirety of my stay and I had some issues with a marijuana smell in my room. It was really annoying and disappointing that they did nothing to prevent the smell. When I got back after a long day out is smelled as though someone had smoked in the room while I was gone. I contacted the host and she said its probably my daughter or neighbor who lives in the house. She said she would talk to them, when I came back again it was the same thing, stinky room. I am really sensitive to smells and HATE the smell of weed! I send a message to let Janice know and her daughter responded I don't smell anything. I said feel free to come check out the smell and she said no it's ok. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door, I opened the door to see Janice's son(who also lives on the property) and the daughter. I asked them to come in and check it out, the some took one step in the door and said I don't smell anything while the daughter stood outside giggling saying "I'm so confused, I don't know whats going on" with blood shot eyes. I called Janice, the host and mom to these adult children, she just said I don't know what to tell you. I'm not there and my kids say they don't smell anything. Weed is a hard smell to make up or imagine, it reeks bad! It was disappointing that she didn't hear my concern for the smell and didn't try to do anything about it. I would suggest only having guest when the host will be there and ask your daughter or housemate to smoke on the front porch not in the house. Problem solved!!!”

@Lindsay76

I think I'd mention that you take such guest complaints seriously and because of her claim and because no one else could notice any smells you asked guests who stayed before and after her about the smells in the room and no one else complained or mentioned smells. Then just wish her the best and leave it at that 🙂

Good luck~