Host Reviews

[Peter1185]

Hi,

I've stayed at 3 AirBnB properties but have yet to get a single host review, is that normal?    I'm a very conscientious guest, extremely quiet, thoroughly clean before I leave, empty all trash cans and often leave extra supplies for my host (usually matching what they have in-house).

[Ana1136]

@Donna240 that means that guests should not review us too, because they signed up to just travel and not write revies. And we all know what happens if we dont't get reviews - no bookings. It goes both ways.

[Sandra126]

Actually Donna, if you look in the forum there are frequent calls for help: ''I have an enquiry from someone who says he has used Airbnb before, member since 2016 but has no reviews - what should I do???''

Hosts are indeed reluctant, even afraid, to take unreviewed guests as it makes them suspicious. Just read a bit and you will see it again and again.

[Sandra126]

But the guest wants one, clearly, as @Peter1185 says. I would never ask a host for a review, but I have stayed and not been reviewed. Plus a guest who is not recommended cannot use IB. I just can't see why not review the guest, even if just to say ''great guest, thank you for staying''. They give me money, I would like to say thank you.

Hosts who write good reviews in the hope of reciprocation are mistaken anyway as it doesn't work like that, I think very nearly all of us know that by now.

[Donna240]

@Sandra126Do you as a host, ask your guests for reviews? I'm certain everyone here has done that, so I don't know why a guest wouldn't if it were important to them. You know, saying thank you can be done in so many different ways. I provide fresh flowers, fresh coffee (the expensive kind) at least 10 kinds of tea, free entrance to museums, plush towels, high thread count sheets, a ride around the neighborhood, and a ride to the best grocery store in the area, I always greet my guests and give them a short orientation of how things work, I always see them off, sometimes when I'm visiting their city I invite them out to dinner and pay for it, and I always respond to their reviews by saying thank you. My guests know they are not just an income stream for me and feel valued and appreciated. I think that's more than enough.

[Sarah977]

@Donna240    While the guest benefits from a good review, the actual purpose of hosts leaving reviews is for other hosts to decide if they want to host this guest. So by not leaving reviews, you are actually doing a disservice to other hosts.

Yes, I have accepted new to Airbnb guests with no reviews. I think those people deserve a chance, and since I host in my home, they really can't do things like trash the place or sneak in extra guests. And I get a read on them from messaging, as you do.

But if I see that a guest has been a member for quite some time and has no reviews, I would be suspicious- that they weren't good guests and the hosts simply couldn't bring themselves to leave a bad review.

[Sandra126]

No, @Donna240, have never asked for a review. That is up to the guest, they get prompted already. Most do, even with the new system. No matter how many flowers you provide, leave a brief review as well. For other hosts if nothing else! Until I read this post I didn't even realise this was a thing, not to leave a host review. I just thought it was part and parcel of being on this platform. Things you just DO.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Well, it is understandable why hosts often don't leave reviews. For example we have 2 units, we are offsite hosts and our average stay is just 2 days. It means that during the season we have check-outs/ins almost every day. We see our guests on the arrival for 20 min max. If we don't review them the same day , after a week we don't even remember who was who any more... and writing the same words over and over again become very boring  (Friendly and neat guests, left the apartment clean and tidy, would host them again, recommend.. blah blah... ) 

In contrary, if some guest is not good then I have to spend at least an hour (or more) to think how to write a bad review to make it short ,polite ,neutral etc... in a foreign language.

We do write reviews but it is boring and time consuming task. I can only immagine how is it for hosts with more then 2 units specially if they don't clean and meet their guests in person.

[Ange2]

I pretty much write the same review for good guests purely with an eye to informing future hosts so they know that the guest was clean, respectful, responsible, blah! blah! blah!   Boring, yes, but essential information for future hosts.  If the guests are otherwise, I have no wish to torture myself and spend time crafting something that Airbnb will not delete, so I usually write "stayed for xx nights" by way of a flag for future hosts to be on their guard and do due diligence.

[Sandra126]

@Branka-and-Silvia0, cut and paste if you always write the same (unless trouble). I have no problem with spending one minute ticking the boxes and saying thanks. Job done. The guest on the other has a lenghty job ahead of them to get through the review process. I have several review a week to write but it takes far less time than my present time on the forum and is probably more useful... To the guest, anyway. I usually write them straight away while I remember, a day later and it will all be out of my head.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Yes, we do have some reviews saved to copy paste 🙂

Bad reviews are another story...

[Victoria567]

Im afraid it’s a 2 way street..... based on trust.

The trend is guests not leaving reviews......hosts are following suit!

[Jackie148]

I agree with you I won't review any more if I don't get a review as I'm fed up giving reviews and not receiving I currently have two guest sitting waiting for me to review but they have not submitted mine I won't ask a guest to review yes it is a two way thing some may think it's childish silly but why should I supply reviews to those that don't just my thoughts

[Mark116]

We used to review everyone, but were burned too many times, writing a great review of guests who couldn't be bothered, even with follow up reminders, to review us, so, now, I encourage guests to write reviews, but unless they need the 'better suited to a hotel' review, we only review when guests do.

[Sandra126]

All I can say is that I hope Airbnb makes this a compulsory action since I have now learnt that some of us skip this step. Review your guests! Review them not to get a review, do it because it should be done.

And I am not a fan of compulsory actions, but if that is the only way, then let it be so.

[Letti0]

@Sandra126  I am constantly harping on hosts to review guests. Think about all the hosts out there that do not use this forum and just do not review. Look at this forum and the ones that should know better, just don't. The only guests I cannot leave a review for are related to my guests that book direct from us for a wedding stay. Every other guest that has stayed on all my listing sites gets a review good or bad. Even the ones that have not reviewed me.