How do you write a review for a difficult guest, without causing offence?

[Orla27]

Thanks for your help....She was late and had me waiting all day for her arrival, constantly changing the time by text message. I offered several times to collect her by car from wherever she was, but she declined.  When she arrived, she handed me bags of rubbish and uneaten food, even before she said hello and demanded I take her rubbish to a recycling centre, which I declined. She constantly left the front door wide open if she went out, meaning I came home to an empty house, where anyone could have just walked in and stolen anything, but even when reminding her to lock the door when she went out, she didn't. She stayed in her room for a week, not communicating. She got up early, took all the breakfast supplies back up to her room, which meant that the fancy yogurts and fruits I had bought for several days or a week, lasted just one day.  She helped herself to whatever she wanted, including taking extra towels from the linen cupboard, meaning I had six towels to wash, for one guest after a week. She then refused to leave at 10am check out time (yes, I realise this was not clear on my site, but I had said that 10 am was check out time) and did not even say goodbye or thank you when she eventually left.

How do I write a public review for this kind of person please?

[Helen3]

Hello @Orla27 

I am sorry you had such a bad guest. Quite honestly there are quite a few areas where you could have taken control as the host here to make things easier for you so I don't think you should mention in your review.

1. Use self check - then you don't need to be around to wait for your guest

2. Have a house rule that guests are not allowed to eat in their room but only in your dining room/kitchen.

3. Only make available for breakfast each day what you are happy for your guests to eat

3. Let your guest know that leaving your door unlocked is a major safety issue and that if they do it again you will have to ask Airbnb to cancel their booking.

4. Lock your linen cupboard.

Suggested Review

Unfortunately I cannot recommend XXX to future hosts. She kept me waiting all day to arrive to check in, had poor communication in the lead up and during her stay, left my front door open every day despite being told that it presented a security risk and being asked to lock it, and refused to leave at my check out time.

mark her down to one star for communication and house rules and three stars for other areas.

Tick the do not recommend box

.

[Steven65]

Hi @Orla27 It is awkward, right? We all have different expectations, so I would not comment on bad mannered or demanding guests. But i would comment on irresponsible guests who leave the door open and mark down on house rules. 

[Kelly149]

@Orla27 has there ever been anyone in the history of ever who wasn't offended at being told they were bad at something? So, I'm not sure that you can make that your goal.

I have found that being specific just gives people like this reasons to justify

"but the rules didn't say that"

"well that's not how my last abb host did it"

"everyone knows that isn't my responsibility"

So, IMO 1* Communication 1* House Rules 

No, I wouldn't host again

"Not a guest we would recommend to other hosts"

Most of what you described are frankly areas where you can improve your processes to solve problems:

don't set out more than what is for their use, don't wait around on people, but rather tell the tardy ones when you'll be back available to them, being super clear about departure times, etc.

But anyone who thinks they can walk out the front door and leave a private home just open to the elements should not in any way shape or form be allowed in any future non-hotel listing.

[Sarah977]

@Orla27  Why are you concerned about causing offense? This guest's behavior was rude and offensive to you.

So please just leave a factual review, non-emotional and brief, to warn other hosts of this guest's behavior, as I'm sure you would have appreciated being warned instead of unknowingly accepting her booking and being subjected to disrespectful behavior.

[Kaylee18]

@Orla27  Most important.... be extremely honest in your review! It is good for other hosts to know how her stay went with you. There are ways you can make it sound professional, but honest. 

[Khadija15]

I wold write exactly what she did in order to warn future hosts. 

[Helen427]

@Orla27  Sorry to hear you had such a challenging guest, we all get them from time to time.

Re breakfast/ food you may like to include in your house manual that whilst breakfast is provided, please be respectful and eat only what is reasonable.

I have a snippet in my Listing that if you wouldn't say (do) something  to your own mother or family in such a way, please don't do it in my home either - touch wood it seems to work - I included it after a guest who was similar in nature to the one you have encountered.

I'd be tempted to msg the guest that there behaviour was unreasonable in Private feedback.

Be mindful future Hosts and Guests can & will form a judgement on what you write about this guest, best to focus on future potential guests and put this bad experience to a one off.

Take care

All the best