@Jamie69 I think the main idea of your words. This stay was not a disaster, but it was much less tidy and clean than what you have seen during your 10 trips.
Rating and reviews have been a problem for me too sometimes, especially in the beginning, when I faced for the first time something disappointing.
I now think that reviews and ratings have to do with a comparison system that all hosts obtain but it is not the same to all of us. To me, when there are guests who come on time and keep me updated constantly if needed, who make me feel great with their positive energy, who take the trash out, wash all the dishes and respect everything, I would not feel well to give them exactly the same rates and reviews with the kind of guests you described.
So, I think no review or rating can be totally objective, it always depends on some degree of comparison and personal criteria. Unless you copy-paste exactly the same review to anyone!
However, I try not to waste my very low ratings for light cases. I may rate with 4 or 3 stars but very rarely with 2 or 1.
Also, I make sure that my review will be written in a way that shows professionalism and politeness. I mean, I refer to certain actions and issues and not generally to the guests as persons.
I will give some examples of how I write a difficult review:
"Ann and her friends were polite guests and our communication was good before check-in. However, the kitchen was not left in the best possible condition. The dishes and the kitchen devices were not washed, despite our house rules."
This one is the review for my worst Airbnb experience so far:
"I would never recommend those guests! It was my worst experience until now. 1) The guests smoke inside the house, which means that they broke one of my House Rules! I needed one whole day to remove the smoke smell. It was the only time that a guest broke that rule after 116 hosted trips. 2) The place was left in an extremely bad condition. All the dishes and pots were used and left unwashed with parched fats and burned food on them. The surfaces of the kitchen and the kitchen devices were left very dirty. 3) They asked us to let them stay a little more (until 14:00 - 14:30) and we said that it was ok, but they finally left at 16:00."
But this last one was a REALLY bad experience for me.
Anyway, I wish you to never have a worse experience than what you describe! And you already know, that the majority of the guests are great and make us feel wonderful with what we do.