Location - as a term

Vanessa847
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

Location - as a term

So here's my gripe - the term 'location'.  I will often get a review  "lovely house, great area, it took 20 mins to get into the centre. 4 stars".  I can't work out whether Airbnb mean 'location' in terms of closeness to the city centre or in terms of area.  I think guests judge on how long it takes them to get where they're going - I don't that's fair.  When guests book, they can see a map of where the room is and a description of transport links/access to the centre so they know exactly the location in terms of distance and where they want to go.  That is generally backed up by price - obviously the closer to the city centre you are, the more the cost of room.  So as long as the room/property remains in the location advertised (!), one should receive a 5 star rating for accuracy.  The location of the property is what it is and it's not fair to judge it in terms of guests' inexperience of city transport or distance.

 

If Airbnb use the term location to mean "what is the area like", then they should make that clear.  That's a whole different thing and they should use the term "area" or "neighbourhood".  Then the guests have a right to judge.  

 

Does anybody else fee like this?

25 Replies 25

@Ann72  Would it be so bad if it drove away those guests who would complain about the distance and mark you down, thereby leaving your calendar open for more reasonable guests?

@Sarah977 Honestly there have only been 3 or 4 in five years (but I begrudge every one of them lol).  Also, I don't want to limit the experience.  Guests want to go to Acadia, and they should, but many find that they also want to just be up on Caterpillar Hill and feel the peace and quiet.  I give everyone a guidebook that has about 75 listings, from kayaking to hiking to restaurants and galleries and everything in between.  The reviews speak to all of this, and I find more people read the reviews than read the entire listing, so most people aren't in the least disappointed.  I think the most important thing to note is that the only people who gave 4 stars for location never expressed an interest in Acadia, so I didn't point the distance out to them.  Because while I have many skills, mind-reading isn't one of them.

Yes it very frustrating because you can not change the location . I live 5 minutes from downtown but I am 14 miles from the beach but I tell them that in the listing. so accuracy is not a issue but I just got a four and I tell them about everything I don't cable but they do have Wifi and everyone streams anymore.

Shant3
Level 1
Vancouver, Canada

I agree absolutely. Remove location as a star rating option. We are not being judged for our cities! We are being judged for the quality of our home and service. The tourist is responsible for where they book and how far they want to travel. Every poor rating affects business negatively. It's consistently the only time I get less than 5 stars. Why should all my hard work go to waste because some people are casually throwing around 3-4 stars for something that is outside of everyone's control but the guests?

Mike1034
Level 10
Mountain View, CA

Location makes more sense in terms of the surrounding environment where the house is located.For example, is the surrounding environment quiet? Is the surrounding environment clean, and is the surrounding environment safe? etc.

 

If it is meant for distance or conveniece, there will be many different standards. Some people may think that it is good to be close to restaurants and commercial centers such as downtown. Other people may think that it is good to be close to public transportation. Still other people may think that it is good to be close to the sightseeing sites.

 

Therefore, location is more meaningful to a guest's purpose of the trip. It is picked by the guest anyway. I agree location cagegory should be removed. If Airbnb does not remove the location, at least some explanation should be given and restricted to that.

@Mike1034  Quiet, clean and safe can also be subjective. If I have neighbors down the road whose property is a trash heap, that my guests have to walk past to get to town, but my property is clean and tidy, why should guests be allowed to mark down my listing?  There have been reports here from hosts who've had guests who felt "unsafe" in the neighborhood, (even though the host has been living there for years without incident), just because it may be a multiracial neighborhood that the guest has an unfounded fear of because they are prejudiced. Here in Mexico, which tends to be a loud country, locals would consider their location to be quiet if there were no roosters around and none of the neighbors played loud music, but a guest might consider it noisy and complain because they don't understand that unless they booked a secluded place in the jungle, or paid the price for a beachfront property where the sound of the pounding waves would block out everything else, they will hear barking dogs everywhere in this country.

I'd just like to see a box that guests could fill out if they wish to speak about the location, and forget star-rating location entirely. And of course they can write about the location in their reviews if they choose.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Ann72  I'm extremely grateful to the articulate and lovely guests who've written such descriptive and nice reviews for my place. Because, as you say, guests are more prone to read reviews than slog through all the listing info.

Kezneth0
Level 3
Bradford, United Kingdom

Hi Sarah,

I understand your  frustration   about this location issue. I have  had 2 guests giving me 3 stars because of location. Even complaining about the rubbish in my neighbour's garden. The other complained about parking even if my listing states that its a street parking which means its not private. I agree with  you that location should be specifically difined as " how is the neighbourhood". Because the location is already on Maps, so the guests know  exately where there are going to stay.

Location should be something guests can comment on like "stylish space" and "great amenities". It definitely shouldn't carry a star rating.

Karen1027
Level 4
South Africa

Yes absolutely. I've been complaining to Airbnb for a long time about this. We are 8kms from the closest shops in a semi-rural area. Guests can see this but they book because the rates are good and because we offer what they are looking for in a beautiful place. They rave about the beautiful views and everything else and them bomb us on location. Airbn needs to be more specific about all the topics which guests can rate .The other one is cleanliness .The topic should be: Was the space clean on arrival". Too many times guests are understanding the question in a different way and therefore if their coffee mug is not washed they bomb us with a 4 for cleanliness. This is also not fair. There are too many things that need to get fixed .

Kristi36
Level 5
St Paul, MN

Location rating is my biggest issue. I live in a safe, clean, cute neighborhood, easy to get to and close to restaurants and shopping and in a city that has been consistently on lists of the top 10 cities to live.  And yet folks still take off a star because it's not close to where they wanted or needed to go-- usually the famous Mayo Clinic (which is actually only 6 miles/10 minute drive). This is all stated in my description, and yet I get four stars because they couldn't walk there. Someone lowered location because the drive to the airport was 18 minutes. Someone gave me four stars for location, saying my home was on a "bland, Steven Spielbergesque suburban street."  I just don't know . . .  Location should be about accuracy of description. Location brings my rating down; nothing else does.