Ratings vs review

[Agnieszka7]

We have just had a guest who has left us a very good review and said in a private message that she really enjoyed staying with us but she hasn't given us good ratings -- according to her the accuracy and value of our place was 4 points and cleanliness - 3.

I have asked her in a private message if she could explain to me what was wrong in these categories and she has answered that 'nothing, everything was good, the place was clean, our descriptions were accurate,  etc  but she only gives five star rating if the place was as clean as a five star hotel or a hospital', and generally she doesn't like to give five points ratings to anybody because nothing is that perfect... Now, I have to say I am really upset by the way she rated our place because up to now all our ratings were five points and as we know, lower grades influence our perfromance... I am also shocked with her attitude -- if everything was good, clean, accurate - why has she given us a downgrade? Thirdly, even though I haven't told her this - despite giving her five stars throughout - it was she who left a dirty bath tub with hair all over it after a shower etc etc.., anyway has anybody of you had similar experience and what would you do in such a situation? I feel we have been treated unfairly... is there any way of protesting such a thing? 

[Lawrene0]

It just happens sometimes, @Agnieszka7. I know it is hard to see any humour in it right now, but I had one of those early on, and I wished I had known so I could have given her 3 stars for being an ordinary person. 5 stars, surely, are just for royalty 🙂

Guests are told that 3 stars is good, 4 stars is great, etc. In the pages they must complete, 5 stars is "much better than expected". The fault is not theirs. It is a skewed and veiled system that needs an overhaul. 

In the meantime, you will get more guests that understand and you will get more 5s than 4s and 3s, and it will be okay in the end. 

It is really, really frustrating, though. I completely understand that.

[Adam468]

So we had a guest over Christmas-as we were not on top of the pricing when they booked in September, they managed to get 5 days away at Xmas at a low season rate, he then accidentally cancelled but we were reasonable when he tried to rebook, and kept the price at the original amount. He left today, his messages were all good, nil issues whilst we’ve conversed; his individual ratings are 5* the only critiscm was he wanted a top sheet for the bed but the overall rating given was a 3. A f**king 3!  As it was Xmas We had given  him chocolate, wine as well as mineral water and milk and this 3 takes me below the 4.8 superhost rating with 3 days left of the reporting period. This BS rating system needs to be addressed, if being a superhost does affect bookings then Im about to be financially penalised because of it. So what can be done? I’m told ABB will not remove the review, my issue is if you mark the individual ratings as 5, then the overal rating should reflect the sum of its parts. Maybe automatically adjusting the overall  rating when you mark on the value cleanliness etc or you have  to justify why it shouldn’t be a 5* if you choose otherwise;  perhaps adopting EBay review choices by having negative neutral or positive feedback choices. When all I can judge a guest on is whether he was loud, didn’t  trash my unit and said ‘hello’  then it is completely and unreasonably weighted in the guests favour. Hosts  need to be able to have a ‘demanding’ or ‘unreasonable’ marker option for the guest!!!

[Cor3]

Hi @Agnieszka7,

Unfortunately there is a breed of guests, that will never give 5 stars 😞 As they consider perfection is not from this world.

There is nothing we can change about this, or recognize such attitude upfront.

At best you may recognize the background culture of such guests. As this is what typically motivates such an attitude.

I know it is hard to swallow. Just don’t take such ratings personal. As it is not meant like that.

They do hurt though.

Fortunately, most guests do seem to understand, when everything is really good or better. A place deserves a 5-star all across the board. And that everything less than a 5-star does mean a slap on the wrist of the host.

There is not much you can do about such situations. As you said, the textual review was fine.

Airbnb may remove reviews upon request, but only when the review is not in line with their policies (most likely not the case here).

Furthermore, prospective guests cannot see, the individual ratings given by your previous guests.