Reviewing a first time guest who was a mixed bag

Karen1756
Level 2
Auburn, CA

Reviewing a first time guest who was a mixed bag

I recently hosted a new Airbnb guest, with no reviews. She seemed confused about using the platform to communicate, and instead communicated strictly by personal text--not my preference, but not the end of the world. I didn't want to make a big deal of it as she was in town for a wedding, and probably busy/stressed/unclear. All went fine during her stay.

 

Overall she and her husband left the house tidy and pretty clean. However, something was spilled on my white sofa (arm and cushion) and the guests turned the cushion over (ostensibly to "hide" the stain from me).

 

I'm struggling with how to word my review.

She was communicative (albeit out of the Airbnb platform);

They seemed to follow our house rules;

They were clean enough (except the stain--which, I was able to remove, but the effort on their part to hide it left a bad taste).

I am currently thinking I should dock a star for cleanliness and write something like the following: "Using Airbnb for the first time, Jane and her husband followed our house rules, communicated well, and left a tidy house" and then explain in a private note that I was surprised she didn't point out the stains so I could remedy them, and that other hosts might be more strict about communicating through Airbnb.  (and BTW, she has already left me a review, surprising since I thought she didn't understand how to use the platform well).


Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks for the help! 

1 Reply 1
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Karen1756  Considering they weren't problematic guests, that's probably what I would do, too. I think it's pretty rude, though, to turn a cushion over and not fess up, as if you'll never notice. Realky immature behavior. Same thing happened to an upholstery client of mine- I had just made her new white cushion covers, first set of guests spilled red wine all over them and flipped them over.

 

In the private message, I would tell her that when guests have an accident like that, or damage anything, they need to inform the host right away, because stains come out much easier if deakt with immediately and what was she thinking, that you'd never notice? I'd also telll her you decided to be kind by not mentiining it in her first review, and that that you hope she appreciates that enough to not act like this in the future.

 

Or, I would actually mention it in the review, along with the positive stuff- "The only negative was an immature response to spilling red wine on the white couch, turning the cushions over as if I'd never know."