So why do we get 'warnings' from Airbnb for 4 STARS?

[Rachael26]

As Hosts we are all working towards satisfied guests and lots of bookings. And using Airbnb means we also have to be concerned with the Review System - and the dreaded pressure to achieve 5 Stars. Not only because some of us may want to achieve SuperHost (the jury is still out for me as to whether there are any significant benefits to being a SuperHost - the increased expectations from guests v. a dedicated phone line and a $100 travel credit - hmmmmm, still not sure!) but also the pressure to keep above a 4.5 average, because when you dip below that number Airbnb start to send warnings of suspension and all sorts of negative things. As if the pressure of hosting wasn't enough!

So my question is this - is it fair for Airbnb to have such a high average standard (above 4.5) which basically makes anything lower than an overall 5 Star 'Bad'....... but the email they send to guests after a stay doesn't point this out. It actually reads like this (see below) and I believe this is sending one message to the guest - while sending another message to the Host.

'How was your stay at Fred's place?

Terrible

Bad

Okay

Good

Great

Share your experience while it’s still fresh. Your review will help Fred improve and tells future guests what to expect.'

SO IF FOUR STARS ARE CONSIDERED GOOD - and Airbnb sends this explanation out to the guest with the review request - then why such an unsupportive reaction from Airbnb when Hosts get a 4 star review?

Wouldn't most people booking a place to stay to save money and somewhere cheaper than a hotel - wouldn't they be happy with a 'Good' place? And delighted, but not expected, if a place turned out to be 'Great'? So why is it so bad from Airbnb's point of view to get a mix of 4 star and 5 star reviews?

I also agree with the suggestion that Airbnb should wait to send the warning emails until a host receives an overall 4 star review three times in a row. That would be more indicative of below par performance than the occasional 4 star overall that some guests just seem determined to give to be difficult or whatever reason they have in their heads.

This email message from Airbnb to the guests (showing 4 stars to mean 'Good' and 5 stars 'Great') is not helpful if Airbnb continue to use a different measuring stick for Hosts (meaning 4 stars is not 'Good' but you are failing as a Host).

[Kim87]

I feel you guys.

I recently made a trip as a guest and confirm nothing is explained when you leave the host a review. I just had to chose the star rating and leave a comment.

As a host with really good reviews, i find frustrating that some people leave 3 or 4 stars without expressing what i should do better. Considering airbnb only values 5 stars reviews, i think anything under that should go with a constructive comment; because most guests who left me 4 stars were perfectly happy and wrote really good reviews. I guess they just though oh well this is a small apartment, not a 5 stars hotel or something like that. They don't even realize we receive warnings after two 4 stars reviews.

I've had a few mid-happy guests who left comments and i used them to make better (or specify inconvenients on my listing).

I wish it was always like that when we get under 5 stars reviews; it's clearly not the case.

[Lindsay56]

Amen to that! I don't want to have to be the one to explain to guests how the rating system works (not that I could anyways since it's not defined by Airbnb!) and why they should give me 5 stars.

I have the information about my location, its walkability, what restaurants shops, freeways, transit lines, etc. we are near. I make it as clear as day. Yet my ratings are subpar. Am I being docked on my location because I screwed up the description or misrepresented the location? No. Did the guests rate it lower because they were actually on a trip to San Francisco, but stayed in Oakland because it's cheaper, so therefore the location wasn't their true destination? Probably. But we won't know as long as Airbnb's policy on the ratings remains this way.

[Heidi-and-Des0]

I completely agree that the negative attitude of airbnb towards hosts who are actually averaging high ratings because they are comitted to their guests, is very disappointing and annoying.

Also I got comments such as @" guest commented on inaccuracies of your description".  I checked this with the guest and found out that they commented on the appartment having been bigger than expected and that this was nice. So WHAT'S THE AIRBNB COMMENT ABOUT.  Hosts should be treated more fairly.

[Huma0]

I agree with all the comments on here so far.

To many guests, leaving a four star review is not bad, especially when Airbnb is telling them it equals 'Good'. They just don't give five stars unless they think a place is exceptional or like a five star hotel. Here are some of my four star reviews from very happy guests, who told me they loved their stay and would stay again:

"The house is beautifully quirky with a great historic feel. The room was comfortable and spacious as advertised. Moreover, the location was excellent; an easy walk to grocers, restaurants and the Underground. Last but not least, Huma was a wonderful, attentive and accommodating host."

"Time flies when you're having fun! Although we haven't been there much, my sister and I had a really pleasant stay at this lovely home!! Just a few minutes walk from the subway and shops, charming rooms, and a very friendly and helpfull host. Need we say more..."

"Huma was an excellent host. She greeted us promptly when she said she would and was very accommodating with her home. She is a funny and friendly woman with a wonderful home. I highly recommend staying there."

"Huma was really welcoming and made sure we had everything we needed. Also great for local knowledge! Thanks Huma! "

"I had a great stay at Huma's house. The house is really lovely with the whole Victorian touch. Was quite an experience for me. I was hardly home so didn't get much time to spend with huma but she was really helpful whenever I needed something. It was my birthday whilst my stay there and she actually remembered and got me a card which was really nice of her."

So, should I be repremanded for these? The guests feel like they were welcomed, the description was accurate, house was beautiful, location was convenient. What more can you do? Not enough, according to Airbnb...

[Solange22]

Dear Huma I have the same experience as you describe here, at the other side of the ocean. So you are not alone. I decided to let it go, not to try so hard anymore, to host from my heart and to forget about the stats. I ignore the stats since in my opinion, it is not a reflection of my place and how my guests experience staying in it. There are guests who don't want to elaborate about anything they hardly speak but you can tell by the sparks in their eyes that they are enjoying themselves and the place. So instead of the stats  read the people because in the end that is what it's all about. I promised myself to keep doing this (hosting) as long as I enjoy it. The moment that feeling is gone I am out. I love my place I love keeping it pristine and I love making the guests feel at home, I answer all their questions and requests and my listing is exactly how it shows on the site, no cheating. And that is what all the guests say the moment they open the doors, the surprise on their faces and the gratitude. There is nothing worse than travelling for hours and to come to a place where it's dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. So I will keep up the highest standards in my power and means. If you do the same the guests will appreciate it and forget the points. They are not real.

[Huma0]

@Solange22 yes that is a very good point. I have also had guests like those you mention. A recent pair of girls who didn't really communicate anything to me verbally, but I saw one give a "thumbs up" to the other when I showed them their room, so I knew it was going to be okay! Another pair of girls barely said a word while they were here, but I caught one of them taking selfies of herself all over the house, so I guess she liked it 🙂

[Michael956]

@Huma0 One of my guests recently wrote that my house is an "instagramer's heaven".  I loved that!  When we see guests snapping away with their cel phones we know we're doing something right.  

[Huma0]

@Solange22 yes that is a very good point. I have also had guests like those you mention. A recent pair of girls who didn't really communicate anything to me verbally, but I saw one give a "thumbs up" to the other when I showed them their room, so I knew it was going to be okay! Another pair of girls barely said a word while they were here, but I caught one of them taking selfies of herself all over the house, so I guess she liked it 🙂 Both sets of guests left nice reviews.

[Solange22]

Dear all, I have closed 2 apartments now since I couldn't deal with the unfairness anymore about the granting of stars that do'nt reflect my service as a host, or the place that I am offering and I am selling the place. I have one apartment left and hope to finally after at least 8, 5 star reviews, to climb up again to my 5 star satus. If not, I will reconsider the AIRBNB thing, because I have just been certified by the tourist board for excelence after and audit. That gives me another platform where I can be visible to guests and tourists.

[Corinne188]

Can someone help me understand why my latest review which was all 5 stars made my rating drop from a 4.5 to a 4.4 star rating?  I am stunned and at a loss.  I would have thought it woudl boost my rating.  The guests were happy, we the hosts were happy with them.  As soon as the young lady saw the apartment she exclaimed in Spanish how lovely.  Hosting on this website is so stressful.  Corinne

[Joa1]

@Corinne0

Did you check your stats page to make sure than the review was 5 stars for everything?  If so, contact Airbnb and ask them why.  Go to help, click on that reservation, go to the bottom of the page and click on contact.

I completely agree that hosting with Airbnb has become extremely stressful.  So stressful that, although I am doing well with my reservations, I am considering removing my listing from the Airbnb site.

I had a new host in my town completely copy the text of my listing's description.  When I contacted him he was agressive and unpleasantly told me that there was no way I could prove that the descriptive text he used was mine.  I contacted Airbnb...their response was to tell me to block him so he couldn't contact me again, and to contact my local police if he bothered me further.  They would do NOTHING about him plagarizing my text.  That on top of the guests who came and spent their whole visit drinking, and left me 4 stars for everything.  

[Corinne188]

@Joa1  Hello Joa  yes I actually did a triple check, 5 stars in all categories and the guests (who expressed a desire to return next summer) confirmed as much.  I have also done well with booking on this site, but do equally well on another site I pay an annual subscription for.  I just get the sense that the staff (if there are any? no online help only a Q&A page) don't care.  If they didn't address your plagiarism issue (which is just terribly by the way!) I doubt they would care about my rating concerns.  I find the entire comment system very unjust, you can't rebut untrue or ridiculous statements.  Who complains about sand at a beach house?  I hear you on the drinking guests, here pot is legal....my last booking they left dead fish in a bucket in the living room.  The place stunk to high heaven and the next family complained.  I find the site more geared to the guests and not the hosts.

[Corinne188]

@Joa1 Thanks for the advice about going to the help page and at the bottom of the reservation clicking contact, i did that, I am curious how they calculate and asked as much, even implying if the calculation algorythm syntax was not working properly lol.  We shall see how they answer!  Again thanks.  Learning lots from joining this conversation forum

[Joa1]

@Corinne188 Good luck Corinne!  From my experiences with Airbnb customer service, be persistent and polite, and don't let them "close your case" until you get an answer you are satisfied with.  

Please let us know what happens!!

[Corinne188]

@Joa1 I was pleasantly surpised by the response I received from the agent who replied, she was very informative and helped me understand this silly rating system.  In a nutshell it does not matter in the LEAST what the guests rate the sub categories as, they could be all ones BUT it is the final question that drives our overall rating.  So when those guests left me all 5's and then decided to list their OVERALL experience as a 4 (how does that even make sense?)  It dragged me down a notch.  I told the agent mathamatically that does not even equate, how can you have all 5's but the overall experience is only a 4?  She agreed and said she will send my feedback to another team who handles that area.  I recommend they either prompt the guest with an ARE YOU SURE? Type question (since they just gave stellar ratings for all the categories) OR Make it a question and not a number, like overall how was your experience with this host? poor, mediocre, terrific etc.  Shaking my head, who ever designed this was not very analytical lol