I am now already in a +10 day discussion with Airbnb on an i...
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I am now already in a +10 day discussion with Airbnb on an issue of blocked days that are being switched to 'active' in the c...
Latest reply
@Jo102 I looked at your listing and I think you accurately portray a well-loved, cozy home. If you are getting feedback that does not appreciate what you are providing, I wonder if there is a way for you to communicate with the potential guest to better assess if your place is a good fit for their expectations. Since you are not there to interact with the guests, it is difficult for you to see your home through the eyes of the traveler. Also, it would good for you to check in with guests during their stay to ensure all is going well. Do you have someone near by while you are away that could be available if there is anything that needs attending? Have you ever looked at other booking platforms that would work for your home and circumstances?
Hi Linda, Thank you for your feedback. I do reiterate with guests that this is a family home and not everything is brand new etc etc beforehand. I did actually meet one of the last family and showed them round too. The house is constantly being improved too. Yes it may be possible for me to get somebody to be available at certain times of the year so I will look into that. I think I have just been a bit unlucky with people not fully understanding the star system. People I know complement my home and I really do keep it clean but I think maybe some people are looking for more of a 'hotel' type experience. A couple of my marked down areas have been location but I'm not quite sure how I can change that! I am definitely going to check in with guests more to check for problems though. That way, hopefully it will **bleep** it in the bud. I have had guests who have emailed and said how they enjoyed their trip but have then not left a review. I think I will ask them to review in future.
@Jo102 I say Airbnb is not a hotel set-up but a unique experience in a private home and add some words that convey that the furniture is not new etc. and any other quirks in the opening description, that way people's expectation will not for a newly renovated place. I don't know if you greet them or you are there when they leave but if you can it's always a good idea to show them around on arrival and also get some feedback when they leave. Best for the best of future guests.
This is a tough one @Jo102. You clearly try to communicate what guests should expect and they are not exactly paying a huge amount for a whole house so expecting a hotel type experience is a bit unrealistic. Unfortunately, a lot of guests expectations are unrealistic and a lot of them don't read the info you give them, or they don't take it in.
It's also really hard to make an unmodernised space look shiney and perfect. I have a very old house and although most of it is renovated/redecorated/nicely furnished, it's far from perfect.
What I realised is, although I have a weekly cleaner, there are so many places for dust to settle and things that you don't notice the cleaner isn't doing.
I know it's difficult when you have a family, but I would suggest a really thorough deep clean if you can manage it. I've been doing this room by room while my cleaner has been on holiday and I was surprised at how much dirt I found. Some of the skirting boards and corners really needed attention. The inside of the bath was pristine but the outside was disgusting. I didn't realise how dirty some of the kitchen cabinets were until I ran a cloth over them and they changed colour! Yuck! And to think I thought it was all clean (I pay for a cleaner after all).
If you can get the house as clean as possible, after that it is a matter of less rigorous regular cleaning. Do your normal clean, but each time, pick one thing/area that needs deep cleaning, e.g. skirting that you wouldn't necessarily do every week. That way you can keep on top of it.