What do you do with passive-aggressive guests?

[Phil-and-Michelle1]

This has happened to us twice now. A guest comes and goes and seems like they are happy and everything is fine. Since Airbnb doesn't let us read their reviews before I post mine, I left them both glowing 5 star reviews. Then I find one of them left me a 3 star, complaining about dozens of things she never mentioned when talking to me, and the other a 1 star!! ONE STAR?!?!  This is so frustrating! She says she didn't sleep because our son was too loud. I have it in my listing that he stays up late sometimes and can be heard ...and I also tell everyone to please just let me know, at any hour, if he's too loud. We sleep right next door and I was not awake. So here's me, leaving her a glowing review, and she left me a terrible one. I responded, but it still doesn't seem enough. She said it was "her first and last experience with Airbnb."  

Does this happen to anyone else? 

[Ana1136]

@Phil-and-Michelle1 this just happened to me, they couldn't say enough great things about the apartment and in the end 3* overall. I try to not get too upset, some people don't know how the reviews work and others are just shady like that. Nothing you can do about that except post a public response which you say you did. Some hosts educate the guests about the review system upon arrival, but people who say nothing bad and then leave 1* will probably do that anyway. Just let it go, make sure to give your guests the best experience you can, there are always going to be people like these, but hopefully the good reviews will prevail. 

[Phil-and-Michelle1]

Thank you Ana — I know you are right.  As I read through our reviews, there are two in the last year that are like this, and the rest are five star.  So I hope guests will take that into account when they book 🙂 in the end I’ve decided not to ruminate on it!