Anyone successful challenging rating on location?

[Robin129]

I just tweeted at AirbnbHelp regarding my score for location. They requested I direct message them through Twitter. This is what I said:

     "Just had another guest give less than 5 for location. My description is VERY clear re: location. I cannot move my home. I have 4.4 for location. This affects my overall score as host. It is wrong to penalize hosts who make it clear where they are located in relation to cities, destinations, Interstates. My listing is rooms/16751778 ."

My short description, the one most people should be able to see is:

     "This 2-story 1920's era home offers the original Airbnb experience with a private room just for you. Off historic Midland Trail (U.S. Route 60), 3 miles to I-64/77, 15 miles to Downtown Charleston, 18 miles to Kanawha State Forrest 35 miles to Hawks Nest State Park, 46 miles to Summit Bechtel Reserve. Walk or run the paved elementary or high school tracks two blocks away. Five food options within one mile. **Check-in/out times are FIRM."

How in the name of ham sandwiches can someone ding me for location with all that upfront information. So, now my question is has anyone successfully challenged ratings on location?

[Robin129]

So ... they said:

"Thank you for getting back to us and we understand your point of view, Robin. The only thing that you can do in this case is to add more reference points in your listing's description and also helping your guests locate the apartment before the check-in. We are sure that you are doing a wonderful job already but let us know if we can be of any further help! Thanks."

Then I said:

" More reference points? How in the name of a ham sandwich is that going to help if they don't read what is there already? (Also it is a room in my house, not an appartment.) I already say: Off historic Midland Trail (U.S. Route 60), 3 miles to I-64/77, 15 miles to Downtown Charleston, 18 miles to Kanawha State Forrest 35 miles to Hawks Nest State Park, 46 miles to Summit Bechtel Reserve. Walk or run the paved elementary or high school tracks two blocks away. Five food options within one mile. Also there is a map on the  Airbnb .com page showing the general area. --- I know you, personally, aren't responsible to fix ratings, but there must be some other avenue to get this resolved."

Next they said:

We think the location is clear from the description. Perhaps, it would help to ask your guests to see why they gave you that rating and advise them on the message thread before confirming the booking. We're sorry about this, but on a more positive note, 4.4 in the location is pretty amazing. Let us know if you need anything else!"

So I said:

"I'm sorry to be such a pain on this. I did not know until this week that 1/2 of my guests had dinged me on location. I am only aware of one guest who gave me less than 5 stars, ever. I noticed this week that my percentages don't match the stars next to the public reviews by my guests. And there are no explainations given with the exception of one guest. So I am very frustrated by Airbnb this week. Is there any hope of getting some kind of change to the locations rating by the big dogs of Airbnb?"

[Daria20]

Hi Robin,

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the location score representative of what your guests thought about the location of the house itself rather than relating to how accurately it is described in your listing? I think the latter relates to the "accuracy" rating they give you. 

So, e.g. if someone's place is located in a not-so-nice area,  even if the host makes it perfectly clear in the description, I would question whether the guest would (or should) give it a 5 star location rating?

[Robin129]

I can't correct you because I'm not sure what the exact purpose of rating Location is. Why would Airbnb Help comment that I may need to be more clear if that wasn't it? 

Why would a host be penalized for the location? Especially if they are clear about it? That would possibly prevent someone who is an awesome host, with a terrific space from ever reaching "super host" status because guests would ding them for being in a rough part of the city. So, people living in not-so-nice parts shouldn't become hosts because guests will give them bad ratings in location? 

If I state clearly where I am located isn't it the guest's responsibility to know before he goes? The first person who dinged me on location said I was too "remote," too far from Charleston. The second one said, "I didn't mind the neighborhood nor mean it as a criticism of you, but thought what I did might deter some more urban folks from turning away during the last few blocks driving there." 

I have no problem with guests rating the location. I don't think a host should be penalized over it.

[Lyndsey2]

My first thought upon reading your listing description is that distances don't really give me a picture of your location. As a guest I would also like to read something like, "on a tree-lined suburban street" or "close-knit neighborhood" or "out in the country." 

But Airbnb gave you a good idea to talk to previous guests. You could even send a note out to the last 10 and say you can't see who rated you what but you are trying to improve your listing and it would be great to get some feedback from guests who actually stayed there. Then make sure those things that dinged you are up front in your profile from now on

[David126]

Location means whatever the Guest thinks it means, most Guests do not appreciate  ABB is a 5 star system.

[Cormac0]

@Robin

a basis for doing business is called a contract, there are three principals of a contract

1. Offer, we as host put our listing on display for potential guest to book.

2. Acceptance, the guest except our offer, not part of our offer, our whole package "Location" included

3. Consideration, they pay us a fee.

Here’s the thing, the "location" is the one thing the guest had prior knowledge of before they actual arrive so in essence there rating their own Judgment. 

Let’s for augment sake take two couples,

Couple one:

Bonnie & Clyde their adventurous types who have no problem walking, in fact they love the exercise, and a rundown area holds no fear for them.

Couple two:

Victor & Margaret have a touch of arthritis in their hips and don’t fancy much walking and a rundown area fills them with fears and trepidation.

Both these couples booked the same listing and incidentally payed the same price so why should either couple be marking a Host location based on their individual circumstances?

The simple answer is, they shouldn’t, the whole location thing is a nonsense.

Now can I go to bed please.

Regards

Cormac

ECK III

[Robin129]

Goodnight @Cormac0 .

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Robin129 - hotly debated topic. If you use the search function, you'll see much lamenting from hosts regarding this issue.  Here's Airbnb's official stance right now: 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/quot-Location-quot-As-A-Guest-Review-Point/idi-p/1621...

[Helga0]

@Robin129, location is totally subjective. In my experience, it reflects mostly how guests felt.

Did they find it easily, were they confident to walk out or drive out to other destinations? Since I show my guests on maps where we are and where other destinations are, with a transport map, where we and the rest are and how they connect, my rates got up. 

Second impact is safety: explain the area to them, in the description as suggested above, and in person. If I have fearful guests, like coming from a village to the big city for the first time, foreigners from other cultures, I explain with the maps where they can feel safe even at night, where they better not use an expensive phone on the street and how to recognise danger situations and how to behave to avoid them (pick pockets or dealers, no mugging here). 

Imqgine yourself: if you do not understand your surroundings, it's stressful. Reduce that stress and you get more stars. 

There will always be people that book with you, because beside the town hall would be too expensive, but will rate you 4, as it's too far from the town hall. Nothing you can do about them. 

Anyway, the location rating has no consequence, you can just forget it. 

[Robin129]

@Helga0 I may be wrong but I don't think it is inconsequential. It can bring down your overall rating and affect your superhost status. 

I just don't believe a location rating should be held against the host. I could have a tropical hide-a-way complete with cabana boys/girls and get hit because I'm too remote. (I had that already from a college student who didn't notice I'm not downtown.) 

I did ask the last person who dinged me on location what he meant. He said," I didn't mind the neighborhood nor mean it as a criticism of you, but thought saying what I did might deter some more urban folks from turning away during the last few blocks driving there."

So in his good intentions he dinged me thinking it would help warn "urban folks." 

Rate location, just make it a stand-alone category.

[Helga0]

@Robin129, for superhost status only Global counts. Business ready has a few more categories, but If I remember correctly, location does not count either. 

The algorithm calculating yourr search rank takes in categories like guest satisfaction, but that's mostly based on the host recommend and probably global and value. 

The search rank is defined to guarantee the most bookings to airbnb in the short and in the long ru

[Helga0]

Sorry phone call posted that. 

... most booking also in the long run. How do you get that? By satisfied guests, who will recommend the service and book again. What guarantees that the most? Quick answers, many acceptations and rare denials, a good experience and the feeling to have gotten their money's worth. 

If the rest was fine, but the location not great, they won't hold it against airbnb, but book closer next time. So no need to punish you for that. In the contrary: if you provide good cheap service, you wil produce repeat guests. A reason to favour you in search. 

[Robin129]

By the way, the last response from AirbnbHelp: "We will forward your feedback on to our team Robin. Thank you for understanding we cannot do anything about this at this time."

So, I suppose that is the end of the topic for now.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Robin129

My place is in the core of the city center, on the main axis, just minutes on foot from the main square and within walking distance to all downtown tourist attractions and transport hubs.  I still get dinged for location at times and it is hard to explain.  

Get dinged for value too even though my price equals a double at the hostel for a roomy 2 bed apartment.