Location in the host rating review system is not fair

[Riccardo52]

Why should a guest valuate the position of the house when is recognizible by the map or by the address through google maps or similia?

This just distort the rating system, I lost twice my superhost status just because some guests haven't read carefully the listing (where every time or movement from or to the stations/citycentre... is described) and give me four stars insted of five. It happend just with the position. 

[Sharon64]

I agree, I had a guest who booked apparently because I offered a lower price than the ones in Clearwater. I had another guest who did the same thing because they were not close to USF but there is clearly a map indicating where my property is situated. I got a 4 on location from the fisrt because they were not close to the beach and a 4 on the other because they were not close to USF.  Go figure. I think Airbnb needs to reword this or remove it all together.  

[Helena74]

You never know what are the guest's real reasons when they rate your location. I am a 4 years host in Lisbon, with 60+ reviews. My place is near the castle, of course it is up the hill, with an amazing view over the town and river, at a walking distance to historical spots, 1 minute walk to groceries and to a public lift that brings you from downtown to the level of my street. Everything of it is described either in my page or in my arrival instructions for guests. However last week I got a negative review, because the public lift closes at 21h00! (this detail is also described in my list).

[Cormac0]

Surly the location is a price denominator and the further away from the centre the less price you can achieve which could be counter balanced by having a swimming pool or Sauna for example.

I think the interpretation of the location is wrong for example...you could have 10 listing in a one mile radius of the centre 5 are fantastic locations and 5 are in a run-down part of town obviously, there is a price denominator at work here, you take you pick and pays your money.

I would propose that the "location" delineation be split into two Sub categories

1. Environment (the surrounding or condition in which a person lives)

2.Centrality (in or near the centre of something)

[Jacinta-and-David0]

We rent 2 properties one in an average city suburb and one in an upmarket suburb. It really annoyed me that the one in the average city suburb was achieving only 4.7 on location as we clearly said where the property was and how long it took to get to the airport or city centre - 20 minutes each. This area is safe and clean. 

The second property in the upmarket area now has a location rating on 4.4 which is just crazy as it is in an excellent location. When we ask the guests what was wrong with the location we never get a response. 

The location rating should only be allowed if it is clearly misleading in the description otherwise it is a pointless rating and can be based on class or colour of the area. 

[Rosie-and-Pete0]

I agree that this is very frustrating and strange. We've only ever received less than 5 stars for Location, which is already accounted for in our lower price than equivalent listings closer to Portland proper. I don't know why guests are sometimes giving it the lower rating (ok only 4 stars, but still...), but judging from the activities they were engaged in (visiting the city center), I can only guess that the commute is the reason. We have described other potential location issues such as proximity to traffic noise in the listing, which I suppose could be the issue, but as other hosts have pointed out, these are issues that the GUEST has chosen and signed up for by booking our listing. We have a very detailed listing with TONS of location info and specifics. Guests are most definitely saving money by chosing our location, and then we get docked for it like we're blamed for their choice. Meanwhile, we have a Perfect Score on Accuracy and Value, which means that the guests got what they expected, they just weren't happy that THEY couldn't afford something in a better location!! I understand the instinct by the guest to dock the Location score - in all honestly I might be tempted to do the same thing as a guest if I wasn't thinking it through. So yeah, unfair to hosts.

[Agustina-and-Andrew0]

I agree.  My guest insisted to book my place eventhough I declined her request for booking after she told me where she work while in town and her plan to walk to/from work from my place.  It simple is not going to be a pleasant experience (except if she's doing such distance during holiday -- not to/from work).  She insisted to book my place nevertheless (she asked me to reconsider her request for booking) and said she "needs an exercise anyways".  And, despite the fact that she rebooked my place, she gave me 4 stars for location.  This just not a fair rating to a host in my situation.  And, even though Airbnb claimed it won't affect my rating since they look at "OVERALL" rating anyways, but my rating percentage went down because of this guest's misjudgement in giving me 4 stars for location.

[Shandy0]

This is enfuriating to me as well. It's the one thing that is entirely up to the guest, and then they rate us on it? It makes no sense whatsoever. Not only that, guests don't understand the rating system in general and think that 4 stars is good.