What is the point of the "location" rating?

[Miguel65]

I don't get the location rating. We generally get high ratings for location but have had locations as low as a 2 and a 3, but only when the person booked without either asking or checking out for themselves the proximity of where we are with the place where they wanted to be. It really isn't the hosts fault if the guest can't read a map or doesn't have the gumption to ask the question. 

I certainly don't get the point of ratings for "location" and "accuracy". Listings include a pin point on a map, saying where a place is, surely a host should check this for accuracy and be able to raise any problem with airbnb. The issue of location is (or should) surely be dealt with as a question of accuracy.

[Todd-and-Reese0]

Seriously. We are in Denver and Denver is not in the mountains. We've had two guests remark how far we are from the mountains and I know they are the ones that left less than 5 stars for location. I had to add the statement about Denver not being a mountain town in several places in the listing. This is seriosly not our fault.

I don't even understand the accuracy. Is that for having all the info in the listing match in real life what is in the listing? Probably.

[Linda108]

We certainly have become a generation of consumers dependent on the ratings of other consumers.  Whether researching a product or restaurant or movie, we give way too much weight to "reviews".  I think it is unfortunate that Air BNB promotes such review dependence but honestly, I really don't have an alternative recommendation.  As a host, I hope I will be able to remain calm when (not if) I get a negative rating or review.  Maybe I will re-read all the positive reviews and feel better:) 

[Naomi8]

Location is relative. I am in the country so what exactly does location mean?

[Andrea9]

I noticed by chance that in Tallinn/Estonia the segments: VALUE, LOCATION, CHECK IN are not included in the star ratings on the listing page. I wonder if that's a new pilot trial????!!!

[Cormac0]

@Lizzie

@Miguel

is the international space station a good location worthy of five stars or a bad location worthy of one star?

If I were an astronaut I would give it five stars ***** probably and if I was a Granny from Tulsa probably one star *.

Which to my way of thinking says it purely subjective so why should Hosts be burdened with such subjective observations in reviews? 

Airbnb should allocate the stars for location based on geolocation and universally excepted points of interest.

In my case one could draw an arc with my location as the pivot and I would be very centrally located to most of the attraction in Krakow city Poland.

In my opinion this would be a much fairer way of allocating Stars as doing this, is fact based and not opinion driven, the more attractions that are added the more accurate it becomes.

[Brigitte142]

I agree with the comment on "Location" reviews. I am clear and direct about where we live in relationship to tourist attractions. And, even if I wasn't the google map is very clear and direct. I have 5-star ratings except for location. I did notice that when I get dinged on "Location" it is mostly from suburban and exurban Americans. (Oddly enough, guests coming from rural areas track the same as visitors from urban areas) 

I do not see how "Location" as a star-ranked item adds anything to my reviews. It is much better for a potential visitor to read this in guest reviews as guests EXPLAIN how the location worked in relation to the places they want to visit. 

Further, there is nothing I can do about my location, especially compared to review items like cleanliness, communication, etc.  

Airbnb, please remove the "Location" review

[Liz140]

What if I don't live near any major attractions? What if someone just needs a bed and a shower at the end of the day, while making a cross country trip? How will they evaluate location? By proximity to the freeway?