4.9/5 Rating

[Maria-and-Jean0]

I provide a 1100sf, two bedroom Suite with one and one half bathroom with all new high end furnishings and bath linens, paraben free bath products, kleenex, toilet tissue & kitchen towels.  The Suite was completely remodeled and sound proofed from top to bottom featuring a 65 inch tv, Netflix, Prime TV & Hulu.  Amazon Echo and Google home control a series of lights throughout the Suite.  The Garden Suite looks out over a garden of green grass and hanging flowers surrounded by a 7' privacy fence.  I even provide safes in each walk-in closet.  The outdoor area offers a private deck with furniture and a gas grill.  Fresh flowers greet each and every new Guest.   I fully service the Suite every other day so that they can focus on their vacation and not on housekeeping.   I provide a complimentary coffee/tea bar throught Guest stay.  I provide a selection of Fresh Baked breads that I bake in my own oven, Fruits, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Pancakes, Oatmeal, Juices, Milk, Coffees, Teas and a choice of individual condiments such as Syrup, Honey, Peanut Butter, Jams, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Sugar in the Raw, Splenda and Coffee Mate Creamers so that there is food in the refridgerator when they arrrive late night after a fifteen hour travel day.  I stay up to greet my Guest when arriving late to make sure they arrive without any problems.  I quickly guide them through the Suite pointing out  safety features and special details; it is fairly high tech.  I also provide a variety of "complimentary" Travel Snacks such as Organic Fruity Snacks, Chips, Cookies, Cheese, Popcorn, Pop Tarts, etc.   Junk food on the go.  Coffee, Teas and Condiments are "complimentary" throughout Guest occupancy. 

I even asked for their preferences:

Eggs: Brown or White
Bread: Honey Whole Wheat, Wholesome White or Nine Grain
Juice: OJ, Grape, Pineapple/OJ or Apple, etc.
Milk: Whole, 1% or 2%
Fruits: Oranges, Apples, Lemons, Kiwis or Bananas, etc.

All this for $139 - 12% weekly 

Yet a Guest who literally cleared out every thing when they left, including one bath towel, has the gall to rate me a 4.9 for value. 

I am literally in the middle of town in one of the safest and quietest neighborhoods in town. No more than 15 minutes to anywhere in town and they rate me 4.9 for location.

So I want to know.. who else on Airbnb goes this far to welcome their Guest and what in the Hell does it take to get a 5/5 rating if this doesn't do it.

Bewildered Host

[Kait5]

Your place sounds lovely!

Unfortunately, it's just "one of those things" that we can't please everyone. I think I do a great job at hosting as well however there is bound to be someone that a. doesn't eat that type of breakfast, b. prefers a quieter location "away from town" perhaps, c. whatever else...

Make sure you keep replies public and note these things. I think any reasonable future guests would not be turned away by a 4.9/5...

You are doing a great job!

[Maria-and-Jean0]

.  Thank you.  I just needed to vent among people who understood the frustration...

[Susan151]

@Maria-and-Jean0. I understand your frustration, but I don't believe that guests have the option of selecting 4.9. It isn't one of the options presented.

Did they choose a 4 bringing your overall rating to 4.9?

[Maria-and-Jean0]

You are right Susan.  Now I am really pissed.  

[Robin4]

@Maria-and-Jean0, 

Oh the joys of hosting! Unfortunately we all get them Maria and you just have to accept it. No matter how hard you try it will never be good enough for some.

I have had them, as well as the normal things like toilet paper abundant towels soap both liquid and boxed cake, this is the restock box that I provide for every guest....even overnighters!....

 In addition to that I supply bowls of Almonds and Cashews and chocolates on the bedsside tables.

If a guest had to bring along what I supply, it would cost them around $50 AU to purchase at the local supermarket. While they are here they will use $15 AU worth of power each day through the cooler, or hotter months. They get the use of unlimited free WiFi free offstreet parking, the use of barbeque and outdoor entertaining facilities at any of 4 locations around the rear garden....

All for $90 AU per night...and what happens, I get a review like this.....

Maria, if I had given them the place for no charge whatsoever, just come in and help yourselves,  it still would not have rated a 5 star for value.

Maria, like ships in the night they pass and depart from your life...just let it go!

Cheers......Rob

[Noel63]

Your place sounds amazing. If they're not happy with that, they won't be happy with anything.

[Niel3]

The wonderful experience of dealing with "people". Some folk are just that sort of person who will always find something to complain about, after the fact, from behind a keyboard. It's in their psyche and nothing we as hosts can do to defend against it sadly other than to expect it and not let it get to us.

I have had some downright silly 'reasons' from guests for leaving me 4 stars such as "I would have left you 5 stars had there been a cotton sheet on the bed" and another who complained the bedroom was poorly ventilated despite there being two large windows which both open fully (It was a Summer booking so not too cold to open one or both of them).

I doubt any regular AirBNB host has a perfect 5* profile for every single booking, we're pretty much set up to fail by AirBNB in this regard as what they tell the guests about their star ratings does not reflect the truth of how they work.

[Maria-and-Jean0]

I think my guest dinged me because the airport was doing work over their N-S airstrip and had diverted traffic over the entire city and she blamed me.   I bet I will not let them come back.  WIsh i could take my rating of them back, haha.

[Aurora62]

Maria, some people are just hard to please. Also you shouldn't judge your place's value by some thief's standards 😉

Here my most recent guest. Compliments all over the place, nice review and 5* overall. Then this:

Probably the guests don't even know that 4* instead of 5* can ruin you, whereas by any sane standard that would mean great, just not perfect.

Now I have a red mark "Recent low (I repeat LOW) ratings" where this 4* is highlighted.

**bleep*** ABB! 😉

[Ned-And-Laura0]

I know what a pain it can be, we ALL do our best and some people just aren't happy with it.  Part of it has to do with how airbnb educates the guests on leaving reviews, they actually think 4 stars is a GREAT review.  But part of it is that some people just can't be pleased.  But in the end, it doesn't matter.  Guests don't read reviews, I swear they don't.  They look at the price, the location and the pictures.  Maybe they read some of the first part of the description and some MIGHT quickly scan a couple of the reviews to make sure there aren't a bunch of bad ones, but they simply don't care that somebody put 4 stars for location or value a month earlier.  I know it stinks because we all try so hard, but just remember we are not on this site to gain some validation from strangers, we are here to make money.    What this person put for the star rating will not change your number of bookings.  Just keep doing what you are doing and the ratings will take care of themselves.

[Marian65]

That is why a group of friends are my favourite type of guest. Most of them will give  5 stars, appreciate anything you leave for them and write a warm private message being grateful for the attention they received.

By the way, your listing is very nice