5 stars in all categories but 4 star stay?

[Bex1]

I don't understand how a guest can leave 5 stars in all categories, plus a lovely review, but it comes up as 4 stars.  Am I missing something?

[Robin4]

@Bex1

Hello Bex, in the Airbnb star rating system the guest gets to give 6 category ratings and an overall rating.

It has happened to just about all of us at some time where the guest has given each of the categories 5 stars, but overall ranked the listing 4 star.

Many guests do not understand that the Airbnb system differs from Trip Advisor and other accommodation rating systems where a 4 star is a very good ranking. With Airbnb a 4 star is a black mark and something needs to be improved....5 stars is the default ranking.

There are some guests who say they never give 5 stars! They say that is an ultimate that cannot be reached.

They give 4 for excellent, 3 for good, 2 for a pass and 1 for a fail.

Bex, there is no way to fight this....we can't beg guests for perfect reviews and star ratings, we can in a subtle way point out to them that if they felt comfortable and felt they got good value for money that is what the star rating system is trying to gleen. Was it worth recommending to other people, if it was give it a 5 because that gives the host the tools to do even better, whereas a few 4 stars will punish them!!

Cheers......Rob

[Bex1]

Thank you.  It really is quite annoying, as, to me, if everything is 5 stars, how can it be 4 overall? 

I think my favourite was when I had 2 lots of 4 star-ratings for Location, so Airbnb automatically suggested I do something to improve the location...  Uh,... how?!  Matter-transporter beam?

[Fred13]

The 5-star system and the Location absurdity is but two of a few foolish things Airbnb started with and are hung up on. 

[Marco3012]

Wouldn't it make sense for AirBnB to calculate the star ratings from: Cleanliness, Accuracy, Communication, Location, Check-in and Value and then apply the average.. For example if you scored 5 stars in four categories and 4 stars in two categories, your overall score would be 28. Divide that by the 6 categories and your overall star rating would = 4.66

If all reviews were calculated this way then the overall star rating would be an accurate representation of a guests point of view and overall experience.

Come on AirBnB it's not rocket science. You have to look after your hosts as well as your guests. It needs to be an even playing field and an accurate calculation.

[Ivory10]

I concur! I had the same issue; a guest sending me message to thank me for the wonderful stay, even mentioning that he will write comment on Airbnb, which he did with a lovely comment and five stars on all categories and 4 stars on general. I guess some guests just don’t realise the drastic impact it can have. Airbnb should decide the overall ratings depending on the  ratings of the categories.

[Sharon683]

I agree. Just not fair.

[Ed344]

Please implement this!!

[Russell49]

Oddly enough they certainly find a way to "round off" the guests rating.

[Steve143]

Hello @Bex1,

The "overall" category rating is meant to allow the guest to give an opinion on things that aren't covered by the other five categories. So it can reflect any aspect of their experience not specifically covered otherwise.

Examples I've been given for an overall of 4 are, the room was too warm, the room wasn't warm , the host had a friend over that evening, the bed creaked. All these reviews were 5 star for the other categories.

Steve.

[Bex1]

Airbnb should really have a "Can you give the host a reason for the 4 star overall rating when all the other categories are 5 stars?  This might help them improve their service to you."  For example.  Although, you'd think that if they want to say something they'd either say it in the public review or the private feedback.  (Mind you, I did have one complaint one year that the moon was far too bright...)

[Carrie-And-Bill0]

I completely agree with @Bex1   Since airbnb punishes hosts for receiving a 4 overall rating, the guest should at least be required to give feedback as to why they are giving anything less than a 5.   This just happened to me and I don't know if I should ask the guest why they gave us a 4 or just let it sit.

[Marysol5]

Hi Carrie and Bill! I ask. I’ll tell people that it doesn’t specify the reason for the lower score and that I’d love to hear any feedback. It turns out that the guest actually gave me all 5 stars, but Airbnb had a glitch and they gave me 4 stars for accuracy and feedback. The guest, who is also a Host, sent me a screenshot of what they could see on their end. I sent it to Airbnb but they haven’t fixed it yet. 

[Alathea0]

Hahaaaaa! 🙈🌚

[Sharon683]

Ha ha ha!  The moon to far.  How crazy is that.