BAD REVIEW, Oh No!

[Farah1]

There are guests who try to push you to your limit, make you feel/think that you should help them by breaking your rules, or making you feel guilty for sticking to your rules. I used to easily feel annoyed/hurt/frustrated by this. I always do my best for my guests and I always provide what I say I would on the listing. Then what makes me deserve this?! Oh no! ha ha... then I realized that there are bad people/bad guests that share a different value/standard than me, who cannot appreciate my professional hosting/rules and help, who want to do whatever they want and not being honest, etc. It would be really stressful if I keep feeling "stress" about it, so I start to learn to be stronger. Sometimes, bad review is actually doing me a favor from having a similar type of guest in the future because those people will see that I will not entertain their behavior. I completely understand that it is not a comfortable feeling to receive a bad review, but I need to do myself a favor not to stress about it and just take it as a learning process and leave a professional review response. Bad guests are people who make me appreciate my good guests even more. So, for other hosts who have experienced this, you are not alone! 🙂

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Farah1

I looked at your reviews and while you wil of course take it very personally, it's not really that bad. What was interesting was a siimilar comment about any lack of flexibilty when it comes to rules. 

Do they have a similar point - it sounded like both of them were talking about something very minor rather than a significant rule break.

I would put it past you - you have some lovely reviews and it will soon slip down the list.

Good luck

[Farah1]

@Gerry-And-Rashid0 thank you for taking the time to take a look at my profile. I agree with you that these are not that bad and that it will soon slip down.

The older one: he could not make it on the check-in day, so he asked me to keep the room for him, he stayed on the 2nd night and on check-out asked me to refund the 1st night. I could not got the room rented out because I agreed to kept the room until he come. He got butthurt for not getting any refund. If he felt that he falls under the extenuating circumstances, he should've proceed through the system.

The newer one: I have a limited kitchen access that is thoroughly explained on the listing. If he did his responsibility by reading the listing and the house rules (that he agreed to) thoroughly, he should know that he cannot use the oven. He asked if he could use the oven and I was not home, so 1. I do not have obligation to let him to use the oven and 2. If I were home, probably I would because I can ensure then that the oven being turned off, etc. He got butthurt for not being able to use the oven... I thought it should be common sense (if oven is not provided, then do not buy food that requires an oven for cooking).

I feel that some guests try to find a way to somehow leave a "negative" review for not getting what they want even though it is clearly listed in the listing. So, maybe it is something minor for them, but there is a reason of why I have the rules.

Thanks again!

[Sandra558]

Thank you for sharing. I allowed myself to be taken advantage of. Within a 2 month period, a guest booked 4 different times, each time staying longer than paid. I was getting amazing 5 star reviews. When it became painfully obvious I was no longer going to be paid, I asked that my key be returned. I just made Superhost, and now I'm in Superhost jepardy. My lastest review was 13/100 for cleanliness.  Either she has no standards, or failed to mention she was freeloading. Shame on me.

[Farah1]

@Sandra558 I'm sorry, that does not sound like a pleasant experience. This might help you for future guests > https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/forums/v3_1/forumtopicpage/board-id/listing-and-reservations/pag...

[Annette33]

@Sandra558 , I 'm glad for you  she is gone, and I'm sure you learned some valuable lesssons from this. 

It sure is hard to show our boundaries as hosts when we worry so much about a review.

still,it would be great if you,  or any other host out there who experiences problem guests, would write an honest review on such a guest, nothing over the top, just a few facts.. the way it ended up, this guest got glowing reviews from you instead, which is entirely misleading the next host.

also,  you are only hurting yourself when you expressed your  discontent in  your response under  her review: her review of you  was sugarcoatingly  sweet, that is what future guests will see on your page, not the lower stars she may have possibly left for cleanliness.  You bringing in some stuff that nobody would know about if only you hadn't mentioned it, raises some eyebrows and makes future guests wonder.

Always keep in mind that host responses are not really for the benefit  of the guest who has departed -  she is gone, you'll never see her again. but a response under a review is primarily an opportunity to show yourself as a gracious host to the next guest. Best is to use it as such, and not for bickering with the departed guest.

Sorry if this isn't entirely supportive of you, but perhaps you will take it to heart and  use it to your benefit for future hosting gigs and reviews. That is my wish for you. 

[Jeanette53]

Hi. I particularly like your paragraph about being a gracious host and not bickering about a departed guest who you will not see again. Important, however, also to be honest about one's experience as a help to other hosts who may not want to be exposed to unpleasant guests.

I like Airbnb's latest rule that guests who get a 3 star rating by you, will not be able to instantly book with you next time. Their booking will first have to go through to you to accept or decline.

I wonder if one can be more gentle in the written response but give a more accurate rating of say 3 stars which will alert other hosts? Am I right in thinking Airbnb also recently said that the Star ratings on guests, won't be seen by them, only your comments on them? 

[Annette33]

@Jeanette53, not sure right now about the visibility of star ratings on guests. it seems like a few months ago I personally saw it on some guests' profiles, then not anymore. Sometimes Airbnb tests new things, than change them back again - but I would sure like to know what it currently is. 

In any case, the written comment seems more powerful and possibly convincing. It all depends how a host is able to be clear, non offensive, just factual. And absolutely, the review belongs on the guest's profile, not as a reply on one's listing page. Future hosts will hardly find their way to that.

To stay "gentle" in their review, some hosts use a wording such as, "guest would be better suited to a hotel environment".....that tells the story...

(and I have one of those guests right now..I see my first four star review in the making:  like 6 pillows was not enough for the queen size bed, never cracked even a quarter of a smile when I greeted them, just questioned if our water is drinkable...besides affirming that, I immediately handed them a few   bottles of Artesian Spring water .. - and more pillows!! :)))) .. lets see if that is good enough..)

[Jeanette53]

Hi Annette,
I think you were very gracious and I’m hoping they’ll appreciate you giving them what they wanted, and give you 5 stars. I find it easier to be gracious when I’m at fault, don’t know if I would be if it was an ‘over the top’ request. Good luck.

[Marie54]

You make an interesting point that I have thought of before.  I wish that I could see the reviews that the guest who is requesting has made on other properties.  Then you could see what kind of risk they pose for you.

[Annette33]

@Marie54, you can do that in a round about kinda way, but only if the guest has reviews on their profile:

then click on the profile pic of the host that left that review, go to their page and see and try to find the review that this guest has posssibly left for the host. But you may have to scroll down quite a bit since  hosts may have lots of other reviews in between already. and sometimes hosts review, but guests don't.

there is a host on here,  Branka, who had found another system, through some kind of app. I forgot now what it was/is. I think I tried it, didn't do anything for me.

[Roberta196]

@Marie0, I have had the same thought. I think you can do this - click on the guest and you can read their reviews. Then, if you click on the people who have reviewed them, you may be able to see the review the person left for that reviewer. So, if I stayed in your Airbnb and left a review, you could click on my profile picture and go to my page. On my page you'll find the reviews left for me. If you click on those profile pictures, you can see those people's pages - which will also show any review I left them. (If it's recent enough, I guess.)

[Susie5]

@Marie54, you can see them now - download the Chrome extension called AirReview - it will show their review of the hosts, right below the hosts' review of them. No stars, but the text can be revealing.... 

[Rachael26]

@Farah1

I think you are a superstar - and go ahead and keep these guys (yes it's mostly men who want to 'flex' the rules 😉 keep them on their toes. And I like your contributions to the forum - although I don't where you find the time!

Carry on Hosting - you are fabulous!

Best Wishes,

Rachael

And I gotta say - I am laughing til my cheeks hurt over your expression 'butthurt'. I am so stealing that one!  love it.

[Farah1]

@Rachael26

Thank you! That is very nice of you to say. Yes, I want to stick to the rules because I honor my rules and they are not decorations for my listing 🙂

Cheers,

Farah