Crazy "Value" reviews

[Mark105]

Caution - this is just a *little*  rant followed up by a question...

I have been a Superhost for a while now and I continually strive for the 5 star perfection, but sometimes I just have to scratch my head at what people consider "value."    On our last two reviews we scored 5 stars on everything but value and the guests then gave us a 4 star overall.  Why you ask?  Well, both  of our most recent guests commented that they wished I had an additional bathroom.  I find this odd because, well, I advertize that I have two bathrooms and not three and I even take time on the listing to call out the locations in the house.  With this information in mind,  I find it odd  that somebody would rent a house with two bathrooms and then score me as a four stars on value, with with a private comment that they wished I had three bathrooms.  What makes the value comment most botheresome is that I am one of the only properties in my area offering up 5 real bedrooms and a large home loaded with custom furniture, comfortable beds, expensive linens, all ammeneties hotel including grooming supplies, loads of fluffy towels,  a stocked kitchen, a refrigerator filled with soft drinks, beer and wine, and a private, half acre garden with a pool that is maintained weekly.      I reached out to Airbnb, since the last two 4 star ratings have lowered my overall score into an area of concern,  and I was informed that  it's unfortunate I was given an overall four stars even though I scored 5 on everything else  (accuracy, cleanliness, check-in, communicatin and location) and that, well, so-sad-so-sorry, perhaps you can try harder to provide value.  Le sigh. 

So here's my question to the community.   Since the comments about adding an extra bathroom are "private" would anybody address this publically in the review response section?  For example, "Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.  We appreciate that we didn't meet your needs for having three bathrooms and that we will be sure to update our listing once we build a new one."  Not quite like that of course  🙂  But still.

Thank you for your comments.

[Nancy-Louise0]

here here!  But when I compete with lower priced housing in the winter, I have to lower my prices otherwise i get less business

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Mark105

if you have 3 bathrooms you will get guests complaining why you don't have 5 bathrooms 😛

At the begining of our hosting I forgot to set higher price for New Year eve so I got booking at regular price dof 35€ for studio apartment in the city center. Result ?  We got  4* for value !

Next year I have set the price to 100€ for NYE and we got 5* for value 🙂

[Mark105]

It seems you're correct and the concensus is that "value" is purely subjective.  🙂

[Cathie19]

Hi @Mark105. If you VALUE your sanity, don’t give this guest “type” another moment of your precious thought processes. What’s done is done. Humans are fickle and yes, some do annoy us! Breathe a little deeper, think happy thoughts and have a wine! Forward steps....

:). Lol...

Cathie

[JB6]

We've had that same issue a few times.  One guest went so far as to specify how we should redesign the entire access to the upper loft, re-do the back porch, and improve the living room.  All I do is look at the comments to ensure any possible concerns or questions are covered in the property description; if not, I tweak the description to include those.  As long as the comments by the guest are private, I leave them that way.  About 98% of our guests love the cabins as they are; until that changes, we let the private remarks slide.

[Mark105]

OMG -I'm chuckling.  It seems maybe people are waitching to much HGTV  🙂 

[Ava30]

@JB6Don't you just LOVE how our guests become design and architecture experts so quickly? Not to mention how fast they are to spend our money. I had one guest tell me that because my 72 year old house, built from 100+year old reclaimed train station timbers in a northern California coastal community, had a slight "older home smell", that we should take up the carpets, refinish the floors and replace ALL the soft furnishings in the house. (insert major eye roll here) <SIGH> Fortunately it was in the private comments so I just thanked them for the feedback and left it there. 

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

We've received a few reviews with Value ranked as a 4* or even 3* this year, whereas in the previous two years we consistently received 5 stars for Value.  I believe there's a correlation to Airbnb charging higher booking fees to the guest than in the past. The guest makes their comment based on the total they pay (taxes & booking fee included), not on the amount I charge.  I don't let it bother me, but it's something I'm watching. I haven't fallen for the drive by Airbnb to lower our prices.

[Lynnette3]

Although I understand logic behind the comments recommending “ do not respond publicly “,  I too have had the low value reviews that are unfair. I think responding neutrally, only referencing facts, and not personalizing anything, is a tool that can help other potential guests to know that you have truly provided your stated conditions and amenities.  I have not done public responses, but I now I intend to do so, giving people the opportunity to hear the real facts, versus subjective value rating. 

And those rentable portable potties like they use at events are always an option for a third loo ! 🙂

[Donald28]

I get dinged on value sometimes too. Along with the tinyhouse, I offer our private, 1300 sq ft arcade with all 41 games on FREEPLAY for ONLY the guests to use. If the guests went to a dave & busters  they'd spend $50 an hour (per person) JUST TO PLAY THE GAMES. My games are part of the nightly price (for 2 people) but sometimes guests don't "GET IT" and they ding me in the value area. 

[Robin4]

@ Donald  sorry mate, can't tag you here!

Geez Don, this is letting the side down mate.....where is the pool table and the bowling alley??? :-))

Cheers......Rob

[Clara116]

@Mark0 and everyone - Can you answer this mystery for me?  I think I read recently that in the guests review process of our places they (the guests)  have stars on everything EXCEPT overall  value of our places and they then have to choose a picture  not stars or numbers -Like a heart, several other choices so there are NO number values and the guests doesn't know that if they pick the heart its a 5 star or if they pick one of the  other choices it is lower numbers - can anyone that has been a guests and knows this information please enlighten me on this. Cause if this is happening, like I think - well, NO wonder the problem - some don't like a heart choice and would pick something else - oops for us if that choice equals a 3 in reality. Is this correct or did I just imagine I saw it somewhere???? Thanks, Clara

[Paul1255]

Hey @Clara116 the symbols you're thinking of are the additional compliments that guests can give to hosts through the review process. 

-The heart is for 'outstanding hospitality' 

-Message bubbles for 'quick responses'

-A vase of flowers for 'thoughful touches'

-A bathtub shower for 'sparkling clean'

-A chair and lamp for 'stylish space'

-A coffee cup for 'amazing amenities'

There is text under each symbol so they make sense.

If you log into the airbnb app on your mobile, go to progress and select your reviews, you'll see the 'compliments' guests have picked for your listing, and the number of times each one has been selected. (not visible on the desktop version)

[Sarah977]

And it seems they use the number of those symbols that are checked as the "Home Highlights".

[Paul1255]

Ah! I see @Sarah977 I wish they'd get creative with my 'home highlights' which are: superhost, breakfast, and sparkling clean...the other ones are far more inviting and attractive 🙂