Declining a Guest - I thought reviews were meant to be honest!

[Cecilia155]

I've been a guest and a host so have seen both sides of the coin.  I stayed in an apartment earlier this year and it was great location suited my needs, however there were some issues that I raised privately with this host.  Overall gave the host a 4 stars (due to those issues raised PRIVATELY -  not even on his review profile).  I requested to stay with this host again.  He declined - due to me giving him the 4 stars.  I've had guests leave me 4 stars want to come back and then gave me 5.  He said 80% of his guests leave him 5 stars.  As a host, I would want to know where I need to improve, am I missing something?  

[Emiel1]

@Cecilia155

Yes, your missing something: this host does not want to learn. Better ignore.

[Kelly149]

Anything less than 5* can be catastrophic to a host’s ability to continue hosting.

(This is not an exaggeration- read some of the threads about how many reviews it takes to recover from even one less than 5*)

It’s great that you thought you were being helpful and maybe they’ve even taken those things into account since you said something but I can see them not wanting to take a chance again. 

[Jan209]

and yet, he will be penalised for refusing your booking request, if he is a Superhost.  Yes, I would say he doesn't want to learn, also. 

[Cecilia155]

The sad thing is he actually placed it on the messaging system that those were the grounds for which he refused my request.

[Letti0]

@Cecilia155  I personally would block any 4* or less from ever booking with me again. Why on earth would they want you back when as a host you know how important a 5* review is. Even looking at your profile with you giving them the 4 star I wouldn't want you either as another host. It's a known fact that most hosts renting from you are the worst reviews you will receive, so I won't rent to other hosts if I can avoid it.

[Sarah977]

If you raised the issues privately, and they weren't serious enough for you not to want to book the place again, I can't understand why you felt it was fine to tank his rating. You said you've been a host, but do you understand that if a host's overall rating falls below 4.7%, they are threatened with being delisted?

Is this what you intended, or do you just not understand how the ratings affect hosts?

A 4* overall would be fine if it was just to review for other guests to see, but it's far more damaging than that for the host because of the algoritms Airbnb uses to punish hosts.

I'd decline your follow up booking as well.

[Cecilia155]

Thanks for your feedback - my intention is never to put someone out  of business.     My question is the rating system, here we are as hosts, wanting honest feedback about our guests etc and yet when we receive it - we don't like it.  I understand the rating system,  however that should never be taken out on a guest - this is an issue with Airbnb.  Would you rather i be dishonest on my review of a guest?  I understand he doesn't want me to stay at his place - however, I would rather an honest 4 star than a fake 5 star guest.  

[Sarah977]

@Cecilia155  You need to understand the difference between "honest feedback", which you said you had already given the host privately, and a 4* review. You had the opportunity to give honest feedback privately and you did, and the host may have taken it to heart and changed some things. Did you have any indication that he "didn't like" your PRIVATE feedback?

But you affected his standing as a host on Airbnb with the 4*s.

For about a year now, hosts have been telling Airbnb that their review and rating system is seriously flawed and needs to be changed, but they don't listen.

[Cecilia155]

Hi @Sarah977 thanks for the response, the host responded with appreciate the feedback and will look at improving those aspects, that's it.  As stated, i'm in the same boat as everyone here, I'm not looking at reinventing the wheel.  My question is the feedback - as is everyone's - you want honest feedback we provide it for both guest and host - but yet when we receive it, we don't like it.  As you stated it is a flaw within the Airbnb system and this needs to be looked into.

[Sarah977]

@Cecilia155   "That's it"? 

"Appreciate the feedback and will look at improving those aspects" sounds like a good and nice reply to me. 

What were you wanting- "I'm so, so sorry that you weren't pleased with these aspects of my listing. I've lost several nights sleep over it. I'm working on all these things and won't take another booking until they are remedied to your liking"?

[Cecilia155]

t,@sarah, I wasn’t expecting him to lose sleep over it.  That’s the feedback I was expecting.  So when things aren’t as expected in the listing, what your saying is that I be dishonest in my review and give him a 5 star even though it wasn’t what was advertised?

[Sarah977]

@Cecilia155  No, that's not what I'm saying. You gave the host private feedback, which he didn't balk at and responded politely to. You also had the opportunity to state in your written review exactly what aspects of the property were not as advertised, which would have given other guests concrete information, which the overall star reviews don't, since they are so subjective and have no actual information attached to them. "Something", not identified to other guests, made you feel this wasn't worth a 5* review, but that unidentified "something" might be a total non-issue for other guests. 

I just can't understand why you'd want to rebook a place that you found not as described, or why, given that you are a host and say you understand the rating system as regards how it can destroy a host's listing, you would give a 4* review. Don't get me wrong- I know there are listings that turn out to be horrible- dirty, full of broken things, in a bad neighborhood, nasty host, etc, and of course those places shouldn't be given 5* reviews, they should be delisted. But if it isn't your intention that the host should be raked over the coals by Airbnb or delisted, the way the review system works now, you have to leave a 5* review. That isn't how the review system should work, but unfortunately it does.

I've had a guest or two who needed to understand a couple of things about a shared home situation but who were otherwise nice people and good guests and I would accept them again. I mentioned these things to them in private feedback, giving them an opportunity to understand and improve, rather than damaging their Airbnb standing as a guest by giving them a thumbs down because they weren't perfect. 

[Sarah977]

Deleted, accidentally double posted.

[Mark116]

Its 'not a matter of "not liking it" its a matter that getting a 4 currently takes you another 8/10 5 star ratings to bounce back...so it's a serious negative.  I wouldn't host someone who gave me a 4 either and would wonder why they wanted to rebook in the first place, ESPECIALLY if they are a host and know exactly how problematic a 4 star overall rating is.