After 127 five star reviews and being a SuperHost for over a year, I had my first bad review that I call a revenge review. I had a nice young couple that stayed 2 nights and swam all day and night in my pool. I have a nice casita attached to my home that has the entrance next to my front door. I rent this very well appointed casita that has a bedroom, walk-in closet, 3/4 bath and a small area to use microwave and coffee. The price for a 4 star type room is only $49 to $59 in the summer.
After the guests checked out I noticed a large black stain on the bedspread that was like a hardened rubberized paint, a wash cloth smeared with the same stuff and on the bathroom wall a smear of the same stuff. I called the guest right after they checked out and asked them what it was so I would know for possibly getting the stuff out of the bedspread. Her reply was, you are worried about a wash cloth and your bedding that you probably haven't washed in months. I was so taken back and stated I wash everything and the black on the bathroom wall wasn't there when you checked in. She said she doesn't know a thing about it. I'm not dumb, but she thinks I must be, but i told her she was lying to me. I also told her I wasn't planning to charge her, but she could at least be honest with me.
In retaliation for contacting her this is what she wrote as a review:
"Based on pictures and info I thought it was going to be a full house a big house a back house but it’s literally just a room and a half restroom I thought it was going to be the back house but it’s in the front we didn’t really have full access of the pool we had to go through his house to get to the pool which was uncomfortable. I wish he would’ve been more specific on this stuff. Plus the pool water was dirty and he has 3 dogs so the pool area smelled really bad like dog pee. Other than that the place was nice".
Who rents a whole house for $59! The front entry was stated in my ad along with only a photo of the front of the house, the room in the casita and bathroom, as well as the pool area. I state I have 3 minature schnauzers and they have total access to the pool from 9 am to 9 pm.
I contacted airbnb stating that her review mentions inaccuracies and that she wrote this to be nasty and hurt my business. Airbnb doesn't care if the reviews are lies, or the person stating they were renting a hole home for $59 that is crazy. If a pool smelled like dog pee, I wouldn't swim in it for 2 days and night. As a matter of fact, if I thought the listing lied and was so inaccurate, I would have immediatly called airbnb and asked for my money back.
Oh well, I'll chalk this one up! But I've decided I'm changing my pricing to $109 a night so I don't get low end people that think they are getting taken.