How do I get reviews as a guest?

[Julie1839]

Sorry to bother you guys in the host section, but I'm curious how do I get reviews as a guest? I've stayed in like 4 or 5 airbnbs since August, and even though, I left 5 star reviews for all of them-- no one has written a thing for me. I've gotten some private messages saying thank you so much for keeping it neat and tidy, but no public reviews. Just wondering how to go about this. 

[Laura2592]

@Julie1839 I'm sorry you aren't getting reviews. Some hosts won't write them until you do. But if you are writing them I don't know why a host would not give you one. Some very busy hosts who are remote or have a manager may not leave them because they can't see the space after each stay. I had a stay in new Orleans where I didn't get a review as a guest and learned it was that sort of situation. I would just message the host and ask if they can review you as you are trying to build up your profile. 

[Lisa723]

@Julie1839 it seems very strange to me for a host to take the trouble to give you private thanks but no review. You could use AirReview to see whether this is a pattern for those hosts, or unique to you.  One possibility, though probably pretty unlikely, is that there is something negative that they didn't want to address. Another is that they had some reason to think your review of them would not be good and tried to avoid triggering your review by leaving their own. You have little to lose by messaging those hosts and asking them whether there is anything you should know that prevented them from reviewing you. Going forward, you could choose hosts that you can see regularly review their guests, and/or review them ASAP and let them know in a message you've let them a five-star review and you hope they will also review you.

[Kath9]

@Julie1839, that's very strange. I have had hundreds of guests stay and I have reviewed them all (except one, for a very specific reason). I guess that, like some guests, there are some hosts out there who just don't bother to review guests, which is very annoying for the rest of us. But it does seem strange that you haven't received a single review in 4 or 5 bookings, especially if they've taken the time to message you. I would message them back, asking whether there was any reason they did not leave a review. And perhaps explain to future hosts that you have stayed in a few places before but haven't received reviews and that you'd very much appreciate a review so you can start building up your profile.

[Julie1839]

Thanks for the advice guys. I know there was nothing negative about any of my stays because I had zero issues (no special requests, no communication issues, checked in on time, followed all instructions) and left their places spotless. All the hosts sent me private messages asking for 5 star reviews which I did and two of them thanked me for being so clean, but not one bothered to leave me a review. These were all foreign Airbnbs in Italy so maybe it's different over there. I don't know. I'm not too stressed about it, but I was reading that some hosts want to see reviews to see that you are trustworthy and responsible- so I'm hoping to have more than a blank profile eventually lol.

[Julie1839]

P.S. All the hosts published my reviews, too. ❤️

[Susan151]

@Julie1839 Hosts don't decide if a review is published. All submitted reviews are made public after 14 days or when both parties have written a review, whichever comes first.

I have stayed at AirBNBs three times, and only have one review. I find it annoying, to be honest.

[Julie1839]

Thanks for the info, Susan 🙂 I'm glad that I'm not the only one with this problem. I feel silly because I don't need reviews as a guest, but I don't want anyone to assume I'm a problem child or something because my profile is blank. I included that I'm married, and a healthcare professional so hopefully that puts any future host at ease.

[Sarah977]

@Julie1839  I'm sorry your hosts didn't review you. I've reviewed all but maybe one of my guests, just because I was busy and missed the deadline.

It's pretty rude for a host to actually ask you for a 5* review and then not bother to leave one for you. But like you say, maybe Italian hosts don't bother as much, although I'm sure many do. 

If I get a request from a guest who I can see from their profile has been an Airbnb member for awhile, but has no reviews, I've just politely asked them about that when I respond, saying I'm curious about it. The 3 times it happened, it was totally innocent- one guest, like you, had had a few Airbnb stays, but hadn't been reviewed by her hosts. One had always travelled with her husband and they'd booked under his account, so all the reviews ended up there. One had joined, planning to travel, but had never had the chance. I felt fine about accepting them, as their pre-booking communication was excellent and they came across as nice people. All those guests turned out to be great.