How to Leave an Honest Review Without the Guest Leaving a Bad Review Out of Spite

Casey75
Level 3
Newnan, GA

How to Leave an Honest Review Without the Guest Leaving a Bad Review Out of Spite

Hello Hosting Family!

I am new to Hosting and have been spoiled by my first few guests. They have been polite, clean and most have even left gifts for me. However, my last guest, (who I let do a same-day booking even though I usually do not), was not my usual 5-star guest. This was her first time renting an AirBnB rental so I am trying to cut her some slack.

 

Here's my issue: she sent me quite a few messages during her stay, some even after midnight, which woke me up. Tried calling me several times after midnight when she showed up to the wrong address even though I provided detailed directions, (and my house is not hard to find at all). After she checked out I found marijuana stems and beer caps in the kitchen, cigarette butts in my flower pot on my back patio, and several cigarettes in the grass. My property is listed as non-smoking. I personally don't mind the fact that her and her two guests smoked during their stay (I believe it was all done outdoors), but I don't like seeing the cigarette butts and marijuana stems all over.

 

How can I leave an honest review (probably 4-star) and still expect a 5-star review in return? I went way out of my way to get the property ready for the guests in time, as well answered her many questions and calls regardless of the late hour in which she sent them. I worry that if I leave a 4-star review, and state the reason why, that the guest would give me a negative review out of spite, which may affect the amount of future bookings I recieve.

 

How do you leave an honest review and not worry about the reprecussions?

27 Replies 27
Gillian19
Level 10
St Leonards, Australia

@Casey75 Your review stays hidden until the guest either leaves a review or the 14 day period passes. So she won'tbe able to leave a retaliatory review. She will be able to comment on any review you leave her (just like you can comment on a public guest review).

@Gillian19 Can't guests edit their reviews for two days after posting? I wasn't sure if once both parties submitted their reviews, this option went away.

Gillian19
Level 10
St Leonards, Australia

@Casey75 You can only edit an unpublished review. Once it's public no-one can change it. (Airbnb will only do anything if it breaks their rules - inaccurate reviews stay)

@Gillian19 Good to know! Thank you!

Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

Do an honest review. She does not see your review until she's already posted her own or 14 days later if she does not review you. This is the kinda stuff other hosts need to know. The cigarette butts in my grass and flower pots would piss me off, but I make sure I have butt cans and ashtrays outside for their use. You may want to invest in or place something outside for future guests to use to dispose of their butts. Also one of the first things to learn is no one reads anything anymore including your detailed directions or your listing information, so be prepared to answer unnecessary calls, questions and messages they would have answers to if they read what was given to them. 

@Letti0 Thank you for clearing that up! And I have considered leaving an outdoor ashtray however it is something I feel strangely conflicted over. Though I am aware they will smoke tobacco whether I provide an ashtry or not! I will probably bite the bullet and order one now. Thanks again for your help!

I wouldn't. Your property says "No Smoking". There are others that allow it, at least the legal stuff. Let her book there.

..to be honest it is a bit odd not to let people smoke outside. Just get and ashtray and be done with it.. many people assume a no smoking property is just for inside..

@Norm12   I think smoking is more common these days in Europe than North America, where smokers are basically considered to be social lepers. Many people don't want guests to smoke anywhere on the property, because the guest comes back into the house after a smoke and their hair, clothing and hands smell like cigs and still permeate the room. 

I'm a smoker myself and you wouldn't believe the lengths I go to when staying at my daughter's house in order to have a smoke, as she is extremely sensitive to it. I wrap a scarf around my hair, walk down the block, stand so that the smoke is blowing away from me, bring a container with a tight fitting lid for my butt, then leave the scarf outside the house, turn the doorknob with the hand that didn't touch the cigarette, and immediately go wash my hands and face and brush my teeth. 

If all smoking guests did this when staying in non-smoking homes, hosts would probably not have a problem hosting smokers, but of course no guest is going to go to these lengths.

OMG!! That is just awful and way over the top! Poor you! Yes here in Europe it varies from country to country, here in Berlin we can still smoke in Bars,  which is great, especially in winter. But I really do think banning it outside is over the top... and many guests would just smoke outside anyway...

@Norm12   If you ever come to Mexico, you can smoke on my property. Ashtrays and comfortable outside seating provided, and its never cold out, so you won't freeze your butt off 🙂

In warm climates where we have the windows open year round, smoking is a huge NO. Smoke will blow right into your house. I don't permit smoking anywhere on my property and even specificy non-smokers only.

Yasmin49
Level 1
Medellín, Colombia

I would let a 5 Star review and in the private comments, let them know that you were please to have them there but in the next stay it would be better not to let cigars at grass....

 

@Yasmin49   Guests who don't bother to read check-in information, bother their host with messages after midnight, and throw their cigarette butts in the grass and the potted plants don't deserve a 5 star review. The host was not pleased to have them there- why should she say she was?