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

[Casey75]

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?

[Donald28]

honest reviews are always the best policy. I'm sure my honest reviews have saved a few hosts the problem of dealing with less than perfect guests. 

[Stephanie365]

She cannot see your review until she posts her own.  She violated your house rules regarding smoking. She left trash around your yard.  Yes, butts are trash. And she was too stoned to find her way to your house, which was her problem, not yours. (A great reason to use the "Do Not Disturb" function on your phone when you go to bed). 

She needs a "Do Not Recommend" and 2*.

[Roman-and-AV0]

@Casey75, Reviews can be tough, especially as Airbnb's star system is terrible! I would be honest and just state the facts in your review. I had to write a tough one today regarding guests who ignored a house rule about no marijuana use (even though it's legal here in Washington). 

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@Airbnb I really hope you change your review system! Star ratings are too much like the hotel system, which can be really misleading for guests' expectations when staying in a host's home. Additionally, why do guests have more categories to rate than hosts? It seems more and more, the experience is more catered to makign sure the guest is catered to than ensuring both hosts and guests have positive experiences. 

[Marilyn115]

I certainly agree!!!!!! I don't let people smoke anywhere on our one acre property - fortunatley I seldom have smokers. But once, the guest hid behind the building knowing full well that it was not allowed amywhere! This was early in my hosting and I should have given her a 3!!!!!

[Norm12]

sorry, but I have to say that sounds incredibly rude to not let people smoke outside!! just is not right, I know it is your property but that is just so over the top IMHO

[Fred13]

@Casey75 Hard to tell by your statement whether they DID smoked inside or not. IF you don't mind them smoking on the porch, then yes provide ashtrays. For just being a pain overall with all the silly calling, I would give them 4's.

[Casey75]

@Fred13 I'm not positive if they did smoke indoors. My brother said it smells like tobacco smoke in my house but personally, I haven't noticed. I have a terrible sense of smell though. My outdoor garbage can was filled to the brim with beer bottles, pizza boxes and lots of other stuff that suggests a wild night. To top it all off I found a bag of pills under the master bed.

They are clear gel caps with clear liquid, unmarked and seem to be homemade. Unfortunately I didn't notice it while the review window was still in place.

[Paul1400]

its very hard to write bad reviews for guests as there is always the chance of reprisals, but some guests are really better suited to staying in hotels. however most of us are to kind to tell them that, for fear of offending them. so as a result most guests have a five star rating, a guest who has less than five stars is suspicious, i find that if a guest is not someone i would really like back, then i JUST dont bother to review its so much better than being critical, so a good way to vet guests is by how many trips theyve taken and how many reviews they have. if theve been to ten places but only got one five star review, that doesnt make them a five star Guest.

[Missy4]

as a fellow host, I really appreciate and rely on the honest reviews of other hosts 

[Connie249]

I've just posted my listing and already have 4 bookings pending. I've just received another inquiry, this is it below:

Dear Connie, I need accommodation in North Vancouver, for 19 nights 22.06-11.07 let me know please, when your location?

Today at 17:52 · Алексей

If I pre-approve their booking will I have to accept it if they don't turn out to have bad guest reviews? 

[Sarah977]

@Connie249  You can look to see if they have reviews and how they are right now. To the left of the guest's Inquiry message to you, click on the circle with the letter in it. That should take you to the guest's profile page to see if they have written anything about themselves and if they have any reviews.

And you don't have to either pre-approve nor decline an Inquiry- just messaging back to the guest within the alloted 24 hours counts as a response.

If they have no profile info, ask them some questions. This is not a very nice Inquiry message you received- a guest should volunteer some info about themselves and the purpose of their trip, not just voice their needs. Make sure they've thoroughly read through your listing description and house rules.

And never give your exact location before a booking is confirmed. You can let them know the general area, major cross streets, etc, but you don't waant random strangers just showing up at your door without having a booking.

And yes, if you pre-approve an Inquiry, the guest can just go on to book. But many of them don't.

[Connie249]

Hi Sarah, as a new host, AirBnB recommends "instant booking" which I chose to apply to my listing. That's how all my bookings have been confirmed, including this one "bad" one. All the others (so far) have been very clean, quiet and respectful. I don't give my address out, but they get it on the AirBnB google map link once they have a confirmed booking. Thanks for your comments though and I'm definitely asking more questions in my first emails if they don't supply information first.

[Elaine701]

First, if you choose instant book, select all available restrictions (verified ID, history of good reviews, profile photo). It's not a guarantee, but it does tend to separate legitimate guests from dodgy ones. 

Second, we have a very strict "no smoking in the house" rule with a penalty of 500€ if violated. 

That however doesn't apply to outside the house. We have many ashtrays on the terrace and pool area, and ask guests to use them. They're not hard to find, so most do. No problems. 

Our primary concern is that the house doesn't smell of smoke. Nonsmoking guests find it offensive. This policy largely solves that problem. Except of course, for those we don't successfully vet before booking, which is sometimes challenging, but it's just the nature of the beast.