IB hosts-- what is a "good guest" star rating?

[Laura2592]

After 100 plus stays I still can't wrap my head around what is supposed to be a "good" guest with IB star ratings. Here is my confusion.

- all reviews are either good or glowing

-over 3 stays, stars are at 4

So someone really didn't give them a fully great score. Or maybe several people didn't. They said nice things and marked down on stars that not everyone sees. Got it, but how do I interpret this without anything to go on in the written rating? Were they messy? Did they bring a dog when the host said no pets? Smoke in the house? What?

If we use the host lens, of course this guest would not be acceptable. Anything below a 5? Out! But is a 4 a bad guest? is a 4.5 a bad guest?

Help me out here. How do you interpret this?

[Stephen1156]

Stars are a secondary consideration. I read the reviews, with an eye to implied meanings. When I review our guests, I make an attempt to point out any issues without throwing them under the bus. As a guest, I hope for the same.

[Robin4]

@Stephen1156 

Yeah, diplomacy is the best path, I don't bring up specifics in the review, that isn't necessary, all I need to do is inform hosts if the guest is worth hosting or not.

I had this one woman who completely turned our lives inside out for the few hours that she was here. She had mental issues, upset my wife terribly, did a bit of damage and made a massive mess.

This was how I reviewed her....

I said all that needed to be said Stephen, without getting into some sort of verbal slogging match.

If a host does not understand what part of no that review conveys, then it doesn't matter what you write, they won't get it!

All the best Stephen.

Cheers........Rob

[Kelly149]

I'm of the take that a review that I didn't write doesn't give me much info. And I've even asked other hosts what their bad review was about and I've never had one remember. Buuuuuut, one possibility (since guests can't see how they've been rated anyway) is this: "Hey, we're looking forward to having you and your message and profile indicates to me that you intend to be a good guest and I don't want to bring up bad feelings since I know you can't see this yourself and might find it upsetting, but you had a past host who marked you poorly for **whatever**. Of course it's important to us that both you and we feel like your visit to our space is excellent, so I'm just reiterating that we aren't a hotel, you're coming to our home and good communication and the way you take care of us and the space are important to us. Please let me know if I can answer any questions for you while you're planning your trip. Thanks! K"

Then they're on notice that they're being graded and I have high expectations. Perhaps if they were poor guests before, they'll attempt to do better at my place....

[Sarah977]

@Kelly149  Or you could just do what a host on another forum, who pretty much accepts all guests, her motto being "heads in beds", did when she saw a bad review from another host. When he arrived and she was checking him in, she said, "Oh, and by the way, whatever you did at that place you stayed in Italy that earned you the bad review, don't do that here" 🙂

[Kelly149]

@Sarah977 exactly... but I do it right after receiving reservation instead of at checkin. Guests knowing that they're being "graded" and that they already have a poor mark against them could make them more ship shape.

Big take away: good reviews maybe give you info, bad reviews maybe give you info. But your best bet is well control your own space regardless.

[Kelly149]

oh, and PS I once had a CS tell me that guests met the "positive reviews required" category UNLESS they had CONSISTENT 1* ratings.

who knows if that was accurate then or now, but it didn't give me alot of confidence in that "screening tool"

[Elaine701]

"Facts" from CS are about as good as the "facts" offered by Danny, down at the pub. 

It's anybody's guess.