Is it true that a false review is acceptable with in the guidelines?

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

Is it true that a false review is acceptable with in the guidelines?

Is it true that a false review is acceptable with in the guidelines?

 

My guest claimed he had no place to cook.  He rented a tree house with photos of every detail. It has a bedroom, two balconies, and a full bath.  The listing was clear.

There is a full community kitchen less than 100 feet away.  How can he get away with lieing like this?  

He paid $39 for one night and said he expected an entire house to himself.  He is also trying to open an eco village in Costa Rica like ours, Saint Micheal's Eco Village. His project has not experienced the growth or sucess we had. He was traveling with a 13 year old girl he said was his daughter.  I offered one of our other rentals.  There were full homes available in 2 bedroom and up.  He could have had a kitchen if he wanted it. Is there anything I can do other than deleting the entire listing to stop publicizing his lies? 

15 Replies 15
Gerry-And-Rashid0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Reviews are people's opinions - which are not alway what we would like to hear. It really depends on what he said. If he  said therre was no place to cook in the tree house, then was he factually correct?

 

Personally I would do a public reply but word it so that you come off best. Keep it brief. Something like: Thanks for your feedback, a bit disappointed with your reference to no cooking facilities as the kitchen area (etc_) was shown to you and just 100 ft from your tree house. For safety reasons it's not a good idea to have cooking in the tree house itself. I also offered you one of our other rentals, etc..

 

Please steer away from references to his 'daughter' - that doesnt read well.

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

He said he has no place to cook period.  Whick is untrue. If he said "I had to walk almost 100 feet to the community kitchen and I hate that", I could understand that as opionion.  

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

On the listing there is even a line drawn through kitchen to be sure that he knows there is no kitchen offered.  The other kitchen he had full use of was not listed as an ammenity.  He only gig on droping my accuracy rating was the kitchen.  

He was informed there was not kitchen when he made the reservation.

He had 24 hours access to a full kitchen steps away from the base of the tree house.

He giged the listing as innacurate becuase it didn't have a kitchen even though the listing said there is no kitchen.  Not only did he ha a kichen he had free organic food.  

 

I feel his motives were not about accuracy.  His rewiew is false.  The guests the next day used the kitchen and were very happy.

 

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Hello @Iris29.  Welcome to Air BNB.  Your listings are intriguing and lovely.  I reviewed the guest review and your response.  While his review was harsh and somewhat inaccurate, your professional response was cool and correcting.  If you read the Air BNB guidlines about review content, for both host and guest reviews, you should have a better idea about what is acceptable.  Generally a guest or host is allowed to have their opinion about the space or guest as long as there is not defamatory remarks.  Air BNB has been known to remove a review if it is deemed that the reviewed did not adhere to Air BNB content guidelines. You can contact them and ask for a review.  

 

I don't know if you have ever used Air BNB as a guest, but I would suggest you do so.  It gives you a different perspective about how to accurately represent your listings.  Also, you learn to look at the listing reviews and read between the lines.  If you see an isolated negative review with a professional response such as yours, it actually can be a positive.  Good luck

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

Hi Linda!  
Thanks for the great advise.  I will cantact airbnb as soon as I can find out how (lol?).  You made my day by liking my garden homes.  Yes, they are very unique. I have poured myself into making them a model for a world in harmony with nature with out sacficicing moden comfort. The whole community is an organic garden.  I will be trying airbnb as a guest.  I think this is a great idea.

Natalie59
Level 1
United States

Justin,  

 

I agree with all of the following posts.  You have handled this like a professional.  What I have learned in the past two years of hosting is to just take it with a grain of salt and don't let it get under your skin.  I thought the suggestion to be a guest was a wonderful one.  I would like to check out you listings and book in the future.  We are running the airbnb in Southern California but are looking to relocate and retire in Costa Rica.  Would love to carry on a conversation with you regarding your experience in 
Costa Rica and your overall opinion of how it is going in general for you.  Did you relocate to Costa Rica from the states?  Are you coming to the convention in LA in November?  

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

Hi Natalie,

 

Thanks for the support.  It was hurtful to read the review.  I took a few deep breaths to be cool about it. I can't make the airbnb conference but, you can get ahold of me at *sensitive information hidden*   I love Costa Rica.  The place is peacful and happy. 

Julie131
Level 5
Plano, TX

The best thing to do is just write a nice reply as suggested earlier.  I know it is annoying and angering.  I had someone post a seriously damaging review stating I had bugs and my house my filthy etc.  All of my reviews have been about how nice and clean and cute my home is.  Sometimes they write these negative things hoping you will offer them a discount/refund if they edit it.  Most intelligent people won't be swayed by obvious foolishness.

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

you're right Julie. it just got to me and keep getting under my skin everytime I see that review.  Even that all of the other reviews are good doesn't make it hurt any less. I just noticed that he said it takes 30 minutes to get to a restaurnt at the beach while our first guest of the year put that is was 10 minutes away.  Thanks for chiming in 😉

 

Bob39
Level 10
Goldfield, NV

There's no way to change what he wrote. Only Airbnb can change it and only if it violates Airbnb's guidelines.


But your reply is key. Your a good opportunity for you, to make the facts clear about the cooking facility, and more importantly to make yourself look good. About the kitchen thing, merely state the facts about the cooking facility, as you have done in this discussion. Leave out any opinions, judgements or feelings. Say nothing personal. Just facts about the kitchen and leave it at that.


At the same time, make the wording of your reply professional, fair, diplomatic and caring. Any person reading your reply will formulate an opinion of you based on what you say and how you say it. More importantly than just as a rebuttal to his negative review, this reply is your chance to make a good impression on potential future guests.

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

Thanks Bob

MicheleandLouw0
Level 10
Maun, Botswana

Justin I went and read your reply to his terrible review. You did a fantastic job. Well done!

Nuremberg0
Level 2
Nuremberg, Germany

Hi Justin, 

 

Sorry for the bad review, I think we all have as host been target of people that leave bad &/or false reviews. 

 

If your listing is accuarate and you specify that there is not kitchen or that for safety reasons or any other reason the kitchen is not inside the premises the review can be erased by AirBnB, same when they put full names and so on on reviews.

 

Small point try to be as accurated on the listing description, if the guest do not read your description (this happens 90% of the time) then they can not complian about it.

 

Rg

 

Sebastian

Iris29
Level 2
Esterillos Este, Costa Rica

Thanks, I feel better know that I am not alone.

 

The listing say it doesn't have a kitchen.  ( we offer the use of one and organic beef chicken, eggs, fruits, veggies, and other exocit food at less than half price)

I wish I could get the review deleted on the grounds that is not true and easy to prove that. Do you know how to contact airbnb to request an investigation on the review?