Location Rating

[Moira21]

I recently got a 4 star rating for my location!! Why am I confused? Well, because the location of my place was not on the doorstep of the Hotel!!! my guest was attending for a convention. If only I could move my place to suit each guest to make it more convenient for them!!

I provide information on my listing and the map provides an approximate location where my place is.

[Farah1]

@Moira21 I'm currently hosting a couple who told me that "taking the bus downtown is kind of long"..... I gave all approximate distance on the listing + I even explained to her before I approved her booking. We live in the city, not in the middle of nowhere... so 5 miles distance to downtown is not far, but of course it will not take you 5 minutes as you cannot go 60miles/hr in the city especially if you take the bus that by logic will have several stops.

Sometimes I really want to know what's in the guests' mind and what was the process of thinking that get them to the conclusion of their expectation.

[Marit-Anne0]

OK - so here is my contribution to the story. They told me they would arrive at 10pm, but during communication closer to arrival they revealed that the arrival time would be past midnight which again is well past my latest check-in time. Not to mention they contacted my daughter at 1:30 am because they had failed to take note of the arrival details. 

Dinged - for arrival (check-in) with the following private feedback: “Our late arrival made it a little tricky, no fault upon the host”

Some are so totally clueless 😞

[Less0]

Keep in mind people like to complain I have two condos on the lake one is out dated crash pad the other luxury and modern trust me I'm a clean fanatic I wash behind toilet bowls every guest they have the nerve to complain my home isn't clean I live in a 220 unit building our building has there own carpet cleaner and he works between 10 properties he once told me out of nowhere my home was the cleanest home he has ever been in? It burns me up so I recently decided too ignore it and enjoy a pick me up with my money I just made on my rental being a host you have to learn to not get hurt feelings I once had dirty guest  who rented my outdated condo it just so happen the luxury one was available because it was a trip for her and hubby I upgraded them without charge mind you my luxury condo is double the price that was last summer to date I have never got such a bad review yes she complained about not having beach towels when she had 15 bath towels by the way she had no business at my pool you see what I'm saying I think we all should relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor once they checkout 

[Chad-and-Char0]

I recently got a 4 star rating from a guest who told us to our face that they loved the location, left us a nice note when they checked out saying how perfect the apartment was and convenient, and in private feedback for location said "convenient in quiet neighbourhood".

I reached out to the guest who admitted he gave us 4 stars because our place was not a beachfront accomodation in the downtown of a different city.

Why are they even allowed to rate location?

We can't do anything to improve their experience.

He wrote to say that he was just being accurate and that a 4 star rating was still "very good" in his books.

I hope that the young woman who cancelled her booking to stay with us while she interns at a hospital that is within walking distance didn't make her decision to cancel based on my location rating dropping.

[Karin12]

My home is in the suburbs and my listing states all the approximate distances to the nearby bus transit station, drive to airport, bus to downtown and driving downtown. I'm always amazed how many guests I get who don't have a car. Some comment that the distance to the transit station is easy (they often tend to be from Europe) while others give us the 4/5 on location.

I allow guests to use the instabook feature but when I am first communicating with them I typically ask them to verify that my location (now that they have the full address) will suit their needs. This seems to have helped a bit, but I still get my fair share of 4 ratings. Fortunately, these other ratings are stand alone ratings and they don't influence the overall rating upon which the SuperHost Status hinges.

I feel that this is a completely subjective rating and that if they have rated it lower than a 5/5 they should be required to provide a reason why. I know the new review prompts guests to leave an explanation in their feedback, but it is optional. I had one guest type a period and hit enter/next so no useful info from that.

Generally though, I get less worked up by a 4/5 on location than I do by a 4/5 on one of the other aspects.

[Farah1]

One of my guests who was here to find an apartment, signed a lease for an apartment building a few blocks away (less than 10mins walk from my house) left me 4 stars for location. If the location is not a 5, why are you moving in to my neighborhood)?

[Rosemarie9]

I am hitting my head against the wall as I type! Just had my all five star rating dinged because of a 4 star location rating. Couple attending a wedding had no transport and didn't read the description that states I live on a hill. All nice on review,went out of my way to give them details of cheap airport taxi service and then expected taxi driver to know my house name without giving any location details,so they were put out at 5am when they left. I sent a message saying I noticed my rating had slipped and was sorry they did not read the listing or let me know they had suitcases and no transport when they booked.Guests are like big babies sometimes,and the mature newbies are the worst! How do some people get to middle age without common sense? I give my guests more assistance than any hotel I have stayed in and that is quite a number. Taking deep breaths and reminding myself tomorrow is a new day!

[Less0]

Don't worry I get less then 5 stars and my unit stays booked the star rating is there for you to improve the future guest don't see your star ratings 

[Farah1]

@Less0 Please keep in mind that any star ratings you receive is affecting the overall star rating of the listing which is visible to future guests.

[Luis287]

Great point. I started reading more in the blogs here so I can improve. Lately, I've been getting worked up about the star rating but I'm doing a great job in the other areas. There's nothing I can't do about the location or what people think about it.

[Karen-and-Brian0]

Hi @Moira21 Some people are just strange. We got a 4 star rating for location from guests who were part of a fire evacuee program & who stayed for free! They chose our place out of countless others in the program, then explained the 4 stars were because our wifi was unreliable - we don't have wifi listed as an amenity .... for that reason. Go figure. Fortunately, the location stars don't count in the overall tally toward Super Host - I'm not even sure why that category is there. - Karen

[Sean119]

Glad to hear they don't count because last 2 guests gave us 4-stars for location (5 on everything else).  My wife says "because they expect it to be like a postcard" and anything less gets dinged.  

[Kenneth18]

LOL! I had a guest that gives me 4 stars on everything. The review was great just the rating is 4 stars. When I asked him about it, he said well he simply just don't give 5 stars. Else I won't improve. Then I asked him what are the things i need to improve on? He said nothing. Doh!  

All i am saying is do you due dilligence. Ask them all sort of questions. ie Are you aware of the approximate location? Do you know how many rooms in my house? Yes they get annoyed with all the questions but at least you cover yourself. I even put up a tutorial on how to provide ratings and reviews in my guidebook after this incident. Best of luck folks!