Separate Hot tub use review

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Yvonne41
Level 10
Kirkland, WA

Separate Hot tub use review

We added a hot tub just over a year ago, and it has been difficult to keep the hot tub clean because guests don’t follow rules, or operating instructions. It has increased our rentals in the colder months, but it dramatically increased our operating costs with a lot more chemicals, water and more than double the old electricity bill, 9 months of the year.

 

For all visits longer than 4 days, we even try to do a courtesy chemical and filter change to help prevent frequently draining, cleaning and re-doing all of the chemicals. Is anyone else doing this level of extra maintenance?

 

For hosts with hot tubs I would really like it if Airbnb would add a new, separate review and star rating for guests, specific to how they used the hot tub, providing an incentive for guests to keep it clean and operating properly.

1 Best Answer
Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

As you think about charging extra for things like a hot tub or sauna or heated pool, it's wise to be aware that those who don't have these things, generally have no clue how outrageously expensive they are to operate.

 

They go to their sport club, and the pool is heated, the jacuzzi and sauna is warm and running. But they don't realise it's paid for by hundreds of membership fees. 

 

A single Airbnb (that isn't a hotel) has >one< paying guest at any time. So the price of having it all to themselves isn't shared. To cover those costs, they need to pay it all. But that won't enter the mind of most guests. A big extra charge that will cover those costs will seem absurd. Because they have no idea how expensive it is. 

 

It's quite a challenge to explain this in a way that people will understand. Most won't.

 

We actually would like to provide these highly desirable amenities, but we're struggling to find the right way to price and position it. Raise the day rate and include it? Nobody in their right mind would include it unless per night rate can cover it.

 

...or an extra, substantial fee? Tricky. But it would give the guest the option.

 

Maybe pay per use? We can log the time and charge for it, I suppose. 

 

Not sure yet...

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51 Replies 51
Dale711
Level 10
Paris, France

Hi @Yvonne41 

You’re right.Excellent points.✌️

The guest should be right and respect to use of the hot tub in the listing.

It’s essential to clean the hot tub and ensure proper maintenance regularly.

 

Happy Hosting 😊

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Yvonne41  I'm sorry your guests aren't being considerate about the hot tub, but not following the rules you give regarding it falls under the house rules rating. And you can mention in the written reviews that they didn't follow the instructions for the hot tub.

 

I don't see how it would work to have a separate rating for guests for things as specific as a hot tub. Then there would have to be separate ratings for how they dealt with a pool, or the kayak, or the bbq, or any one of a myriad other things that hosts offer. 

 

And how would being given a star rating for it change guests's behavior? Guests can't see the star ratings they are given, all they can see are the written reviews. They have no idea what ratings they are given. Hosts who don't use IB can't see star ratings either. The only people who can see guest star ratings are IB hosts.

Sarah,

 

While is see your point, I also see a lot of need for improvements in review accuracy through more specific guidelines. Here is how I review today, after 5 years of hosting: 5 stars across the board if you are an average guest, with a comment about them being a great guest. No review if you didn’t review us, because why risk a retaliatory review? 4 stars if a guest obviously did not care to follow rules or be respectful in any ranking area, with a less enthusiastic comment. I am sure I am not alone in my passive review methodology that avoids conflict. I have been suggesting that AirBnB display the number of rentals guests have, not just the past reviews, especially for instant booking because it’s impossible to base an acceptable guest on reviews from 2017, who say they rent and travel all the time on their profile.

 

I truly believe that if AirBnB were to provide much clearer guides and bounds, enable specific rooms to be rated for cleanliness, allow housekeepers to add their own rankings (since they are the boots on the ground) and add a ranking for whether guests followed some of your specific rules or not, it could be a more reliable indicator or guest risk and quality. Same on the host side, as I know as a guest it’s hard to know if you are renting from a well maintained home or not - given reviews are so general. 

 

@Yvonne41 It really does none of us any good to be wishy washy in reviews, just to avoid conflict. Be honest and precise, in language and assigning stars, for the benefit of all hosts. If I do that, you benefit, if you do it, I benefit. It can be done professionally, without malice. Guests can't read your review until they have submitted theirs. If they send you a nasty comment after reading your honest negative review of them, or post a response, so what? Block, ignore, move on.

To be brutally honest, it’s  just not worth risking my search ranking to try to look out for other hosts. If I leave a negative review of a guest, or just makes me look mean and overbearing. 

@Yvonne41 how does leaving a less than stellar review for a guest impact your search ranking as a host? 

I am saying I avoid the chance of getting a negative review, as those affect search results.

@Yvonne41 "I am saying I avoid the chance of getting a negative review, as those affect search results." 

 

Where in the Airbnb literature does it say a negative review will affect your search placement? Perhaps you could provide a link.

 

 

  • Reviews: Search ranking calculates the number of trips that have been completed, and the reviews and ratings that were left by guests. While good reviews are essential to performing well in search, a small number of negative ratings or missed reviews from guests will not necessarily have a substantial impact on your ranking.

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/39/what-factors-determine-how-my-listing-shows-in-search-results

 

Reviews are blind so leaving a negative review for a guest does not influence them to retaliate with a negative review for you. 

 

Because both guest and Host reviews are posted at the same time and can’t be edited afterward, there’s no need to worry about the other person reading your review and changing their own as a result. 

 

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/13/reviews-for-stays

If I get 3 or 4 star reviews, my property will get less clicks. This will make it less popular and my search ranking will go down. 

What's the point of the review then, if it's not honest?

@Michael5797 Yeah, there is no point. And when hosts are not honest about guest behavior, we all run the risk of receiving a bad guest disguised as a good one. Even the hosts who only leave those falsely good reviews. 

And to clarify things for any new hosts reading these comments, to be sure, writing an honest review for a guest will not risk you a bad review in return. Reviews are double blind.

Wow. I depend on other hosts to make sure I get quality people that take care of my house. It’s my obligation to the Airbnb host community to provide accurate reviews of my guests. Since the guest can’t see your review until after they review you, or after the 14 days when they can no longer review their stay, I see no way they can retaliate for an honest, though negative review. 

Lenore22
Level 10
California, United States

What do you have in place for the guests to separately & explicitly acknowledge the hot tub rules?

 

What if as part of the confirmation process they needed to read and acknowledge the most important rules.

 

E.g schedule a message for when a request is received with the details of your rules and then say something like "your reservation will not be approved nor confirmed until your response is received to acknowledge these additional rules to protect both the property and guests. " Maybe have a little easy quiz at the end that will also make it easier for them to remember:

What are the 3 steps for using the hot tub... Or something like that. (Shoot for light & fun)

 

 

 

I ask all of my guests to sign my rental agreement, which includes the hot tub rules. Before they arrive, I send an email explaining the brief version to rinse off before use, add water and call for maintenance if the jets/heater stop. Our hot tub is literally a 2 button operation - the heat has to be over 100 and the jets need to work for the filter to clean. It’s oh so simple, yet the guests use it like a bathtub for them and their kids and in the summer they use it as a pool for toddlers and babies...we state it’s not for kids under 7.

 

I realize that people are renters and on vacation, and try to be empathetic to that. But, I have to have a housekeeper, a checker, maintenance and hot tub maintenance on my crew to keep up.