The 4* rating fiasco

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

The 4* rating fiasco

I feel awful that when I was a guest I probably left 4 star reviews for places at which I would happily stay again.  You see, I actually believed Airbnb when they told me that 4*=Good.  And being British, I don't go around gushing over-enthusiastically about anything and everything - I save my 5* reviews for things that are truly exceptional.  Otherwise how do they get properly recognised?  3 thoughts:-

 

1)  Is Airbnb's practice of viewing anything less than 5* as unacceptable actually tantamount to race discrimination?  I suspect that people from other 'reserved' cultures such as northern European and Japanese are probably less likely to give 5* for a good but not absolutely stunningly outstanding experience,  just because it's not what we do.  But if hosts know we've left a 4* review, or even just see that we a from a culture that is more likely to do so, they may decline our bookings.

 

2)  When I look through listings as a potential guest, I just have a sea of 5* listings.  How do I identify the truly exceptional ones?  This ratings inflation does me absolutely no favours at all.

 

3)  The fact that Airbnb is lying to guests about what 4* actually means - any chance that a host who is delisted on the basis of their score might sue them for it?  Probably wouldn't get anywhere in the UK, but maybe in the US?

 

 

39 Replies 39
Sylvia51
Level 2
Munich, DE

Totally agree with that!

 

Kathie Kathie Kathie

 

If you don't blame your guests for not deserving a 5 star offering their humble homes to you, you look for someone else to blame!

 

Its not a hotel! I hope you try out hosting one of these days so you understand.

 

Also if you don't ever want to be a host, perhaps stay at a boutique hotel which is offered by airbnb.

 

 

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

I am a host now.  That's why I feel bad about maybe having left 4* reviews when I thought that 4* meant Good.

 

I don't actually understand your first paragraph, sorry.

I'm glad you see both sides of the story now you become a host. I have stayed in so many airbnb's and I never want to hurt their chances of getting bookings even if they offered me a black mat or a black towel, I appreciated they provided simple accomodation, I'm not after glamourous, otherwise i will book into a 5 star boutique hotel, come on.....!

 

Now you are a host so lets pick on airbnb. 

 

Seriously soon we will all get kicked off the platform by Mayors/council reps for so much.

 

We as host have made it very clear that we want the review system to improve. But to know you gave hosts **** but still want to return and stay with them is a ?

 

Its good **** but you still want to return there! WHY?

Syl, based on this response and others I suggest you read more carefully before replying.

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Because it was a GOOD place. It gave me the facilities I wanted in a location that suited at a price I wanted to pay.  I don't expect outstandingly fantastically perfect every time in the price bracket I use, whether it's Airbnb or a hotel.  Of course I would give them 5* now that I know how the system really works.

Kathie, thanks for this post. How about sending your thoughts on this,signing in as a guest,(since airbnb seems to consider guests worth listening to, as opposed to hosts) to airbnb via their feedback form? Feedback doesn't get a response, but I'd assume they make a note of what they get told there. 

When my guests now tell me that such and such about airbnb is aggravating or frustrating to them, I urge them to send that feedback to airbnb. And many of my guests say exactly what you have- that now that they know that anything under 5 stars is considered not good for hosts, they feel bad about giving places and hosts they were pleased with 4*s and wonder why airbnb lies to guests about this.

Pretty merciless kicking to Kathie, the opening poster, when I think she's done her level best to highlight a problem based on her personal experience. 

 

Common courtesy would dictate that you read, and seek to UNDERSTAND the post before flying off the handle. 

 

You can do better.

Syl, I wonder the same question....  Why do guests who gives 4 stars for  a location would want to return there??

 

Only guests who give me 5 stars are invited to come back. Guests who don't appreciate fully my location , that they have chosen, can go elsewhere.  I will find all excuses possible to decline the four star givers. Simple.

If you think that good is **** and that fabulous is ***** I can see why you might be open to staying again, just as she said- she may be drawn by the low price or location. She already responded to this question.

I have had people who wanted to return give me 3s and 4s. Honestly, that makes me not want them back. Both also didn't seem to read what was in my listing so I don't know how they have the ability to rate how well what I offered matched what was in my listing. I think the stars is too confusing, and it should just be a simple "would you stay here again" and a comment explaining why yes or no.

Kathie, Thank you for your candidness. You make some good points about the problem with the Airbnb rating system. 

 

We've had a few guests who wrote great things about our place, highly praised us, but gave us a 4* overall review. You are not alone. Confusing for guests and hosts alike. We even had one guest who gave us 5* in each category, but 4* overall. Perhaps they mis-clicked on the stars; who knows? Fortunately the 5* reviews far exceed the 4* ones. I trust potential guests do not judge us primarily on our stars!

 

On the flip side, as a host I recently gave one of our guests a 4* review in all categories and later I felt bad about it. It was this guests' very first Airbnb stay and another host seeing that 4* review may get the wrong idea about him. In reflection, I think he did his best to be a really GREAT guest. He was indeed a GOOD guest. But English wasn't his first language and I think it may have been difficult for him to read and understand all of our house rules and he missed following a couple. He simply may have not clearly understood what to do because of the language/culture difference. He gave us a solid 5* review. Hope he tries Airbnb again and doesn't become too discouraged because of how we rated him. As hosts we have only three categories to rate. I did write a good message about him and I did give him a thumbs up. I also gave him constructive and gentle feedback in a private message. But now, as hosts, we see the stars given to guests.  I hope as hosts we are not judging potential guests primarily on their stars!  It goes both ways.

Ute42
Level 10
Germany

.

Hi Kathie,

 

You made some very good points. I agree.

Alison326
Level 2
Western Australia, Australia

I got my first four star review as a host a couple of weeks ago with only the review written being “,”. I’m currently wondering whether it’s worth replying publicly to him mentioning something about how uncommunicative his was (I gave him a four for communication because I got so frustrated with him leading up to arrival but a five overall because he was a nice person and left the place clean). 

 

But I talked with a friend about the four star review and she said she was one of those people who says if it’s not overwhelmingly amazing she’ll always leave a four. Whereas I always leave a five as a guest, probably steming more from Uber where they lose their job with low ratings. You could easily see how there’s a divide between hosts and guests perception on the rating.