Value rating

Sabine-and-Bruce0
Level 2
Coconut Grove, Australia

Value rating

Hi.

 

We are running a 5-star airbnb accommodation but the value rating by my guests is very disappointing.

We provide our guests with milk, sugar, high-quality tea and coffee; hairdryer; shampoo/conditioner, soap, shower gel, plenty of very expensive high-quality towels and linnen, use of our high-quality washing machine, dryer, large saltwater pool, camping chairs as well as bikes, and more.

 

The prices for accommodation in the city we live in are in general very high, and locals consider our apartment as being rented out too cheaply for what we offer. Also, our guests seem to be very happy with what they get. However, their value ratings shows that they feel they don't get enough for their money.

 

So, how can we boost the value rating? Guests pay AUS $180 per night. If we lower the price, we would have hardly any earnings because of the constant maintenance and repair costs. I mean, it wouldn't be worth it to rent it out anymore.

 

Many thanks for your help,

Sabine

14 Replies 14
Mary10
Level 2
Bella Vista, AR

I would like to know how many beds and what size do you offer for the price?

1 queen size bed room, 1 lounge room with a ligne roset sofa bed (queen size) that opens to a very large balcony, and a brand-new, fully equiped kitchen.

Brittany1
Level 10
Chicago, IL

@Sabine-and-Bruce0

 

You could always write past guests and ask them for feedback regarding the Value of your place. I'm sure you would get some good insight. Also it seems many guests are just not ever happy with the value. They want perfection for free.

That is a very good idea, thank you. And I will do that but the other way around. From now on I will ask our guest for their feedback on the value of our place before they leave, and use the opportunity to let them know that they have actually safed $50 a night according to the opinion of a number of local hotel professionals who have seen our apartment. Thanks again.

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

The level of bookings will help you more than anything determine your price point.

David
Melanie58
Level 10
Boise, ID

I have thoughts about this, and apologize because I'm not succint.

 

One is when I look up your place as an individual potential guest, I can't see how many less than five star reviews you have.  For comparison, there is a nearby place to you that also offers accomodations for two guests, for $78 US (Yours is double that), and they are rated the same as you on value (4.5), but also almost all the other areas are 4.5 stars as well. So by comparison, I would expect that you have a very nice place and go above and beyond to give guests a great experience.  To me the overall 5 star rating and only slight ding on value represents a really quality listing that I would consider any day.  The $32 US place next door to you seems to be a noncomparable because it looks like more of a hostel/commune experience.  Compared to other area listings, you are not fairing any worse as far as recommendations go.  

 

Also, when I look at airbnb's as a guest, I typically look at the photos first - yours are great.  I look at the reviews, yours are fabulous, and I read the description quickly to see if it will fit our family - you have written a beautiful description.  Finally, if it isn't instant book, since I usually book last minute, I look at response times - you are so responsive, and a super host too!  The stars I am basically just considering anything with scores above 3 as being "comparable" in my search.  It's the rest of the information that really helps me narrow down the final choice.

 

I agree with a previous commenter that says your level of bookings will tell you if your prices are too high.  

 

I think it is possible, given the large number of truly budget Airbnb's available in Darwin some people may give you lower stars in value because you aren't offering a "value" (ie cheap) location, or because they themselves decided later "hmm, you know after this experience I would have been just as happy in someone's basement" or something like that.  

 

So what I am trying to say is I don't think you should change prices based on a few lower star reviews for value because as customers fill these out, they may not realize how important they are to the hosts it terms of site ranking and stuff.  And also, I think unless you see some drop in reservations you can keep price as is.  Hosts may value stars more than guests, because guests only see the aggregate, not the individual.    

 

   

Thank you for your thoughtful response. I look  forward to hearing from my guests as to why some of them provide us with a lower value rating as expected, and will get back to you on that. Most of them are probably unaware that $180 a night in Darwinbuys them a hotel box with a kettle where they have to pay on top for the use of a washing machine/dryer, bikes and unlimited access to the internet.

I really think that airbnb needs to help guests understand what "value" means.  Why isn't there a rubrik by which a guest has to calculate the star rating.  It's so subjective.  I recently had a guest leave us a 4 star for value because we don't have king sized beds!  Yet, our listing description clearly states we only have queen sized beds in at least 4 places.  

 

I think this one is on airbnb to clear up with the guests and to give them some proper guidance.

Matt565
Level 1
Nashville, TN

Our issue is that the "value" is subjective. If guests did any research at all on Nashville, TN and the hotel costs, etc they would see the value is amazing at $99 per night for an entire apartment. Our space is brand new and only a mile from downtown Nashville in one of the nicest historic neighborhoods, but our last two guests left us a 4 for Value. 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Matt565 @Michael-and-Dru0

 

Value is a subjective thing. In my 107 reviews for 2018 I received 1 four star for value in the last month of the year, and that was from a woman who cleaned out my restock cupboard, the fridge and left with everything she could lay her hands on. Technically, she is entitled to some of it but, I am not a 'food barn' , and I expect that what I supply to guests will be utilised on the property. She actually left with more in cost value than she paid for the accommodation.....and she gave me a 4 star for value.

You are never going to convert people like that, no amount of re-working by Airbnb is going to overcome that situation unless they totally dump the value category.

My feeling is we need to see the category star ratings guests have given previous hosts, I would lay a bet this guest of mine would always give a 4 or less for value, and if we knew that in advance it may alter our desicsion to host! But Airbnb will never do that, they will proudly display how guests have rated hosts but sadly, the boot will never be on the other foot, and we are oblious to that information!

 

But, by and large we do deal with reasonable people and I say to my guests..."It's not Trump Tower, but it's only $100 a night. In terms of what you paid, did you consider the property and the stay value for money"? and I think mainly because of that statement I ended up the year with 106 five star value ratings and one 4 star.

We need to be a bit pro-active!

 

Cheers.......Rob

@Robin4@Matt565 I am in complete agreement that "value" is very subjective; that is precisely the problem.  What one guest views as "value" could be completely different than the mental categories for another guest.  Thus, I think it's really imperative for airbnb corporate to put some definitions on the star categories.  Guests need some guidance on how to use those categories.  Perhaps they even need to develope an actual rubric for guests where they anser yes and no questions and those responses then tally an independent star rating via the algorythm.  

Cliona0
Level 2
County Wicklow, Ireland

Hi Robin,

"It's not Trump Tower, but it's only $100 a night. In terms of what you paid, did you consider the property and the stay value for money"? When do you say that to them? Seems like a good idea!

Cliona

@Michael-and-Dru0

 

I think price might not be a subjective category once Airbnb invites new algorythm allowing to value the residencies in the same way hotels are divided at 1,2,3,4,5 -stars. Now our properies offered through airbnb are valued only by the guests, namely by guet,s reviews. Hotels are rated before guests are leaving their reviews, so when you are booking a 5 stars hotel you know that the price is right for a 5-stars hotel, and you do expect it to have the things a 5-stars hotel is supposed to offer, the same with any stars hotel. 

 

I had a guest writing in his review that my place is 10+, but giving me 4 for value!

Well, every kind of stuff I provide - electricity, food, cleaning materials - have the same price as anywhere in Europe,  only land is less expensive - but does it mean that I have to offer Ritz at the price not even the worst motel has? 

 

@Sabine-and-Bruce0

 

I would like to add something. Sabine started the message with #We are runnng a 5-star airbnb accomodation...# So although this is your subjective value of the accomodation, you did not put the stars having in mind the reviews, neither because you just wanted it to look as a 5 star, but for sure you comaired it with what is on - either as hotel accomodation, either as other airbnb.

 

And in my case - the guest wanted to rent the place in future for 6 months, so he gave me low star rating not only for price - although writing it is a 10+. And I think this could be a good reason that guests are giving you low rates for price - guests thinking to rent it in future time would like to see it cheaper, and they  are trying to manipulate the price through giving low rating for it.

 

And I think this is also a good reason why there should not be value rating, but rather two separate overall ratings for accomodations - one given from Airbnb, and another from reviews. In this way you could be a 3-stars accomodation which prices should not be more than stated by airbnb - in the same time you could be 5 star by reviews, and vice versa.