How to remedy low scores on "Location"

[Alexa4210]

Hi all--new host here (six completed stays). I've had four guests give me 5 stars overall and two guests give me 4 overall, which appear be based on their scores in Location and Value. I'm assuming Value can be remedied by lowering the price (although these guests all paid $64, which seems resoundingly reasonable to me), but what should I do about Location? My description isn't flowery. It lists the correct distance to a coffee shop and a good breakfast choice (four blocks) and to downtown (2.8 miles). I've stated that it's an urban single-family residential neighborhood a few blocks off a major surface street. I don't say "Right in the middle of the action!" or "Everything right outside your door!"--I say you can walk to breakfast if you're a walker, or take a short car ride there otherwise. When I've reached out for more information, both guests said something to the effect of "Oh, I just filled it out fast," so I got nothing useful there.

What's the best way to remedy this and start getting better scores in Location? Is it a descriptive issue, or should I turn Instant Book off and be more selective in setting expectations before I accept guests? Or will this just remedy itself as I get more completed stays?

Thank you.

[Lorna170]

@Alexa4210   What a cute little place!  My suggestion would be to change your description to include more drive to distances (2.8 miles to downtown, X miles to attraction or shopping mall)  Once you have established that driving is necessary to get to most places, then let the guest know about the walk-to breakfast shop.  If it is pet-friendly, you could say "take your dog on a lovely walk to the nearby coffee shop". 

You have done a good job explaining in the "getting around" section, but I had to click a good number of times and go to various pages before that text became available to read.   Guests may not make that effort.

[Alexa4210]

Thanks for reading the listing! These are good ideas--much appreciated.

[Sarah977]

@Alexa4210  Location and value ratings given by guests can be totally unreasonable and fickle. Be as clear as possible in your listing, as Lorna suggested, then stop fretting about those ratings. 

You can be as clear as day about the location and guests will still give low location ratings because they "wished" it was closer the beach, the shopping mall, whatever. Even though they chose to book there.

Absolutely do not lower your price to get higher value ratings! You know if your price is reasonable or not. Some guests think if it wasn't free, it's too expensive. Guests have zero idea of your profit margin and couldn't care less if you were  operating at a loss.

In general, do not obsess over ratings. They are by and large totally subjective.

[Alexa4210]

This is great advice. I had no idea...I was just taking it at face value. Thank you!

[Huma0]

@Alexa4210 

I agree with @Sarah977 . Location ratings can be very random. I host three private rooms in the same house, in the same location, but my 'best' room (the one that faces pretty gardens rather than a busy road) consistently gets the lowest location score. There is no logic to it.

The best thing you can do is be as accurate as you can in your description. As @Lorna170 suggests, it's always good to be actual physical distances. My house is 0.36 miles from the subway/underground/tube station, but some guests describe it as a 2-3 minute walk, and others as much as a 10 minute walk. I therefore put 0.3 miles and approx 6 minutes walk, as the latter is what Google suggests for an average walking pace.

Location is the one individual star category that doesn't actually count towards your Superhost assessment. Lots of hosts (including me) have stressed about this rating, but it's better to take a depth breath and not worry about it too much.

Your listing looks lovely!

[Alexa4210]

OH! It doesn't count toward the rating...I have quite a lot to learn. Thanks so much!

[Emilia42]

@Alexa4210 

The lowest scores I have ever received for value were from two separate guests who happened to be paying the lowest nightly rate I have ever charged. I don't think that is a coincidence. When you get a low score on value, raise your rates! 

[Alexa4210]

@Emilia42

This is somewhat counter-intuitive to a new host, but it makes complete sense! I did turn off Smart Pricing immediately because it was setting ridiculously low prices, but I was thinking I'd "wait for some good reviews" before raising it. Whomp-whomp...thank you for your reply!

[Elaine701]

Yes, our experience is that the better the value (read: cheapest in class of accommodation) the less likely your guests will be thoroughly happy. You'll tend attract those whose primary interest is cheapness, but they'll have plenty to say about how spartan it is (because at that price, it's really all you can afford to deliver). 

Still, there has to be some value in your offerings. For example, it's equally dangerous to deliver a spartan, basic accommodation with bad beds and few, poorly maintained amenities, while charging a premium price. This will hurt you. 

IMO, the best balance is to deliver a clean, well maintained and organised accommodation with lots of comforts, at a slightly higher price than your most similar competition , no matter your location. This way, you tend to weed out the price pirates (who will never be happy with anything) while attracting a better quality of guest, which leads to fewer frustrations. It's not easy, it takes time, but once you establish it, things get easier. 

[Alexa4210]

@Elaine701

This is great advice! Thanks so much.

[Laura2592]

@Alexa4210 my lowest scores are also for location. I don't even understand what guests are rating ! I can't pick my place up and move it elsewhere. The guests can see the location on Google maps. I suspect that it has to do with some hoarders wayyy down the street (not visible from my place in any way, but visible if you walk your dog a specific route) or the fact that neighbors are visible. I have asked for feedback from low raters who didn't leave any. All I got was "its not walkable to anything" (never said it was! In fact I say in my listing under Getting Around-- you will need a car.) and "the last place we stayed was in the middle of a farm field and this wasn't." Again, never claimed it was.

I have listed driving distances and put a satellite shot of my property with circled neighbors captioned about visible neighbors. I have also steadily raised prices over the years-- my lowest scoring guests were those who got my place at $50 a night. :Like others, I don't think lowering prices is the best way to get better ratings. 

Many hosts abhor the location category. Its certainly not under our control to change or improve. And often its shorthand for "there are people who don't look like me around." I wish it would go away altogether.

[Alexa4210]

@Laura2592

Yes! It appears to make no sense whatsoever. 3 in Location but 5 in Accuracy...? Also, I barely use social media and am no fan of this widespread ability to just kvetch endlessly about everything, but that's a whole other topic. Thank you for your reply!

[Huma0]

@Laura2592 

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@Laura2592 wrote:

And often its shorthand for "there are people who don't look like me around." I wish it would go away altogether.

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Absolutely. When I was still hosting short term guests, and therefore a lot of tourists, many guests were coming to London for the first time. I am absolutely certain that most that left a low location rating were not used to a multi-cultural multi-income neighbourhood. My location is super convenient with great transport links (as mentioned in most of my reviews), so there isn't much to complain about there. It's in a conservation area because of the beautiful, historically important houses but there is also council housing. That's pretty normal for London, but first time visitors often seem shocked.

[Alexa4210]

@Huma0 Yes, this is entirely possible in my neighborhood. Thank you for your reply!