Bad star ratings, good text ratings

[Kelly67]

I have been hosting a lot this summer, and every guest leaves me kind notes at check out and positive review (in writing) but several keep giving me low star ratings without any feedback (or irrelevant feedback). For example, one guest ripped the handle off my faucet and then gave me 3-stars for cleanliness and commented that he did so because the faucet was broken. Another guest gave 3-stars for cleanliness and low star for accuracy with no private feedback and left a great visible review. I messaged both the guests privately very politely asking for more detailed feedback and to know what specifically didn't meet expectations so I can improve guest experience- but they never reply.

How can I improve my guests experience if they will make such conflicting reviews? Our house is incredibly clean, we spend hours every week keeping it spotless. My description is very detailed, I don't know what could possibly be inaccurate.

Since star ratings don't allow for comments, I don't know what I can do- I am worried that my rating will dip to 3.5 and I will be suspended, and I don't want to wait for that before solving this. If guests won't tell me what they think is unclean or give false ratings due to their own damage to my house, what can I do?

How can I defend myself when there is no way to contest these claims? Can anyone help?

[Louise47 · Accepted solution]

Do you talk to your guests while they are there. I normally have a light chat to see if there is anything that I can do while they are there.  Sometimes you can't see the problem until it is pointed out.  Small things like is the bed comfy and the pillows, since I don't sleep on them I have no idea if they are nice or not.  Don't feel to bad you can't make everyone happy.. Good luck

[Kelly67]

Most of our guests have arrived quite late so we haven't had a chance to meet them in person, we have a check in/out process (which somehow has received all 5 stars) but maybe we should add an in-person check out.

I would have thought that the ability to reply via message would make it less awkward them, but maybe this will make a difference. Is there anything more I can do with prior reviews? Any way to reply in these cases or appeal?

[Ben71]

I have been a successful host through 150 bookings last 8 months- a super host twice-however reviews from my guests are still out of my control. I mean.. reviews are not always accurate or reasonable. It is affected by many various personal reasons from guests themselves. If they get flu, they say that's from a bad air condition. If they can't find my place easily somehow, that's because of my bad directions.. 90% guests are pretty understandable in general but there are still few unreasonable guests always.

Course, it's very important to listen to guests carefully always but we also need to know reviews are NOT always logical or fair enough.

[Ben71]

PS: Hosts can report bad reviews only when their reviews break Airbnb review rules.

[Emma94]

@Ben71 Reviews are strictly subjective or opinionated. Therefore, Airbnb will not do anything about them even if they are unreasonable. I had a guest complained about our house being in a noisy neighborhood. This is even after I wrote about that in the description and asked him to read it and don't book if he doesn't like what he reads. Guess what? He never read the description and then complained about the noise and gave me a 3 stars for accuracy. Airbnb wouldn't remove it because it was the guest's personal opinion. So you can't really win as long as it is someone's opinion. He also complained about the room not being cleaned everyday like a hotel. I specifically asked people not to expect services and amenities similar to that of a hotel and do not book if they want such things. Yet, he still booked then gave me a 3 stars because of that. You will never win so I have stopped worrying about them. Superhost to me is meaningless and has no real benefits as far as I can tell. My page ranking still fluctuates from being in 2nd page to the 5 or 6th page sometime. The newbies and people with no reviews get better ranking than me. I don't mind starting over with a different account should my ratings ever dipped below 3 stars. This is no different than a guest starting over when they get a bad review from a host. 

[Ira4]

@Kelly67, I can understand how you feel because I also have felt that kind of worries before. But as I @Ben71 says, we can't control the reviews and some of them could be unreasonable. 

As I see, your star ratings are 4.5, so don't worry, there are not going to be 3.5. You are new yet and you have 5 reviews, so that's why a bad rating influence so much the total image. When you host 20 people, one 4 star rating will not even influence your total rating. 

So, good luck with your future guests! Just go on to do your best in your listings and you will meet many good and contented guests!

[Kelly67]

Thank you Ben and Ira- it helps to know that this happens to everyone and that it will take a lot more to lower the score that much. 2 out of 5 doing this has had me worried this is a trend!!! I will just keep trying hard and do my best to listen and improve.

Thank you all again

[Danny9]

Neither integrity nor logical coherence are stipulated requirements for anyone, guest or host alike, taking part in the Airbnb process. 

Hence, we do encounter seemingly very contradictory ratings and reviews. 

One of my listings is called 'Duplex - spilt level luxury, etc'. Indeed, the split level feel is, besides the very convenient downtown location, the very MAJOR sales argument of my listing. There are many photos featuring the staircase, split level nature of the apartment, and a few words describe it, too. 

I have received a negative review by a guest who missed that central bit of information in both verbal and visual terms and was very unpleasantly surprised when she saw the stairs connecting the living loft with the sleeping alcove. The guest was an English native speaker, and confirmed that she also had a good eyesight. 

When all is said and done, I can show Airbnb VERIFIED photos, provide an accurate description of my listing, AND rest my case there. The rest is not really in my hands... 

Danny

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[Karen-and-Zach0]

I also have the same situation where I get great text reviews and then a lower star rating.  Even though I have now had around 40 guests, less than 5 stars does influence my percentages and therefore also my listing and superhost status. I don't take it personally, but I worry about the effect on my listing. I think that many guests do not realize how important the star rating is for hosts.  

I've been thinking about writing a small message and posting it in my room, along with my other house details.  

Something like:

We strive to provide a 5 star accommodation. If at any time during your stay, something is not to your satisfaction, please let us know. We welcome in-person, constructive feedback so we can provide the best experience possible.  

I allow guests to check-in late and I work early in the morning so I don't always get a chance to see them.  I could also provide a guestbook and a way for guests to comment.  

Thoughts? 

[Andrew1299]

I'm new to this and was thinking the same. When you don't have many ratings,  one bad one can send your overall ratings spiraling. My listing was suspended because of one really bad rating, but I only had 5 reviews. 

[Anonymous]

yes that happened to me.All good,good...we ask them if we can do anything for them,they leave a very good review but then the star rating is 4.5 and its reflected like 3.We are always ther for them but they dont say anything...

[Marie82]

Yes i think this is happening to lot lof hosts work very hard anwering quickly all Questions and make sure all good and running before during the guests stay

and u see the rating 4 for value or 3 

or they will focus on 1 none sense things they will come accross and forgot about all the things u have been doing as extra early check in later check out snacks ect 

and give u a silly rating for reasons sometime out of control 

I honestly think this reveiw is driving many hosts crazy and push many hosts to over rate guests in a sense 

[Joseph353]

Some people are just haters pure and simple. Just look at Youtube, people give thumbds down on anything. It will be not different here. 

I clean, mop, make sure sheets and towels are fresh and available and constantly ask them is everything ok and you will still have someone give you a negative rating after they leave. Especially if you have a 5 star rating.

I had one talk about my location. In the age of GPS how could you ever complain about a location that YOU selected?

I have had a couple that I did not get a good vibe from when they came and gave them an excellent review anyway. I am sure a lot of you will agree that we over rate the guest the majority of the time. We are inviting people into our home and I believe they forget that fact.

[Joan212]

How can we get airbnb to make it easier for us hosts?

Why do we only get to rate on 3 things yet guests rate on 6? I've been marked down 2 stars for accuracy and I have no idea why - very detailed description with photos. Instead it should be a 'tick box' to say whether thd house is the same as the listing.

Location should also not be a factor, it is entirely subjective to how well the guest searches for a place to stay near their destination.

I just received 2 4stars and 4 5stars, but a 3 overall? Surely this should be an auto-generated overall score like it is for hosts?! These were very loud guests but I didn't want to leave them a bad review because they were nice. Now I want to take my review back