Can't help feeling despondent at times as a host

[Isabelle3]

Feeling slightly low after a very ordinary guest review when I went well above expectations, offering my best 25 years australian wine, lending best books, cooking, laundering, showering kids with gifts.... Yey amongst all my 5 stars ratings these the guests gave me 4 stars.  

You think you've made friends but it's fleeting and this experience pulls me down.  There is no pleasing some people and I feel this rating particularly harsh in the circumstances.  Sorry, I know I probably invest too much emotionally and pride wise.  🙂 for me it's much more than business, I give it my all.  

Does anyone else feel the sting of unfairness at times?  Ratings are all very well but so subjectives

[Isabelle3]

Thank you so much - your possum story made me laught so much - I guess I felt a bit too sorry for myelf because I was in a bad phase with my illness - a prety rare situation - I usually feel very positive.  Leaving alone I love my guests - I just have to get back to enjoying the experience no matter what - Thanks again - good luck with that Possum and Yeaah for guests with a sense of humour xx 

[Mathew0]

Somtimes, I really have no clue what people expect. It's not a hotel. It's not a time share. It's not a beach house rental- it's an airbnb. We have to provide WAY more pictures and detail than most hotels will about their rooms, we talk to them in advance and answer their questions- and then they just ignore 80% of your listing and then knock you for accuracy over something that had been clearly explained in the listing in multiple spots. You tell them that *if they'd like* to bring a 3rd person that badly, someone could sleep on the couch, then they moan that the couch wasn't comfy enough, after YOU went out of the way to be flexible. You say you have flexible check-in  and check out and then they abuse it by wanting to stay so late the next day you have to ask them to leave before the next guest arrives, or by deciding to ignore what they'd told you and show up unannounced hours later- but it's your fault for being "rude". It's all part of the game. If people want 5 star service and furnishings, they can book a room at the hilton down the road and pay 200 bucks a night for it.

[Kelly3]

@Mathew0

My feeling exactly.

When they book, price they have to pay is like the first concern, but when it comes to check-in and review time, they somehow completely forget how much(little) they paid!

They ask for a favor but they don't know the boundaries.....

I am a host (really good one), not their mom.....

[Robin4]

@Kelly3 I am a gregarious person and I love the iteraction I have with my guests.......I can't for a second think that God singled me out for a good bunch!!! But I work on it, and I absolutely love what I am doing with Airbnb, and if you read my reviews you will see that my guests love it to. I think too often many forget that this is a 'hosting' site, and that is what our guests want....to be hosted, otherwise they would just check into a hotel where they know what they are going to get.

I know 100%, when I farewell my guests with a hug and a handshake that I will get a 5 star review....today we got our 'Superhost' badge and I have only been doing this for 6 months.....so I think I am on the right path!

So Kelly, they might start off looking at price, but once the service kicks in, they would gladly pay much more, and what's more, they can't wait to come back.

Good luck and great hosting Kelly.....cheers...Rob

[Carolyn5]

We've all had that! I host in rural Victoria (Australia) and use rain water tanks with an electric pump. I had guests in and the power provider turned  off everyone's power to do work on the lines without letting us know. Result? No water! But the guests were very good and just went out for the day, showered late at night when the power came back on, and we all laughed. You have to, sometimes 🙂

[Sara2]

I had the gas company disconnect the boiler to change the meter in the middle of Sunday last weekend without warning ( they got in from garden)we had no hot water gas or heating for two days till my plumber found the problem as my guest started a new job Monday AAm with no shave or shower I felt truly dreadful

though it was not my fault I have offered him a free night or alternative ABB place but he just said its not my fault at all and I felt so greatful for his attitude I took him out for dinner so there are some really nice folks

[Wendy14]

Robin post this story in the current contest! Its classic. 

Read Robins response to Isabelle; you'll die laughing!

[Robin4]

@Wendy14 @Isabelle3 @Helga0 Hi there Wendy. Thank you so much for your comments......There is one thing I have learnt in my 71 years, If you can't make someone laugh....don't make them cry!!

I guess that is why I may at times be a bit critical of doom and gloom posts! I know we have to have them because they are what we learn from. On the other hand, I don't want to go through life being seen as a comedy jackass...and there is a really serious side to me, but I love people! I have only once met a person I did not find interesting and worthy of conversation...... I love a good story, and Wendy, I really, really love to think someone will be happier when they leave here than when they arrived, and I think my reviews will probably bare testament to that!

And, if you are up for another possum story Wendy...... When we bought this house it was derelict, hadn't been lived in for many years! In fact as I have said in other posts the roof had fallen in, in part of it, so it's been a real challenge.

I utilised most of the old kitchen cupboards in my Man cave/workshop...You know, the sort where that TV 50s wife in a ballooning skirt with the miniscule waist leans over a platoon of painted doors to reach her Sunbeam mixmaster!!!

Well, once I had removed them from the old kitchen I installed them in the workshop and packed them with tools and things....as men do with cupboards! One day I was looking for a particular article that I thought may well have been in this 'platoon of painted doors. I went along the line from one to the next peering into the contents of each section of the cupboard. I came to one door, opened it and as I gazed in, there staring back at me was....you guessed it, a possum!!!! For a moment we just stared at each other, I didn't have anything at hand to catch it so, after a few more seconds I shook my head, shut the cupboard door and moved on to the next. When I went back later armed with appropriate possum catching implements, it was gone....god know where, I have no idea how it got there in the first place or where it disappeared to....

As the Australian bushranger Ned Kelly said the moment before they hanged him...."Such is life"!!!!

[Helga0]

@Isabelle3, I'm feeling with you. For a few months, seing the 4* ratings brought me down or made me furious, as it is mostly those that really got more value than they paid for. Now, I mostly ignore it - at least on good days and if they have the decency not to rate low on the same category as the last ungrateful, so the add is not flashing yellow in the dashboard. 

Today I got the 3rd repeat booking of a guest who gave me 4 stars on the first stay. The last two rated all 5es at the second trip, this one is upcoming and was the most complicated one. Sneaking in by IB, as I myself gave her a thumbs up - funny but for the better, at least I do not have to think about it if I want her back after she even said to my face that my home was not what she needs for her work stays.

I think @Jessa0 is right, some people have a scale which does not include 5 stars for human effort as a possibility. Or they don't cope well with new things, so at first visits, it can't be very good, but at second visit, all is fine.

@Robin4 I loved your oppossum story - why did they not open the front door and chase it out?

[Lisa0]

Oh Isabelle,

I'm sorry to hear how low that's made you feel. I do echo the sentiments above that no matter how much you do, for some it's never enough. And also, sometimes the more you do the less it's valued so it can actually bite you in the backside. 

Those **bleep** star ratings had me so stressed out last year I made a concious decision at the time to not look at them. Ever. I've not seen my stars since sometime in June I think it was. They are too subjective and give the lovliest of hosts undue stress, and we're working our arses off to please our guests. 

So just keep being your lovely self, try not to over give and take that cash to the bank. 

Hugs, 

Lisa

[Robin4]

Hi Helga, The possum was already herded up in the bathroom and we did not not want it running amock in the main part of the cottage before it found the open front door. You have to appreciate Helga, possums are nocturnal animals! During the darkness they are agile and, although territorial will wander anywhere looking for fruit but, during the brightness of day they don't behave predictably, are easily dis-oriented....all they want is a dark corner, and an open front door is not something they make for. I didn't want it climbing into the under working of the bed with all its electrics, or climbing over everything!

Being something of an authority on possums reminds me of a story Helga....

These three priests were talking about possums and the first priest said...

"I caught a possum and knowing that they have their territory I took it 5 Kms away and next night it was back again"!!

The second priest said....

"Yes, that's right, they do home!...I caught a possum and took it 10 Kms away and within a week it was back again"!!!

The third priest was Roman Catholic, and he said....

"I caught a possum, I baptized it and I confirmed it and I haven't seen it since"!!!!    Cheers....Rob

[Isabelle3]

Rob, I know this only works on attics - but a bright light at night for at least 10 nights will make your nocturnal friend pack his bags in disguss x

[Robin4]

My God, I had not thought about that Isabelle.....see this is the great thing about a forum site like this...as well as meeting lovely people, you gain so much knowledge. Isabelle, I am going to try that and see what happens.....I thought my only option was to find a Roman Catholic priest and station him with his bottle of holy water in the rear garden for a few nights!!!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Ingrid3]

Hi Isabelle,

 As I keep reminding myself " Have no expectations and you will never be disappointed".  

Don't let it knock you about, the next person will love your hospitality.

Keep it up.

Regards Ingrid

[Sara2]

You are right Ingrid at least she is getting stars I'm sick of people giving absolutely no reviews and ABB having lost a guest so it looks as if I have less than I do

every day is a fight For business and I keep dropping my price to borderline that it's not worth it and I still have no bookings just 2weird enquiries.