Declining guests

[Kia780]

If you had a request and read another hosts review regarding the perspective guest, do you accept or decline? Specifically, if you saw it was a negative review about the individual. How would you decline them being Airbnb always wants you to message the individual indicating why?

[Fio1498]

Message to the guest is optional as far as I know, although you do have to add a reason for the Airbnb team.

I always read the reviews from other hosts and then make an informed decision on whether I want to host the guest or not. If the guest has many trips but only a few reviews, I used to think that it was because they are 'bad' guests. But then I a) realised that not all hosts left a review for me as a guest (boo!) and that's probably the case for others, b) some guests profile show the reviews from their connections - so when they were travelling with others.

In the case of a, I ask them questions (I only allow booking requests, not Instant Book) and see how they respond and if there's no satisfactory response or reply at all decline the request. In the case of b), I also message them about it as it gives them a chance to respond and also I think it signals that their behaviour will influence the guest review, which could very well play a role in future bookings.

[Kia780]

Thank you very much. 

[Joelle43]

Hello @Kia780 

I had a request to book last summer and one of the reviews from a host (who also happened to be in Cannes) was absolutely dreadful and I am so grateful to them for being honest.

I replied to the guest explaining that I wouldn't be accepting their booking on account of this bad review - the others were OK-ish.  As hosts we get to see the scores they are awarded by fellow hosts but they don't see these and as you can imagine they weren't great. 

This guest said "Oh it wasn't me, it was my cousin" !! Better and better😅 Still a hard no from me -  I do not want someone who will not treat my place with respect.  They even thanked me at the end of our messaging😉

Airbnb acknowledge that not all requests to book can be accepted by hosts and here is the link on the subject:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/360

So as long as we don't refuse bookings  too often, it's OK to decline.  You can choose to be honest or not with this guest but a general response to any tricky situation that I have used in the past, is " I'm sorry but I don't think that my listing is a good fit for your group but  I am sure that you will find somewhere that better suits your needs by making a new search and I wish you a great stay in XX"