Guest checked out after 30 minutes

[Kevin3203]

As a relatively new host with just two months of experience, I recently encountered a challenging guest. Despite my extensive background in the hospitality industry—spanning two decades and including multiple achievement awards—I found myself facing a situation where it seemed impossible to satisfy this particular guest.

A few days ago, a couple checked into our establishment with their two service animals. Unfortunately, within half an hour of their arrival, they expressed strong dissatisfaction with the cleanliness of their accommodations. The room was dimly lit, and the photos they provided were unclear due to blurriness. Despite my efforts to address their concerns promptly, they had already decided to check out.

Upon inspecting the room myself, I discovered a surprising issue: clumps of wet grass on the floor. These grass clumps had been tracked in by their dogs from the nearby lawn, just 15 feet away. The situation was truly unexpected, and as a result, their trip had to be canceled.

Now, I face a dilemma. I've received a request to review this guest, but I'm unsure how to proceed. Does the guest also have the opportunity to review me? And how honest can I be in my review? Should I be concerned about receiving a negative review in return?

Your guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Dawn241]

I would skip the review. You both have 14 days to do a review, if they don’t do one then no reason for you to do one either. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Kevin3203 Yes you should review. Both reviews are blind and are published on the sooner of both being written or 14 days. Just be factual in your review and avoid any personal comments so your review will not be taken down. Honesty is key here - You would feel bad if you unfairly slated the guest and then they left a positive review of you!

Now you have two options - Review now or wait until closer to the 14 day limit.

Reviewing immediately is preferable if you are claiming damages from the guest. That way you hopefully get their review posted as well before you put in a damage claim.

Reviewing late is better if you think their review may be negative as it will not be visible for another 14 days and may be slightly  'hidden' by future positive reviews.

[Paula]

Hello @Kevin3203 👋

As you posted in our community a few days ago, I wanted to reach out and ask what you have decided to do in the end with this guest's review. I am sure your experience will help other future Hosts in similar situations.

Keep us posted.

[Kevin3203 · Accepted solution]

Thank you all for sharing your insights on the review process. It's been enlightening to see that not leaving a review can sometimes be just as impactful as writing one. Moving forward, I'll be considering a new approach to ensure that my guests and I can continue to benefit from the community's valuable feedback system. Your suggestions have been truly appreciated.