Guest left good reviews but left a low rating

[Bo24]

My recent guest left me good review comments and thanked me in private feedback but with low ratings, which basicly lower my 5 stars status.  

They rated my location 3, but wrote the review is close to metro. I'm really not sure everyone and airbnb's standard about 5 stars location. The guest see the location already when they book the place, how comes they could rate it now. 

[Marit-Anne0]

@Cynthia149

In fact, a floor plan is not such a bad idea.  I am contemplating offering a room in my apartment, but the two bedrooms are next to each other, so a concern in terms of privacy both for guest and host.  

[Lily179]

I actually stated how big is my 1 bedroom unit in my listing  (information directly from developer) and yet there is guest that leave bad rating for accuracy due to size of home. 

[Huaai0]

@Bo24

Airbnb review system should offer a 10 star rating rather than 5 only! 1-10 from extremely unsatisfied to extremely satisfied just like their own survey!

[Julie142]

Actually, I disagree. I feel like with all the various rating options that guests now have to make, they automatically become much more nitpicking. I mean, pretty soon it will become impssibile to get a 5-star review unless you have a luxury place and they pay a quarter of what is worth.

[Lily182]

Has anyone put a little card or note in the guests room stating how important ratings are for hosts?  Explaining the standard to them? Might this help? If you have done... how did you word it?  I am not really sure how to say it.

I get all great feedback form guests and then I find 4 stars on something.  I think they are often rating  against how they think it compares to a 5 star luxury hotel vs their stay based on how the listing represented it to meet their expectations.

Guests don't understand but, when I see these ratings I am livid! 

I always give guests a 5 out of 5, unless they do something terrible.  Should I be more judgmental?

[Isabelle908]

Same here. The guest praised how clean, comfortable and well located the place was, then rated me 3 or 4 * on every point.

She also complained about having to walk up lots of stairs when it says v clearly in the listing that it's a top-floor walkup with a narrow staircase and that guests should pack accordingly. I even added a photo taken from the top (and I carried her suitcase when I'm twice her age).

She, on the other hand, had no issue stopping for dinner in town on the way from the airport (arriving at 11:15 pm on a Friday evening instead of 9), letting me know on a Saturday at 11 pm that she'd be leaving at 4 the next morning, asking where could she leave the key.

All the towels were thrown on the floor and there was hair everywhere.

Seriously kicking myself for not leaving a bad review, I thought "oh well, she's just young and didn't break anything" and didn't want to be mean...

[Tone5]

I sympathize with the hosts who experience low star rating although the guest leaves a nice review. I have had the same experience a few times and it is frustrating, especially since when going out of one's way to make the best experience possible for the arriving guests. However, at the same time I can understand that a guest has the right to express something when they feel that everything was not to their expectations.

know that Airbnb is trying to provide a fair rating system that is honest, at least so I have been told. But how can a review be honest when a dishonest guest leaves a false rating? What I do (not that it matters) is not responding to the public review a guest leaves. If I feel that the guest left me a lousy and an unfair star rating, I simply don't respond. I usually respond with a nice thank you note and probably do so 98% of the time with guests that I recomend. 

[Brad172]

@Tone5,  What a great idea!  I also respond to the public reviews but never considered not doing so.  I'v had guest that where not that great but left a good review, I think this would apply to them as well.

[Tone5]

Hi Brad, yes, it becomes apparent when you look at my Airbnb listings; just about every guest who leaves a review (and everyone does for the most part) I respond by thanking them for their stay and welcoming them back. Then amid these responses are a few here and there that has no response from me at all, well, that is because of the guest leaving some snotty remark (privately) and what I felt to be an unfair star rating although they left an excellent review. However, there have been a couple of times that a guest did leave a four-star because they did not like the location, well, I can't blame them since they have the right to feel that way, and I still responded with a thank you to their review.

[Brad172]

My last guests gave me 5* in all areas and then in the overall gave us 4*???  Not sure why, I reached out to find out what we cound do for furture guest and why we received over all 4*.  Answer, was in a rush and really had no reason as they fully enjoyed their stay!  W strive for 5* everty time and this hit took us to an overall of 4.9, just like that.....  Don't think the rating system is fully fair, 30 overall review at 5*s and one 4* = 4.9 overall.  Superhost need to maintain 4.8 to hold that status, with the number game of Airbnb that seem like a tough rope to toe.........

[Emilia42]

@Brad172, a four star review is inevitable at some point in the game. The problem with hosting on Airbnb is that we all take it too personally! As a potential guest looking at your listing, I would have no idea that someone gave you a “low score.” I only see 5 stars across the board, beautiful photos, glowing reviews, and a nice, caring host. That is what really matters. Don’t sweat one 4 star. You will continue to get bookings and you will get many more 5 star reviews.

[Brad172]

@Emilia42, Thank you for the reply.  It's really more about maintaining the overall 4.8 rating and superhost status.   That's a hard hit when you receive 4*s overall, dosn't seem like it will take very many to drop you off that list.  You are right about not sweating a 4*, however...  It would seem to me that Airbnb would just use the other reviews combined and total them up for the overall review, Anyway, thanks again..

[Ibolya4]

I don't agree with the rating system on airbnb at all. As a host I have 3 criterias regarding rating the guest while they have 5-6 and they hardly ever give 5 for all categories. I do the honour of giving most an all 5-star even if I felt they could have been better guests. Since the rating is very subjective, I feel that it shows off the personality of the evaluator.  The fact that I leave most guests an all 5-star says that I'm very tolerant and see the good in people.  I don't understand when they go on about how fantastic their stay was then they rate down on value or communications. I had quite a few of those.  If my place is not good value, they should stay in a hotel that will cost them twice as much and they can't lounge around all day or use all the facilities such as the kitchen and living room.  I also sense that many guests are not very kind natured if that's the right phrase.  

[Danielle1390]

@Ibolya4 I have to say I agree with you 100%. One lady who was up messaging me all night about how she loved the place gave me a 3 &4s and her only statement that the 2 mins I used the microwave was upsetting to her b/c it was late even though she was up messaging me the same time I used the microwave that was her only comment I gave her 5 stars even though she stained my white sheets with pen and nail polish . So upsetting she rated me that low taking me out of super host. Another one who literally took a dump on my toilet seat after my rules said no shoes and still wore shoes I still rated him 5 stars and he rated me 4.5 and said it was b/c it was shared. You picked my space knowing it was shared and Airbnb should review some of these reviews especially when they complain about the very things listed in the listing information. I can even show photos of the condition of the bathroom.