Hosts giving 5-star reviews, despite the experience (or the truth)…

[Gordon0]

Just had two guests (’recommended by’ 5 hosts) check out. And quite frankly, I couldn’t have waited much longer to see them leave.

In short(ish); 

Turned up at 22:30 (despite stating ‘2-3pm’) having decided dinner with friends (without telling me, natch) was more important than my time. Parked in wrong space (despite clear instructions), struggled to open the door (why, just why?) and when they did get open it, slammed it like their lives depended on it. On every subsequent exit and entry.

Spent three days being loud and generally annoying.

Last night I got a message (followed up by a call from an unknown number…which I answered, more fool me): “we left our keys inside, you need to come home”.

When I did, no thank you. 

But I was (rather unpolitely) informed they would be leaving their cases the next day (check out day) until 10pm, because they had night flights home.

Erm, no you won’t, because we’re leaving for our own holidays the same day.

“Ahh, no more guests - we’ll keep the key”.

My “Nope, sorry” met with a pair of ar5e-smacked faces. 

Left the room in a right old mess (I don’t charge a cleaning fee). Four bags of rubbish (the bins are a 30-second walk of the house), half-eaten yoghurts on the dresser, more hair on the floor than a hairdresser’s on a prom-night, and more. And all the walls suitcase-scuffed (those Rimowa ones make a fine mess), and towels a soggy heap on the floor.

Not a quick read, but my somewhat long and drawn-out point/question is, why do hosts feel the need to give guests the ‘thumbs up’ when clearly they can’t wait to see the back of them. These two hadn’t changed their ways for me only, surely?

[Kristen21]

I came to the community page today to vent/find solidarity, and I didn't even have to post my own! I have had several disappointing guests in the last month, and most of them had 5-star reviews. Three of them smoked marijuana in my AirBnB, despite having clear rules about NO smoking (and marijuana is still illegal for all uses where I am, so it's not exactly negotiable), and the two I actually messaged with were beligerant about it. One of the three had a party, and left glitter and confetti all over the space (they all got 1 star reviews from me for not following house rules). I finally had a family in there over the holiday, but they managed to subscribe to premium channels on my account and they were unapologetic about it when I asked them not to do it again (gave them a 4 star review). I feel like I shouldn't have to teach people how to be respectful and considerate, but I suppose they feel like they are renting the space, so screw me. I just raised my rates, so I'm hoping it weeds out some of these people. I had higher rates over the summer when demand was higher, and I didn't have any of the issues I've experienced the last month with lower rates. I also find I go through spurts of bad guests, and then things will go back to normal. I hope this is the case, and not that the community of guests is deminishing in quality overall. I'll have to stop offering my place for STR if that's the case.

[Geoffrey37]

I find it interesting to read these responses as well, Kristen... I almost always give 5 star reviews. But then you get the guests who are kind of direspectful.. My current guest returned after I got home (I was out when they arrived the first time), and walked right past me without even acknowledging me, with his girlfriend following him..  I said, "Hold on a second, are there two of you staying tonight?"

I ended up adjusting the booking price (and they approved it) but I find things like this irritating... Maybe it's because it was their first booking... but you would think...

As far as the price goes, I was booked solid in the summer, at rates about 1/3 above airbnb's suggested price tip. So that's become my formula. (Why charge less than what you would rent for?) If I ask guests why they chose my place, I don't want them to say, "it was the cheapest."  I prefer hearing that they were drawn to something unique in the photos, the description or the good reviews!

[Rebecca160]

@Gordon0 You are a nicer host than I am. If a guest showed up ten hours late without contacting me about it first, they would not be allowed in my home. Primarily because if guests are rude and inconsiderate from the beginning, they only get far worse before the end.

i have had some guests show up late, after calling or texting me about it first. It was usually due to car trouble or delayed air arrival. And things were fine. The others, well they just get ruder and more demanding. Now I have strict arrival times listed in my house rules. 

As time has gone by, my reviews of the less than 5 star guests have gotten more specific about why they were less than stellar just so that the next host could make their own decision as to whether to host the guest. No idea if it helps other hosts, but a thorough, and non complimentary review of a guest made me decide that I could handle her not so good parts and she was a fabulous guest and a repeat guest. If her first host had just said not suitable to Airbnb, I would have turned her down. So, I am all in favor of detailed reviews of the less than 5 star guests. 

My 5 star guests tend to have short reviews saying the followed the rules, communicated well, clean and quiet and how awesome they were.

[Gordon0]

@Rebecca160 Fair point, and I knew that this (my last booking of the year before jetting off myself) was going to be a pain. Hey ho...life's lessons. On the plus side, I'm now in Barbados drinking beer these two losers paid for. 

[Susan1188]

Have you ever really done this?  Refused access to a guest who arrives too late or doesn't communicate on arrival day?  Can you describe how that went?

Can the guest leave a review for you even if he hasn't checked in?

Is it considered a host cancellation by the airbnb team?I

I think its a great policy to be very detailed, factual and un-emotional in the review, the more details I would see the more I would get my radar up.  Even if the "star" rating was acceptable.

[Rebecca160]

@Gordon0@Susan I have not yet refused anyone admittance.  If I felt that I had to refuse admittance, I would contact Airbnb immediately and explain the situation and request that the guest be rehoused elsewhere and would let the guest know. As far as if they could leave a review, would be determined by whomever answered the phone at Airbnb. They do not seem to be consistent in how they handle issues. If this situation happened, and I refused admittance, and the guest reviewed me, I would also leave a detailed review as to why I did what I did. If it means I end up with a bad review, then so be it. At least I will not have a bad review and many troubles and expenses, too!

I have kicked a young man out, though. He violated so many of my house rules and was beyond inconsiderate, so I kicked him out on his last night here. I did refund his last night's payment, unprompted. I also left him a detailed review, hoping that he would learn from it. As far as I know, he did not appeal to Airbnb and he did not leave me a review.

[Suzanne302]

I think some of it can be chalked up to the fact that different hosts have different tolerance levels. For example, hosting a room in my home, it really bothers me when guests talk loudly or generally behave as if no one else is in the house.This is a minor annoyance, but one I might mention in a review that perhaps wouldn't bother another host. Also, this issue wouldn't affect someone with a whole house rental.

I've posted several issues in this forum asking for advice on what I considered "bad" guests, and have gotten a variety of responses from hosts where some see my issue with the guest as no problem at all, and others thinking it is a really big problem!

And like @Rebecca160 if a guest is generally nice and pleasant, I might overlook what I would consider minor annoyances.

[Mark1128]

Agree that all guests don't deserve a 5 star rating!  However, I've had amazing success with creating a connection with them before they arrive, and following up during their stay.  That's not to say that they are all perfect.  No matter what you do, you wont find 100% cooperation.

I know that circumstances are much different when just renting out a room in your personal home, but the connection process still works...

It starts with finding your ideal guest... the one that fits your property or room.  Then begin the process of creating a connection before they arrive, and certainly during their stay.  Then simply delivering a great experience.

We also can't be afraid of the system and not leave a truthful review of the guest, positive or negative.

The bottom line, is if you create a connection with your guest, the odds of cooperation and respect increase 10 fold!

[Susan1188]

Mark, how do you "create a connection"?

My experience is, after booking, they can't be bothered to answer even basic arrival-necessary information like their flight plans which we absolutely need as everyone flies in here.

I try catching them while booking to connect personally and even then I sense that once the booking is accepted 20 seconds later my reaching out is an annoyance.

How to reach out tactfully and sense if you are going to far?

Thanks for your tips.

[Paola868]

I am a host of a small flat. There is a lockbox for self check in, and I pay a professional cleaning and laundry company. I live far from the flat and I ask the cleaning people and neighbours to let me know if there is a problem, but I normally don't hear anything, so my only clues for how my guests are is from the communication we have. If they are messy it doesn't matter as the cleaners take care of that. I hope they are respectful of my neighbours and I speak to my neighbours regularly to make sure they are happy. But I don't know a lot of the little things that could mean a good or a bad guest. If things are broken or stolen or damaged, I might not known for example. And when I go to my flat I do find little issues, damages and missing items, but I have no way of knowing which guests did it as I can only check the place occasionally and my cleaners either haven't noticed or don't bother reporting small issues. Not sure what the solution is.

[Mark1128]

Hi Paola,  the solution for what you're describing boils down to holding cleaners and inspectors accountable.  And, you really need to get to your place every so often to spot inspect your inspector....

[Phil---Liz0]

I agree we should be honest with reviews so that the host can then decide for themselves as to if they will host them. I have had to give my very 1st not so good review after hosting for the past 6 years.  I used to not be honest if I  was dissatisfied with a guest not checking the house rules that aren't hard to follow Just respect for other guests as well as our home that we don't want damaged by people who don't care. I am now changing my thoughts and feel that other hosts need to know how the guest pans out. Lets face it you cannot please everyone. I now have a laminated page with some house rules on it, not hard to follow, I thought long and hard about the page and were worried that it may offend guests before I got fed up with wet towels all over the bed when we have hooks in the bathroom and other issues. The page is easily seen and no one has said that they are offended by it and it is now read rather than having it in a booklet that some guests never open. It is just a matter of respect they are a guest in our home we want them to have a good experience but not at our expense. Most guests are great but you will always get a few who expect more than they should and you will sometimes get a bad review, I guess that is life.

[Claire475]

It’s so disheartening when guests take “advantage” of hosts who open their home to them. Last night I had a guest who left the room relatively clean and tidy HOWEVER at about 20 minutes before midnight they started showering, at 5 past midnight I sent up a message asking if there was a problem with the water as it was running and running, about 5 minutes later the shower stopped. This morning they left not mentioning the text and rather sheepish. And then when I went into the room I realized what they had been up to. They had the heaters on full blast, had used the bathroom soap to wash their clothes and then had dried them on the heaters. Because they were leaving early this morning they had turned the heaters up in order to dry the clothes in the short time which had “melted” parts of their clothing / color onto the heater. And then I noticed they had spilt something onto the granite stairs which I guess was oil based and hadn’t bothered to wipe it up so now I have a stained stairs. I am really meticulous about the guests room and it disappoints me future guests and myself will have to put up with “stained” heaters and flooring. The question is how to review them because for the most part, except for leaving hair all over the bathroom the room was tidy? 

[Christine615]

Be honest. I know mistakes can happen but I find it insulting when guests have accidents and don't bother to tell me.

[Dee173]

deduct it. this is why i will never accept a  booking again without secuirity deposit.