How do I improve my location review?

[Jen228]

Hi,

I am a long time host but first time community centre contributor.  I can usually work most hosting issues out myself but am at my wits end about what I can do to improve the rating guests give my property for location.  I am very very clear in my property description and go to great efforts to make sure all potential and booked guests are aware of the cottage location, which is rural and secluded.  Nevertheless, I constantly receive a 4 star rating for location which recently has meant my overall rating dropped to 4.7*, meaning I lost my long time superhost status. 

There is nothing I can do about where the cottage is located.  The lisiting description describes it in detail, I message guests who request to book to make sure they are aware of the location (as I find many don't read everything in the description) before accepting a reservation, and I also send a second message once confirmed decscribing the location yet again and the limitations of the rural area.

My first question is should I be doing anything more to help guests with the location?  And secondly, is there a mechanism where we can make suggestions/requests to Airbnb to change the star rating system to do away with 'location' as a rating?  

I pride myself on my communication with guests and really don't know which way I can go to improve my rating again.

Thanks

[Robin4]

@Jen228

Jen, it means for the previous 12 months!

Each year is split into 4 assessment periods The next assessment period will be for the 12 months from Jan 1st 2018 to December 31st 2018, the required stats are those that are relevant to that period.

Back on the review thing @Sandra856 @Kelly149

Here is one I received some time back! Now the location is not really of any relevance but the guest felt something about the location could be improved. It is drawing a bit of a 'long bow' but...in this instance a sign, which I now do. 

The powers that be thought that guests were going to rate the property's location by how it fitted in with the general area they required. But my guest chose location as a way of describing ease of getting from the street to the front door....think what you will of that!!

The individual star rating didn't hurt me, but the overall did!

Cheers......Rob

[Sandra856]

Hi @Robin4  🙂 I understand what you are saying but I thought that @Jen228 thought that the overall rating was not a category of it's own because of the way she wrote it :  "I constantly receive a 4 star rating for location which recently has meant my overall rating dropped to 4.7*, meaning I lost my long time superhost status." 

[Jen228]

Yes, I did think each ranking affected SH but now understand that is not the case.  Thanks all.

[Robin4]

@Sandra856

@Jen228 has now confirmed that this is what is happening. Location is dragging down her overall, so although the 'Location' in itself is not relevant to her stats, it is affecting the overalls she is getting and that is relevant! 

Cheers......Rob

[Jade105]

Always frustrated with issues re: location. Sometimes get 4 stars for not being directly downtown, despite making it clear in the listing that we're close by and walking distance. I feel like 50% of guests don't even look at the map feature on the listing based on the questions I receive. 

[Robin4]

@Jade105

Where location becomes extremely frustrating, a prospective guest wants a listing in the heart of town to be close to all the attractions, but finds all the listings a bit beyond his/her budget. So decides to book a listing that does suit their budget in the back blocks and then proceeds to mark the host down because the listing wasn't where they wanted it.

Unfortunmately there is no way around this problem! If Airbnb deleted the location stat option altogether guests would still give a lower star rating because, they wanted 'The Ritz' but could only afford 'Walmart'!!

We are stuck with it I am afraid! 

Cheers......Rob

[Jade105]

Isn't that the truth!

[Jen228]

@Robin4 @Sandra856  @Kelly149

Thanks for all your help.  One more thing - does the 'neighbourhood' info still appear on our listings?  I have wriiten some good detail in that section about the location and village but can't seem to see it when I preview my listing.

@Jade105 I suspect a good proportion of my guests don't read the info either - so frustrating!  I just take a deep breath and repeat the info again.  And again.  And again.  

[Kelly149]

@Jen0 you should see it, I do, though you have to click the blue link to make the rest appear.

city people just don't necessarily "get" the remoteness of a place like yours. It is something that I would be very explicitly clear about in your communications pre-arrival:

"please do plan on bringing plenty of groceries bc you will be having so much peaceful fun that you will feel very disappointed to have to lose an entire afternoon to head into xxx to replenish your milk."

maybe could you offer a pay as you go pantry or some other version of ameliorating the difficulty of being out in the country.

also, keep in mind that guests just don't realize that 4* is bad and I have my own personal theory that guests are sheep about reviews. If everything written previous is 5* then they often think they should follow suit unless they are just exceptionally frustrated, or if there are lots of 4* then they think 'yah, could have been better'. Just a theory. But plenty of hosts do try to work in subtle and not so subtle ways of saying "anything less than a 5 is dreadful"

And all of your text reviews seem like guests were happy so I think you might could make just a few tweaks and be back in 5* territory.

Good luck

[Lawrene0]

Neighbourhood is way down the page under the reviews, @Jen228. At least that is what I see from here. Views can vary, depending on where in the world we are. 

[Jen228]

Thanks @Lawrene0  @Kelly149

I see it now - no wonder guests don't see it way down there after the reviews! 

Yes, I think I do give very explicit instructions pre-arrival:  

"Please be aware there are no shops, restaurants, cafes or services at Upper Lansdowne. The nearest are in Taree (30 min drive) or Harrington (35 min drive) so please bring all food requirements with you. We do supply guests with some very basic breakfast provisions – fresh milk, tea, coffee, sugar, porridge and a small selection of cereal."  (I also give them complimentary local produce such as eggs and fruit when it is in season, plus there is a revolving pantry of non-perishables)

and even prior to confirming a booking:

"Before confirming your booking I just want to make sure you are aware that the cottage is located approximately 30 minutes off the main freeway, along small country roads. The last 1.3km's are gravel but no problem for 2WD vehicles.
There is very little mobile phone reception and no internet at the cottage. Also, there are no shops in the area so you will need to bring any food or drink you need with you."

I will move some of that type of info higher up into the listing description as well, just to make extra extra sure they see it.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate the value of 'fresh eyes' on my listing.

[Fred13]

Kind of reiterating what others have already said.

  Location does not directly influence Overall rating mathematically; but, it is plausible that it is indirectly influencing the Overall rating because some guests may feel 'compelled' in their review to deduct 'something' from the Overall rating because of not thoroughly happy with the location. Human nature.

   Something that may help, is to be deadly explicit about one's location (and its reality) and to do so as quick as possible in one's decription, in order to help reduce the likelihood of guests booking under the wrong impression about the location.

   The intent of Airbnb appears to be quite difference than how the rating is being actually used by many of its guests. Would the word 'Setting' be a better alternative?

[Angela608]

I have been dealing with less than stellar location ratings as well!

I just but in capitals the location isn't downtown and how long it will take them to get there.

I have had 5 stars since I put that first and foremost in my description. Knock on wood this helps for future bookings.

[Robin4]

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@Angela608

I am sure it will Angela, that is what I said in my opening reply on this thread, @Jen228 will have less location downratings if she words her listing description to make some reference about it's location.

I do know that area quite well and although I did not know Upper Lansdowne, that is because there is nothing there....5 houses and a phone box! If you want a unique totally private getaway, that country is some of the most beautiful that Australia has to offer, but you have to tell people 'right off the bat' of it's tranquility!

You Angela have prominently spelt out that aspect of your listing in your description and are no doubt reaping the rewards. But I would suggest that @Jen228 goes one step further and change her listing title  so that guests will have no option but to see it!

Cheers......Rob 

[Jen228]

@Angela608 I hope it continues to make a difference for you and that when I do the same I have the same result!   It just annoys me that they can rate something we have no control over.  Cleanliness, communication etc I understand and can improve on but there is nothig I can do about the location!