How do you handle negative experiences with guests?

[Elisa]

Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well today.😊

It’s impossible to deny that handling challenging situations with guests is something most hosts face at some point.

Whether it’s dealing with unexpected mess, following house rules, or communication challenges, every situation is unique. Some hosts prioritize addressing issues directly, while others prefer to document incidents and seek support in other ways.

I’d love to hear about any experiences you’ve had with guests and how you handled them.

What advice would you give to newer hosts facing their first difficult guest experience?

I look forward to reading your thoughts!

Warm regards 🌻,

[Elisa]

Hi @Elaine701 😊, 

Thank you very much for sharing this experience with the community!

I'm glad to hear that you only experienced this kind of situation once, and I agree with you, we can learn a lot from them.

How long have you been hosting?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Guy991]

Hello @Elisa ,

That’s a great question, because it is not all sunshine and rainbows. My approach is to try to resolve issues myself and only turn to Airbnb customer service as a last resort.

If I have difficult guests, I handle the situation gently, overwhelming them with kindness. I often meet with them in person to listen to their concerns. Sometimes, the issue itself isn’t significant, but they just need to feel heard and know that their opinion matters. I do my best to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, treating their concerns as urgent. Some challenging guests are quick to track the host’s response time and may already be thinking about what to write in their review.

One incident stands out: a guest reported seeing a drunk man sitting on the ground near the main entrance inside the property. I hurried over and found that it was actually another guest from one of my other units. Since I didn’t want to physically intervene, I took a chair and sat beside him. Whenever he tried to shout or sing in his native language, I reminded him we had other guests. He also wanted to walk to the supermarket for more drinks, and I encouraged him not to go in his condition.
I kept the original guest informed, assuring them that I was there and everything was under control.

I stayed with this guest for about three hours until his friend, who had made the reservation, arrived. The friend helped him up and got him back to their unit to sleep. 

[Elisa]

Hi @Guy991 😊, 

It’s always a pleasure reading your comments and insights about hosting in the community!

This is the most unique situation I’ve ever read about. You’ve been so professional, and I’m really impressed. 

When you have a difficult guest, do they appreciate being overwhelmed with kindness, or do they prefer more distance?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Elisa Unless damage was being caused we just grin and bear it with the guest. Then we slammed them in the review! A quick review and review response also allows damages to be claimed within the 14 day timescale but we never had to do this.

[Elisa]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0 😊,

Thank you for posting this comment here!

I’m glad to hear you’ve never had to claim damages after a guest left your property, this means a lot!

However, do you also tell guests in person if you didn’t appreciate certain behaviors before they leave, or do you mention it only in the review?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Elisa Sadly the only thing that happens if you mention bad behaviours is that they leave the host a bad review. Clearly if damage is being done or another guest is disturbed  then it is necessary to deal with it. In most cases just smile to the guest and leave an honest review is the right thing to do.