Is 2.5* a good review?

[Yadira22]

Hello.

hope you are well.

i just had an interesting scenario with Airbnb- whereby a guest was able to instantly book (he has an average rating of 2.5*) and Airbnb says that this is “not bad”. Am I being crazy here?!

Luckily i was able to fight my corner and get this reservation cancelled and penalty free but it brought to mind how subjective and liberal this all is. 

Thoughts? And please stick to subject- and not digress on why IB is bad or good! 

Thanks in advance. 

Yadira 🙂

[Paul1255 · Accepted solution]

@Yadira22  if a host was sitting at 2.5* they would be delisted and removed from the platform, but hosts and guests are held to different standards as we know.

I wouldn't want to host them based on the stars, and I am not surprised you wanted to cancel them- glad you fought your corner!

Paul 🙂

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Yadira22  2.5 is not good, unless you are a CS rep and the 2.5 relates to a guest and they want YOU to accomodate them and to take the risk.

[Yadira22]

Their response: Thank you very much for that and I am here if you need help Here's a link where you can send a feed backs: https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback We would really appreciate it and your voice would be a great contribution to our growing community. Regards, Ken

Thank you @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  @Paul1255 for reassuring me on my not being crazy! Have a great day! 🙂

[Thomas1033]

@Yadira22  No you’re  not crazy!!!  What did their reviews look like?  We should hold guests to the same standard we are held to by Airbnb.  It’s only fair!!!  Yvonna (cohost)

[Yadira22]

Hi @Thomas1033  (Yvonna) 

It had nothing particularly bad or worrisome in the review “everything ok” was not great statistically speaking on cleanliness and communication. Plus he booked a single room for a single night but is coming down to London as to meet with his girlfriend?! 😒

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Yadira22 

I recollect that in a review process if a Host marks a guest as 3* then they are not able to Instant Book (?). I think @Robin4 stated this. It makes your instant book at 2.5* somewhat of a speculative booking hoping you wouldn't notice !

[Yadira22]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 this is what I thought as well but even then 3* is insanely low! Guests should be held to same standards as hosts- not less. Otherwise it will drive the bread and butter of airbnb’s Business model away! 

[Allison2]

I'm curious if you use the IB setting requiring the guest is "recommended by other hosts"?

It's always been a mystery how well that option works. If you have it enabled and someone with a 2.5 books, it's obviously not very helpful!

Airbnb doesn't care about the quality of guests. Hosts are the "product" so we have to be perfect all the time. The only quality Airbnb looks for in a guest is a functional credit card.

[Yadira22]

Hi @Allison2 

hope you are well. 

Yes- verified, good reviews, recommended by hosts, selfie and government ID. This is why it baffled me too. 

Initially I thought it was a technical glitch and this is why I also called as to cancel and verify this but I think they (or maybe the CS rep) has no actual idea. SMH 

[Allison2]

That's terrible!

If a guest has even one visit with a thumbs down (or less than 3 stars) they shouldn't be on IB.

Its unconscionable that they'd allow someone with that terrible a rating as "recommended by hosts".

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Allison2 

The only quality Airbnb looks for in a guest is a functional credit card

Bullseye !

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Yadira22 

If you're expecting the 'bread and butter' to be sub 3* guests then that wouldn't be right. In this instance Airbnb were supporting a sub 3* guest BUT putting the responsibility of the hosting on you, along with their ability to find in a guests favour should there be a problem of any sorts. If their 'bread and butter ' is the home sharing hosts - I agree entirely.

I would really like to make a simple point here: The more I read about the actions of Airbnb in this CC, the more I realise that they are not a 'caring' company - which is destroying the original image I had in my mind of the company. That, would be a shared opinion amongst Hosts I expect as forcing these inequalities on hosts is not the sort of agreement which was signed up for. Despite this sort of thing going on for over 3 years now, only the most optimistic hosts will actually stick them, hoping they might turn it around - failing that would just be a sad epitaph for home sharing.

[Yadira22]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Yes and to clarify. I meant quality hosts are the bread and butter of their business model- as they see providing the service and the USP for this. 

I hope they change their strategy and actually listen to this. 

[Emilia42]

Wow, if a 2.5 is "not bad" what's a 1.5?! Guests cannot see their star rating (I have not idea what mine is) so does this guy even know why no one will host him? Or is he just used to being turned down?