Julian, first off, your situation is a tricky one, and it’s entirely understandable that you'd want to handle it with the utmost care to protect both your rating and your peace of mind.
Given the challenging experience, let’s break down the best approach, considering both short-term and long-term strategies that will ensure you’re acting wisely, fairly, and in a way that keeps your hosting goals on track.
1. Deciding Whether to Leave a Review
Wait until the Last Moment: You have 14 days from the guest’s checkout to leave a review. Use this period to reflect carefully on whether a review from you is truly needed. If the guest doesn’t leave one, it’s often best not to post anything yourself, especially if a review from them could jeopardize your rating.
Review Their Profile Clues: Before deciding, look at whether this guest has already reviewed others or interacted in ways that suggest they may not be actively reviewing hosts. If they seem unlikely to leave one, consider letting the situation end here.
2. Should You Leave Feedback if They Do?
If the Guest Leaves a Review First: If they do submit a review, you might consider writing your own as a defense mechanism, with a tactful, professional tone. This could also help other hosts in the future if the guest’s feedback turns out to be consistently problematic.
Choose Your Words Wisely: If you do decide to post a review, keep it factual and professional.
Avoid emotional or subjective language. For example:
"Unfortunately, this guest had a series of highly specific expectations that weren't a perfect match for our rural farmhouse setting. We addressed each concern as best as possible, but the guest may prefer an environment with a greater focus on urban conveniences."
This kind of wording communicates your position clearly while staying objective and professional.
3. Managing Future Guests and Feedback
Screening for First-Time Guests: While new guests can be a wonderful experience, consider asking a few pre-booking questions to set expectations, especially for those without reviews.
This can include details like:
“Just so we’re clear, we’re a rural farmhouse with morning activities like gardening that start early. Would this be an issue?”
It can help ensure they fully understand the environment you’re offering and reduce the likelihood of mismatched expectations.
House Rules and Descriptions: After this experience, you might want to add a little extra information in your listing description about any potential minor inconveniences common to the property type (e.g., early gardening noise, rural morning sounds, available amenities like freezers, specific bed types, etc.). This can help set a tone and filter guests who may be particular or prone to complaints.
4. Leveraging Private Feedback
Positive Updates to Your Listing: Despite the challenges, you've noted some of the guest’s feedback has helped you make valuable updates to your property. This proactive attitude is great! It’s a solid step that should contribute to positive experiences with future guests and keep your ratings high.
Clear Communication During the Stay: In future, if guests express dissatisfaction in ways that feel unclear or passive-aggressive, acknowledge their concerns kindly but aim for clear communication boundaries. Instead of multiple follow-ups, a single clear response can help: “We aim to make our guests feel comfortable; if you’d like to clarify any specific issues, we’ll be happy to address them where possible.” This shows your goodwill without inviting more complaints than necessary.
5. Handling Airbnb Resolutions and Refunds
Document Everything: You handled this situation well by cooperating with Airbnb and offering a partial refund to avoid escalation. Going forward, consider documenting all guest interactions related to issues or complaints through the Airbnb messaging platform, as this creates a record that could assist in case of future disputes.
Trusting Your Gut on Staged Complaints: Your instincts about potential staging or inflated issues are likely accurate. Some guests do try to leverage such tactics for discounts, and unfortunately, it’s a part of hosting. Documenting the property condition with photos before check-in and after checkout can help protect you and discourage unfair claims in the future.
6. Setting Your Tone and Finding Balance in Reviews
If you do choose to leave a review, consider it a professional tool rather than a personal judgment.
Focusing on practical, factual feedback ensures that your account remains professional and that you continue to foster the right type of respectful, appreciative guests over time.
Remember that all hosts face challenging guests at some point; it’s an opportunity to learn, refine your approach, and continue building a more rewarding hosting experience for yourself and your ideal guests.
By remaining calm, clear, and strategic, you’ll navigate this situation like an experienced host—even if you’re relatively new.
Best of luck, Julian, and remember, each experience makes you a better host and fine-tunes your ability to attract your ideal guests!
If you ever want to discuss things in more depth I'm happy to connect - so please feel free to reachout to me directly.
All the best,
Mace
