Superhosts - need escalation help for retaliatory review

[Tammy162]

Guest Christian booked for 2 people, tried cancelling just over a week before arrival. I explained strict cancellation policy and offered 60 percent refund if rebooked. He refused, and said he would said friends in his place. He sent 6, not two. Madelief and others stayed, said they absolutely loved it. I’ve got their glowing messages as proof.

Christian left a two-star review anyway, rating communication two stars and value one star, despite never staying himself and no issues raised. His friends loved everything, and I have evidence that they were not involved in the review at all. This was most certainly payback for denying his refund. His only comment was 'forced to stay' even though he never stayed. I’ve got close to a hundred five-star reviews as a Superhost. Airbnb’s denied removal twice, claiming it’s final, but their policy bans retaliatory reviews, and bans 3rd party reviews. 

What is the point of having a strict policy if Airbnb simply allows guest to post retaliatory review if policy is actually enforced? Anyone know how to flag this to mods or escalate? 

[Emiel1]

@Tammy162 

IMHO you should not have accepted the guest not wanting to cancel the reservation, but sending friends instead.

At that point you could have asked Airbnb for advice and probably they would have cancelled the reservation on behalf of the guest.

Now there is a review from a guest who did not stay in the house. Your comment on it explains it all.

Airbnb should remove such a review, but they are very stub born...as seen in other messages regarding "remove reviews" on this platform.

But your (too friendly !) review left for the guest is at least a warning for other hosts !

[Tammy162]

@Emiel1 - you are absolutely right. I was far too generous on all fronts - I didnt actually know what the right thing to do was, and I should absolutely not have allowed him to send friends instead. But I am a nice person, so I did. And I did a decent review, because the friends who stayed were absolutely fine. I should have been much stricter.

I made an error of judgement, but I feel an Airbnb Superhost of many years, with so many only positive reviews, that I have been let down as a client by the platform. It is quite clear that this single review was retaliatory and stands out like a sore thumb from every other single review that we have. I am not a new host. Surely, there should be some level of loyalty from Airbnb to its Superhosts when it is so evidently retaliatory. Does Airbnb want us to lose business for absolutely no reason?