New(ish) host. Here for a rant… I guess I’m really hoping for some sympathetic words from more experienced hosts who have gotten through a similar situation. I have written a few on this theme since my nightmare Christmas & New Years guests, but have never posted any because they end up so long and I thought people probably wouldn’t read it – or feared I would be criticised for whinging… But after another overly-critical, miserly rater has knocked me that bit further away from Superhost status, I am honestly fuming.
Sorry for length in advance. I hope some of you don’t mind reading.... At least I hope Airbnb staff will see this and consider what I am saying.
I haven’t had many guests yet. The majority of my few guests have been absolutely the loveliest people you want to meet. While not the Ritz, it would be fair to say my property is high-end accommodation.
Most of my guests recognise extra efforts made for them. Most also have had a good, general idea of what hotel room prices are – and they can do the math of how the cost of individual rooms compare to an entire property with multiple rooms and bedrooms, cooking areas and leisure areas, greater privacy, more amenities etc… These majority of normal guests I’ve had also can judge what nice things are and can weigh rental cost vs various levels of ‘nice’ or even ‘high quality’ with fairness. Most realise that, since nice things cost more money, they would usually expect to pay more, but when they actually pay less than the going rate, they have been very appreciative this and seen it as Great Value. They have then also been more allowing with things that were not as perfect as it would be in a hotel room.
Worryingly, however, I am seeing about 20-25% who not only expect far above the standard level, they expect to pay peanuts for it. And it’s always the ones who pay the lowest rates on highest season and get the most free perks and extra service… All three of my entitled, miserly raters have rented during the big holidays, but enjoyed standard season prices and/or big discounts. Still they expected more.
My Christmas and New Years guests were actually much worse guests, but it’s the family of 3 over Easter Week that has pushed me over to being vocal about my experience. I bent over backwards, which I always do – and am very happy to do for people who appreciate it – to be fair. In return, how hard is it to be fair and rate accordingly? Easter Guests wanted a place to store their bikes. The area is extremely safe, but I partially cleared out the detached garage/stables next to the house and provided a chainlink and lock.
They paid £63.29 per night! + a cleaning fee of £35 for the week. They begrudged the cleaning and Airbnb service charge. Even with those extra fees, their 11 year old child could figure out they paid far less than they would pay if they were paying the real price of a very well presented 2 bedroom cottage on a normal rental site, and also still much less than one room at the nearest hotel (certainly less than two rooms, or an extra large one for 3 people). But the price is even is quite a lot less than the other local B&B’s of a similar quality – which I wager are garage-free (and may or may not have new orthopaedic mattresses, unique pieces of art and hand carved beds).
Anyway. So, no acknowledgement for the extra effort with the garage or thanks for giving it to them at no extra cost. The garage is being used as storage for renovating stuff and general junk. So it is junky, but they wouldn’t have seen this junk if I didn’t give them free use of it! When I did the meet and greet I reminded the wife gently that the garage wasn’t part of the B&B property and asked if they could keep it out of their considerations when rating on cleanliness. Her response was in firm agreement… When it is time for rating she marks me off on ‘common areas’ as not being cleanly enough. Which common areas?? There are no ‘common areas’! Honestly, my own house is scheduled to be renovated and is an absolute mess, but they weren’t in my house and they didn’t rent my house. Their area and everything in it is spotless. Was it the overgrown nettles in the back? Not their property (and it is the countryside for goodness sake). For their comfort, I also went over while they were out and emptied and washed the composting container they requested especially when it was left outside and cleaned some fresh poop a wild pheasant left on their deck.
But still this wasn’t enough… I did have a worry in the bottom of my stomach after a variety of questions about free stuff I had to go through just to win the booking. Apparently, the husband gave her a budget and it went a bit over. How is that my problem? Or any B&B owners problem. They were also more than a little annoyed that the property is serviced by electric and oil heaters.
The property is professionally decorated and finished to a very high standard. The cottage certainly has its faults => But it is also a 2 bedroom, fully furnished, full cottage with loads of amenities, with its own gated driveway & private parking, private entrance and in a lovely area. They were 3 people. How is paying less than the cost of one room for 2 people, which is only finished to a mediocre / moderate standard, with street parking – on Easter – not seen a great value? This area actually has a few especially nice B&B’s, yet my B&B is also typically priced at 20%-40% less than these, because I don’t have the many ratings they have and recognise I need to put in the commitment before I can start commanding higher rates. Not with many more guests like these I won't. Ufff!
I don’t get how some people cannot grasp the concept of balance when weighing ratings.
I understand some are on a tight budget and don’t care about certain things when they are considering what ‘value’ means to them…. If they don’t care about fine quality furniture, expensive sheets, expensive towels, new, high-quality mattresses and little extras like handmade soap, homemade jam and cordial and free Netflix etc. etc. etc., fine – but why, why, why rent a property like mine? Go rent a motel or a hostel. Do a house trade. (I would say rent a caravan, but I noticed they and the corresponding sites can be fairly pricey.)… On the other hand, if their standard of luxury is so high that my luxury accommodation just doesn’t make the grade for them, again: why, why, why chose my property (or indeed any B&B)? Go drop thousands for suite at the Ritz Carlton (without the included kitchen, private parking, garage etc).
I wish Airbnb would support hosts by giving guests some friendly education on expectations (rather than continually offering hosts suggestions to push properties – which are already very good value – down to absurdly low, unsustainable rates) because I really would like this to work, but honestly I cannot give any more than I am giving.
I’ve actually had suggestions for renting the entire property for £35! That’s the cost of one of my accommodation’s pillowcases. Apart from the few hosts who are just in it to meet people, who is going to offer luxury or even decent quality accomodation when it is impossible to justify financially with guests like this? (Sure we can choose to take the guidance or not, but it sets the tone.)
It is not all about money for me, or I would be offering a different type of accommodation. However, I do expect some reward for my time, money and talent invested.
The cottage is in a beautiful area. I’ve only had 11 bookings in 9 months, while local Superhosts are often booked. At this rate, even if I have a slightly busier summer, which seems unlikely, without the increased bookings Superhost apparently brings (and don’t include the cost of pieces of furniture and art I already had or the cost of my time with customer service) it will be 5 years before I break even on the money spent – about which time I will need to redecorate.
Again I am not saying my property is the end-all, highest echelon of all the accommodation world, but for what it is and the price it is, these people are out of touch. Their overly-critical, miserly ratings have bumped down my chances of Superhost and truthfully I feel cheated… Yes, I have lived long enough to know about market forces and that some people are just lacking in generosity even when they have received it.
In the end: If I was getting a little more exposure from Airbnb – instead of being plied with outrageously absurd price suggestions – then every single entitled cheapskate, who feels it’s just too much for them to give a great rating in return for the great quality and service they’ve had on balance, I suppose it wouldn’t matter so much about Superhost and could avoid guests who are only looking for the cheapest price. (Okay, I would be being disingenuous if I said I wouldn’t still take their ratings personally, because I do put my full heart into being a host it, but I wouldn’t matter as much without the financial sting.)
