What are you best short effective statements for "delicate" reviews?

[Annette33]

I have noticed that quite a few of us hosts hesitate to come out with a straightforward, negative review, even if we feel like it. Also,  some of us can go a bit overboard with too many details in a bad review, which renders it mostly ineffective, and it says more about the host than about the reviewed guest.

So I am still looking for good, short phrases that say it all... Luckily I never felt the need so far, but my day may come. The one time I had a "bad" guest, I didn't really deal with it, I just didn't post a review. Now I would, primarily as a signal to my fellow hosts - we need to help eachother! 

So I know about.  "......... may be better suited for a hotel stay" . That is a classic!

Not sure if the "neat and tidy" is a compliment or a coded description for an uptight  guest. 

I'd just like to add : "Unfortunately, our listing was not a good match for ........'s needs".

What other gentle codes

[Annette33]

@Flora-and-Jim0 ,  I am so glad this thread is bringing out some advocates for honest, clean reviews, no delicate sugar coating. Basically, I share your viewpoints, but I have seen quite a few real "nice" reviews on guests by some hosts who have  actually complained here about guests, yet given them nice reviews. Made me think that a subtle, more "delicate"  review would come closer to the truth and be more palatable to hosts who have  strong hesitations about being straight forward.

Also, a subtle phrase may have more impact than a review that  lists all his/her grievances about a certain guests. 

best is probably something in the middle, truthful and honest, but professional and "classy".  

[Flora-and-Jim0]

For the case of "delicate" reviews.  Perhaps - Less - is more.  

For a not-so-great but not necessarily awful guest -  I might leave a comment about something the guest did right like such as "Guest was clear about arrival and departure times," but I would avoid saying things like "I recommend this guest" or "great guest or even "good guest"   A potential host reading my comment would have to wonder why I failed to add more positive comments or specifically recommend this guest to other hosts.   This omission of a positive referral would be like a yellow flag of caution telling others - this may not be the ideal guest.   

If I felt it would be helpful, I could then offer the guest tips on how to be a better guest.    

However -  if one has a truly “awful” guest - someone who did not follow most of my house rules or who was extremely rude or trashed my place -  I think it best to be honest and say what it was specifically that this guest did or didn't do that displeased you  -  Ex " this guest failed to follow most of my house rules, and smoked in my house, left trash on the floor, etc.., did not... etc.”   No need to use outwardly negative adjectives like this guest is “filthy” "bad" or "awful" or even to say that you wouldn't recommend the guest.  Once a potential host knows what was or wasn't done properly in your rental- they can decide if they want to let this person in their homes or not.

I personally have only left one - somewhat negative review - in which I mentioned first the possitives about the guests - "Friendly, good communicaiton,  etc"  followed by "However, they left the room messier that most of my guest - I had to pick up two small grocery bags of paper trash from the floor. Other than that followed the rest of my house rules"     

or something to this affect. 

Do do most of my "delicate" reviews via the omission of referal method.   But would never do this for a truly bad  guest experience. 

I think it is important for us host to look out for each other and the only way to do this is by being honest about bad experiences.

[Azul0]

love it!! yes, we need "code" reviews.  Not mean, but to help fellow guests.  We had a girl from the same country (so neither language nor customs were a new thing).  Every little thing she would call panicking needing help to decide.  .  She was a nice girl but needed babysitting.  Then the ones who celebrated Christmas in the Caribean running the AC 24/7 to max.

[Henri5]

I had 2 guests who booked 5 weeks. On arrival I showed them their room which was spotless with full fridge of food, coffee maker, toaster etc. Then I showed them bathroom with shampoo, soaps fresh towels & told them to make themselves at home. They arrived early so I'd already informed them I would be going back to bed for a couple of hours. I heard them having showers & looking around the house. In half an hour they were calling my name from outside my door so I got up & asked if they needed any help. They informed

me they wanted to leave. I asked what the problem was & if I could fix it. They would not be clear with an answer just saying that they wanted their money back. I was shocked as I had supplied everything that was in the listing & more.

They left but not before taking photos of our rusty front gate & my work painting gear outside that I hadn't packed away yet. They were extremely rude to me & called me a thief! I tried contacting Airbnb as soon as they left but had no luck on the phone or website. I have a moderate cancellation policy which covers a couple of nights payment if guests cancel. After weeks of stress & emails I finally get told that Airbnb has refunded the whole amount to them on the strength of their photos. Our listing is called Ramshacle Chic as its a big old Victorian house & that usually is the charm for our other guests. ( we have 15 5 star reviews & Superhost status)

[Victoria567]

Review should read

Thanks for reaching out and declining to pay for XYZ.

I love feedback whether it is positive or negative. I especially like feedback like this so others can see, the ‘entitled’ guests, I sometimes have to deal with.

There is a large element of trust, in being an air bnb host and I feel this trust has been eroded  by a guest who does not care about XYZ.

I appreciate any guest who chooses, to spend their money, in my accommodation, until they act like this.

Have a nice day.

[Lyndsey2]

The only poor review I've ever written included the phrase "had difficulty with some of our house rules, such as refraining from smoking next to the house." I did not mention the worst of it because I was concerned there was a domestic situtation involved and did not want to possibly make it worse. And of course I gave a thumbs down and a more complete discription to Airbnb. I hoped mentioning breaking house rules would be enough to turn off other hosts but when I checked a few months later they had several glowing reviews after mine. Perhaps I should have written more negative comments. And I wonder if they really could have been such great guests for other hosts. 

[Stacey16]

@Annette33 I feel your pain.

I recenty had a guest who came for a week with her husband. I thought it would be a no brainer considering she had over 20 *great* reveiws from other hosts.

They were complete slobs. Seemed nice enough, but left my home in such a state that I had to create a to-do list for guests to follow before they check out. It has worked great.

I searched these boards before I wrote my review, as it was the first negative experience I have had. Great advice from @Dave & Deb. They also had a link to a page about ways to say that you weren't happy with a guest without ripping them a new one, but it gives a heads up to other hosts that something is amiss. I also took the advice and waited over 24 -48 hours before writing the review as I was steaming mad, and it was def. best to wait!

http://globalhosting.freeforums.net/thread/1543/write-review-bad-guest-respond

I simply wrote something like "so and so was here for a week. communication was adequete. However, so and so's needs did not fit with my listing."

Of course, she wrote a glowing reveiw of my place and was surprised and confused when she read mine. I wrote her a PRIVATE feedback message, stating facts only (no emotion, I learned THAT great tip here in these rooms!). She didn't get it. I'm sure that this is how her and her husband live normally (slobs) so, according to her, my expectations were too high about picking up before you leave. She was still agahst and wrote me defending every last thing I privately mentioned to her. I only wrote a short message in response (again, this was all done privately and not in response to the review) saying that I have learned greatly from this experience and that maybe she could, too. I also reminded her that I did not slam her publically, as I could've easily done so.

She hasn't contacted me again and I would report her if she did. I kept it classy, factual and short. I learned all of my response tactics here in the Airbnb community rooms.

Hope this is helpful,

Stacey

[Annette33]

@Stacey16 , so perfect!! Thanks for the link to globalhosting, hadn't seen that one yet. 

and great how you handled that review with Ashley. It's telling that she referred to you as "she", not with your name. So clearly, to many guests who most likely are fairly new to Airbnb, we are considered to be the providers who owe it to them...

every host who doesn't write an honest review should read your post here! Way to go!

[Stacey16]

Thanks, @Annette33 !!!

Very grateful for the support here on the forums. Needed and appreciated!!

Some day I have to get to Arizona...

Best,

Stacey

[Annette33]

thanx @Stacey16 , I also earned a lot here in the CC, and  it is a fun group 🙂

[JB-and-Ramona0]

Good forum. Thanks for getting  it going.

I have a related question:

when is the best time to write a review? 

[Stacey16]

Hey

When I get back to the house to clean and they picked up, there's no issue or damage, I do it as soon as I get the email from Airbnb. If I'm unhappy, I wait. 24-48 hours to gather info, cool down and then keep it factual with no emotions attached. Learned that here!

[Todd-and-Reese0]

I used to fear leaving a negative review but we've hosted over 200 guests at this point and we learned to never let them know you are upset so they still leave you a great review and then we leave a very specific, but matter-of-fact review for them.  I get so angry when we have an instant book guest who is awful and somehow had a review that was not thumbs down or was vague or didn't mention their issues. The worst is "great guest". Please be specific!

[Stacey16]

I agree with @Todd-and-Reese0. I made sure to give the guest who was a slob a thumbs down even though in my review I just mentioned how I was not the right fit for her needs. They weren't horrible people, they were just really a mess and in my private conversations with the guest she just couldn't believe how much I expected her to pick up after herself after staying in my home. I knew then that this was probably how she lived and I wasn't going to change her so I just made sure not only to give her a thumbs down but to give her a review that was very different from the reviews she had gotten from other hosts in the past who RAVED about her. I thought it was the best way to handle it especially since there was no damage or anything like that. Lesson learned. She was pissed that I ruined her "stellar" review record more than anything else. She never apologized or owned any part of it. I didn't want an issue down the road so I handled it lightly but firmly.

[Todd-and-Reese0]

 Y'all I found out today that a guest with a thumbs down can absolutely instant book as long as they also have a thumbs-up from another host. To be clear, one thumbs down does not keep them from instant booking. Therefore, hosts, please out them in the feedback so other hosts can read the reviews and have a choice for cancelling.