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

[Lina53]

@Annette33

It is 10:40pm.  I live in a small NYC apt.  My guests are currently using the microwave, eating the kitchen and chatting ... not even attempting to be quiet (as if they were not in a shared apt).  They leave tomorrow.

This morning (and basically every morning for the past week) the mother prepared breakfast and left the plates with food sitting on the kitchen table for over an hour (you know, until they were ready to sit down to eat). I literally asked the mother to please move the plates so that I could eat (they had been sitting there for 1.5 hours)

I'm tempted not to leave a review ... but if I do I want to write something like "Guest is better suited for an entire apt. He and his mother stayed at my cozy shared apt for a week."

What do you think? 

[Annette33]

@Lina53 , ohh the tribulations when you have. shared spaces.... I feel for you.. one wants to be nice while wondering why there can't be an ounce of consideration coming your way.

I do believe that Airbnb has undergone a drastic change: these days, especially new members, just look for the convenience, and if they can get all that, including kitchen use for less than a hotel stay, hurray! they pay, so they think they are entitled to everything you offer.

Waiting for common sense and curtesy, and kindly asking for things, also in your house rules, doesn't really do it anymore: you clearly have to define your boundaries - and clearly spell it out, unfortunately.

In your scenario, I would probably rethink what you offer: starting with check in at 9 am and check out at 1 pm: way too lenient, tighten it up. I do checkin 3 pm to 8 pm, checkout by 11.

 It sets th tone that there are boundaries .

How about limiting your guests to two? anybody who wants more has to ask you first...

How about limiting the stay? My max is 4 days, it pre-empts unpleasant experienecs with difficult guest,,you know they will be gone soon, that in itself is a relief. 

But most importantly: expand on your description, especially what is allowed in kitchen use and what not. don't expect people to be considerate, limit the kitchen use to specific hours,,or not even at all!

PS: do write that review and be  honest

and now: happy continued hosting to you, you'll do great! Don't doubt yourself in that 🙂

[Lina53]

@Annette33

On a totally unrelated note, you are my favorite person on the Community Center. Your posts are always fabulous (and you seem like a great person!).

I just specified quiet hours and that guests cannot use the kitchen after 9:30pm. Guess I was lucky because the last 7-8 guests were great (zero issues)!  I am going to work on attracting the type of guests I desire. 

I prefer to host international travelers for 7-9 days (best kind of guests and most of my experiences have been wonderful! I can say that several are really super amazing people and it was a pleasure to have them in my home!).  High turnover does not work for my specific situation. I’ve thought about making check in/out stricter but I’m okay with being flexible considering my market (most of my guests arrive exhausted after 11-15 hours of traveling).  

NYC is literally saturated with Airbnbs.   Believe it or not compared to other hosts I have a ton of rules. I’m okay with adding a few more though. Stratigically.  

Hmm, I do not mind if guests use the kitchen but to be eating at 10:40pm!?? This morning I added no heavy/oily/aromatic cooking.  And I think the "do not use kitchen after 9:30pm" will help should there be any other ridic guests.  Most of my guest will make pasta once or twice or cut up fruit since NYC has an amazing food scene.  Plus, international travelers are usually out and about all day (some literally leave at 9/10am and return exhausted at 11pm to sleep... they do this for 7 days straight).  

If you have time tomorrow, can you please take a look at my posting and lmk what you think?  I am trying to attract the experienced traveler type who knows how to share space.  

[Annette33]

awwwww, @Lina53 , I 'm getting the fuzzies now 🙂 thanx so much for the compliment 🙂

I'll come back tommorrow after I looked closer at your listing.

cheers,

annette

[Victoria567]

Hi @Lina53

Did these guests get glowing reviews from other hosts?

If they did then perhaps the hosts were doing other hosts such as yourself a disservice?

If you are not prepared to write an honest review, regrettably it’s a case of put up with it.....sorry but either you either pen an honest review or accept the situation as these guests will continue to believe their behaviour is very acceptable.

the term cozy apartment regretfully has negative connotations about the size of your living space, it has nothing to do with their lack of consideration in using your kitchen late at night, making a noise during what should be a quiet time and leaving plates of left over food on your dining table.

You need to be more precise about what aspect of their lack of consideration and thoughtless disregard for your house rules is unacceptable 

[Jan82]

I am not sure how to review my most recent guest. She left a review so now I need to respond. She was high maintenance. She did not speak English well enough to have any kind of conversation. For example, she mentioned the next morning that she had been cold during the night. "I am cold sleeping". I pointed to the extra blanket on the chair, which I had mentioned the night before, and asked if she had used it. She had not. Everything was an effort. Please help! Jan

[Victoria567]

Hi @Jan82

You review your guest precisely as you have described here on the forum.

[Linda108]

@Jan82  How was she otherwise?  If you look at other aspects of the review, was she a good guest?  If the main issue is lack of English language skills, that makes her a challenge to host but not a bad guest.  Perhaps you didn't know the limits of the language problem and thought she was understanding your orientation when she was not.  Perhaps she saw the blanket on the chair as decoration and did not want to disturb it.

I think a charitable review with an honest assessment of the communication problem is called for.  I would identify her native language so another host who might have fluency in that language would be able to assess the hosting match accurately.

[Victoria567]

Hello @Jan82

In Scotland we have a wonderful expression describing a difficult high maintenance situation, in other words anything that requires a great deal of effort.

The delightful phrase is 

similar to pushing treacle up a hill.

[Clara116]

@Jan82 It is always really difficult when the person does not understand what others are saying. You say high maintenance? why do you say that? obviously she didn't understand you - also, the blanket on the chair - maybe she thought it was a throw and didn't want to move it??? I'm trying to figure it out - when I'm cold I will put on extra clothes and would have put every thing in the room on me to get warm.  since you only say about the communication being awful -

I would write that the language problem and lack of communication made the stay very frustrating for you and you are NOT sure how it was actually for the guest. (something like this!)

I lived in Germany for 8 yrs and before I was able to truly speak and communicate and understand it was AWFUL - surely the guest wanted to understand but often pride will hide how much they truly DON'T understand. 

I know you are glad they are gone - maybe get some translation help should something like that happen again! happy hosting, Clara

[Kelly144]

The only time I've left a 'coded' review was for guests who weren't terrible, but certainly not great either. I honestly couldn't decide for over a week whether to give a thumbs up  or down. I left a review that said something like  "I hope X enjoyed their stay in my apartment" and that was it. 

[Ricardo85]

@Annette33 

https://optimizemybnb.com/write-airbnb-review/

Ricardo