What do you do when hosts don't leave a review?

[Charlotte535]

I am an Airbnb Superhost who also uses Airbnb as a guest. At present we are touring France and have stayed in 15 different Airbnb's. My attitude is to always write a review (as a host as well as being a guest) but I notice that not every host writes a review. I strikes me that those who don't write a review are the hosts we mentioned a problem to (no working internet, no one to let us in, accommodation which was not clean or incredibly noisy).

Having been in hospitality since several decades, my approach is first to contact the host to discuss a problem. I will also point this problem out in my personal message to the host but will keep the general review good (if the host responded to the reported problem) as I find it unfair to give a bad review based on a one off event (which has been attend to during our stay). However, I now notice that the guests who don't write a review are the ones we contacted regarding a problem.  It makes me wonder if they deliberately don't write a review in order to avoid (a possible) negative review of their listing?

I also agree that it would be good to see a status as Super-guest established. Here in France, quite a lot of airbnb's do not allow direct bookings due to previous bad experiences. Perhaps this could be changed that a Super-guest can book directly?

Just a thought,

Charlotte 

[Gordon0]

All the non-reviewers out there I stay with get a dink on their communication score from me (I check if they are serial non-reviewers) and a mention of their laziness in my otherwise decent (if warranted) review.   

[Mary-and-Col0]

We do not review guests we are not happy with, reason being we do not like to leave a bad one or there has been a dispute where the guest has been quite difficult and giving us a hard time thus we expect a low review from them which would be unfair to us.  I mean these are demanding guests who expect us to supply furniture and other strange items late at night. Or the heating up to the maximum for a month and then complain they were not happy!!! Having only paid 20euros a night. Or demanding sunloungers costing 200 euros not included in listing but broke ours and would not replace it. So you can see the problem some are just plain difficult. 

There is no point in being negative and flinging bad reviews around.  We always report to Airbnb any problems we have with demanding guests and I am sure they will be aware.  Some guests are not in the true spirit of Airbnb community. 

[Alexandra316]

@Mary-and-Col0I'm going to have to disagree with you there: if a guest had already proven themselves bad when staying with another host, would you not want some prior warning? Bad reviews absolutely do serve a purpose: to warn others so they don't go through the same experience! You are doing a disservice to your fellow hosts by not reviewing bad guests. Not reviewing the guest doesn't stop them from reviewing you. If you're concerned that they are being reminded to review you when you submit yours, just wait until the 11th hour to submit it. But please, for the sake of all hosts, review your bad guests!

[Emilia42]

@Mary-and-Col0 maybe you are getting these bad/demanding guests because their hosts before you had the same approach. The previous hosts thought that they were horrible but did not leave a review for your same reasons. I value that Airbnb is a community of host working together, and I will do what I can to support that community.

[Mary-and-Col0]

Will take on board Emilia, but really they are not that horrible just do not feel they are in the true spirit of Airbnb community, however will of course review in the future. 

[Mary-and-Col0]

I agree I should review them. However they are not that BAD, just get to feel they are not in the true spirit of Air Bnb guests. We do review the majority of our guests whether there is problems or not we are not that strict and love to give positive reviews, its just been a couple that we do not review now and again.  Will of course review to protect further hosts and do understand its important and will make every effort to in the future. Perhaps ask the community first for advice when we get a problem.

[Alexandra316]

@Mary-and-Col0Fair enough... I agree, it can be difficult to find the words to review those "meh" guests who didn't destroy anything or do anything super terrible, but were demanding, cold, etc. 

[Kat84]

But please, for the sake of all hosts, review your bad guests!

Yes! I am starting to do that now. Though Airbnb asked me not to do that in the past.. 

[Мария15]

@Kat84 

Though Airbnb asked me not to do that in the past..

How come?

[Kat84]

I had a guest from Korea, who damaged the towel and blanket. There was so strong paint on it, that professional laundry was not able to remove it. Airbnb resolution center got involved. The manager said "I already talked to the guest and there is no need for you to talk to him or leave a bad review". I said OK. Only after some time I realized, after getting more experienced with the hosting and with how Airbnb platform works, that their "saving" me from the counter back bad review could be interpreted as actually trying to influence my actions. 

P.S. Sorry for late reply as the updates from this topic went to my spam folder 

[Alexandra316]

@Kat84How did they do that? I have had to write a few bad reviews, unfortunately, and I've never had a review removed or a request not to review. 

[Kat84]

Hi Alexandra, please see my reply above. 

[Charlotte535]

Reviews can only work when written in an honest way, describing the good and the bad. I have been in hospitality for half a life time and when dealing with unreasonable guests, I have never hesitate to put that in a review, carefully choosing my words though. No point in being rude or aggressive in a review: being honest and respectful is the way I see it.