Hello All,
For our 20th review we no longer have a 5.0 rating which, I understand, is to be expected over time. I take a lot of pride in being completely transparent and going above and beyond for our guests which has served us well so far but know that everyone has different expectations and despite trying, will fall short from time to time against guest expectations.
That said, I just had a guest leave an overall score of 3 driven primarily by a score of 2 given to accuracy and selecting "the place was smaller than expected" which also drove them to select a 2 for Value in the ratings. I get that some ratings may be subjective but I clearly state in the "Listing size" that it is 744 sq feet. I also state the listing description under, "The Space"
The entire space is 744 sq. ft and we have made the most of the "cozy" layout. Out of all of the spaces, the living room is what will feel the smallest. We decided to use more space for a reasonable set of stairs up to the loft instead of a simple ladder for easier access between the two floors. The ceilings are tall and it gets great light. The furniture is new but you will need to shift or move pieces under the stairs if you use the sofa bed at night. We often have movie night with five people but the space is not set up to host larger gatherings.
Additionally, this particular guest had a lot of questions leading up to their visit which is completely fine. They were very interested in the exact sizing of the pull out couch for a taller member of their party. I sent them the exact dimensions and sent another picture of the entire space in the living room over Airbnb messages so they had another angle of the space.
Here is the written review I received so the guest was clearly happy with how I accommodated their stay (I allowed both early check-in and late check out) and not once (in 21 messages from her over 3 days) did I hear anything about the space being misrepresented.
I enjoyed my stay, however, the apartment was much smaller than in the pictures. Our host was very nice and communicative and was very accommodating. I would say this apartment would be good for only two people but not more than two. I rate this overall a good apartment if not more than two people. It was very clean and accessible and our host was wonderful. Thanks Scott!
I reached out to Airbnb support asking for their advice and they just said it does not "clearly violate" any rules and that "the guidelines do not cover what would happen if a Guest perspective differs from the facts of the situation." In this case it seems the facts are clearly presented in the listing and measurable, in square feet. I understand there are other measures and perceptions but space, if clearly communicated, seems like something that we should not be penalized for if we represent square footage accurately.
I can leave a public response. I then asked them to review my listing and offer any advice on how I could have been more clear or "earned" a higher rating and they said they appreciate I'm a Superhost and it shows from my reviews and that's it. No other options.
I rated this guest five stars for Communication since when they communicated, it was always respectful. I rated their cleanliness a five since they did leave the place clean. I did state that I would not host this guest again and listed the reasoning to help Airbnb determine what could be considered a "good" guest and to make other hosts aware of some of the challenges I had that did not fit under the rating categories I was provided during review.
All that said, I'm really having a difficult time deciding what my options are would sincerely appreciate guidance from you all who have certainly experienced similar feedback that seems quite extreme given all of my efforts to present my listing clearly. Airbnb says
- Do nothing. Understand that I will get bad reviews, even if those reviews seem unjustified.
- Try another approach with Airbnb support that could get the review reconsidered and removed.
- Write the guest for feedback. I don't think this is a good approach in this case despite the fact that we exchanged so many positive notes where I was "helpful and accommodating."
- Respond to the guest review publicly. This doesn't feel like a good approach either since it doesn't change the rating and despite hosts' best efforts, it can often come off in a bad light for the host.
Additionally, this is the last private message I received from the guest the day of their check out:
This is [guest name]- Scott thanks so much for your hospitality and would come back again 😊
Sincerely appreciate any feedback on approach. I take a lot of pride in the reviews I earn as a host and put a lot of energy into providing excellent experiences for guests.
Listing: https://abnb.me/fdQddYH8Kpb
Thank you!