Guests who never leave a five star review?

[Jane563]

A while back I was talking to a client, who has booked airbnb for the first time. She mentioned to me that she would never leave a five star review because “nothing can be that perfect.” After explaining how important reviews are to hosts, I refused to let her book my room when she visits Brighton later this year.

She went ahead with her planned trip, and sure enough gave the host four stars. The host gave her the same rating, and in his private feedback explained that ...”No guest can be that perfect.”

She remembers saying she doesn’t give five star ratings to the host, but is very angry not to get one herself! So angry that she asked how to contact airbnb and get the rating removed! According to her, she was an “exemplary guest!”

[Sarah977]

@Summer64  Airbnb tells guests on the review form that 4*s means Good. It doesn't mean tje guest had any complaints. There's nothing wrong with Good in the real world, only for hosts on Airbnb.

Don't get wrapped up in the star rating thing. It's a behavior modification tool Airbnb uses to keep hosts hopping, terrified of a low star review. 

It would be a pointless reason to stop hosting. 

[Lisa723]

@Jane563 @Carol812 @Michelle-And-Michael0 @Ann72 I block any guest who does not leave 5 stars. It's ridiculous of course but I think it's a rational response to an irrational review system.

[Ann72]

@Lisa723 Same.  One young woman gave 4 stars for value last fall, then wrote in the review, "We will definitely be back!"  Oh no you won't, young lady.  No.  You won't.

[Emilia42]

Hahaha, I am actually laughing out loud right now @Ann72 

[Christopher-and-Elisa0]

I’ve had that just a couple of days ago. A nice young couple, seemed happy. In the review she wrote that the host was accommodating, place was nice and had everything they needed and they’ll be back. And then she gives 4 stars for value and 4 overall. What?!? I think people have no idea what they’re doing and how to rate Airbnb’s.

I’m thinking of writing a short guide about how to rate your host. First of all don’t expect a 5-star hotel if you didn’t pay for one. Don’t compare us to one. Re the ‘value’ performance marker I plan to encourage the guests to consider the kind of hotel or motel they could book with the amount of money we get paid per night. People also need to understand that the amount of money they pay is not the amount of money their host gets. Many clearly don’t.

[Michelle-And-Michael0]

@Christopher0&Elisa..... Sorry, couldn't tag you! 

Great idea about the guide...... Please keep me posted! 

Cheers, Michelle 🙂

[Valentina576]

Tell mEabout it! This one grinds my brains in anger. I have a sofabed in my living room which I rent out. I am close to hot spots in Liverpool like The University of Liverpool, Liverpool football club, The royal hospital and the city centre. I charge £15. I try to be transparent and my desciption AND pictures were quite clear. I recently had an entitled guest complain about the sofabed. She booked me because I was within walking distance to the Uni plus I have free parking. There’s no free parking nearby and parking cost up to £12! You knew it was a sofabed, you saw the pictures, you got free access to my kitchen and free breakfast, I waited up for you till midnight when you arrived. You were well informed and still moaned about it being a sofabed?????????? Parking alone should have got be that 5 stars because The university doesn’t provide free parking. I bent over backwards to make her feel comfortable only for her to rate me 3 stars because I wasn't a 5 STAR HOTEL

[Lorissa0]

Ugh- I hear you on that! Good points! When guests book knowing what they're getting and then complain about what they're getting.  NOT ok!

[Trinette---Chris0]

I have a link to this article in my digital house manual and I have a page that describes how the airbnb system works in detail and explains what you did above. I think it helps. https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/29/the-one-issue-with-airbnb-reviews-that-causes-hos...

[Eugénie1]

I totally agree with you Christoper and Elisa. I'm also thinking of a Review Guide for guests. I feel that hosts have to go through so much yet guests don't, many not even bothering to read the listing, let alone the house rules before requesting booking, though there is a token statement in Airbnb that guests must agree to house rule before requesting.  In my experience,  I  usually find this out once they have arrived and have no idea of what is expected.
On another note, I never do Instant Book and always read reviews on guests before accepting them. I also delve a little further to read if a guest has had the courtesy to leave a review for another host they stayed with.  If they haven't, then I won't accept them. Not to bother to leave a review is just plain rude and I dont want them in my home. Airbnb do nothing about this.
Plus, I can't even see if requests are from males or females who want to book my guest room in my home, as Airbnb have removed the photo prior to confirmation. I host both, no problem, but I do at least like to know prior. Am I allowed to ask? Probably not!

Hosts really are treated so badly by Airbnb, yet if there were no hosts Airbnb wouldn't exist.  It seems to want to be like Bookings, Stayz, other hotel online platforms and have lost track of the whole reason Airbnb started in the first place. 

[Summer64]

I got 4 stars for communication and he said slow responses. So I went back to our interactions. Never took me more than 30 minutes to respond. His expectation was ridiculous. He was a 1st time guest, so I stopped taking them for a while.

[Sarah977]

@Summer64  It's absurd- so many people these days, especially those who've grown up communicating by text, seem to expect to get a response within a minute, just because they and their friends are texting back and forth all day every day. It's the age of fast food, instant gratification, Instant Book, instant everything.

[Michelle1588]

LOL... oh no you won't young lady! Hilarious.I agree. The nerve. 

[Jean40]

Lisa, how do you know they are not going to leave you a 5 stars, as one wouldn't leave a review until after the stay?

[Sarah977]

Most guests have no idea how star ratings affect hosts, nor that one 4 star rating could cost the host their hard-earned Superhost status. Airbnb tells them that 4*s means good. They don't tell them that we get penalized for less than 5* ratings, whether it's losing or not acheiving Superhost, or receiving warning messages from Airbnb to pull up your socks.

Since I host in my home, I have lots of interaction with my guests and lots of opportunity to educate them as to how Airbnb grades hosts. Most are shocked at how punitive it is. Of course, I don't tell them to leave me a 5* rating. But I've found by just letting them know how it works, that 5*s on Airbnb doesn't mean perfect, but means they were pleased, had a good stay, and that the listing info was accurate, leads to them all leaving 5* reviews.

For those who don't have much interaction with guests, this info can be written out and left in the unit.

Most guests have no wish to tank a host's ratings, or have a host penalized, they simply aren't aware of how Airbnb rates us.