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Original poster

Airbnb reviews

39 replies

Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 11:23

I've stayed in numerous airbnb's. Always leave a review, and have always had one left for me/my party. They have all been excellent and likewise my review of hosts the same. Lucky we have always had good experiences.

I'm curious though about a recent stay, we left a review the day after we returned from our trip as We always do. I also sent a private message to the host telling her about a problem we had with a kettle and that there was a light stitch out. No big deal.just wanted to let her know before the next guest arrives so she can put it right!
No response from her and no review. We gave her 5 stars and didn't mention the kettle on the review. The two weeks is nearly up when she can submit a review of us as guests, but she hasn't. She has left reviews for all her other quests for this property. Why would she not leave a review for us? Any hosts out there who can throw some light?

OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 11:33

Yes, I am a host. She is waiting for the two week window to be almost up as she thinks you have left a bad review and so she wanted to bury it as reviews are published in the order of the date of stay rather the date they are left. So if you get a few good reviews after a bad one it affects your bookings less.

The only other reason for not reviewing a guest for me is if they were not particularly good guests but not awful enough to complain about. I had some guests once who ruined a whole set of brand new kitchen utensils and scratched a brand new frying pan. They also used over £80 of logs in 4 days! I didn't leave a review as I advertised free logs and they had used the kitchen things on a barbeque which is just lack of common sense.

You could always message her and ask her to review you?

I'm interested to know how you know she has reviewed other guests though. I didn't think you could see that.

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 11:49

Thanks for your reply. Is that not a Strange response though? Why would she think i left a bad review. Surely I wouldn't have sent her message privately to let her know about the kettle if I was going to do that.?

OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 11:52

It depends how experienced she is as a host. People are terrified of bad reviews, ie 4 star, as they do have quite a big impact. So she may just be erring on the side of caution.

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 12:00

@Movinghouseatlast

It depends how experienced she is as a host. People are terrified of bad reviews, ie 4 star, as they do have quite a big impact. So she may just be erring on the side of caution.
Thanks. She"s superhost.- Has three properties. Lost it reviews across all them.
OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 12:14

Maybe she forgot with lots of properties. Ask her to review you.

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 12:19

If you read a review, click. on the profile of him/ her, it says something like get to know Fred by his reviews. It lists how many reviews he has. You can then read reviews both of him and by him.

OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 12:34

Gosh, I never knew that!

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 14:00

Lesson learned here. I'm not going to use the function to message host privately again in the future. I'm just going to mention everything in the review!

OP posts:
Blackwidow47 · 07/11/2021 14:40

That’s interesting as I’m on my 10th Airbnb of a 6.5 wk so far tour round Europe and I’ve been reviewing and been reviewed. All good, but like you the one where I privately made some suggestions I was blanked!

I’ve just moved country again today and I’m going to sleep before I write my review of the property I just left as it was awful, freezing cold (I actually boiled the kettle and hugged it last night watching Netflix) and the host gave me an incorrect safebox code on my arrival and wouldn’t answer her phone for 1 hour when I discovered it (she was aware of my ETA). And it was dark, raining and I’m a solo female traveller!
I want to be factual and not personal so it’s important I don’t knee jerk. I do believe in realistic reviews as I’ve been basing so much of my criteria after my needs I,e. Washing machine, iron, hairdryer etc on those for accuracy.

Would you want her to review you now?

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 07/11/2021 14:43

She won't be able to read your review until she posts hers. It's a really irritating function of Airbnb and makes it feel risky for hosts to post anything other than positive reviews.

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 15:03

@ElizabethinherGermanGarden

She won't be able to read your review until she posts hers. It's a really irritating function of Airbnb and makes it feel risky for hosts to post anything other than positive reviews.
Or until 14 days has elapsed.
OP posts:
Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 15:10

@Blackwidow47

That’s interesting as I’m on my 10th Airbnb of a 6.5 wk so far tour round Europe and I’ve been reviewing and been reviewed. All good, but like you the one where I privately made some suggestions I was blanked!

I’ve just moved country again today and I’m going to sleep before I write my review of the property I just left as it was awful, freezing cold (I actually boiled the kettle and hugged it last night watching Netflix) and the host gave me an incorrect safebox code on my arrival and wouldn’t answer her phone for 1 hour when I discovered it (she was aware of my ETA). And it was dark, raining and I’m a solo female traveller!
I want to be factual and not personal so it’s important I don’t knee jerk. I do believe in realistic reviews as I’ve been basing so much of my criteria after my needs I,e. Washing machine, iron, hairdryer etc on those for accuracy.

Would you want her to review you now?

Mmm, seems suspicious! I think you're provably right! What an underhand way for hosts to behave! I thought I was doing her a favour by sending her a private message. I will just mention everything in the review fom now on, no matter how minor. I'll also be less Inclined to be so generous with star rating.Hope you manage to warm up! Good luck on your next place of stay.
OP posts:
Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 15:28

Gosh. So every host is now going to suffer because of one person.

It isn't 'underhand' at all, why is it underhand?

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 07/11/2021 15:30

@Drumshambo

Lesson learned here. I'm not going to use the function to message host privately again in the future. I'm just going to mention everything in the review!
You can leave private feedback during your review that they won't see until they review/the window expires
CloseYourEyesAndSee · 07/11/2021 15:31

@ElizabethinherGermanGarden

She won't be able to read your review until she posts hers. It's a really irritating function of Airbnb and makes it feel risky for hosts to post anything other than positive reviews.
What are you talking about? Both parties have to leave reviews before either can read them or the window to review expires. Why would I as a host find it risky to post a negative guest review?
CloseYourEyesAndSee · 07/11/2021 15:33

What an underhand way for hosts to behave! I thought I was doing her a favour by sending her a private message. I will just mention everything in the review fom now on, no matter how minor. I'll also be less Inclined to be so generous with star rating

Airbnb considers 4 or less to be a bad review so please don't start giving out 3/4 reviews unless they are really warranted. Remember you're reviewing the accuracy of the host's listing and description, not the quality of the accommodation itself.

Movinghouseatlast · 07/11/2021 15:42

Hosts are terrified of 4 star reviews because Air BnB call it a 'service failure'.

Sadly a lot of guests don't realise this and believe that 4 means good. If you get too many 4's Air BnB remove your listing.

Again, message the host and ask for a review.

Original poster
Drumshambo · 07/11/2021 16:01

Well I think my suspicions are correct! Just looked at reviews for the last 20 stays. Three reviews mention minor problems. One was checking in. Another was not having enough lol rolls, and another was a broken lamp. For all three guests. the host left no review. Also her average rating is 4.6 whatever that means.

OP posts:
Roussette · 07/11/2021 16:12

A 4star review is a bad review? How ridiculous.

I gave 4 stars to a host, I was complimentary enough, but I just didn't feel it was worthy of 5stars (There were rules stuck up literally everywhere, and it was intimidating. I didn't mention this in my review at all, it's just what I thought). I was just pleasant without going overboard.

We were very careful guests, and she couldn't even be bothered to give me a review.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 07/11/2021 16:15

@Roussette

A 4star review is a bad review? How ridiculous.

I gave 4 stars to a host, I was complimentary enough, but I just didn't feel it was worthy of 5stars (There were rules stuck up literally everywhere, and it was intimidating. I didn't mention this in my review at all, it's just what I thought). I was just pleasant without going overboard.

We were very careful guests, and she couldn't even be bothered to give me a review.

Did the property match the description? Was the listing accurate or misleading? You gave them a bad review. Did they deserve a bad review?
Bringonthepjs · 07/11/2021 16:35

I thin

Roussette · 07/11/2021 16:37

I didn't give them a bad review. I had NO IDEA 4 star is considered a bad review.
How are we supposed to know that?
I had no idea that anything below 5 stars is considered a bad review, that's news to me.

I was complimentary about the property, I said that the owner was helpful with information of the area, and how friendly she was. I said the bedroom was lovely and a very comfy bed and the location was great. I did not say that the property wasn't worthy of 5 stars by the way.

(Privately I felt the notices that were literally plastered everywhere was invasive, but I kept that to myself)

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 07/11/2021 16:56

@Roussette

I didn't give them a bad review. I had NO IDEA 4 star is considered a bad review. How are we supposed to know that? I had no idea that anything below 5 stars is considered a bad review, that's news to me.

I was complimentary about the property, I said that the owner was helpful with information of the area, and how friendly she was. I said the bedroom was lovely and a very comfy bed and the location was great. I did not say that the property wasn't worthy of 5 stars by the way.

(Privately I felt the notices that were literally plastered everywhere was invasive, but I kept that to myself)

That's cool. You know now, so hopefully you won't do that to another host. It really screws with your stats and earning capacity when you get 4* reviews. The system is ridiculous but that's how it works.
Roussette · 07/11/2021 17:09

You know now, so hopefully you won't do that to another host

It puts me off a bit to be honest.

It's madness. Why have a star system at all.

Obviously 4, 3, 2, and 1 star all mean the same. So it's 5 star or nothing... Excellent or crap!

Bizarre. How are users of AirBnB meant to know this?!

And I presume that's why she didn't leave me a review at all, after such nice words from me too.

SparklyDino · 07/11/2021 17:15

Why does anyone care if they left you a review as a guest? Can someone please explain.