Airbnb reviews

[Drumshambo]

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?

@SparklyDino

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

Most hosts check guest reviews before accepting bookings, or if they have instant book enabled it will only allow you to book if you have all good reviews. It doesn't matter at all if one host doesn't review you if you have a good handful of 5*s though.

@SparklyDino

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

Because AirBNB owners often look at a guest's feedback before deciding to accept their booking.

@Roussette

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.

You can give lower star ratings for individual aspects like value, cleanliness etc but the overall rating needs to be 5* unless you were genuinely deceived by the listing.

As hosts there is nothing we can do about the review system, it isn't our fault. At 4.3 average your listing is removed so you can 'make improvements'. They tell you a 4 star review harms the Air BnB brand.

Yes, it is indeed 5 acceptable or below 5 unacceptable.

It looks like this particular host doesn't leave reviews generally, which is wrong of her. She won't know what you have written until your review is published. She will lose her superhost status with a 4.6 average too.

That's fascinating. They should be telling users that, I had no idea. It surely skews results, but hey ho, I'm a user not a host.

I'll have to remember this in future for Airbnb and I do appreciate it's not the host's fault!

hundred and sparkly thanks. Interesting.

I've been booking Airbnb since 2017, have just looked and have 6 reviews, 2 of which are just full stops!!

Never been turned away for a booking :)

So do owners actually read them? Although my reviews are good enough. Do owners actually leave bad reviews?? Think I'd be concerned if an owner left a bad review of a guest. Although not sure I can read the reviews owners have left for guests!

So many questions .... haha

@SparklyDino

hundred and sparkly thanks. Interesting.

I've been booking Airbnb since 2017, have just looked and have 6 reviews, 2 of which are just full stops!!

Never been turned away for a booking :)

So do owners actually read them? Although my reviews are good enough. Do owners actually leave bad reviews?? Think I'd be concerned if an owner left a bad review of a guest. Although not sure I can read the reviews owners have left for guests!

So many questions .... haha

Yes we do and yes we do. Though I admit I've held off on reviewing bad guests til the last minute, due to hoping they would forget to review before the cut off period. You know when a hosting hasn't gone well usually because the guest is rude/entitled/expected the ritz for £30 a night and I'm not great at making my face look happy when I'm not. However I've honestly reviewed the guests who threw up in the bathroom and wiped it up with a towel and the ones who went in my bedroom and used my stuff. Honestly the vast majority of guests are great but a small minority of them are weirdos.

I take instant booking on, so no I don't read guests reviews.

Originally the review system was because people were renting a room in their own home, which is potentially risky without some kind of reference. If I rented a room in my house I would probably want to read them!

Some guests are disrespectful, have parties, damage stuff- you should read some of the stories on my Air BnB hosts forums! I have only had one piece of major damage, it was last week and sadly it was a £900 cooker that needs to be replaced.

A full stop review is so rude!

I closed my account recently due to the review left by the last host. She claimed I broke her postbox (why would I touch her post box, beyond collecting the key from the parcel section), said that I had slept without sheets on the bed (I hadn't, and how would she even know that?), that I hadn't cleaned the place once in four weeks (I hovered, wiped surfaces, cleaned bathroom and stripped bed, as per instructions), and was an unthoughtful and careless guest.
The other person sharing with me was shocked. (Hers was a cash agreement, so no reviews.)
The things she wrote were simply not true, I am always super careful, quiet, and I had all positive reviews before that. She just didn't like me. Airbnb said they couldn't get involved as it was a personal dispute, but wouldn't take it down. I was absolutely devastated.

I couldn't see how anyone would ever rent to someone with a review like that, so that was the end of Airbnb for me. Last month when I had another four week stay, the person I shared with booked for both of us under her account.

I just looked and she has listed again as 'new'! Ugh. She was just the most awful host. Has really put me off Airbnb and left me so upset.

Wow, that sounds really awful for you! I can understand you being put off using airing again. You have to wonder what .motivates hosts to behave like that. Hopefully, someone will leave her a really bad review, and karma will come and bite her on the bum!

I messaged her through airbnb and asked her to review our stay. She responded immediately and posted a glowing review. Perhaps she hadn't received any prompt from airnbnb to do so. That could explain it.