Page 2 | Question for Airbnb hosts please

catfoodcatastrophe · 2023-04-14T15:25:06+00:00

Hi all We left an Airbnb today, first time we have ever been to one. The host has messaged me to say that any rating below 5* is viewed on the platform as bad and that any under 4.5* can have their property removed from Airbnb. Is this true or is she having me on? How can anything under 5* (ie perfect) be considered 'bad'?! The property definitely does not deserve a 5* rating but I don't want to cause problems for the host. Many thanks

mast0650 · 14/04/2023 19:34

Yes, to guests, but to hosts the only thing that matters is the star rating sadly.

Reviews matter a lot for getting future books and so they matter to hosts. But I guess it is only the star rating that matters in terms of getting in trouble with Airbnb - which I only just learned about!

EllenLRipley · 14/04/2023 20:10

MaireadMcSweeney · 14/04/2023 17:24

It's impossible to give a reciprocal review.

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is it fuck, literally every air bnb I have stayed in has sent an email asking for a 5* review and pretty much promising one in return. At least 10 places, it is idiotic.

mast0650 · 14/04/2023 21:11

is it fuck, literally every air bnb I have stayed in has sent an email asking for a 5 review and pretty much promising one in return. At least 10 places, it is idiotic.*

But neither party can see whether the other has actually given a 5 review before they write theirs. So you can promise a 5 review in exchange but there is nothing at all to ensure you actually give it. And I've stayed in many many airbnbs and I don't think I have ever received any e-mail like this.

Aylestone · 14/04/2023 21:22

Babyat43q · 14/04/2023 18:36

That’s total rubbish - I would write that they tried to manipulate you in your review.

Why do people like you even comment when you don’t have a clue and just make stuff up? Another pp has explained the review system perfectly. You need to rate them on their property matching their advertising. Anything less than 5 stars should mean that something has gone wrong with the stay that was the fault of the host. The issue is people booking cheap accommodation that is clearly quite shit, and then leaving bad reviews even though the host hasn’t exaggerated the property in any way.

Babyat43q · 14/04/2023 22:26

Aylestone · 14/04/2023 21:22

Why do people like you even comment when you don’t have a clue and just make stuff up? Another pp has explained the review system perfectly. You need to rate them on their property matching their advertising. Anything less than 5 stars should mean that something has gone wrong with the stay that was the fault of the host. The issue is people booking cheap accommodation that is clearly quite shit, and then leaving bad reviews even though the host hasn’t exaggerated the property in any way.

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That’s complete rubbish. I’m both a host and I stay in a lot of Airbnb properties. One person’s version of comfort is different to another’s, it’s subjective.

If she didn’t find it 5/5 comfortable, then she gets to say so. I rely on reviews when I book airbnbs - I want people to be honest. And, as a host, I try and make sure my place is as comfortable and the listing as accurate possible!

I once booked something with no reviews - guess what? They cancelled on me at the last minute and caused me big problems. I now only book places with lots of very honest looking reviews. And by honest looking, I want real and genuine feedback - then it’s up to me whether I am bothered about things like a reviewer saying that the neighbours are loud, or the tv didn’t have Netflix or that the comfort level wasn’t up to scratch… or that the host told them to give them a five star review.

Damnedidont · 12/08/2023 19:53

Host here. After writing in the listing that the toilet was a sani flow and not to put anything other than toilet paper down it and then messaging the guests directly and putting a notice on the toilet one of the guests put a pair of dirty knickers down the toilet and of course blocked it! They then proceeded to give our only ever less than five star review. I had no idea that airbnb would suspend the listing if you've got under four

MissAmbrosia · 12/08/2023 20:22

I refuse to use AirBnB and these sort of things mean I am unlikely to change my mind.

Eastie77Returns · 12/08/2023 20:35

We stayed in an Air BnB last year for a couple of weeks whilst our house was being renovated. There were a few issues to say the least. The Wifi didn't work. Then on the 3rd day of our stay the host's 21 yo DD arrived and moved in. Her parents allegedly 'forgot' to tell her the house was being rented out but we never really got the whole story. She was pleasant enough and slept in the self contained loft at the top of the house but she was extremely noisy. The hosts apologized and reduced our rental fee.

On the 5th day, the hosts turned up at the house to collect their DD and take her to their other house. She refused to leave and made a very dramatic personal annoucement. There was a huge screaming match between her and the parents that went on for nearly an hour. The hosts apologized again and eventually left without their DD after midnight. She ended up staying for the duration of our stay. On a couple of occasions she double locked the front door and fell asleep in the loft so we couldn't hear us knocking and we couldn't get in. DP had to climb over the garden fence to get us in.

Despite all of this we did give the hosts 5 stars. They explained the 4 star rating thing to us and they truly were very nice people. We ended up paying almost half the quoted amount due to all the craziness.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 12/08/2023 21:28

I've been an air bnb host. She should have said at the start 'we want to receive a 5* review from you so please let us know if anything isn't up to standard and we will do our best to correct it.'

What they may well lose is their super host status, which makes able to charge more and get more bookings, as I think you need 4.8 average rating to get that. That's probably what they were alluding to.

malapast · 12/08/2023 21:39

Damnedidont · 12/08/2023 19:53

Host here. After writing in the listing that the toilet was a sani flow and not to put anything other than toilet paper down it and then messaging the guests directly and putting a notice on the toilet one of the guests put a pair of dirty knickers down the toilet and of course blocked it! They then proceeded to give our only ever less than five star review. I had no idea that airbnb would suspend the listing if you've got under four

Saniflos are useless no decent plumber will ever fit one. If you have frequent changeover of guests you should bite the bullet and replace it with proper gradient sewer pipe flow.

Damnedidont · 13/08/2023 00:36

malapast · 12/08/2023 21:39

Saniflos are useless no decent plumber will ever fit one. If you have frequent changeover of guests you should bite the bullet and replace it with proper gradient sewer pipe flow.

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If we were able to have a gradient toilet in that wing we would have done. Sani flow has worked perfectly well for the past ten years. In fact had the idiot put the knickers down our gravity toilet it would have blocked somewhere underneath our 300 year old house and have caused far more problems. Irritating as it was we only needed to dismantle the pump

Lolalady · 08/10/2023 19:11

I was an Airbnb host until recently - what you’re being told is totally untrue

Witchinawell · 08/10/2023 19:14

Two well meaning people marked me 8/10 in a survey last month, that wiped out my incentive payment for the month. I’m a customer care professional (call handler) for a credit card company.

GreatShaker · 08/10/2023 19:27

Eastie77Returns · 12/08/2023 20:35

We stayed in an Air BnB last year for a couple of weeks whilst our house was being renovated. There were a few issues to say the least. The Wifi didn't work. Then on the 3rd day of our stay the host's 21 yo DD arrived and moved in. Her parents allegedly 'forgot' to tell her the house was being rented out but we never really got the whole story. She was pleasant enough and slept in the self contained loft at the top of the house but she was extremely noisy. The hosts apologized and reduced our rental fee.

On the 5th day, the hosts turned up at the house to collect their DD and take her to their other house. She refused to leave and made a very dramatic personal annoucement. There was a huge screaming match between her and the parents that went on for nearly an hour. The hosts apologized again and eventually left without their DD after midnight. She ended up staying for the duration of our stay. On a couple of occasions she double locked the front door and fell asleep in the loft so we couldn't hear us knocking and we couldn't get in. DP had to climb over the garden fence to get us in.

Despite all of this we did give the hosts 5 stars. They explained the 4 star rating thing to us and they truly were very nice people. We ended up paying almost half the quoted amount due to all the craziness.

This shows the problem. You ended up marking the owners based on how much you liked them. Your stay was ludicrously bad!

I think that’s why small B&Bs often have higher ratings than the Ritz on booking .com.

Eastie77Returns · 11/10/2023 22:52

GreatShaker · 08/10/2023 19:27

This shows the problem. You ended up marking the owners based on how much you liked them. Your stay was ludicrously bad!

I think that’s why small B&Bs often have higher ratings than the Ritz on booking .com.

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I do think they tried their best to rectify what was a very awkward situation. They attempted to coax the daughter out of the house but she was a grown woman and refused to leave. I felt bad for them tbh.

Question for Airbnb hosts please

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