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Air BnB - don't want to leave a review

73 replies

LindorDoubleChoc · 01/09/2023 15:08

I keep getting messages from Air BnB about leaving a review for my recent few days away. I don't want to leave a review because there were many things I didn't like about the place and something fairly major happened which could have seriously hampered our stay had we been in the place a lot more than we were.

But I'm not going to leave a nasty review either. I just want to leave it.

Now I get a message saying that the host has left me a review ... but I can't see it unless I leave a review for him! Eh? Is this how it works?

OP posts:
Bonniethewestie · 01/09/2023 15:16

I think they give you a week or so don’t they? Then it closes and you won’t be asked anymore and will be able to see your review.

irregularegular · 01/09/2023 15:17

Yes you'll get to see the review later if you don't leave a review. They are rarely very interesting though! It's fine just to leave it.

drpet49 · 01/09/2023 15:23

I don’t understand your reasoning for not wanting to leave a review. Bizarre.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

SoundsLikeAYouProblem · 01/09/2023 15:33

I don’t understand your reasoning for not wanting to leave a review

I do.

I wish I’d know I could have seen my review at a later date without leaving them one.

InSpainTheRain · 01/09/2023 15:43

Just leave it and don't do a review. They'll stop asking. Set up a rule to send any reminder to junk, you won't even notice them!

TheBerry · 03/09/2023 13:12

SoundsLikeAYouProblem · 01/09/2023 15:33

I don’t understand your reasoning for not wanting to leave a review

I do.

I wish I’d know I could have seen my review at a later date without leaving them one.

Why?

OP doesn’t want to leave a good review because it wasn’t the best experience and she doesn’t want to be dishonest.

But she doesn’t want to leave a bad review because she feels that’s a bit mean when the host hasn’t done anything egregious.

HoneyPotts · 03/09/2023 13:38

I’m sick of being asked to leave reviews for everything. Sometimes I just feel indifferent or know my opinion will offend and I don’t want to have the company emailing or calling to ‘discuss my experience’

VeloVixen · 03/09/2023 13:46

Can you do a neutral review? I did this recently. Few lines, it was clean, kitchen had good range of necessities, parking was difficult. So basic and factual, not gushing about it, didn’t mention the big negative of the windows looking immediately into someone’s back garden (their kids were literally 5cm the other side of the glass as the house is the boundary) with screaming kids in it all day.

Italianasoitis · 03/09/2023 14:07

This happened to me. We brought our then 2 year old and 4 year old for a winter stay in an apartment in the mountains.

The owner said that he usually charged a small fee for the toddler/cot but would let it go. I said thank you and that was that.

The heating didn't work properly and we were so cold, we all slept with out clothes and coats on in the one bed. We were just staying 2 nights and we spent our days sightseeing so weren't in the house much. He kept telling us how to heat the house but it was the most rudimentary system and it just wasn't working. There wasn't enough water to have more than a perfunctory wash. I certainly couldn't have washed my hair. The whole place was freezing!

He contacted me later and asked me to give him whatever the max rating was. I said I was happy to give a good review as the house was gorgeous but couldn't give the full stars due to it being so cold.

He sent me a really horrible, snooty, snappy email about how he hadn't charged us for the cot and we got a pretty good deal. Basically saying the we should have accepted paying money to freeze in hus house because he put a cot up for us and didn't charge £25 a day for it. The thing is, we actually live in a beautiful, cosy, warm apartment near another scenic tourist spot and I'd wished I'd just stayed at home.

We didn't stay an an airbnb for a long time as we were so put off. I didn't leave a review at all. Things can sometimes get nasty so I decided to leave it. I'd once left a negative review on TripAdvisor about somewhere I'd previously stayed (in Italy).

Our toddler had an accident on their premises and had to go to hospital. I understood that these things gs happen, but the way the staff treated us was absolutely appalling. I've never seen such utter coldness and lack of compassion for a small child in my life, which is out of character for the Italians generally.

I was sobbing holding my injured child in reception. He was screaming in pain and i was desperately asking for a doctor, or an ambulance or the details of a nearby hospital and they looked at me with the most callous, unfeeling expression of contempt. We got a taxi to a hospital nearby and our child's wounds were treated.

When we got back nobody would acknowledge what happened. Nobody would speak to us, until a manager eventually had to talk to us and she just tried to make excuses and blame me. It was such a horrible experience that even my husband was crying at the end of it, and I have never seen him cry apart from a few times when someone has died. It was dreadful! I left a review, and they commented back that I was an awful mother and they felt sorry for my child having oarents like us. Another member of our party left an equally scathing review and the staff left her a baffling reply, basically saying that she was only saying this because because we had been so rowdy that they had to call the police. This never happened!

So I don't leave bad reviews if I can help it but only leave good ones if they deserve them

purplecorkheart · 03/09/2023 14:13

A lot for me would depend on your trip. If the issues were something that would no apply to other guests then I would leave a very general review like in a good location, has parking for two cars and a nice garden etc.

If the issues were something that could impact others then I would state factual information. For example, I went to book a place recently that was a bungalow. However the reviews told me that there were two steps going into the bathroom and bedrooms and that the shower base was extremely slippy. The steps meant it was not suitable for our group. However id there were no steps I would have gone ahead with booking and packed a shower mat.

littlefireseverywhere · 03/09/2023 14:14

We’ve just had the same we stayed at a cheap ish Airbnb in north Spain. Was ok, but lots not right with it. I didn’t want to leave a negative review though.

Fedupwitheveryone · 03/09/2023 14:15

Just don't leave one? it's not hard to do nothing

Bobbotgegrinch · 03/09/2023 14:22

Just ignore the emails, Airbnb stop badgering you after a week or so.

CartoonLlama · 03/09/2023 14:36

Oh this is useful - I’d always assumed you had to leave a review to see the one they write about you - but of course it makes sense that’s not the case, or you could stop others seeing bad ones…

I didn’t review the last place I stayed for similar reasons (though maybe could have just added the negative thing as private feedback), so I get that impulse.

Traceyislivid · 03/09/2023 14:49

Just ignore it. It’ll pass. No you can’t see their review if you and that’s the trade off.

TheDogsMother · 03/09/2023 14:50

Host here. They remind you for two weeks then that's it. If you don't want to leave a review you don't have to and there have been occasions when I haven't reviewed guests on the basis of nothing good to say so say nothing at all. If a guest did something awful I would leave a review to that effect to warn other hosts but if they are generally a bit scuzzy I wouldn't bother reviewing.

Referring to a PP I know what they mean about being asked to review everything but Airbnb is slightly different as both parties review each other.

H34th · 03/09/2023 15:03

I read reviews every time before booking so I really appreciate people writing the good and the bad reviews as honestly as they can.
Not reviewing is basically not changing their 5 stars (or whatever rating overall) and is as misleading as giving a good one undeservingly.

Booked a studio recently. 5 starts all positive reviews. The place was the worst I've ever stayed at. Wish somebody had written a little heads-up what really to expect before we spent our money.

ReviewingTheSituation · 03/09/2023 15:17

Honest reviews are important though. Did you use the reviews when you decided to stay there? If so, why wouldn't you leave some feedback.

We stayed in a place in Scotland once where it was OK, but had some annoying things.
I left a neutral review, commenting on practical things that are useful to know (like parking, location etc) but private messaged the owner directly with specific things, like the lack of curtains, absence of mirrors anywhere useful, unusable garden furniture) and she thanked me for constructive comments and said she'd address them.

I don't always review, but do try to. I figure if I want to read other people's reviews then it's only fair to contribute.

ididntwanttodoit · 03/09/2023 17:42

Like @HoneyPotts , I am sick of being asked to leave a review for everything - especially when they don't actually want a truthful review, what they want is a recommendation. I had repeated requests from Etsy for a review which I ignored at first, and when I finally left a less than glowing (although not inaccurate) review, the business owner came in and pelted me full blast!!! Even though she knew I hadn't liked item and had returned it. That's why some of us would rather not bother!

mumda · 03/09/2023 18:10

I stayed here for a week.

Or

A review in order to read the review the host has written.

Kwasi · 03/09/2023 18:12

The host doesn’t get to see your review until after they’ve left theirs.

whatwasIgoingtosay · 03/09/2023 18:20

I stayed once in an airbnb that had lots of reviews describing it as 'quirky'. It looked as though the owner had haunted hundreds of charity shops and car boot sales to fill every available surface with cutesy ornaments. Everything was homemade, e.g. the kitchen cabinets, and everything was slightly wonky and old. There was masses of left-behind food in the cupboards, fridge and freezer, mostly usable if we had wanted. The crockery and cutlery was all mismatched. There was just an awful feeling of hoarding in the place. I really didn't like staying there, although it was clean enough (but certainly not squeaky clean) and much preferred the places we stayed that were minimalist and sparkling, even though my own style isn't at all minimalist. However, I didn't have the heart to leave a bad review, as the owner was clearly very proud of her cottage (she left a little book describing how much she loved and cherished it), so I just didn't leave a review at all.

AppleKatie · 03/09/2023 18:21

I’m so glad it’s not just me. I’m sick of being badgered to leave glowing reviews and being made to feel like a criminal if you dare to be honest.

We stayed in an Airbnb this summer that sent me a ‘helpful’ graphic which said the star system meant-
5* most things ok, one or two issues.
4* major problems with my stay
3* the place should not be listed
2* the place was dangerous
1* we left early/could not stay.

I mean if that’s the system it’s worthless isn’t it….

Libra24 · 03/09/2023 18:28

I once was in the same boat. But instead of leaving a review i rang the management company and explained the issues to them. And I said I'm not leaving a review. Which they appreciated me telling them the issues and having the chance to rectify it. I have done the same direct with owners as well. In that case he really appreciated it because he was paying "friends" to maintain the house and they clearly weren't.
I wasn't going to gain anything by posting negative thoughts on the Internet over things which could be sorted. And in my case I feel like it was the right thing to do. If its not an option for you then there is nothing wrong with ignoring the requests. But yeah spam is annoying.

Libra24 · 03/09/2023 18:30

If something was a blatant rip off, really terrible experience and/or dangerous I would have posted a review BTW. But niggles and complaints about kitchen equipment I feel I can love with giving direct feedback on.

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