How would you review this airbnb guest

[Ihadashittyairbnbguest]

We rent a room in our home on airbnb. Over the last 6 years we've had some lovely guests, some ok guests and everything in between. But we've just had a guest who was so rude, antisocial, uncommunicative, surly and abrupt, it’s really taken us by surprise.
Anyway, we would like some advice on how to review her. In the past she has been both a host (not at the moment though) and a guest - before she booked we could only see her guest reviews which were positive and once she finalised her booking we could then read her host reviews which were varied to say the least, ie mostly ok but one or two very harsh about her behaviour as a host.
Her behaviour and attitude to my family while staying here was chilly, surly, mildly unpleasant, anti social; she had her own room and facilities and a key to the front door so we had no need to interact daily, plus covid precautions meant we mostly kept to separate parts of the house.
Our reviews are really good and we've been a super host for ages. This guest even came to see the room before booking so she knew what she was getting and our photos and listing tell it exactly like it is. No nasty surprises when you get here.
Throughout her stay she left quite a mess to clear up, didn’t keep her food prep area clean, lots of rubbish to throw out and food left to clear away; she cleared out one of our cupboards and left the contents on the floor even though there was loads of other shelf space she could have used, left dirty dishes on the floor for us to pick up and made various demands which we were unable to meet. After 5 days she threw her bedding into the hall as an unspoken message that she wanted clean linen (I offer fresh linen and towels every 7 days). There are loads of other things, these are just a few examples.
We could give her no review, but feel we want to let future hosts know that this lady was an unsatisfactory guest. How can I word a review that makes it clear this wasn't a good hosting experience without listing the unpleasant behaviours – as I’ve done here. She didn’t really break any ‘house rules’, but she was hard work, unpleasant and we wouldn’t have her back.
I was thinking something like this ... “the lady stayed with us for several weeks; she was quiet; she might have been happier with a sole occupancy arrangement”
I don’t know …. I’m stuck.
BTW we work very hard to look after our guests and make them comfortable and welcome, we need the money we make on airbnb, and we've never had any guest treat us like this lady did.
Any suggestions welcome. Thank you.

I'd day what you said, she adhered to rules, kept to herself and was uncommunicative. Use specific examples. How will you feel of you leave a polite hint and she slates you?

Host didn't provide appropriate food storage, linen wasn't changed frequently etc.

When you do your review write the review at the very last minute like 15 mins before the last time to write a review 😂
Write it out first then copy and paste it
She will most probably not be able to reply in such a short time limit

@unname

I would write

“This guest created quite a mess of rubbish and dirty dishes throughout her stay. We ascertained she wished for more amenities than our listing indicates we provide and despite seeing our space in person before booking. I would not host this person in our home again.”

This is a good response

Truly I’d leave it with no review. She wasn’t a nightmare. She might suit some people. Just be glad she has gone now.

I would leave it. She’d leave you a bad review in return

She can slate you but I think saying she left a mess and that you realized she expected more than you provide speaks for itself.

She can say the space wasn’t up to standards but it won’t ring true given that she saw it in advance.

You’ve acknowledged there will probably be a tit for tat response. Basically you need to decide whether you care enough about earning other hosts to risk getting a slating yourself.

Displayed a range of unusual behaviours such as leaving her dirty dishes on the floor, emptying kitchen cupboards, throwing her bedding down the stairs and using items from the family linen cupboard without asking. Difficult to establish a rapport. Difficulty communicating needs, resulting in awkward atmosphere and expectations we were unable to manage.

Can you use words like “unusual” which can suggest several things.

The guest can’t read the hosts review until they have left theirs. Did she leave on a sour note? She is likely to badly review if she expects one in return. I’d keep it short and factual, guest expected more than listing advised we provide, would not host them again. I agree about leaving it at the last possible moment allowed.

@CeeceeBloomingdale

The guest can’t read the hosts review until they have left theirs. Did she leave on a sour note? She is likely to badly review if she expects one in return. I’d keep it short and factual, guest expected more than listing advised we provide, would not host them again. I agree about leaving it at the last possible moment allowed.

She sort of snuck out without saying anything, though she could hear me moving around but didn't make any attempt to say bye.

There was no sour note on our part, we'd had a pleasant chat the previous day but when I passed the time of day with her after that chat she was very offhand and unpleasant. We do bend over backwards to be friendly to people staying here but she really couldn't be bothered. We got that message from her quite early on and thereafter left her to it, but exchanged pleasantries if passing.

Absolutely write an honest review. I am a super host, and appreciate when previous hosts have made it clear the guest is a pain. She won't hold back from leaving you a less than perfect review so why wouldn't you?

There is a code language on Airbnb reviews "better suited to a hotel" usually means they were awful and demanding, but surely you'd be better saying something along the lines of "despite our best attempts to make her feel welcome/attending to all her needs, we felt she was unhappy with her stay, was uncommunicative and did not leave the space as expected..."

I'd be unhappy about the mess and the emptying of cupboards. However, the being quiet thing I can't see why it's an issue. I've never actually stayed in an Airbnb where it's a room in a house before - just the whole place to myself. Now I'm getting a bit worried because I was going to book one for work in the near future and I can't afford a whole flat. Do hosts expect you to socialise with them or something? I'm friendly (in my opinion!) and never rude but I am quiet and I hate making small talk with strangers. I'd probably just want to be by myself in my room rather than hanging around socialising with the host. Just wondering whether this would be seen as abnormal and would result in a bad review.

Sounds like she has some mental health issues. Putting dishes and food on the floor is definitely not a usual thing to do. Rude would be moving your things around in the cupboard to accommodate her things, taking your things out and leaving them on the floor is not the behaviour of a well person.

The taking of towels I could put down as a misunderstanding. I’ve stayed in Air BnBs that allow you to help yourself to towels from the cupboard. Staying for several weeks I would expect to be told where I can access more towels. I hate to bother hosts whilst I’m staying somewhere to ask for towels or bed linen. I’m happy to make my own bed. Just tell me where to find the linens and I will do it. Likewise I don’t want to be arranging a towel exchange with the host. Tell me where to leave the used ones and where to find the fresh ones and I’ll switch them when I need to.

@alwaysneedanap

Absolutely write an honest review. I am a super host, and appreciate when previous hosts have made it clear the guest is a pain. She won't hold back from leaving you a less than perfect review so why wouldn't you?

There is a code language on Airbnb reviews "better suited to a hotel" usually means they were awful and demanding, but surely you'd be better saying something along the lines of "despite our best attempts to make her feel welcome/attending to all her needs, we felt she was unhappy with her stay, was uncommunicative and did not leave the space as expected..."

Good suggestion, thanks

Yes exactly.

I wouldn't mention the linen thing or the aloofness, but perhaps mention "Mrs X unfortunately wasn't respectful of the shared kitchen and would perhaps have been happier in a hotel".

It's frustrating, because of course the house rules don't say things like "don't dump your crap on the floor".

@Coffeetree

Yes exactly.

I wouldn't mention the linen thing or the aloofness, but perhaps mention "Mrs X unfortunately wasn't respectful of the shared kitchen and would perhaps have been happier in a hotel".

It's frustrating, because of course the house rules don't say things like "don't dump your crap on the floor".

We've had teenagers stay for several weeks with better manners and left the place spotless. Didn't expect such childish behaviour from a professional middle aged woman.

@TheMilkyWeigh

Sounds like she has some mental health issues. Putting dishes and food on the floor is definitely not a usual thing to do. Rude would be moving your things around in the cupboard to accommodate her things, taking your things out and leaving them on the floor is not the behaviour of a well person.

The taking of towels I could put down as a misunderstanding. I’ve stayed in Air BnBs that allow you to help yourself to towels from the cupboard. Staying for several weeks I would expect to be told where I can access more towels. I hate to bother hosts whilst I’m staying somewhere to ask for towels or bed linen. I’m happy to make my own bed. Just tell me where to find the linens and I will do it. Likewise I don’t want to be arranging a towel exchange with the host. Tell me where to leave the used ones and where to find the fresh ones and I’ll switch them when I need to.

Yes definitely agree about possible MH issues, it occurred to us and that's why we didn't challenge her over some of the weird things. It's why we don't particularly want to leave a brutally honest review but make it obvious so others can avoid her. Would have been happy to let her help herself to towels but conversations need to be had to set boundaries and agree what's acceptable. I didn't mention her MH in my original post as we honestly don't know anything about her, but it definitely crossed our minds.

Can anyone link to FB host group? Agree that you should leave a blunter review than the one you posted. I would want to know as a host.

@Exasperatedhousehunter

I'd be unhappy about the mess and the emptying of cupboards. However, the being quiet thing I can't see why it's an issue. I've never actually stayed in an Airbnb where it's a room in a house before - just the whole place to myself. Now I'm getting a bit worried because I was going to book one for work in the near future and I can't afford a whole flat. Do hosts expect you to socialise with them or something? I'm friendly (in my opinion!) and never rude but I am quiet and I hate making small talk with strangers. I'd probably just want to be by myself in my room rather than hanging around socialising with the host. Just wondering whether this would be seen as abnormal and would result in a bad review.

No most hosts don't expect to socialise with guests. We make it clear in our listing that we leave guests to their own devices but happy to offer advice on the area etc and occasionally have a glass of wine in the garden. We never impose on guests, the opposite in fact.

Go ahead and book your room, make it clear you're happy with solitude and will be working.

Either go to town or leave it

There's no point in hinting

I think the bit I wrote originally about her being 'quiet' was misleading because she was actively avoiding seeing us, ie she would sneak in and out of the house, which is fine when you don't want to make a noise and disturb people, but it was absolutely obvious she was avoiding having to meet us. on more than one occasion she would be coming out of her room as I passed and she'd quickly nip back in and wait till I'd gone downstairs then come back out. That's not a problem in itself, I'm quite happy with people not wanting to talk, I just want to make sure they're comfortable and have what they need, I don't need to have long conversations. But it was part of a pattern of anti-social behaviour which coupled with her rudeness, untidiness, dropping food on the floor, etc etc made iit difficult for us. There's other stuff - but my aim here is to get some help with writing a review that gets the message across to hosts without going into all the shitty details.

As someone mentioned on a previous post, and I agreed, I think she could have MH issues which causes this unpleasant rude behaviour and I wouldn't want to put any other host through it. Or she may just be born that way. who knows?

In any event, she would be better off in a hotel or sole occupancy place to reduce contact with hosts in their houses.

There's been some good suggestions on here. Thank you.

She sounds very difficult. It would be good to warn other hosts about her bad behaviour. You are hosts not serfs.

I would simply say that she isn't someone you'd host again.