Airbnb host gave us a bad review!

[airbbbnb]

This is the first time I have used Airbnb. So perhaps I'm not versed at how to properly use it.

However, we spent up from 3.5 k for a house for a week and I think we had to pay around 200-250 for cleaning.

This was in a southern European country.

We have two young kids and we had a nice time but had to leave early due to a family emergency.

We stripped all the beds and put all towels and sheets in the washroom.

We cleaned the kitchen and sweeped the floors.

Some rubbish was left in the bins outside, because the weekly collection came after we already left.

We apologised for this and they told us not to worry.

We received a bad review - all around the fact that we left all the bedding and towels in the washroom and that they could see children's finger print marks on a lot of surfaces and on windows. They also mentioned that there was some sand on the floor under the beds. Obviously we didn't sweep well enough.

I don't really understand why I need to pay a cleaning fee if I need to clean windows ?

I'm never using Airbnb again.

I’m another one that won’t use AirBnb. It’s a fucking cancer of an organisation.

I stayed in Airbnbs fairly regularly for work at one point, and have also used them for holidays, but have never had any issues.

That’s just that particular host issue though though isn’t it? Not air b and b or renting properties in general.

As a comparison our rental is family friendly. Kids often lock the entire 6m back glass doors. We don’t ask for any cleaning fee. It’s always left tidy ie general mess gone and rubbish on bins, but I don’t expect anyone to wash or wipe or actually clean anything. I give myself 4-5 hours to clean.

I agree with this. You may have thought you were being nice to the hosts, but you did a huge disservice to other people considering to stay there! Making the place sound nice when in fact it doesn't even provide clean bedding!

I’ve had pretty much great experiences with airbnb and bad ones with hotels—esp when traveling with small children. However the site has changed and the vibe has changed and on our most recent trip we chose a hotel. Not sure I would do Airbnb again except for large family holidays.

I've used Airbnb 3 times and none were great. Hotels and guest houses in future.

I just feel bad leaving bad reviews. I know it's stupid. But it's someone's livelihood potentially isn't it.

This happened to us several years ago, also after having cleaned the property, swept/mopped, stripped the beds, etc. It was our first and last time using Airbnb—we were accused not only of leaving it in a state of ‘enormous filth’ (which we absolutely did NOT, even though we had so paid a hefty cleaning fee), but also of crazy things like putting holes in the skirting boards and ruining the sofa; things which were unequivocally false. I am sure the owner used us to as an excuse to make fraudulent insurance claims since we didn’t have a leg to stand on as first-time users. I’m happy to use booking.com for non-hotel properties, but I absolutely loathe Airbnb as a result of our experience and I will never use them again.

I wouldn't use anywhere where they expect you to do their job for them. Stripping beds and cleaning is not part of a holiday, that's why you pay them to do it.

Why on earth did you leave a glowing review when you had smelly and sticky sheets and blankets?

No wonder people are often disappointed with goods and services when customers leave undeserved glowing reviews!

Leave an objective review.

It could also be someone else's ruined holiday!

I'm amazed so many people still use AirBNB. I used it about 6 years ago to go abroad. We had no problems to be fair BUT I remember before we left I read some horror stories about hosts cancelling on the day of arrival. I promised I would never use it again to go abroad. Imagine flying over and then being cancelled on last minute!

And yes, write an objective review! Positives and negatives.

I live Airbnb as it allows us to stay in interesting places with kids on a budget, hotels would be out of our price range.
BUT I think the ones demanding that you do cleaning are ridiculous given the high cleaning fee.
I would ignore them. I don’t go on holiday to strip beds and swept floors!

Boycott Airbnb

I host a holiday home in Southern Europe and I would say that fingerprints and a little sand are just par for the course and what I expect to find when guests leave. Some people strip the beds others don't, we don't ask for it to be done so don't mind either way.

I really want my guests to have had a great holiday and not to have been worried about leaving the place pristine. It would take a lot for me to leave a bad review and as yet have never done so.

I think you have been unlucky and the hosts very unreasonable.

So I have never left a bad review for anything in my life. It's just not my style. I feel like it's bad karma.

You left a glowing review even though there were major issues, letting future guests down by pretending all was great. Then received a bad review yourself. I think there is your karma.

If I'm paying a cleaning fee I am 100% not cleaning!
I'm a tidy person (the type that makes the bedroom and straightens the bathroom towels sort) when I stay in a hotel/BnB.

But I'm not cleaning when I'm on holiday unless it's something like spilled food/skid-marks on the loo which are a common curtesy.

I really hate that you gave the place a glowing review when it was below standard (I've stayed in hundreds of places and never had to wash sheets before I sleep in them) so yes, karma!

I use AirBnb or Vrbo at least six times a year, in the UK and abroad. I’ve never had a bad experience. The reviews are crucial and I wouldn’t choose one that isn’t highly reviewed. I’d be furious if I read a false glowing review for a dump - although I’d cross check with other reviews.

I tidy, wash up, empty bins mainly because I hate to be in a messy place. I tidy in hotel rooms too! It takes me 15-20 mins and is a check I haven’t left stuff in/under the bed etc. I have never hoovered., washed floors, stripped beds. And I have never had less than a 5 star review - ever!

I will say I’ve moved more onto VRBO lately because the prices are completely transparent about n the first page. I also think they have more properties as owners have moved across.

But would I want to spend evenings sitting on my bed in a hotel room rather than relaxing in a lounge with a glass of my own wine? And don’t say ‘go to the bar’ because at £10.50 a glass, I’m not interested in adding £40 onto my bill for a couple of drinks.

Equally, do I want to sit around in a hotel bedroom waiting for DH to get up, or would I rather relax over a coffee in the living room?

We’re all different but long live self catering.

What's the bloody point of giving a review at all if you are going to lie in it. The whole point of them is to find out as a community, what is actually worth doing/buying/going to and what is shite. If everyone just lies and says it's great no matter what the whole thing is useless.

That's a terrible experience.

You do know booking.com has mostly the same self catering properties as Air BnB though? Run by exactly the same people? They are just advertising platforms.

I do think the Air BnB 'you are expected to clean' is turning into a bit of an urban myth. I've stayed in loads and never been expected to clean. I've also read thousands of reviews of other properties ( research for my own) and have never seen it mentioned that the hosts expected the guests to clean. And this would be something people would mention in a review.

Maybe you need to go back and rewrite your review. Facts - not bad mouthing.

The fact you had to wash the bedding - fact
The fact you paid a £250 cleaning fee and got a bad review because you didnt sweep up

You can let others know your experience without it turning to a derogatory review.

I hate AirBnB for this reason. What was the £250 for if they dont clean anything? My cleaners come in, they clean the whole house spotless for £39, admittedly no washing but ffs that is ridiculous.

Same.

I’ve never had a bad experience either whether I’ve traveled alone or with family. I’m particular about where I stay and will look through reviews, examine the pictures, the location, read the house rules, check the cleaning fee etc to see what kind of hosts and their expectations.

Saying that, for me and our family, we’re not often in the Airbnb or a hotel for long periods and it’s usually just a place to mainly sleep and have breakfast.