AIBU to be less than honest about my Airbnb stay?

[wildfellhall]

I tend to give super positive reviews and I leave the place really tidy so I get good reviews in return. But I have always stayed in guest favorites so it’s been easy to give high praise.

We just stayed at a cottage recently which was absolutely fine, really lovely old building, good beds, clean bathrooms Etc, kitchen properly equipped etc.
but
1 has a damp smell in the kitchen cupboards
2 has a neglected garden
3 has a broken fence to get in and out of the garden

Also - the host warned us that there would be building work at the neighbours property but it was nearly done and to let her know if it was a problem.

My family didn’t mind the noise so I get it, not the host’s fault etc - but I really look for quiet when I go away - it’s my priority - so I try to book remote places. Even then it is hard to find out if there is any road noise.

But the builders were working from 8 to 6 every day so I never got the thing I value most which is a real sense of no one being nearby and the silence I don’t quite get at home.

So I tend not to mention in reviews what falls outside the host’s control.

I also feel supportive of the hosts as well.

I’m interested to know how much other people conceal and in what basis?

The family all loved it so I’m inclined to not mention the noise.

Also if I had said to her that I found it a problem - what could she do about it? I assume as an Airbnb host you are expected to be apologetic about things you can’t help.

It sounds an absolute nightmare. I couldn't have enjoyed a holiday with builders noise all day every day.

You shouldn't rent it out while this nuisance is going on. So unfair and grabby.

Don’t leave a review. There’s no obligation

You can leave a public review and a private one for the host. The first time I had guests they wrote a positive public one but in the private one they mentioned that as the towels were hanging on the rails in the bathroom (rather than on the bed) they didn’t know if they were clean, and that they were vegan so did not eat the home made cake and milk left for them. Now in my mind they could have contacted me if they were uncertain about the towels (the cleaner placed them in the bathroom), and the vegan stuff was irrelevant. But at least she didn’t say ‘towels were dirty’ or something in the public review.
I get more bookings through booking.com and they have a point rating system. Occasionally I get a 7.5 for ‘staff’ which is odd as it’s a lockbox, so no staff, and I reply to messages within the hour normally and I’ve only been messaged once when they couldn’t figure out the lockbox (and those people left a 10 for staff).
If I was the host at your stay I would have mentioned the building work earlier, but they may well have been told by the owners it would be completed. As it’s not a permanent issue, I’d just tell the host privately that the noise was a bit bothersome.

I gave a 4/5 review on Airbnb this summer, although not in the uk, and the host was furious. He wrote to me arguing it 3 times. He only stopped after I mentioned a few things I could have complained about but didn’t , and told him that 4/5 isn’t a bad review, and not to contact me again.

Luckily the second place, in a different town, was wonderful.

I would hesitate giving a bad review. I had a really bad experience after 5 years of no problems anywhere here or abroad. At this listing there were loads of things that should have been there that weren't, the key code had been changed so initially we couldn't get in. The place was extremely tired and tatty. It wasn't particularly clean either. We had some texts between us while there asking how to get in and then asking where things were (when they actually not there at all). It went on all week. At the end I gave them a personal review that was pretty bad and then one on the site which was tamed down a bit. They then came up with a load of rubbish that I'd caused a load of damage demanding money. I had to go through their complaints procedure, can't remember their name for it. I felt scammed. I refused point blank to pay and eventually Airbnb paid them through the host support insurance.

I would probably give a 4/5. I don’t see why you shouldn’t mention the building work - yes you were told but only at a stage when it was too late to change your mind. Would-be bookers can read it and ask the owner whether it’s finished before they book. And I’d mention the smell, garden and fence too. But I’d also put in all the positives.

But in this specific case the building work is nearly done so it will put future bookers off for something that won't affect them, which is the opposite of helpful.

I think it would be unfair to complain when she gave you the option to tell her about it and didn't.

Maybe ask your dh or family to write the review given they had no issues - that way you're still leaving a completely honest review of your stay, just not yours.

We recently stayed in a lovely air bnb, no significant issues. But, I did however notice a few Ants on the kitchen counter & no bug spray to be found.

I still gave a good review but I messaged the host privately & said "FYI, ants in the kitchen, didn't bother us much, but for other guests it could be a bigger problem".

She could have blocked it and not let it out while building works were going on...

She could have let it out at a reduced rate and been transparent about the building works

She could have refunded a portion of the full price you paid to cover the fact you have to listen to building work for 10hours per day and couldnt even have a lie in on holiday!!!

Reviews are so important, how can the owners make necessary changes unless you feedback honestly.

We stayed in an AirBnB last year near to a specific event, I had chosen it because it looked fabulous and I had also left booking until 3 weeks before for various reasons. I booked even though it was eye waveringly expensive for what it was.

We arrived to no power, which was not reconnected until the following afternoon, the shower was faulty and only produced scalding hot water, it was replaced on day 3 however the thing that really annoyed me was the lack of any decent crockery sufficient to actually have a meal, we ended up having to use saucers and a random jam jar. The place looked like it had been kitted out with the surplus from a not very well equipped kitchen.

I left a very honest review afterwards and have occasionally wondered if the previously glowing reviews have since become a little more honest.

I booked a large air bnb last year, initially for a few family members, when I added more to the booking (within the capacity of the house) the hosts kept putting the fee up for each additional guest. I commented that I felt this was unfair as there was no mention in the property information. The property was not very well maintained, and the list of things the host wanted done before check out was very onerous. I ended up giving them a 4 star rating and being honest on my review anyway I got a load of abuse about it. It had very good reviews when I booked it.

Reviews are so important, how can the owners make necessary changes unless you feedback honestly.

AirBnB does have an option of “any message to the host” which is separate from the public review. I quite often use this to make a suggestion of something that would be useful or needs a bit of attention but is not a big deal enough to be worth mentioning in the actual review.

I do agree though that reviews should be honest!

Why is four star considered a bad review rating as mentioned by pp? I was at an Airbnb recently where the owner basically said that a four star review was bad but I didn’t understand why.

Currently in an Airbnb which I don’t think is five star. The bed feels a bit damp, there is nowhere to hang any clothes, the microwave and TV don’t work, there is only one saucepan. However I will generally focus on the positive.

This stay was my first which wasn’t a ‘guest Favourite’ which I think is a place which gets unanimous 5 stars enough to qualify - an exceptional place.

This place with the week long building noise would never get 5 stars ftom me also because it feels a bit tired and not fresh. The floors are wooden but quite marked the butler sink has a big crack in it, the garden was very basically managed etc.

I give 5 stars when a place feels really loved and I feel looked after and that it’s a treat to be there. I could never feel that staying in a house next door to a week of building work was a treat! Or in a house with damp smelling cupboards.
It’s the details that make it 5 stars & it’s harder to achieve in a property that’s been going over ten years.