Incoming guest historically harsh reviewer

Question

I’m sure there are savvy hosts here who have encountered the below scenario; any guidance on how to best approach it would be appreciated.

We have a guest arriving soon, who by all accounts, is a wonderful guest (5 star reviews across the board). However, looking at the guest’s reviews of their previous stays (through the app AirReview), it is apparent the guest has a brutal rating system. A listing received 3 stars because of its lack of nicer kitchen utensils, another received 4 stars for being “amazing with a kind and caring host.” I could go on and on but guest has never given any review higher than 4 stars (many of the properties guest has stayed at are rated 4.85 or above with hundreds of reviews and award winning). Had I seen these reviews prior to booking, I would have stayed away - I simply didn’t know about the AirReview application before the booking…such is life.

We’re obviously going to do our best to make sure the stay is an amazing one. That being said, it seems like that might not be enough no matter what we do. Any thoughts on how to address this without crossing a line or looking like we're hosts looking for sympathy (we appreciate honest, fair reviews).

Thanks!

in airbnb_hostsby alaskaslapshotUnverified

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TTlovinBoomer

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You do not understand how AirBNB reviews work then. You are reviewing based on whether the house lived up to your expectations. Not was it some sort of 5 star property.

I own a very nice house, but it’s a starter house for the most part. We’ve got it completely stocked. Beds are super comfy. 50” tv in every bedroom. Larger TVs in living and master. 4 beds. Is it a “5 star property” like a Waldorf Astoria? Hell no. Probably more along the lines of a Hampton Inn or Hilton Garden Inn.

If everyone rated my house based on whether it was “extra special” then I’d never get above 3 stars and my house would never be rented. The review is for your stay, not whether the property is extra special. Did the house live up to your expectations based on the listing and were there any major issues (noise, smell, cleanliness, etc). That’s what you should be reviewing on. And if you want a “5 star” property (like you think of in terms of hotels) good luck getting 4 bedrooms for $129 a night.

alaskaslapshot

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Agreed on this front. Honest reviews are important for the integrity of the system, and they should be encouraged (e.g. the place is a mess - 2 stars or less, the place is unsafe - one star, host is rude, etc. etc....likewise if the place is "amazing and the hosts incredible" that, in no way, shape, or form generally constitutes a 4 star review - which is considered a failure by Airbnb standards).

I think it is safe to say there is a relative expectation for what constitutes a 5 star review for 95% of guests. The problem, especially for new hosts/listings like ourselves is, when you run into someone who does not review properties like the vast majority of other users and is so far off the spectrum that you can't realistically meet any expectation for a 5 star - how do you handle that to best protect your business. One option is, don't accept the booking request (and as I stated, I would have done that if I had known at the time of booking). The second option is, tactfully address it in a way that empowers the guest, but shows how important the review process is to your businessl...hence why I am asking for suggestions as the first option isn't an option at this point.

1234frmr

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It's likely this guest KNOWS darn well they're shitting the bed for every host they stay with. I sincerely doubt they haven't gotten feedback after numerous poor reviews. Just cancel with a plumbing issue and move on. There's a very small, but impactful percentage of the general population that enjoy hurting people. Three stars for Ikea silverware? No matter how hard you work, a four star review is negative and if you're just starting out you're better off cancelling. Also who wants to host a shit stain like this guest?

It's not a challenge. It's a deal breaker.