Post by High Priestess on Apr 1, 2016 13:56:31 GMT
See this thread on the CC;
Deanna posted March 26 2016
community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/DO-AWAY-with-the-star-rating-and-superhost-system-on-reviews/m-p/50735#U50735
Deanna
DO AWAY with the star rating and superhost system on reviews
Two hosts...One in a suburb outside of town. She owns an older house. There are stains on the porcelain from hard water and the paint is chipped in places. She is house proud, however-cleans the room for 6 hours before guests arrive, down on her knees to remove every single hair. She attends to her guests' every need, even serving them breakfast. Yet, the poorer host is given a "3" on cleanliness because of water stains that cannot be removed. The other place is in town. The host is not there, employs a cleaning service, and runs his Airbnb like a hotel. Yet- both deserve to be "superhosts". Guests do not really understand the star rating system, or that some things are relative...judging apples against oranges is the result- and the poorer yet more hospitable host is the one who is punished. This is relatively unfair. Let's do away with the star system completely and let each type of place stand on reviews alone. What do we need to do to change this? Can someone start a petition?
Jeet
Hi Deanna,
I understand your point completely.
However, if we look from the guests perspective, it would be very difficult and time consuming to book a place if the rating wasn't available.
Imagine booking a place in a city like Mumbai, with thousands of lisitngs, if the stars weren't available. Plenty of listings have plenty of reviews; without the stars, it would be very time taking to read reviews for so many listings and then choosing a place.
If you are worried about the 3 stars for Cleanliness, don't worry much, it doesn't affect your overall rating as that is indepentend of the sub-ratings for other factors.
If you are worried about the Super host status, as agreed by many other hosts and confirmed by some guests that I hosted, Guests don't know much about SuperHost filter and mostly do not consider it while making a booking.
Have a great day. You may relax
Jeet
Deanna
Hi Jeet-
thanks for your reply. What you are not seeing here is that the star system is entirely arbitrary, depending on a guest's point of view, and can be very inaccurate. So it can be a very poor reflection of the overall quality of the hosting. If Airbnb would like to get accurate ratings, what they need is a team of individuals who can come in and "score" a lodging based on ONE set of values. That way, every one is scored fairly and evenly. However I realize this is impractical, so I still firmly believe hosting should be judged on reviews alone, and the star system and "superhosting" should be eliminated.
Q
But the guest's POV is all potential travelers have to go by as insight.
Of course it's opinion based and we don't all share the same appreciation for the charm of a seasoned home - but more than likely that same guest would have left a poor review almost anywhere they stayed.
As a host and traveler - I rely heavily on the star system.
But I do agree - "Superhosting" should be eliminated.
Tina
My home was built in 1909, so it's very clearly 'not new' & I work hard to keep it up. I keep the paint fresh (especially the white trim), which is easy to do myself - and once I got the hard water rust stains under control, I didn't have to scrub my old clawfoot tub & toilets so hard, with little success, anymore - I just clean them regularly now. Have you tried the super-duper cleaners from the hardware store (with muraitic acid)? Completely drying the china (toilet or tub) before cleaning is very important. I find this site very helpful with my DIY projects: www.familyhandyman.com/cleaning/how-to-remove-water-stains/view-all
As you say, scoring is subjective, unless there is a common judging body & agreed upon set of standards (which I think is impossible for Airbnb at this point). Think about Yelp. I look at the Yelp stars for restaurant, & I then I read reviews & look at a reviewer's locations (are they local? or tourists?). Personally, when looking at Yelp for San Francisco dining establishments, I discount a reviewer's scores if they're a tourist.
I've been a host for > 6 months, and have not yet achieved Superhost status, although I get great scores in my reviews. Why? My place rents for a minimum of 5 days, but more often 10, 14, or a month+, so I don't have 10 published reviews. Doesn't seem to stop people from making a reservation. And I know that when I travel, I often choose places on Airbnb that do not have a "superhost" medal.
While we may use Airbnb as our transactional paltform, people still buy from people - my belief is that the more you can do to warmly welcome your guests, perhaps use something unique &/or local (I make wine, so I always leave a welcome bottle for my guests), & understand the purpose of their trip (business, personal, both, any special occassion?). I always offer to assist them before they arrive with making dinner reservations (business dinners or a special occassion/anniversary/bday), and maybe I'll bake a tray of Happy Birthday brownies, or I'll just make a batch of cookies or muffins to welcome them, etc. When combined, they go a long way towards a guests perception & review. I look at welcoming guests as I would a friend or extended family member - what can I do to help them have the best trip ever to San Francisco?
I just booked a trip to Napa for a weekend in June, and one of the hosts I looked at is an older widow, Bette, who's home is cozy, but with somewhat dated furnishings (I'd view it as staying at my Grandma's home) - she gets awesome verbal & scored reviews (not sure why she isn't a super host, maybe a cancellation?) - her guests clearly absolutely adore her. A perfect case of how her personal touch, bountiful home-made breakfasts, knowledge of her area & overall helpfulness simply WOWs her guests, almost every time.
Instead of doing away with start ratings & suuperhost status, I'll lobby for a new "SuperGuest" status, & maybe a "SuperTravelManager" status too (for business reservation makers) where OUR ratings of guests really count, and it gives the Guests something to strive for, aka "earn", too. Not to mention being helpful for other hosts. I'd be very interested in this new "SuperGuest" status being an optional variable that I could turn on as a requirement for "Instant Book".
Jeet
Hi Tina,
Awesome suggestions!
Just an update, Airbnb recently added an option to Instant Booking where in you can allow only those guests to book who have been recommended by other hosts. Not exactly SuperGuests but on similar lines, much helpful than the earlier settings.
Good day!
Deanna
thank you Tina! I do all this and more for my guests. Everything is stellar, and I spend 5-6 hrs cleaning the room on my hands and knees, mind you. I make my guests breakfast, play pleasant music, light a fire, am there for their needs (almost immediately), etc. Believe you me, there is nothing lacking to my hosting. My place is painted and scrubbed, and I do it all myself. As far as the water stains go I have tried everything including professional cleaning. I live in an area of very high mineral content, in fact our town is even named after the mineral content of the water. If I kept salt in the water softener at a cost of 2-300 dollars per month it would be easier, but I can't afford to do this.
I am not just speaking for myself, but for the many others who have complained on this same issue, and I stand firm on the fact that changes need to be made.
As far as Yelp goes, I often think about the "South Park" episode which almost perfectly describes Yelp and amateur reviewers in general, including those who review their Airbnb stay. If you haven't seen it, google it under "South Park Cartman Yelp" episode. Well worth the watch even if you are not a fan of the series.
Laura
i kind of agree that the rating system from the POV of the guest needs to be more regulated or have better terms of reference.
I host in Sydney in a house worth more than $3M for a nightly room charge of $70 for a single and $85 for a double. A hostel down the road in an 8 person share room is $55 a person - so the value is outstanding.
people who come in from OS have no idea how expensive Sydney is, nor do they appreciate the size of the house and rooms or the house - over 500 sq metres.
a place being clean, is not the same as a place being new. new can look easy look clean...a stain or older style of house doesn' t mean its not clean.... i find the rating and people's expections a little out of whack. I also have two rooms available in the house, and one is rated highly on everything whilst the other has a lower rating... they use the same facilities, are in the same house and across the landing from each other. Everything is the same for both rooms... its the guests perceptions that are different!!!!
I think something about the rating system for guests needs a bit of guidance. its too subjective and some of them expect the earth.
whilst some hosts put in more than they realise and get limited rewards for their efforts. not sure what airbnb can do about it however, everyone has such different standards. I recently stayed at places o/s and noticed that the standards are very different depending which country your in... makes the ratings hard to read as a guest.
Julia
I'm so pleased I found this discussion. I've found it really difficult to figure out why, when I also get down and clean the floor and walls etc., I still often get 4 star reviews for cleanliness. My place is on the edge of a bush reserve on a farm so not your 5 star city hotel by any means. It's newly painted and carpeted with a new bed and light fittings and quality lined but I still get people who have said that a sandfly on the windowsill is a sign of uncleanliness. I find it a bit soul destroying at times. Perhaps it's the time of year: a long summer of guests and time for a rest for a couple of months to recharge.
Anyway it has been good for me to see that I'm not the only one in this position. My husband tell me not to worry so much.
y
Suzie
With you completely. I have been marked down to 2 on location on at least one occasion by someone who told me she didnt like the location because she wanted to be in central London. I am 30 mins by train an my blurb says that so by the time you add getting to the station to the time you need to get tickets you are looking at just under an hour. I also quite rightly describe my location as 15 mins walk from WB station, and also that it is a suburban area. Suburbia means there is not a cafe on every corner which is why another gave me 3 for location. Its also stockbroker belt so not rundown and poor. It comes down to guests not reading the blurb. I have had a very acrimonious few weeks with some guests who left earlier than booked today, who also didnt read/understand the description. They expected a self contained unit with kitchen and full bathroom (not shower room), and we have all got on each others nerves as a result and communications broke down and reached screaming pitch. I am so happy they have gone, but annoyed that such a situation could arise. Neither of us would give each other good reviews, which isnt fair when it ws the system rather than the accommodation was at fault
Debra
There definitely is a class of guests, that no matter WHAT you do isn't enough. They are also the most critical and intentionally make superhost unobtainable. I wish there was a way to filter out these type of guests and refer them to regular hotels!
Blue
Very interesting thread! I feel pretty good about the star & superhost system. I've been renting my spare room here for 2 years through AirBnB, mostly get 5 star reviews and am a superhost. After reading these posts, I think a lot of it comes down to guests' expectations. First, my listing tells potential guests to read the whole listing before booking or inquiring. I had noticed some people obviously didn't know what was in there. Since it's in caps, they seem to now. I also connect with guests right away by email to establish communication. Usually if they have a question, they'll ask.
Most importantly, I have a detailed email template [now I can even SAVE it in AirBnB!] that reiterates much of what's in the listing and gives very specific directions. I'm very specific about how much kitchen use is allowed, what items I keep in stock for guests, etc. Then if someone gives me a complaint about getting lost or being disappointed in some way, I can reply that ALL the info was given them in advance & if they didn't like it, they shouldn't have booked.
My home is not new, built in the 1970's. The guest bathroom has older fixtures that aren't perfect anymore. But I clean everything very well, and the photos in my listing show everything. Take it from a 5-star superhost! And good luck!!
Fiona
Debra, good news, there is such a system...the reviews. Completely agree with you there are people who will never be satisfied and we can and should put words to that effect in the reviews we leave for them for the benefit of all.
Arlene
I'm conflicted about stars, but what should be eliminated is the scolding for not getting 5 stars.
I also have an old house which is clean but has "age spots". I'd need to charge much more if there were no imperfections. Besides 99% of my guests feel comfortable and like it that way.
Jo & Greg
Our business has been running as Holiday Property Managers for 20 plus years. The last three months with AIR. Our assessment is most guests are over critical, dont read conten, expect everything for zero and dont appreciate that they are staying in someone elses home. As a result, the outcome or review system is flawed. Overall experience in 3 months, disappointed.
Mike And Manda
We listed our brand new, fully reno'd suite with new floors, new beds, new bedding, brand-new bathroom and kitchen. Professionally cleaned, and we still got a 3-star rating for cleanliness from our first guest. They broke a mirror and a piece of furniture and still had the audacity to give a lower rating. Sometimes I don't think it matters what you do, you can't make everyone happy if they have wild expectations.
John
I've been Airbnb since 2011 and get one of these clean freaks about once a year, it does keep me from Superhost status for what that's worth. My latest said the place wasn't the same, that the views in the listing weren't really there, and that it wasn't "clean". I had to reply to such as all photos were taken in the right apartment, I do have others with views so she must have mixed them up. Asfor "clean", I've been using the same great cleaner for over 10 yrs, no complaints from guests before or after and worse, she didn't say anything during a ten day stay when we could have done something or at least reached an understanding on what "clean" means to her.
I think we should have a star system for guests, then we could mark these outliers to the other hosts and weed them out of the system, they are better for hotels with a concierge they can complain to.
Deanna
i spend 5-6 hours cleaning my room for guests whethe it needs it or not. Down on the floor in the bathroom, removing every hair. I could actually pass a military inspection.
And then...there is that ONE guest...that makes Jared Loughner look like Mother Teresa.
Ok that might be a slight exaggeration..however, I kid you not, my last guest did not enjoy her stay- this is after I took the heated mattress pad off the bed because it gave off "vibrations" (well ok I can live with that)--bent over backwards to make her a custom cappucino every morning because she didn't like the coffee (well, ok I can live with that) but then had the audacity to score me down because there were some clothes in one of the drawers and she said they gave off "vibrations"...and also said I needed a new carpet (which I don't --it's brand new and clean to perfection. ) my stars were perfect the last 5 visits, and then I get this person who should not be allowed to go anywhere without a chaparone.
And these people gert to score us with STARS. OK ...there is something not right about this picture...
sorry didn't do a spell check. Excuse the errors, but feel the passion....LOL
Deanna
Blue you have just been lucky. I've had probably close to a hundred guests. Trust me..that person who always sees the glass as "half empty" has yet to appear at your threshhold...
Crystal
I agree. I have been a host of an older home that I work on all the time. It is immaculate, charming, full of art and love and a stone's throw away from innumerable attractions and activities. However, the guests seldom give me 5 stars on location. Because they expect to be downtown. They did not research carefully. They booked me because I am 30% the price of downtown and they do not understand that. So despite have 5 stars in most categories, I am perpetually at 78% and I need to be at 80% to be a super host. It is a pet peeve. Further. It is much easier to be a super host if you have only booked 100 people than if you have booked over 2000 people as I have.
Deanna
by the way John...outstanding response on your review by Francoise...want to copy this and put it on my wall! Very well said.
Blue
Deanna, I'm sure you didn't mean to....... I've also had close to 100 guests. I had one foreign guest who couldn't figure out the star system and gave me all 1's! She thought that was the high rating ;~} And I've had a few problematic guests, but I really try to shake it all out by the time they leave. I am blessed with a stellar location. But I don't think it's 'just luck' either! I block out a couple days between guests so I can really clean the room, air things out, and get ready to be hospitable again. That really helps me
Bottom line -- how else can AirBnB operate? There has to be a rating system, or there would be havoc! Rather than blaming AirBnB, perhaps you could come up with a better idea. Meanwhile, if what you're doing isn't getting the results you want, change it up!
Steven
Donna I agree with you, I host in a low-income neighborhood in Boston and I feel like that puts me at a disadvantage for becoming a superhost. Hosts in the ghetto have a harder time getting good reviews and rating. There should be a "curve" for hosts in underprivelidged neighborhoods.
Deanna
Blue...nothing better I can do for my hosting. (having just driven 20 miles one way for a guest who didn't tell me she was gluten free and thereby running to the special market for gluten free bread)... I am a perfectionist as it is, and "change it up" is not an option. The only people who are happy with the superhost program are the superhosts. I believe it is the luck of the draw as to what kind of guests you get. I know superhosts who ask you to "shower with a friend" and "pee outside" in order to save water. So there are plenty of places that are not perfect and don't bend over for their guests and are still superhosts. I just hope that once I am a superhost, (if ever) I remain humble..having been a lowly "notta" superhost. So pleez don't tell me to "change it up". You don't know me, or my hosting! Just saying, with courtesy and due respect...
Ellie
YES. As a single 26 year old who is welcoming people onto her sofa bed for what, 20% of the price of a youth hostel in my city, there comes a point where I'm just like, what do you expect.
Jennifer
There is a star system for guests, and you can weed them out. Just give them a poor rating and let Airbnb know about them and they can be blocked from using Airbnb.
Deanna
Have some wonderful guests right now so just going to enjoy them! There is nothing I can do to change the current way of things...I'm cooking up some organic whole grain banana pancakes and sitting down and enjoying nice conversation with great people who have traveled a long way to get here...reasons to keep hosting.
Deanna
ellie I would feel honored and thankful to sleep on your sofa anytime!
Deanna
when I get a chance, I'm going to start a new thread. It will be titled " and then, there was that one guest..." Not to be ragging on guests, you'll understand. 99% of my guests have been great..but it is fun to share stories, and they might make a great reality show someday. Who knows?
Carolyn
You will always get difficult guests, but I think it is very unfair to penalise those of us who worked hard to take superhost status away because a host can't get there and doesn't think the system is right. I like it, I worked for it, and I don't want to lose it. We get the opportuntiy to review guests so we should do our homework and research them before we accept bookings.
Hosts should also realise that some guests will deliberately complain about whatever they can possibly find in order to be offered a cash refund of some amount so they can get it cheaper than advertised. I have had them do this to me. I make it plain that Air BnB reviews on GUESTS affect their eligibility for acceptance and that I always detail complaints on reviews. This should fix your problem.
Cheers,
Carolyn
ThuThuy
I'm in full agreement with @blue : it's mostly about expectations management.
My personal solution to the problem of terrible guests is to screen ahead, and always favor passing on a booking over hosting someone I don't feel confident I'd enjoy taking them out for a drink.
In practice, I settled on a two-step process : our listing details are very accurate and don't oversell our place, and include a mention that we expect guests to RTFM and contact us before they attempt to book. This is a simple trick to tell if they've actually read the details.
If you want to get a feel for it, just check the house rules on my one* listing : I'm sure some people are turned down by the tone, but those who dig it are exactly whom I want in my house.
Obviously we don't refuse guests who try to place a booking without prior contact ; we kindly point them toward the listing details and offer to answer any other question they may have, to genuinely ensure the place is a good fit to their needs. Once a booking is confirmed, and a couple days ahead of their visit, we also send a detailed guide to our place via email, including detailed directions, customized for the travel schedule and means of transportation of our guests.
Exchanging a few messages with guests is also a good way to get a feel for who they are, and **bleep** in the bud potential hassles.
The few times — early on in my airbnb'ing — I've accepted guests I had mixed feelings about, I've beaten myself afterwards for not listening to my gut feeling. At the other end of the spectrum, after 1 1/2 year being a AirBnB host, we now have a few more friends whom we first met as our guests !
Obviously the extra communication effort entails a little overhead, but I'd say it's definitely worth it, as it makes the experience of being a host much more enjoyable, and it doesn't hurt your ratings either.
*[Yes, I only have one listing, and therefore my comments may not apply to those who buy multiple properties to farm out on AirBnB, but in fairness, if you do this beyond the scale of a hobby-to-cottage trade, you're basically a code-dodging hotelkeeper, and you'll get no sympathy from me.]
Nicholas
Deanna.
I believe that 'fussy' angry person exists. I see it in Yelp for food regularly.
I call out a woman that severely knocked a restaurant... she said something to the effect... 'I've been here at least 30 times and this was and awful meal'.
Perhaps the software should contain room for anomaly crank pots to be sent to an outside holding area.. one that doesn't negate one's last 5 perfect scores! The stars and superhost seems to sell my place and I'm a bit fussy about who I screen into acceptance.
Best
Nicholas
Nicholas
Good call Carolyn.
Hold the guest accountable too.
Pasek
I agree with you Crystal. The percentage system is fundamentally 'weighted' in favour of hosts with lower numbers of guests as it's so much easier to get 8 out of 10 guests to give 5 stars during a year, than the work involved to get 80 out of 100 to give 5 star reviews... let alone the numbers that you're talking about!
We managed to get Superhost status this time and we received a survey just this morning about the Superhost program - we mentioned this to them.
Henry
I just started a post almost like this .... i too think it is BS ..... you can read EVERY review i have (only 1 guest has not WRITTEN a review) from those WRITTEN reviews you can make a decision .... the STARS ARE CRAP ! please see my post and my review and my listing. thanks!!
Ange
I'm over this star rating. I hover at almost but not quite 5. Never quite the superhost!
But, I am a superhost to all my guests, they have told me so (they don't actually say superhost but I know what they mean) and that is what counts isn't it?
Odd and laughable reasons I have been given for not getting 5 stars:
2 - accuracy - sheets were blue, not pink as in the photo.
3 - cleanliness - entrance hallway two floors down had a garbage bag in it for a few hours, sanitation had not picked up because a crane was in the street.
1 - location because the people had not read the description and thought I was in Times Square!
4.5 overall - because the person staying said he only gave five stars to the Ritz and Waldorf.
And no I am not joking. It takes all kinds.
Recently I got a Room for Improvement because apparently the last two reviews out of 11 were less than five stars.
But strangely each category listed five stars - so maybe it's a new secret category.
I think they should instigate a star system for guests. Are they a 1,2,3,4,5 star guest.
Most of my guests are five star guests but I have had the odd 1, 2 and 3 in there.
What can you do? It used to drive me nuts. But, I have great reviews so that must count for something? Even if Airbnb are starstruck.
btw: If you don't write or receive a review is punishment meted out and if so what form does it take ? A star less?
Deanna posted March 26 2016
community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/DO-AWAY-with-the-star-rating-and-superhost-system-on-reviews/m-p/50735#U50735
DeannaDO AWAY with the star rating and superhost system on reviews
Two hosts...One in a suburb outside of town. She owns an older house. There are stains on the porcelain from hard water and the paint is chipped in places. She is house proud, however-cleans the room for 6 hours before guests arrive, down on her knees to remove every single hair. She attends to her guests' every need, even serving them breakfast. Yet, the poorer host is given a "3" on cleanliness because of water stains that cannot be removed. The other place is in town. The host is not there, employs a cleaning service, and runs his Airbnb like a hotel. Yet- both deserve to be "superhosts". Guests do not really understand the star rating system, or that some things are relative...judging apples against oranges is the result- and the poorer yet more hospitable host is the one who is punished. This is relatively unfair. Let's do away with the star system completely and let each type of place stand on reviews alone. What do we need to do to change this? Can someone start a petition?
Jeet
Hi Deanna,
I understand your point completely.
However, if we look from the guests perspective, it would be very difficult and time consuming to book a place if the rating wasn't available.
Imagine booking a place in a city like Mumbai, with thousands of lisitngs, if the stars weren't available. Plenty of listings have plenty of reviews; without the stars, it would be very time taking to read reviews for so many listings and then choosing a place.
If you are worried about the 3 stars for Cleanliness, don't worry much, it doesn't affect your overall rating as that is indepentend of the sub-ratings for other factors.
If you are worried about the Super host status, as agreed by many other hosts and confirmed by some guests that I hosted, Guests don't know much about SuperHost filter and mostly do not consider it while making a booking.
Have a great day. You may relax
Jeet
Deanna
Hi Jeet-
thanks for your reply. What you are not seeing here is that the star system is entirely arbitrary, depending on a guest's point of view, and can be very inaccurate. So it can be a very poor reflection of the overall quality of the hosting. If Airbnb would like to get accurate ratings, what they need is a team of individuals who can come in and "score" a lodging based on ONE set of values. That way, every one is scored fairly and evenly. However I realize this is impractical, so I still firmly believe hosting should be judged on reviews alone, and the star system and "superhosting" should be eliminated.
Q
But the guest's POV is all potential travelers have to go by as insight.
Of course it's opinion based and we don't all share the same appreciation for the charm of a seasoned home - but more than likely that same guest would have left a poor review almost anywhere they stayed.
As a host and traveler - I rely heavily on the star system.
But I do agree - "Superhosting" should be eliminated.
Tina
My home was built in 1909, so it's very clearly 'not new' & I work hard to keep it up. I keep the paint fresh (especially the white trim), which is easy to do myself - and once I got the hard water rust stains under control, I didn't have to scrub my old clawfoot tub & toilets so hard, with little success, anymore - I just clean them regularly now. Have you tried the super-duper cleaners from the hardware store (with muraitic acid)? Completely drying the china (toilet or tub) before cleaning is very important. I find this site very helpful with my DIY projects: www.familyhandyman.com/cleaning/how-to-remove-water-stains/view-all
As you say, scoring is subjective, unless there is a common judging body & agreed upon set of standards (which I think is impossible for Airbnb at this point). Think about Yelp. I look at the Yelp stars for restaurant, & I then I read reviews & look at a reviewer's locations (are they local? or tourists?). Personally, when looking at Yelp for San Francisco dining establishments, I discount a reviewer's scores if they're a tourist.
I've been a host for > 6 months, and have not yet achieved Superhost status, although I get great scores in my reviews. Why? My place rents for a minimum of 5 days, but more often 10, 14, or a month+, so I don't have 10 published reviews. Doesn't seem to stop people from making a reservation. And I know that when I travel, I often choose places on Airbnb that do not have a "superhost" medal.
While we may use Airbnb as our transactional paltform, people still buy from people - my belief is that the more you can do to warmly welcome your guests, perhaps use something unique &/or local (I make wine, so I always leave a welcome bottle for my guests), & understand the purpose of their trip (business, personal, both, any special occassion?). I always offer to assist them before they arrive with making dinner reservations (business dinners or a special occassion/anniversary/bday), and maybe I'll bake a tray of Happy Birthday brownies, or I'll just make a batch of cookies or muffins to welcome them, etc. When combined, they go a long way towards a guests perception & review. I look at welcoming guests as I would a friend or extended family member - what can I do to help them have the best trip ever to San Francisco?
I just booked a trip to Napa for a weekend in June, and one of the hosts I looked at is an older widow, Bette, who's home is cozy, but with somewhat dated furnishings (I'd view it as staying at my Grandma's home) - she gets awesome verbal & scored reviews (not sure why she isn't a super host, maybe a cancellation?) - her guests clearly absolutely adore her. A perfect case of how her personal touch, bountiful home-made breakfasts, knowledge of her area & overall helpfulness simply WOWs her guests, almost every time.
Instead of doing away with start ratings & suuperhost status, I'll lobby for a new "SuperGuest" status, & maybe a "SuperTravelManager" status too (for business reservation makers) where OUR ratings of guests really count, and it gives the Guests something to strive for, aka "earn", too. Not to mention being helpful for other hosts. I'd be very interested in this new "SuperGuest" status being an optional variable that I could turn on as a requirement for "Instant Book".
Jeet
Hi Tina,
Awesome suggestions!
Just an update, Airbnb recently added an option to Instant Booking where in you can allow only those guests to book who have been recommended by other hosts. Not exactly SuperGuests but on similar lines, much helpful than the earlier settings.
Good day!
Deanna
thank you Tina! I do all this and more for my guests. Everything is stellar, and I spend 5-6 hrs cleaning the room on my hands and knees, mind you. I make my guests breakfast, play pleasant music, light a fire, am there for their needs (almost immediately), etc. Believe you me, there is nothing lacking to my hosting. My place is painted and scrubbed, and I do it all myself. As far as the water stains go I have tried everything including professional cleaning. I live in an area of very high mineral content, in fact our town is even named after the mineral content of the water. If I kept salt in the water softener at a cost of 2-300 dollars per month it would be easier, but I can't afford to do this.
I am not just speaking for myself, but for the many others who have complained on this same issue, and I stand firm on the fact that changes need to be made.
As far as Yelp goes, I often think about the "South Park" episode which almost perfectly describes Yelp and amateur reviewers in general, including those who review their Airbnb stay. If you haven't seen it, google it under "South Park Cartman Yelp" episode. Well worth the watch even if you are not a fan of the series.
Laura
i kind of agree that the rating system from the POV of the guest needs to be more regulated or have better terms of reference.
I host in Sydney in a house worth more than $3M for a nightly room charge of $70 for a single and $85 for a double. A hostel down the road in an 8 person share room is $55 a person - so the value is outstanding.
people who come in from OS have no idea how expensive Sydney is, nor do they appreciate the size of the house and rooms or the house - over 500 sq metres.
a place being clean, is not the same as a place being new. new can look easy look clean...a stain or older style of house doesn' t mean its not clean.... i find the rating and people's expections a little out of whack. I also have two rooms available in the house, and one is rated highly on everything whilst the other has a lower rating... they use the same facilities, are in the same house and across the landing from each other. Everything is the same for both rooms... its the guests perceptions that are different!!!!
I think something about the rating system for guests needs a bit of guidance. its too subjective and some of them expect the earth.
whilst some hosts put in more than they realise and get limited rewards for their efforts. not sure what airbnb can do about it however, everyone has such different standards. I recently stayed at places o/s and noticed that the standards are very different depending which country your in... makes the ratings hard to read as a guest.
Julia
I'm so pleased I found this discussion. I've found it really difficult to figure out why, when I also get down and clean the floor and walls etc., I still often get 4 star reviews for cleanliness. My place is on the edge of a bush reserve on a farm so not your 5 star city hotel by any means. It's newly painted and carpeted with a new bed and light fittings and quality lined but I still get people who have said that a sandfly on the windowsill is a sign of uncleanliness. I find it a bit soul destroying at times. Perhaps it's the time of year: a long summer of guests and time for a rest for a couple of months to recharge.
Anyway it has been good for me to see that I'm not the only one in this position. My husband tell me not to worry so much.
y
Suzie
With you completely. I have been marked down to 2 on location on at least one occasion by someone who told me she didnt like the location because she wanted to be in central London. I am 30 mins by train an my blurb says that so by the time you add getting to the station to the time you need to get tickets you are looking at just under an hour. I also quite rightly describe my location as 15 mins walk from WB station, and also that it is a suburban area. Suburbia means there is not a cafe on every corner which is why another gave me 3 for location. Its also stockbroker belt so not rundown and poor. It comes down to guests not reading the blurb. I have had a very acrimonious few weeks with some guests who left earlier than booked today, who also didnt read/understand the description. They expected a self contained unit with kitchen and full bathroom (not shower room), and we have all got on each others nerves as a result and communications broke down and reached screaming pitch. I am so happy they have gone, but annoyed that such a situation could arise. Neither of us would give each other good reviews, which isnt fair when it ws the system rather than the accommodation was at fault
Debra
There definitely is a class of guests, that no matter WHAT you do isn't enough. They are also the most critical and intentionally make superhost unobtainable. I wish there was a way to filter out these type of guests and refer them to regular hotels!
Blue
Very interesting thread! I feel pretty good about the star & superhost system. I've been renting my spare room here for 2 years through AirBnB, mostly get 5 star reviews and am a superhost. After reading these posts, I think a lot of it comes down to guests' expectations. First, my listing tells potential guests to read the whole listing before booking or inquiring. I had noticed some people obviously didn't know what was in there. Since it's in caps, they seem to now. I also connect with guests right away by email to establish communication. Usually if they have a question, they'll ask.
Most importantly, I have a detailed email template [now I can even SAVE it in AirBnB!] that reiterates much of what's in the listing and gives very specific directions. I'm very specific about how much kitchen use is allowed, what items I keep in stock for guests, etc. Then if someone gives me a complaint about getting lost or being disappointed in some way, I can reply that ALL the info was given them in advance & if they didn't like it, they shouldn't have booked.
My home is not new, built in the 1970's. The guest bathroom has older fixtures that aren't perfect anymore. But I clean everything very well, and the photos in my listing show everything. Take it from a 5-star superhost! And good luck!!
Fiona
Debra, good news, there is such a system...the reviews. Completely agree with you there are people who will never be satisfied and we can and should put words to that effect in the reviews we leave for them for the benefit of all.
Arlene
I'm conflicted about stars, but what should be eliminated is the scolding for not getting 5 stars.
I also have an old house which is clean but has "age spots". I'd need to charge much more if there were no imperfections. Besides 99% of my guests feel comfortable and like it that way.
Jo & Greg
Our business has been running as Holiday Property Managers for 20 plus years. The last three months with AIR. Our assessment is most guests are over critical, dont read conten, expect everything for zero and dont appreciate that they are staying in someone elses home. As a result, the outcome or review system is flawed. Overall experience in 3 months, disappointed.
Mike And Manda
We listed our brand new, fully reno'd suite with new floors, new beds, new bedding, brand-new bathroom and kitchen. Professionally cleaned, and we still got a 3-star rating for cleanliness from our first guest. They broke a mirror and a piece of furniture and still had the audacity to give a lower rating. Sometimes I don't think it matters what you do, you can't make everyone happy if they have wild expectations.
John
I've been Airbnb since 2011 and get one of these clean freaks about once a year, it does keep me from Superhost status for what that's worth. My latest said the place wasn't the same, that the views in the listing weren't really there, and that it wasn't "clean". I had to reply to such as all photos were taken in the right apartment, I do have others with views so she must have mixed them up. Asfor "clean", I've been using the same great cleaner for over 10 yrs, no complaints from guests before or after and worse, she didn't say anything during a ten day stay when we could have done something or at least reached an understanding on what "clean" means to her.
I think we should have a star system for guests, then we could mark these outliers to the other hosts and weed them out of the system, they are better for hotels with a concierge they can complain to.
Deanna
i spend 5-6 hours cleaning my room for guests whethe it needs it or not. Down on the floor in the bathroom, removing every hair. I could actually pass a military inspection.
And then...there is that ONE guest...that makes Jared Loughner look like Mother Teresa.
Ok that might be a slight exaggeration..however, I kid you not, my last guest did not enjoy her stay- this is after I took the heated mattress pad off the bed because it gave off "vibrations" (well ok I can live with that)--bent over backwards to make her a custom cappucino every morning because she didn't like the coffee (well, ok I can live with that) but then had the audacity to score me down because there were some clothes in one of the drawers and she said they gave off "vibrations"...and also said I needed a new carpet (which I don't --it's brand new and clean to perfection. ) my stars were perfect the last 5 visits, and then I get this person who should not be allowed to go anywhere without a chaparone.
And these people gert to score us with STARS. OK ...there is something not right about this picture...
sorry didn't do a spell check. Excuse the errors, but feel the passion....LOL
Deanna
Blue you have just been lucky. I've had probably close to a hundred guests. Trust me..that person who always sees the glass as "half empty" has yet to appear at your threshhold...
Crystal
I agree. I have been a host of an older home that I work on all the time. It is immaculate, charming, full of art and love and a stone's throw away from innumerable attractions and activities. However, the guests seldom give me 5 stars on location. Because they expect to be downtown. They did not research carefully. They booked me because I am 30% the price of downtown and they do not understand that. So despite have 5 stars in most categories, I am perpetually at 78% and I need to be at 80% to be a super host. It is a pet peeve. Further. It is much easier to be a super host if you have only booked 100 people than if you have booked over 2000 people as I have.
Deanna
by the way John...outstanding response on your review by Francoise...want to copy this and put it on my wall! Very well said.
Blue
Deanna, I'm sure you didn't mean to....... I've also had close to 100 guests. I had one foreign guest who couldn't figure out the star system and gave me all 1's! She thought that was the high rating ;~} And I've had a few problematic guests, but I really try to shake it all out by the time they leave. I am blessed with a stellar location. But I don't think it's 'just luck' either! I block out a couple days between guests so I can really clean the room, air things out, and get ready to be hospitable again. That really helps me
Bottom line -- how else can AirBnB operate? There has to be a rating system, or there would be havoc! Rather than blaming AirBnB, perhaps you could come up with a better idea. Meanwhile, if what you're doing isn't getting the results you want, change it up!
Steven
Donna I agree with you, I host in a low-income neighborhood in Boston and I feel like that puts me at a disadvantage for becoming a superhost. Hosts in the ghetto have a harder time getting good reviews and rating. There should be a "curve" for hosts in underprivelidged neighborhoods.
Deanna
Blue...nothing better I can do for my hosting. (having just driven 20 miles one way for a guest who didn't tell me she was gluten free and thereby running to the special market for gluten free bread)... I am a perfectionist as it is, and "change it up" is not an option. The only people who are happy with the superhost program are the superhosts. I believe it is the luck of the draw as to what kind of guests you get. I know superhosts who ask you to "shower with a friend" and "pee outside" in order to save water. So there are plenty of places that are not perfect and don't bend over for their guests and are still superhosts. I just hope that once I am a superhost, (if ever) I remain humble..having been a lowly "notta" superhost. So pleez don't tell me to "change it up". You don't know me, or my hosting! Just saying, with courtesy and due respect...
Ellie
YES. As a single 26 year old who is welcoming people onto her sofa bed for what, 20% of the price of a youth hostel in my city, there comes a point where I'm just like, what do you expect.
Jennifer
There is a star system for guests, and you can weed them out. Just give them a poor rating and let Airbnb know about them and they can be blocked from using Airbnb.
Deanna
Have some wonderful guests right now so just going to enjoy them! There is nothing I can do to change the current way of things...I'm cooking up some organic whole grain banana pancakes and sitting down and enjoying nice conversation with great people who have traveled a long way to get here...reasons to keep hosting.
Deanna
ellie I would feel honored and thankful to sleep on your sofa anytime!
Deanna
when I get a chance, I'm going to start a new thread. It will be titled " and then, there was that one guest..." Not to be ragging on guests, you'll understand. 99% of my guests have been great..but it is fun to share stories, and they might make a great reality show someday. Who knows?
Carolyn
You will always get difficult guests, but I think it is very unfair to penalise those of us who worked hard to take superhost status away because a host can't get there and doesn't think the system is right. I like it, I worked for it, and I don't want to lose it. We get the opportuntiy to review guests so we should do our homework and research them before we accept bookings.
Hosts should also realise that some guests will deliberately complain about whatever they can possibly find in order to be offered a cash refund of some amount so they can get it cheaper than advertised. I have had them do this to me. I make it plain that Air BnB reviews on GUESTS affect their eligibility for acceptance and that I always detail complaints on reviews. This should fix your problem.
Cheers,
Carolyn
ThuThuy
I'm in full agreement with @blue : it's mostly about expectations management.
My personal solution to the problem of terrible guests is to screen ahead, and always favor passing on a booking over hosting someone I don't feel confident I'd enjoy taking them out for a drink.
In practice, I settled on a two-step process : our listing details are very accurate and don't oversell our place, and include a mention that we expect guests to RTFM and contact us before they attempt to book. This is a simple trick to tell if they've actually read the details.
If you want to get a feel for it, just check the house rules on my one* listing : I'm sure some people are turned down by the tone, but those who dig it are exactly whom I want in my house.
Obviously we don't refuse guests who try to place a booking without prior contact ; we kindly point them toward the listing details and offer to answer any other question they may have, to genuinely ensure the place is a good fit to their needs. Once a booking is confirmed, and a couple days ahead of their visit, we also send a detailed guide to our place via email, including detailed directions, customized for the travel schedule and means of transportation of our guests.
Exchanging a few messages with guests is also a good way to get a feel for who they are, and **bleep** in the bud potential hassles.
The few times — early on in my airbnb'ing — I've accepted guests I had mixed feelings about, I've beaten myself afterwards for not listening to my gut feeling. At the other end of the spectrum, after 1 1/2 year being a AirBnB host, we now have a few more friends whom we first met as our guests !
Obviously the extra communication effort entails a little overhead, but I'd say it's definitely worth it, as it makes the experience of being a host much more enjoyable, and it doesn't hurt your ratings either.
*[Yes, I only have one listing, and therefore my comments may not apply to those who buy multiple properties to farm out on AirBnB, but in fairness, if you do this beyond the scale of a hobby-to-cottage trade, you're basically a code-dodging hotelkeeper, and you'll get no sympathy from me.]
Nicholas
Deanna.
I believe that 'fussy' angry person exists. I see it in Yelp for food regularly.
I call out a woman that severely knocked a restaurant... she said something to the effect... 'I've been here at least 30 times and this was and awful meal'.
Perhaps the software should contain room for anomaly crank pots to be sent to an outside holding area.. one that doesn't negate one's last 5 perfect scores! The stars and superhost seems to sell my place and I'm a bit fussy about who I screen into acceptance.
Best
Nicholas
Nicholas
Good call Carolyn.
Hold the guest accountable too.
Pasek
I agree with you Crystal. The percentage system is fundamentally 'weighted' in favour of hosts with lower numbers of guests as it's so much easier to get 8 out of 10 guests to give 5 stars during a year, than the work involved to get 80 out of 100 to give 5 star reviews... let alone the numbers that you're talking about!
We managed to get Superhost status this time and we received a survey just this morning about the Superhost program - we mentioned this to them.
Henry
I just started a post almost like this .... i too think it is BS ..... you can read EVERY review i have (only 1 guest has not WRITTEN a review) from those WRITTEN reviews you can make a decision .... the STARS ARE CRAP ! please see my post and my review and my listing. thanks!!
Ange
I'm over this star rating. I hover at almost but not quite 5. Never quite the superhost!
But, I am a superhost to all my guests, they have told me so (they don't actually say superhost but I know what they mean) and that is what counts isn't it?
Odd and laughable reasons I have been given for not getting 5 stars:
2 - accuracy - sheets were blue, not pink as in the photo.
3 - cleanliness - entrance hallway two floors down had a garbage bag in it for a few hours, sanitation had not picked up because a crane was in the street.
1 - location because the people had not read the description and thought I was in Times Square!
4.5 overall - because the person staying said he only gave five stars to the Ritz and Waldorf.
And no I am not joking. It takes all kinds.
Recently I got a Room for Improvement because apparently the last two reviews out of 11 were less than five stars.
But strangely each category listed five stars - so maybe it's a new secret category.
I think they should instigate a star system for guests. Are they a 1,2,3,4,5 star guest.
Most of my guests are five star guests but I have had the odd 1, 2 and 3 in there.
What can you do? It used to drive me nuts. But, I have great reviews so that must count for something? Even if Airbnb are starstruck.
btw: If you don't write or receive a review is punishment meted out and if so what form does it take ? A star less?