Hosts Secrets Revealed: How To Get Amazing Airbnb Reviews As A Guest
Respectful use of the property and clear communication with the host are essential to receiving a positive guest rating on Airbnb. In the wake of the pandemic, the competition for Airbnb properties has increased significantly. According to AirDNA, a vacation rental data platform, there was a 26.6% rise in short-term rental demand in September compared to the previous year.
Reviews on Airbnb, like other peer-to-peer rental platforms such as Uber, can be a two-way street. Guests write reviews of properties and hosts to help future guests, while hosts post assessments of guests to assist future hosts. A low or nonexistent rating as a guest may make it difficult to book a stay, particularly during peak travel periods when hosts are selective about their guests.
Patrick Moltrup, an Airbnb host from California's Coachella Valley, says a lack of reviews on a guest's account is a significant red flag. He demands a review before booking a guest. While there have been reports of hosts becoming frustrated with unruly guests and requesting complex tasks at checkout, maintaining a good guest rating is not difficult. Following some basic guidelines can make the difference between a successful rental and a canceled or declined booking.
Locating Your Airbnb Guest Reviews
After staying at an Airbnb, hosts will leave a written description of their experience and rate it on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. These reviews are not easy to find as they are hidden in the account settings. However, you can access them by going to the 'Account' page and clicking 'Go to profile' in the upper-right corner of the website or mobile app.
Although guests are not able to see their rating number, they can view any existing reviews. The actual rating number is only visible to hosts when a guest tries to book a stay. Unless someone informs you, your guest rating will remain confidential.
It's Imperative To Maintain A Good Rating
Maintaining positive ratings is mainly the hosts' responsibility, while guests can do little to affect their reviews. According to Scott Lieberman, a former Airbnb host, and frequent guest, respecting the house and rules will usually result in a positive review from the host.
Before booking a rental, carefully review the booking details to see if the host has posted any house rules that must be followed, such as no smoking or playing loud music. While accidents may happen, it can be challenging to predict if they will lead to a negative review. Promptly addressing any damages or issues can prevent a negative review from being left.
Hosts emphasize the importance of clear and consistent communication. Failing to communicate can negatively affect a guest's rating, while clear and consistent communication can lead to a high rating. Respect is also essential, as hosts tend to leave positive reviews for guests who behave politely. Unless left with no other option, hosts will usually leave a good review, even if accidents occur.
How To Approach A Negative Guest Review
Receiving a negative review from a host on Airbnb can happen, even if you did your best to respect the property and follow the rules. This can potentially impact your future bookings and overall rating. To mitigate the impact of a poor review, here are some steps you can take:
Respond to the review:
Share your side of the story and provide more information to future hosts. A respectful and diplomatic tone can help build bridges and even prompt the original host to update or modify their review.
Reach out to the host:
If there is any confusion or misunderstanding, it's a good idea to contact the host directly and try to resolve the issue.
Contest the review:
If you believe the review is discriminatory or irrelevant, you can contest it. However, make sure to follow Airbnb's guidelines and rules for disputing reviews.
If hosts have several positive reviews, they may not worry about a single negative review. Hosts, like smart Amazon shoppers, examine negative reviews to see the extent of the problem. According to Moltrup, hosts read the reviews to identify any issues guests may have experienced, such as poor communication or damages. These issues are a concern to hosts, and they take them seriously.
In Conclusion
Maintaining a good rating on Airbnb is essential, as reviews can be very personal. You can easily secure future reservations by respecting the property and communicating effectively with the host. However, receiving a poor rating can jeopardize your future travel plans, especially during peak travel periods. Unlike rideshare drivers who may give low ratings for trivial reasons, Airbnb hosts generally tolerate minor issues.
Additionally, if the host requests unreasonable checkout tasks such as trimming the hedges, you can look for other Airbnb options or refuse to comply. Recently, Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, issued a statement on Twitter that guests should not be compelled to do such tasks as stripping beds, laundry, or vacuuming at checkout.
Short-Term Rental, Made Easy. Click Here to book your appointment.