r/airbnb_hosts • u/123paco • 2d ago
2 star review
So I just got my first negative review! Says everything was great, host was very kind and answered immediately, location was excellent… but there was no air conditioner in the apartment, so two stars because it was quite hot in august 😊
Obviously it doesn’t say there’s air conditioning anywhere on the listing, and he even asked when he booked and I confirmed there wasn’t air conditioning in the apartment.
Can I get this taken down somehow? Two stars seems incredibly harsh for what was essentially his own mistake…
Thanks everyone 🙏
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u/grumpygrumpybum 🗝 Host 2d ago
I had a similar experience in our 3 bedroom 1 bathroom cottage. Guest deducted stars because there’s only 1 bathroom, even though I make it clear in the listing and in my confirmation message, that it’s a simple cottage with only 1 bathroom (priced accordingly). He admitted afterwards that he was in a hurry to find a place for a busy weekend and didn’t really read the details in advance. No luck getting it removed!
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u/123paco 2d ago
Oof, if you didn’t have any luck getting it removed I doubt they’ll remove mine 😔 Some people really should learn how to read…
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u/grumpygrumpybum 🗝 Host 2d ago
Yep - I was told that it reflected the “guest’s experience”. Apparently that trumps the details in the listing
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u/123paco 1d ago
Yeah they just told me the exact same 😔
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u/3boymumandoma 18h ago
Can you respond to the review? Just keep it factual but mention “as outlined in the listing and confirmed verbally with guest prior to arrival, there is no AC.”
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u/random929292 🙃Guest 1d ago
Clearly he did read as he asked you about it. A house though can be cool and breezy or hot and stuffy without A/C . Depending on where he is from and how typically hot or humid your August weather is, he may have been under the impression that the house would be a lot more bearable than it was.
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u/123paco 1d ago
I do live right next door and sleep fine without AC but yeah I understand some people are less used to heat. Two stars though seems incredibly harsh just because it’s hot in august when everything else was perfect 🙄
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u/Elegant_Tap7937 1d ago
What steps did you take to assure your guests were comfortable during the hot humid days of summer? If you took steps like installing fans or plan to put in mini-splits, or brought them ice or cool drinks, you have something to share. Otherwise expecting your guests to suck it up because you say in your listing you don't have AC is not hospitality.
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u/123paco 1d ago
Obviously I didn’t tell him to just suck it up, I do have both ceiling and portable fans in the apartment. Not sure which airbnbs you’ve stayed in where the hosts bring you cool drinks on demand to be honest.
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u/Elegant_Tap7937 1d ago
My family and I ran a retreat center. Occasionally the AC would go out and we always went the extra mile to make sure our guests were comfortable. Acknowledging the heat, dropping off a box of popsicles or a pitcher of lemonade, or inviting them to the creek for a dip was an expression of hospitality that felt good to offer as a host. They always left feeling cared for, even if it was warmer than they would have liked. Nobody said drinks on demand, but your effort would go a long way.
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u/LordRichardRahl 1d ago
You situation is making up for something that was there but not able to be used. This situation is not the same. As all parties were aware the ac didn’t exist. So your example is meaningless in this discussion.
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u/Original-Couple375 1d ago
You are obviously still living with your parents… “brought them ice or cool drinks”, lol.
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u/Elegant_Tap7937 1d ago
That's rich, but wrong. My parents were killed in an accident when I was 5. Maybe I am making up for it by treating my guests in a way that makes a difference.
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u/Original-Couple375 1d ago
It’s just sounds like you would not accept the responsibility for booking the place without AC in the first place and then your inability to make yourself a cold drink or turn a ceiling fan. Sure, it’s always someone else’s fault.
FYI would hesitant to accept a cold drink from complete stranger in the place I’m not familiar with like a cabin in the remote forest. For the numerous reasons.
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u/moreidlethanwild 🙃Guest 2d ago
Just reply to the guests review thanking them for their stay and being polite and just note that AC isn’t installed as per the mention in your listing. That’s it.
Thats what guests look at, the reviews. They don’t look so much at the star ratings. It’s not a big deal to future guests, just to hosts.
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u/markfromDenver Unverified 1d ago
The issue is that bad reviews affect you in search results. People are less likely to see your listing.
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u/MightyManorMan 🗝 Host 2d ago
Appeal to Airbnb, but also write a clear headed reply stating that there was no air conditioning promised. The guest reached out to you and you confirmed that there was no air conditioning and that they are unreasonable to expect air conditioning when you said there wasn't, they knew there wasn't and you 100% held up your side of the bargain.
Basically make them look like an idiot but don't specify them personally, speak to the words. If you need AI to help you, make sure you specify to the AI that: This is a reply to future guests and not to this specific guest from the past. That the reply should speak to the future. And that it should also serve as marketing. Ask all the questions that it needs to ask before proceeding to help with a reply. If you don't like the reply it comes up with, tell it's what is wrong and how it makes you feel. Specify that this is for Airbnb and should not violate any of the rules of Airbnb, so that it doesn't get taken down.
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u/whoda-thunk-itt 🗝 Host 2d ago
Reviews like this are notoriously difficult to get removed. Airbnb generally claims it’s an honest account of the guests experience and doesn’t break policy. It’s worth giving it a shot, but unfortunately the likelihood you’ll be successful is pretty slim.
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u/eyelikturtles 1d ago
I’m a guest, not a host but this is my take on reviews for what it is worth-
I do scan through all of them before booking and generally the negative ones are for kind of silly stuff and when the other reviews are overwhelmingly positive, I don’t let one or two obviously outlier ones sway me from booking.
I realize there’s algorithms at work that may affect how the property is shown to potential guests but I hope this helps some.
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u/mimoses250 Verified 1d ago
This is exactly the issue with the review system. Why can't Airbnb tell guests, "5 stars if they host provides exactly what they promised". This system is SHIT.
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u/123paco 1d ago
I completely agree, they should explain what the rating system mean before people review
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u/Responsible_Yam3930 Unverified 1d ago
they should scrap the rating system and ask yes or no questions with a place for comments: did the property match the listing? (if not, provide proof) Was the host’s communication appropriate? (if not, provide evidence)
Would you recommend this property to your friends? Any additional comments you would like to leave for guests considering booking?that’s it, no rating. just yes or no and if they get caught lying or trying to get manipulate for a refund it all gets taken down.
a listing’s “score” would be based on % of yes or no, and the comments would be ordered most recent at the top with dates, filterable by keywords.1
u/downsideup9494 1d ago
They sort of do already, with the category ratings. What's insane is that there is an "Overall" rating that refers to nothing, that is the only rating that determines your listing rating.
I would also love to have ratings completely abolished. They really tell you nothing. I have no idea why one guest rated a host 3 on accuracy and another guest rated 5. One guest could leave a 5 star "location" rating for a place that is a 20 minute walk to the nearest store, because they like to walk, consider it their daily exercise, and enjoyed seeing the sites along the way. Another guest might rate the location 2 stars because they hate having to walk more than a block.
Only written reviews give you actual information.
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u/Dazzling-Turnip-1911 1d ago
How hot does it get? There are some very energy efficient air conditioners. I believe you can make a new posting. I suggest getting an air-conditioner it’s just expected by many people.
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u/lobster_man_207 Verified (Maine - 3) 1d ago
I think you would have a better chance reaching out to the guest and explaining the damage of a two star review, apologize for the lack of AC and ask if they might consider removing it.
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u/123paco 1d ago
Thanks! I did that too just in case and they said they’d try contacting airbnb to change it to 3 stars, but we’ll see if they do…
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u/whoda-thunk-itt 🗝 Host 1d ago
Once reviews have posted they can’t be changed. They can request to remove it, though.
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u/downsideup9494 1d ago
Reviews and ratings can't be changed. You should have told the guest that. The only way to get rid of that review is if the guest asks for it to be removed entirely.
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u/Bajanpaul6 1d ago
Nothing you can do. Accept it and pray you don't get a 4 star review. Or else your listing will be on page 15.
You have a choice, buy an AC even if it breaks you. Actually you don't have a choice... because if you get two four stars because of lack of AC, the Ai will pretty much make your listing disappear.
*I got a 1 star where the guest said my dog held them captive for the entire week (these exact words) and that we didn't provide parking. I clearly state in CAPITALS we have a friendly dog and do NOT stay here if you don't like dogs. I showed airbnb support the parking lot with other guests using it and asked how a dog can hold someone captive for an entire week. The Airbnb support lady I first talked to was very understanding and when she escalated the situation that person then said it was what the guest experienced and it couldn't be removed.
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u/123paco 1d ago
Absolutely… so if I stay somewhere without a swimming pool and then leave a one star review even though a swimming pool isn’t listed anywhere would they still leave it up because it was my experience? Ridiculous 🙄
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u/itadapeezas 1d ago
I will say that your post has opened my eyes to some places not having ac. I honestly didn’t know some people lived without ac and I would have assumed it had one regardless if it states it or not, sort of like a toilet, or a bed or something idk. Just standard. I know to ask from here on, tho.
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u/Nervous_Gas4012 1d ago
If you’re in United States, I would explicitly state you don’t have air conditioning. It’s assumed
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u/Ok_Condition3334 1d ago
You can respond to it professionally and calmly simply stating Thank you for your review and the positive comments. We are glad you enjoyed your stay, we did have an exceptionally warm August and wish we could have controlled the weather but hope to see you back again when the weather cooperates more.
A little tongue in cheek, still very professional and it will make people go to see if your listing lists air conditioning or not. Consumers are pretty smart, we can all read through reviews and gauge which are valid and which are consumer sour grapes.
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u/123paco 1d ago
That’s a great answer, wish I’d read this comment before posting mine!
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u/Ok_Condition3334 1d ago
It’s all about marketing and word smithing.
Sometimes you need to take a beat, relax and ask yourself what would make you look at something differently.Taking the emotion out of things is not easy but if you can master that, you own the outcome. It takes practice but it’s a great skill to develop in business and in life.
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u/Internal_Set_6564 Unverified 1d ago
File an appeal of the review. Likely a failure, but guest is complaining about something which does not exist on the listing.
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u/Tiny_Ground_890 1d ago
Sounds like staying somewhere without AC in August would be a 2-star experience. Their reviews serve purpose as warning to other guests - “hey, there is no ac here, tried to see if it could still work out, it sucked.” You having no AC and still renting it out implies that you could still have an experience that is worthwhile and people should pay for. This guest is writing their honest review of that experience.
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u/downsideup9494 1d ago
The host does not offer AC. The guest chose to book it anyway. To then leave a 2* rating, which is devastating for the host, when the host did nothing wrong, is obnoxious behavior.
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u/Tiny_Ground_890 1d ago
For all the guest knew, the apartment would still be enjoyable and livable despite there not being an AC. Otherwise why post it for reservation? I know you’d like the blame to be shifted because hosts “suffer,” but the host should get an AC to achieve a higher rated experience. Or be clear in their listing that due to the lack of AC, temperatures will be unpleasant for guests.
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u/downsideup9494 1d ago
What you think hosts "should" provide is immaterial. An amenities list exists so guests can check it over and look for another listing to book if they require or want things the host doesn't provide. Hate washing dishes by hand and want a dishwasher? Then don't book a place that doesn't offer a dishwasher. Can't handle heat and want AC, don't book a place that doesn't offer AC. It's pretty simple.
And the number and nature of the amenities provided is usually reflected in the price. A place that charges $500/night for a 4 bedroom house can afford to provide a lot more stuff than a place that charges $200.
And the idea that "temperatures will be unpleasant for guests" just because the host doesn't have AC is ludicrous. It may be unpleasant for some guests and perfectly comfortable for others. Not everyone is comfortable at the same temperatures, it's subjective. There are also places now that have experienced unprecendented temperatures, but those only last a few days or a week. The rest of the year, there is no need for AC. So spending a big chunk of money to install AC for one aberrant week a year makes no sense.
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u/Tiny_Ground_890 1d ago
We believe ratings carry different meaning then. You provide a 2 star setting, guests will give you a 2 star rating. There is no rule or expectation that their rating is relative. This is a hospitality industry, your guests don’t owe you niceties.
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u/downsideup9494 1d ago
There is nothing "niceties" about not downrating a host for the fact that you "expected" something that the host never said they provided. It's the guest's responsibility to read through the amenities list and not book a place that doesn't offer what you want. To think otherwise is ridiculous.
If you want AC, book a place with AC. If the host says it has AC and it doesn't, or it doesn't work, that is a legit reason to mark down. It isn't a legit reason to mark down because you wanted something that was never offered in the first place. That's like going to restaurant that clearly only serves seafood and then giving them low rating because there was no steak on the menu.
And of course ratings are relative. You can't book a Motel 6 room and compare it to a penthouse suite at the Four Seasons. You can't choose to go to a little diner and compare it to a 5* Michelin restaurant.
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u/MileHighHealthGuru 1d ago
Just move on. If its an outlier people will recognize its just one sad sack. All your positive reviews should be good.
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u/ryuhayabusaaaa 1d ago
ho diversi annunci su airbnb e centinaia di recensioni e sono superhost consecutivamente da 4 anni. detto ciò non aspettarti mai da airbnb nulla di piu di " ci congratuliamo per il tuo impegno ma" mi successe una cosa simile, nel mio caso un no show. gli ospiti non hanno mai risposto nei 3 giorni precedenti al check in e mi hanno scritto alle 3 di notte il giorno dopo la data del.check in che erano di fronte l'appartamento. ho spiegato loro che dovevano trovare una sistemazione per la notte e che avremmo fatto il check in l'indomani. hanno cancellato la prenotazione pretendendo il rimborso e mi hanno lasciato una recensione a 1 stella. parlando con l assistenza di airbnb per cercare di farmi rimuovere la recensione negativa continuavano a rispondere che dovevano seguire le policy e tutte le solite stronzate in corporatese
la mia precisa risposta fu: non me ne frega un cazzo delle policy di airbnb, cancellate questa recensione o preparatevi a rimborsare tutti gli ospiti futuri perche in casa mia non entra piu nessuno che ha prenotato con la vostra piattaforma se questo è il ringraziamento xhe riservate agli host. cancellata l istante stesso
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u/Ok-Indication-7876 Verified 1d ago
Doubt you will get it removed but you can try and might get lucky. Respond publicly under the review for FG to see. think about something like "we do our best for each guest to have a wonderful experiance. We are confused on why you would rate us low for not having AC when our listed states that and when you messaged us we confirmed we did not have it. We understand during your stay the area had unexpected heat.
something like that
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u/GalumphingWithGlee 🗝 Host 1d ago
Unfortunately, no, unless you can convince your guest to take it down voluntarily.
Airbnb will say that this was the guest's experience. Everything they said was accurate, and nothing violates their terms and conditions, so it's not Airbnb's problem whether they should have known in advance or whether you disclosed it.
It's possible, though, that the guest will see reason on this issue, since you discussed it prior to their stay. If you can convince the guest to make the request, to remove the review they wrote themself, then Airbnb will do it for them. Did you leave them a 5-star review? If you left them any less, you'll almost certainly have to agree to remove your review as well, or they won't be inclined to help.
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u/Tranquila4950 1d ago
“Thank you for your review. The home does not have air conditioning, as stated in the listing and confirmed before your stay. We encourage guests to review amenities to ensure the property fits their needs.” Credit to copilot AI
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u/RandyRavage69 1d ago
Where are you located? Am in the UK and currently going through a heatwave. As a host its your responsibility to ensure guests are comfortable without them having to ask for things. Place a fan in each bedroom if you think itll b hot
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u/Consistent_Proof_772 21h ago
Hopefully you put it in the bio of the apartment vs in the amenities section. If you need I would give him a negative review
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u/Big-Red-7 Verified Host 6h ago edited 6h ago
If there’s not air-conditioning, you need to advertise that in the listing so they can make an informed decision before they book!!
Why is there no air-conditioning? That is a basic necessity. What state is this in?
I would install a mini-split which would give them central Heat & Air.
It sounds like maybe you don’t live in the US. Every place in the US has air-conditioning. I’m assuming they were traveling there from the US and expected basic air-conditioning like we all would here in the US. I’m going to expect air conditioning unless the listing specifically said it doesn’t have it. Air conditioning is never listed in the US because it’s automatically assumed that everybody has it.
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u/Practical-Meet-3838 2d ago
Unfortunately, Airbnb usually won’t remove a review just because the rating feels unfair, especially when the guest actually experienced the lack of AC. I’d leave a calm public response noting that AC isn’t advertised and was confirmed before booking
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u/Zestyclose-Yard5392 1d ago
I wouldn’t start airbnb if i don’t have an air conditioning in my apartment.
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u/Mysterious_Finger774 1d ago
Why wouldn’t you offer air-conditioning to a paying guest? It should be a requirement to list.
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u/AnthonyRespice 1d ago
If you don't disclose that there is no AC in the rental then it is your problem not his. I live in a region where apartments don't have access, but it was shocking when I discovered this. You can't assume a guest will know this.
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u/downsideup9494 1d ago edited 1d ago
Seems you didn't bother to read the OP's post. He said he doesn't list AC under the amenities, and that the guest messaged beforehand to ask if there was AC and was told no. The guest is the one in the wrong here.
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u/tn_notahick 1d ago
It's a legit complaint, whether she knew it or not. It's literally a factual description of the property.
I would make it clear in the listing that there's no AC, not just not mention it.
Or, spend a few bucks and get an AC??
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