Airbnb - remember to review honestly!

pinkshoes

We left booking a summer holiday rather late, so most costal properties were booked up.

We found one that was new to airbnb that had no reviews, but the owner had another property that had nice reviews, so we thought we would take a punt on it. It was at a premium price.

The property was "fine", but VERY basic. If we had paid a low basic price, then I wouldn't have minded at all, but compared to other properties in the area, this was VERY much lacking in mod cons and absolutely did not reflect the premium price charged! 

Anyway, we had a nice stay and I left a polite and nice 4* review highlighting the good stuff (location, big garden) but adding some of the things I found annoying like ancient TV/box (so no Netflix - only basic free channels!), very basic bedroom furniture (not even a bedside table or lamp) and terrible parking.

What has REALLY annoyed me is that the host left me a really rude review saying I left the property in a state! Mr Pinkshoes finds this funny as I'm a neat freak and we certainly didn't leave it in a state. I responded politely to the comment saying this certainly wasn't the case.

I actually cleaned to be nice but technically I didn't even have to as I paid a £30 cleaning fee!

I'm now really annoyed at myself for being nice and not leaving a more honest review! 

So if you're paying through the nose for an airbnb property only to be met with a property that doesn't cut the mustard, be honest in your review! 

On the plus side, I see she has left some snotty comments for others regarding their lack of cleanliness so I'm thinking she is just some miserable bored wife who is hoping the guests clean the property themselves to save her paying for a cleaner. I do sincerely hope she changes the sheets!!!!!

(Rant complete...)

MalMonroe

Airbnb is an international concern, started in California (of course, where else?!) but it also has a head office in London. 

If you wish to complain (and I would definitely complain about that person - if only as a favour to those who may come after you), you can do so on their official site. In the UK -

https://www.headofficecontactnumber.co.uk/air-bnb/  (7p per minute to phone, though)

https://www.complaintsdepartment.co.uk/airbnb-uk/#

There are rules and regs with air bnb and 'hosts' can't just do as they please. They have to adhere to certain rules and regs. (That is, if the person you complain about is even properly registered with airbnb.)

Zinger549

Did it say about Netflix in the description. If it just said TV I would expect it to be just freeview.

pinkshoes

Zinger549 said:

Did it say about Netflix in the description. If it just said TV I would expect it to be just freeview.

No, it didn't mention Netflix and I wasn't expecting Netflix to be provided, but most properties nowadays have either a box/device that you can then log into your own Netflix account, or a smart TV to play Netflix through via your phone.

So at the price we paid then I was expecting a "reasonable" TV set up where you can log into online accounts. 

I can even log into my Netflix account at my parents house when I'm staying there! 

pinkshoes

MalMonroe said:

Airbnb is an international concern, started in California (of course, where else?!) but it also has a head office in London. 

If you wish to complain (and I would definitely complain about that person - if only as a favour to those who may come after you), you can do so on their official site. In the UK -

https://www.headofficecontactnumber.co.uk/air-bnb/  (7p per minute to phone, though)

https://www.complaintsdepartment.co.uk/airbnb-uk/#

There are rules and regs with air bnb and 'hosts' can't just do as they please. They have to adhere to certain rules and regs. (That is, if the person you complain about is even properly registered with airbnb.)

Thanks! It's not worth complaining about, hence the rant. The property wasn't "bad", it was "fine", but just did not reflect the price they charged, and I'm absolutely kicking myself for not being more honest in my review of it as I'm quite sure others will also be disappointed. 

Next time we will book more in advance as we can get MUCH nicer properties for the same price.

Sicard

I've used them many times. I'm always ultra careful, looking at all the photos provided, reading all the details etc. I never had a problem except one hotel in Croydon where I had to leave at 5am to catch my flight back to Malta. I took my suitcase but stupidly left my backpack inside the room only realising in my half-awake state after dropping the room key into the box. I was unaware the hotel was unmanned overnight by any staff but thought it wouldn't be a problem getting in touch when I reached home. These were the most unhelpful management team I've ever come across making me feel terrible. I've stayed at hotels all over the world and never experienced such amateurish administration. I left a stinking review to which they responded but there was another option to respond to theirs which I did.

Did you not do this?

pinkshoes

Sicard said:

I've used them many times. I'm always ultra careful, looking at all the photos provided, reading all the details etc. I never had a problem except one hotel in Croydon where I had to leave at 5am to catch my flight back to Malta. I took my suitcase but stupidly left my backpack inside the room only realising in my half-awake state after dropping the room key into the box. I was unaware the hotel was unmanned overnight by any staff but thought it wouldn't be a problem getting in touch when I reached home. These were the most unhelpful management team I've ever come across making me feel terrible. I've stayed at hotels all over the world and never experienced such amateurish administration. I left a stinking review to which they responded but there was another option to respond to theirs which I did.

Did you not do this?

The review I left was "nice" (I pointed out pros then cons, but overall left a 4*). She hasn't responded to any reviews people have left so I guess I cannot respond to mine again unless she responds to it?

I could respond to the review she left me which I did politely, as she had blatantly lied. 

I actually had a look at reviews she had left other people and it would appear she has made several rather rude comments about people having no hygiene standards and leaving the house a mess, and quite a few have responded stating her comments are very unfair and untrue.

I'm just annoyed at myself at being too nice.

I believe in karma so hopefully karma will strike one day...

Sicard

I believe in karma so hopefully karma will strike one day...

So do I. Perhaps one day she'll be buried under an avalanche of dust.

TripleH

I think reviews like yours are useful. I see no point with the gushing 'utopia of wonder, wished I lived here 5*' type reviews.

Listing the faults / negatives of a property but saying you still enjoyed your stay, to me anyway, make the review believable. My wife and I are not small, knowing a room can be compact is useful to us. Likewise knowing a shower is designed for giants is helpful if you're on the short size.

Sometimes people fail to realise that a 'negative' can be a positive in that you come away with people who know exactly what to expect.

Albermarle

TripleH said:

I think reviews like yours are useful. I see no point with the gushing 'utopia of wonder, wished I lived here 5*' type reviews.

Listing the faults / negatives of a property but saying you still enjoyed your stay, to me anyway, make the review believable. My wife and I are not small, knowing a room can be compact is useful to us. Likewise knowing a shower is designed for giants is helpful if you're on the short size.

Sometimes people fail to realise that a 'negative' can be a positive in that you come away with people who know exactly what to expect.

I agree with this and even with 5* reviews for airbnb or trip advisor, I still always politely point out a couple of minor issues/negatives/things that were not 100% perfect. I think that is fair enough to make constructive criticism/observations as nowhere is ever that perfect. Some places do not like it though. I recently stayed in a hotel in the New Forest. I gave it 4* on Trip Advisor and said lots of nice things about it, but explained a couple of issues why I had not given it 5 stars. The owner responded quite aggressively and attempted to destroy my couple of negative observations at great length, without mentioning all the good stuff. Looking back I saw they did that with every reviewer who did not give them 5 stars. In fact made him look like a bit of a prickly sort, and probably put off more potential customers than any review would.

pinkshoes

Albermarle said:

I agree with this and even with 5* reviews for airbnb or trip advisor, I still always politely point out a couple of minor issues/negatives/things that were not 100% perfect. I think that is fair enough to make constructive criticism/observations as nowhere is ever that perfect. Some places do not like it though. I recently stayed in a hotel in the New Forest. I gave it 4* on Trip Advisor and said lots of nice things about it, but explained a couple of issues why I had not given it 5 stars. The owner responded quite aggressively and attempted to destroy my couple of negative observations at great length, without mentioning all the good stuff. Looking back I saw they did that with every reviewer who did not give them 5 stars. In fact made him look like a bit of a prickly sort, and probably put off more potential customers than any review would.

I think if we had paid less for the property then I would have happily given it a 5*. We booked VERY late so didn't have much choice, but looking what we COULD have had if we booked earlier, then we definitely over paid!

I love detailed reviews, as nothing is ever really perfect. A friend of mine owns a couple of airbnb properties and uses reviews to improve and finds it really helpful when people point out little things like this. I guess this isn't the case with all owners, and often their response to (helpful) criticism says it all!

A bad review doesn't put me off, but an owner that rants and raves when someone dares to criticize something would make me run a mile!