An Airbnb review could make or break a listing. A good review is worth its weight in gold. On the flip side, a bad review can sink a listing and the livelihood of a host. I’m going to San Diego for a business trip next week and the Airbnb I selected only has photos and reviews. Yep, that is it. No descriptions, no rules. But between the captions of the photos, the reviews and the great price, I took the plunge and decided to stay at this particular Airbnb. Yes, I’ll let you know how the experiment went.
Most reviews are pretty easy to decipher. Guests tend to write about what they loved about their visit or otherwise. Sometimes, however, it can be tricky to figure out if a guest’s review was positive or negative. Carolyn, a host and reader of my site, sent me a review she had received that made her wonder if it was a good one or a bad one. With her permission, I will break it down for our benefit. Thank you Carolyn for helping us learn from your experience!
Carolyn’s listing Silver Lake/Los Feliz studio, yard! has 100 great reviews, well, 99 since this one makes it 100. Some reviews say:
- The studio was very comfortable and quiet, and I slept great.
- The space was immaculate and every detail had been attended to. It felt like home!
- I very much enjoyed staying in this studio plus backyard. The back area is relaxing & idyllic.
- This is my third time staying at this beautiful studio. Carolyn is wonderful, pleasant and considerate.
Everything was great until this review, which was number 100. Here is the long review written by guest Branden:
“Carolyn has a nice studio apartment that is located in an active, fun area of Los Angeles. Though this is a small room, it's perfect for one or two people for a few days. My wife and I had all the space we needed. The studio itself is located behind Carolyn's residence, and the front door is right near her back door where she lets her animals out. My wife and I love animals, so that didn't bother us in the least. The only problem with this setup is that some might find privacy a bit lacking. Because the studio has easy open windows (probably a normal thing for California citizens, but different for us Detroiters who have thick, soundproof windows to block out the cold winters), you could always hear what was going on outside. There isn't a ton of noise, but we did feel the need to talk more quietly than usual just to feel respectful to our host. This may not be a problem to some – and it wasn't a big thing for us, really – but is something worth noting. There are curtains for all the windows, but in order to feel the air from the window A/C unit, you'll have to keep the main window curtains open a bit. The bed was perfectly fine, and the bathroom was as clean as could be. The shower works great, and we couldn't have asked for more on that front. There is an older style tube TV that is connected to a cable box, and it worked well for our needs (we didn't spend a lot of time in our room during the day). The wifi connection was a bit spotty, but that was probably more my computer's fault than the connection itself. There is a patio space that Carolyn offers up for guests, and though it looks inviting, we didn't use it at all. No reason other than our own needs for our visit. The walk up to the studio can be difficult, especially with heavy luggage, as you must climb a large staircase while crouching down to avoid tree branches, and then climb up a ramp in between two fences. After the initial hike up, though, we didn't have any problems because we weren't carrying any luggage. It's definitely worth noting for those that may get winded more easily than others, but most won't find this as a problem at all. The space is beautiful, no doubt about it. Carolyn is a real sweetheart. She genuinely cares about how your stay at her studio is going, and is always just a text message or phone call away if there are any questions. She takes great care to make you feel welcome, and does a great job of stocking the studio with fresh fruit and water. This was an excellent vacation, and Carolyn helped us by giving a great place to come home to at night. I definitely recommend her studio for your stay in Los [Angeles.]”
Here is my breakdown of the review:
Positive or Negative?
“Carolyn has a nice studio apartment that is located in an active, fun area of Los Angeles. Though this is a small room, it's perfect for one or two people for a few days. My wife and I had all the space we needed.”
As a host, “this is a small room” stands out when in reality, it’s a studio apartment. It has its own entrance, fully functional kitchen, private bathroom, totally private space. You’re not sharing with anyone, and it isn’t a room. It’s a small studio, bigger than most apartments in New York. But he made up for the earlier comment by writing “perfect for one or two people”. And then he ruined the positive with the words “for a few days.” But fixed it with the last sentence, “My wife and I had all the space we needed” . I will rate this portion of the comment as positive overall.
Positive or Negative?
“The studio itself is located behind Carolyn's residence, and the front door is right near her back door where she lets her animals out. My wife and I love animals, so that didn't bother us in the least. The only problem with this setup is that some might find privacy a bit lacking. Because the studio has easy open windows (probably a normal thing for California citizens, but different for us Detroiters who have thick, soundproof windows to block out the cold winters), you could always hear what was going on outside. There isn't a ton of noise, but we did feel the need to talk more quietly than usual just to feel respectful to our host. This may not be a problem to some – and it wasn't a big thing for us, really – but is something worth noting.”
He is stating the facts about the studio being behind Carolyn’s residence and about the pets being in the backyard. Carolyn has photos of her pets enjoying the yard, so it isn’t a big surprise. The issue with this portion of the review is this statement:
“The only problem with this setup is that some might find privacy a bit lacking.” and “There isn't a ton of noise, but we did feel the need to talk more quietly than usual just to feel respectful to our host. This may not be a problem to some – and it wasn't a big thing for us, really – but is something worth noting.”
They decided to talk quietly, but it wasn’t because Carolyn could hear them or anything else. His perception of “lack of privacy” was because the studio is behind the main house and he could see the backyard. I will rate this portion as negative and inaccurate.
Positive or negative?
“There are curtains for all the windows, but in order to feel the air from the window A/C unit, you'll have to keep the main window curtains open a bit. The bed was perfectly fine, and the bathroom was as clean as could be. The shower works great, and we couldn't have asked for more on that front. There is an older style tube TV that is connected to a cable box, and it worked well for our needs (we didn't spend a lot of time in our room during the day). The wifi connection was a bit spotty, but that was probably more my computer's fault than the connection itself. There is a patio space that Carolyn offers up for guests, and though it looks inviting, we didn't use it at all. No reason other than our own needs for our visit.”
The guest continues to state facts; however, he feels the need to mention the “older style” TV. He mentions the spotty wifi, but gives it an out by blaming his own computer. I have had guests who mentioned in a review a spotty wifi signal. All they had to do was to tell me during their visit, and I could have corrected the probl
em by adding an additional router, which would have extended the signal. Especially since I saw the guests during their visit and asked if they had any issues. I will give this portion a positive, even though my co-writer interpreted as a negative because of the AC and older TV comments, especially since he made the “lack of privacy” in his previous statements.
Positive or Negative
“The walk up to the studio can be difficult, especially with heavy luggage, as you must climb a large staircase while crouching down to avoid tree branches, and then climb up a ramp in between two fences. After the initial hike up, though, we didn't have any problems because we weren't carrying any luggage. It's definitely worth noting for those that may get winded more easily than others, but most won't find this as a problem at all.”
One more time, the guest states facts, which could be perceived as negative, but Carolyn had already included those facts in her description and photos of her site. I’m giving this portion a negative.
The last part – Positive or negative?
“The space is beautiful, no doubt about it. Carolyn is a real sweetheart. She genuinely cares about how your stay at her studio is going, and is always just a text message or phone call away if there are any questions. She takes great care to make you feel welcome, and does a great job of stocking the studio with fresh fruit and water. This was an excellent vacation, and Carolyn helped us by giving a great place to come home to at night. I definitely recommend her studio for your stay in Los [Angeles.]”
I finally sensed that the guest enjoyed himself and liked Carolyn and everything she provided. This last part (which other guests might not get to) is golden. Carolyn could even use it as part of her description.
Overall, it’s a positive review – this guest just likes to provide all the information from his perspective, since Carolyn had already provided a description and photos in her listing. Thankfully, this wasn’t Carolyn’s first review, and she didn’t react by posting a comment to this review on her page. Instead, she went to the community for our opinion.
Before we answer a not-so-positive review, we need to step away and give ourselves at least 24 hours. Have other people read the review to get their opinion. Write a nasty response in a word document, but do not post it. Yes, sometimes we just have to take the high road. Other times, you might need to sift through the comments and address some of the potential issues: spotty wifi, overgrown bushes, etc.
If you decide to answer a non-stellar review, try – really try (and I know it’s hard) – to remove any emotion from your response. Address the reviewer and their comments in a professional manner. Remember, it was important enough for a guest to write about it.
I will always remember my worst review. It was so bad my guest called Airbnb to have my account closed. Yes, it is on my page. I survived it, but I took to heart some of her comments and my reactions and became a better host because of the experience.
Have you had any “non-stellar” reviews? Have you commented back? Do you feel Carolyn’s review is overall positive or negative? Subscribe to find out more tips, advice, and to be informed of the latest Webinars.
Have a great week, and happy hosting!
Evelyn
