Reviews that get personal

[Scotia0]

So I have been an Air BNB host for several years as well as a guest.

I had a lady stay with me last week who seemed nice enough until she chekced out and then a few days later left this reveiw, which is copied below along with my response. Let me set the scene I rent out the sofa bed in my lounge I get up at 6 am to walk my dog then go to work, when I get home I either walk the dog or gym or both then eat and go to bed. No other guest has had a probelem with this and I haven't had any bad reviews until now. I just feel this is a bit personal and that she hasn't taken into account that she is staying my flat while I have to carry on with business as usual and has blatently said she doesn't really like english people! I in no way ignored this woman, she was trying to adopt a dog from a rescue to take back to Denmark but needed to board it for 3 weeks while it had vaccinations etc, I was contacting all the dog people I knew seeing if they could help 

AWFUL HOST – NEVER AGAIN! When I read all these overwhelmingly positive reviews on Scotia and her place, I'm wondering, have I and these people really stayed with/at the same person/place? Scotia is not a nice person, she is unaccommodating, unhelpful, and, quite frankly, downright rude. I have met few Englishmen/women that I don't like, unfortunately Scotia is one of them. She had from the moment she met me (or perhaps even before) decided that she didn't like me. She didn't say good morning, good evening, good night or even goodbye when I was in the kitchen when she left for work. And she didn't even say goodbye and have a nice trip home when I left. Actually she wasn't even in the flat when I left. All through the 6 nights that I stayed she made sure to have as little communication with me as possible. I really try to be as friendly and accommodating as possible when I meet new people and I certainly don't expect hosts to chit chat/small talk all day/evening long, but Scotia gives unfriendliness a whole new meaning. She did her very best to ignore that I was even staying in her flat. I chose this place in a hurry because my trip was a last minute decision and I thought that since we are both dog owners we would have a little bit in common. Sadly I was wrong. And as for the "bed", well, the "mattress" is back-breakingly thin. It might be okay for a student in her/his twenties, but certainly not for a middle-aged person. And please be advised – the flat is situated as far out as the last stop on the Central/District line (quite far from the city centre) – Ealing Broadway – and then you'll have to take a bus the last distance from the station. That was also a fact that Scotia omitted to tell me before I came – absolutely NO HELP with directions to her flat – I only found it because some very nice people in the street with smartphones helped me. The only thing on the plus side is that Scotia has a very sweet dog.

Response from Scotia:

If you had asked for directions on how to get to my flat prior to arrival I would have of course provided them I have also met guests at the train station on previous occasions if required but this wasn't mentioned by you prior to arriving. On the whole most guests seem to find my flat quite easily using apps on their smartphones and I have never received a compliant of this nature previously. To stay somewhere 40 minutes from central London at £20 per night always seems a good deal to previous guests who don't mind using the bus/tube. There was one morning that you were up when I was leaving for work and I do recall passing pleasantries with you, unfortunately I leave very early for work so I do not have that much time to spare. On the other mornings you were not up when I left. I do have other commitments in the evening however I certainly didn't ignore you at all. I did go to the bother of trying to help you with contacts in the local dog world after you told me of how you were trying to adopt a dog and move it back to your country. You have failed to mention this in your scathing review. Not really the actions of a host who is ignoring her guests. You also failed to mention to me at any time that you were unhappy with the mattress, so I was unable to make you more comfortable. All of the other guests that have stayed with me have given a fair review and I take feedback on board to try and improve things for future guests. However I feel that perhaps you were looking for a host to keep you company and entertained when you were not out. That is not the sort of hosting I can offer and nor do I advertise it. Several of my guests have extended their stays or returned to stay with me so I feel your review is completely unfair and I am posting this reply so that it will give a balanced view to prospective guests.

[Jeff158]

@Scotia0

Personally I would not have responded, the woman sounds like a nutter in her review. The good news is she's from Denmark and the review will only show up for people from Denmark.

The review is already at the bottom of page 2 for me in the uk.

[Scotia0]

@Jeff0 thanks I wasn't aware of how the reviews show up in other countries. 

[Ange2]

@Scotia0   @Jeff158  is right she sounds hopelessly needy,  but luckily most people know a rant when they see one, all your other reviews are good – in fact she roasts her own goose by mentioning that in the first few lines.    I would not have replied either, or replied to my advantage along the lines of being  happy to interact with my guests when I have the time and that I am always available by phone or text to answer questions or resolve problems. Less is more when writing responses and reviews.

fyi: there is a post on this forum with some good ideas for turning a negative into a positive.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Tips-for-Writing-Response/m-p/710590

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Scotia0 ,

why are You telling us all that? This stay was in june, it's over. Do You now want us to tell You You did well or You did not well and if we do so, what would it change?

If You would have come to us before writing the response to the bad review You've got, we could certainly have helped You but not anymore. What @Ange2 and @Jeff158 wrote is right, but it's too late.

Again, Scotia, what is Your intention of opening this thread?

[Scotia0]

Ute I was just looking for feedback I thought that was one of the areas covered by the forum ? ,most of which was constructive, I haven’t encountered a guest that behaves like this before . 

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

@Ute36

---

@Ute42 wrote:

.

Hi @Scotia0 ,

why are You telling us all that? This stay was in june, it's over. Do You now want us to tell You You did well or You did not well and if we do so, what would it change?

If You would have come to us before writing the response to the bad review You've got, we could certainly have helped You but not anymore. What @Ange2 and @Jeff158 wrote is right, but it's too late.

Again, Scotia, what is Your intention of opening this thread?

Ouch! no need to be hostile to her. 

---

[Christine615]

Agreed. When I see good reviews but then there is one that is a rant, I ignore it. We've all encountered guests that can't be pleased. And there are a lot of people suffering from hidden psychological issues.

But I personally did like your response.

[Sarah977]

@Scotia0   I mostly agree with what the other reponders have said, although I don't see a problem with you responding, just that your response is too long- it could have been a quarter the length if you had been more succinct. Long responses don't really look good for the host- short and professional is better.

I will point out a couple of things:

She did not say she doesn't like English people-she said the opposite- "I have met few Englishmen/women that I don't like...."

Secondly, even though your other guests have managed to find your place without specific directions, you saying that your other guests have found it easily with a smart phone app is not at all sensitive to the fact that not all people use the same technology. While young people are usually dialed in to such things, middle-aged and older folks not necessarily are. I do not even use a smart phone, for instance. I think it is incumbent on a host to provide clear directions to their home.

[Scotia0]

Thanks Sarah I did and always do provide specific instructions on how to get to my house I also spoke to this guest on the phone before arrival and still no mention ? 

[Sarah977]

@Scotia0   Well, that isn't what you wrote in your response to her review-

"Response from Scotia:

If you had asked for directions on how to get to my flat prior to arrival I would have of course provided them..."

[Rachel0]

Hi @Scotia0, you appear to be the only contributor to this forum apart from me who has Ealing Broadway as their local station so I felt I should respond!  There is nothing wrong with that station and many of my guests have been delighted that it is at the end of the line as that means they usually get a seat, plus it also serves two lines which is a huge advantage.  

I do agree with @Sarah977 that for older guests, like myself, it is always better to provide detailed instructions for how to get to your place as many of us do not have smart phones (and don't want them) and rely on the old fashioned methods of finding places.  To save time you could povide the directions as a saved message.

[David126]

I live in a very small town and they still get lost so as part of my message I remind them where I am and that Google Maps will not work, but still see some driving around, in UK terms it would be a hamlet.

Now the review did pop up as top and I am in the US so not sure what is going on,  never been to Denmark.

Couple of thoughts, if you leave responses to reviews keep them short, remember you are not responding to her but to future guests.

If you have more guests coming in then it will soon be buried.

The logic of people booking by definition on line and then not looking at the map etc escapes me. But it happens. And yes I do know where Ealing Broadway is. And is not.

[Letti0]

@David126   I added this to my message that gives the codes for doors and alarms and setting the safe information because I got dinged on location. Also in the private feedback from a guest said she couldn't see the playset/child's area we setup with tables for parents to watch them from. Boggles the mind, they couldn't ask when they didn't see it? We tell them any problems or questions, anything please ask! The six 7 year olds had no problem yesterday finding it 🙂 when they arrived. A Field and Track event with some parents and the coach from Houston for 3 days. 

If you have any issues at all finding us, please call and we will guide you to the Guest House. A few people have had a problem. Also if your children want to use it the playset/swingset is located behind the Wedding Venue which is on the property. Please let us know if you have any questions.

[Fred13]

@Scotia0 Two things struck me:

1. Your setup comes across better suited for younger people, technically hip, and who are more dynamic and adaptable in nature than older ones, and are also 'on the go'. Unfortunately, this guest appeared to be extremely  interested in social interaction which you hardly have time to give, and even wanting to make a 'friend'. A tall order.

2. Your response was definitely too long and her review could have been summarily dismissed in about three  sentences, along the friendly lines of - "Unfortunately,  I wish I would have more time to spend with my guests, but working life..". This would have let future guests know what to expect. 😉