Star rating

[Karen1503]

Does anyone know if air bnb have ever considered auto generating the overall rating based on the five individual ones rather than guests down marking the overall rating without justification?

tganks everyone 

[Emiel1]

@Karen1503  ,

There is a lot of discussion about this subject, even recently:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Changing-review-system-system-should-NOT-ask-guest-for-a...

No idea Airbnb will listen....

[Emilia42]

I cannot agree with this idea until Airbnb adds more subcategories. There is so much more that goes into a great overall stay other than check-in, cleanliness, communication, accuracy, location, and value.

[Kath9]

@Karen1503, I completely agree. The overall star rating should be based on an average of the individual items (as occurs with guest ratings) rather than an arbitrary overall rating. For example, look at this one (clearly, this guest thought that for $49 per night they should get the whole house):

However, I do also agree with @Emilia42 that it might help if there were a few more categories for rating guests.

[Sandra856]

@Kath9  Do you ever write to the guest asking about the ratings?

I always do ask if there was anything I could do to improve and then I tell them that it is because all hosts are rated every 3 month and if we get below 4,7 airbnb will delist us. 5 stars means = everything was as described and that a 5 star rating has nothing to do with luxury, being centrally located etc.

They have all told me that they feel terrible and that they didn't know and also asked if they could change the ratings. They can't but at least now they know.

[Sarah977]

@Sandra856  I save the guest from feeling terrible after the fact, and save myself from less than favorable ratings, by cluing them in at some point during their stay as to how hosts are affected by the star ratings. Most are appreciative of the information and ask why Airbnb leads them to believe that 4*s is good, if hosts are punished for them. I say, you'll have to ask Airbnb that million dollar question.

I'd never ask a guest to rate me 5*s, I just tell them how hosts are rated by the company, what will lose me my Superhost status, and hope they respond accordingly. So far, 2 and a half years of hosting and 5*s across the board. Fingers crossed.

[Sandra856]

@Sarah977 My impression is that they are really glad to know. I would like to know as well if I were a guest. The response is that they had wished that they knew when rating me. So I think I will continue to ask. Also it could be that they actually meant, I could improve in some areas. I won't know if I don't ask.

I have done as you do a couple of times but I have many 1-2 night stays so it is difficult because sometimes I hardly see them. I have made a copy of the star rating explanation that Kath made and left it at the table in the room. I haven't got any less than 5 star rating since. But really, I am fed up.