I hope my story last week doesn’t dissuade you from leaving honest reviews of your hosts when you travel.
The simple fact is that, without reviews of both hosts and guests, Airbnb would cease to exist. Without reliable outside commentary, no one would trust each other enough to use Airbnb.
Helpful, detailed reviews are critically important.
When I leave reviews, particularly as a traveler, there are 2 things I think about.
- First, how was MY stay? Was the space clean, what’s the surrounding area like, how are the amenities, and so on.
- Second, I try to think of what potential pitfalls OTHER travelers might have.
Are there stairs or a steeply inclined driveway? That would be good for people with mobility issues to know. Is there not a TV in the space? You may not care about that, but for some that would be a deal-breaker. Is it near a major highway? The noise from the cars could be very disruptive to light sleepers.
I’m not encouraging you to nit-pick. Certainly, make it clear that these were not issues for you during your stay. But the more people know, the more easily they can make an informed decision about their specific needs.
This is better for everyone.
Informed guests are happy guests; happy guests leave good reviews; good reviews make happy hosts.
We all win.