I didn’t know what title to give this article, but after eight years working as a host of tourist apartments, I felt the need to talk about the drawbacks of this profession. Many times, the work of a host is seen from the outside as something easy or ideal, but as the saying goes: “We always think the other person is doing better.”
That’s why I want to share my real experience: what is not always seen, what you learn, and also what you suffer behind each Airbnb review.
The Importance of Airbnb Reviews and Their Impact on Hosts
Normally, the reviews for our apartments are good, but like in any job, we have to deal with people with different personalities, and that sometimes affects us more than it seems. In my case, I speak in the first person because I am the one who responds to guests and replies to reviews when necessary.
During the years I’ve been working with Airbnb, I’ve experienced everything. I remember, for example, that at the beginning of my first reservations, I received a call from the United States asking me to remove a review I had left for a guest simply because they were socially well-known.
However, during their stay in the apartment in Valencia, they got drunk and spent the entire night bothering me on the phone, insisting that the air conditioning wasn’t working, when in reality, they didn’t even know how to turn it on due to the alcohol they had consumed. The air conditioning was brand new.
When I reviewed them, I did so negatively, since in addition to not letting me sleep and calling persistently at 2 and 3 a.m., they showed a complete lack of respect. We were very patient; in this case, I say “we” because no one at home could sleep, and even so, in the end, I had to remove my review for reasons completely unrelated to reality.
Curious Guest Stories and Unexpected Reviews
Then came an Italian guy, one of those gym enthusiasts, all muscular and very concerned about his image. One day he decided to hang his clothes on the loft terrace clothesline in Valencia. Everything was fine… until a pigeon made its “unexpected visit.” And, of course, it left its gift on the freshly washed white shirt of the Italian.
He got so upset that he gave us a 2 out of 5 rating. Something completely unrelated to the apartment, but according to him, “ruined his experience.” And I, powerless, had to accept it, because, of course, it happened “in my house.”
Airbnb, of course, at that time did not want to remove the review. Years later, I discovered through another similar case that it was indeed possible to remove reviews for events beyond our control. Who would have thought a pigeon would teach me a lesson about Airbnb’s internal policies! 🕊️😅
Guests With Bad Moods and Unrealistic Expectations
I had a sick guest, unfortunately, in the attic of L’Olleria, who arrived in a very bad mood. Her review did not reflect at all what we really offer. In fact, she started her review saying: “I got in the wrong place, it was my fault.” However, despite acknowledging her mistake, she still left a negative rating.
And we all know how it works: you can have a perfect 5, but if someone gives you a 3, your rating automatically drops to 4, even if it does not reflect the real service or experience of your property. And there’s nothing you can do, because as long as the comment is not offensive or violates the rules, you just have to accept it… even if it hurts.
Unrealistic Expectations in Medieval Towns
Then there are those cases that completely throw you off. Like that 70-year-old lady who came to the cave in Bocairent, a charming medieval town, with a wedding hat and heels! Apparently, there was no space at the hotel where the wedding took place, so she decided to stay with us.
In her review, she wrote that “the location was difficult to navigate with heels and dressed for a wedding.” And I thought: who goes to a mountain-excavated town, with cobbled streets and restricted traffic zones, expecting to reach the door by car and walk as if it were a runway?
Sometimes you realize that, no matter how much you prepare everything with care and attention, there are guests whose expectations simply do not match reality. And the best thing is to take it with humor… because that’s the only way we survive as hosts! 😅
Or when, in the same house in Bocairent, a small town where everyone knows each other, my neighbor decided to vacuum his car on a Sunday between 3 and 4 p.m. Well, that earned me a less favorable review than I expected, because the guest I had at the time in the house could not take a nap, all without me knowing what happened. In the end, you investigate a little and find out the real reason behind the review.
How Reviews Affect Overall Ratings
Even if the reason for the review has nothing to do with the house or us, it never goes away; you carry it with you for years. There’s no longer an option to maintain the maximum rating, because the average is calculated, and even if years pass and we make improvements to the property, improvements based on experience and learning, those reviews continue to follow us forever.
The Experience of Injustice With Negative Reviews
Today, I decided to write this article because I want to highlight that Airbnb reviews are not always fair. When you receive a good review, you take a deep breath and say, “Great!” but in reality, it is a constant test: something that shouldn’t be like this, we endure guests visiting our homes who often respect nothing, but as hosts, we always want them to leave with a good memory, so we often turn a blind eye and give positive ratings, even if it is not true.
In contrast, when a guest leaves a bad review, the platform does not pay attention to your complaints. Today, for example, an elderly woman stayed at the Valencia loft four days ago, a house completely described step by step in the Airbnb listing with many photos. In her review, she complained that the terrace was dirty, but she didn’t mention that it was spotless when she first arrived.
She said there were debris, and I had to explain to Airbnb that the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had issued a warning for strong gusts of wind on October 23, 2025, during her stay. Still, it was not enough to have the rating removed. And I had spoken with five different people.
Additionally, the same woman mentioned that the staircase to go down to the bathroom was difficult, without noting that her husband is 75 and she is 65, and the listing clearly states that the house is not suitable for elderly people. Airbnb did not take any of these details into account; operators simply repeated the same script, transferred me to another department, and gave no explanation, despite my 8 years as a Superhost with exemplary reviews.
Lack of Support and Insufficient Service
We have reached a point where Airbnb offers less service. Many people on the phone do nothing to solve issues and charge for work they do not actually do.
Airbnb states in its policy that reviews should be impartial, relevant, and reflect genuine experiences. But in practice, many hosts say the system does not review all complaints when a review is “subjective” or based on something beyond the host’s control.
In host forums, it is noted that 4-star ratings, even if the comment is not negative, can still significantly lower a profile’s average rating, causing frustration. It is also mentioned that the process for requesting the removal or review of an unfair review has become more difficult, with less transparency, often with automated forms and no real human contact.
External Factors and Guest Expectations
Some articles note that a significant portion of bad reviews do not result from failures in the property but from poorly adjusted guest expectations or external factors (location, accessibility, external conditions) that the host had already indicated.
Conclusion: The Reality of Being an Independent Host
That’s why I write this article: not to convince myself that I still need to do better, but to show the reality of being an independent host. I do not manage a large number of apartments or work for a company; I dedicate a huge amount of time and effort to every detail, from cleaning to offering personalized experiences according to the space.
For all these reasons, I feel desolate and forgotten by a platform that continues to grow, while my dedication and work go unnoticed, and any negative review can seriously affect my reputation without adequate support.
Final Reflection
Airbnb should be more aware that without guests, there is no Airbnb… but without hosts, there would be no guests either.
“Greatness is recognized in those who make the small feel important“