Quote from @Andrew S.:
I know that it is all about getting those 5 stars, but I have to say for that particular review, 4 stars seems very appropriate to me.
I disagree with this part, just because of the way Airbnb's review system is set up.
Airbnb will deplatform a listing that has a 4-star review average (actually, 4.2 or below). By Airbnb's definition, a 5* review is "this place was acceptable" and anything below that is "this place is so bad it should be banned from being listed on Airbnb".
Historically, the way this would've been handled by a guest is a 5* review and then private feedback about those issues. Or maybe even mentioning them in the public review, but still 5*. Especially since mattresses are such a personal preference that can vary by person. It sounds like the host was using the Zinus memory foam mattresses that almost everyone in the STR space uses.
Airbnb has seen an influx of hotel travelers lately that are used to a hotel ratings system where 5* ratings are reserved for truly blown away expectations, 4* is pretty good, and 3* is average. In any given market, around 80% of the hotels have a 4.2 rating or below, which by Airbnb's definition would mean 80% of hotels should be shut down. But now so many hotel travelers are entering the STR space (especially with recent rate declines alongside oversupply) and rating similarly even though Airbnb's review system is set up such that an average stay is meant to be 5*.
If Airbnb is going to keep trying to capture the hotel market they really need to do something with the review system, either revamping it or making it more clear to guests. I think I went 250 5* reviews in a row prior to recently where I've seen an uptick in 4*, often for things that are clearly hotel expectations, like the most recent one of a guest mentioning they loved their stay but were annoyed the communal pool area didn't provide towels and towel-drop and they had to take the towels back and forth from the house and dry them in between uses.
