Airbnb Review Removed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are the AirBnB apologists on here? I really don't understand. Valid and truthful reviews should never be deleted from any site. Period. Fake reviews should never be posted. Period. Who disagrees with this?

Bc a feeling of safety or unsafe isn't necessarily valid when everyone has different lived experiences. People's levels of risk are different, as evidenced by OPs fear of for rent signs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a super host, I'm not aware of the ability to remove negative reviews. I'm still crazy bothered by the one poor review.

Same. I will add in my experience they protect the guests and not the host.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a super host, I'm not aware of the ability to remove negative reviews. I'm still crazy bothered by the one poor review.

Same. I will add in my experience they protect the guests and not the host.

Multiple renters have reported their negative reviews being deleted by Airbnb on this thread so clearly they do delete them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a super host, I'm not aware of the ability to remove negative reviews. I'm still crazy bothered by the one poor review.

Same. I will add in my experience they protect the guests and not the host.

Disagree. The feature where your host can review you without you seeing it before it’s posted leads to a lot of strife.

I stayed in an owner-occupied AirBnB once for an extended period of time (long story). It was horrible for various reasons. The hosts wrongly accused me of breaking appliances. Nevertheless, I left a glowing 5-star review because I was scared they’d fight me if I said something wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Safe area” is not objectively defined. Even in the areas with highest crime, crime is still very rare. So a random person on the internet telling me somewhere is safe or unsafe makes no difference because I have no idea what their comfort level is. That’s the point - it’s unfair to the owner to diminish their business based on perceptions.

All reviews are subjective opinions. You sound like you just don’t want renters to be able to provide any negative feedback.

No, they aren’t. Examples:

“Host was late to let me in”
“There were stains on the carpet”
“There was a roach in the sink”
“The living room was painted pink but is blue in the pictures”
“This property is 1 mile from the metro, but is advertised as 0.5 miles”
“The smoke alarms were hanging from the ceiling”
“There was a dead body in the shower”

And so on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

Agree. It sounds so bad, it seems fake. If it’s real response OP should write back and remind Airbnb what the review policy is. I don’t see where it says anything about what content is allowed.
https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2673/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

Agree. It sounds so bad, it seems fake. If it’s real response OP should write back and remind Airbnb what the review policy is. I don’t see where it says anything about what content is allowed.
https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2673/

It’s the real response. I’d post the sceeen shot if I knew how.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, what specifically made you feel unsafe? The reports of crime in or around the neighborhood were something you found out AFTER you left, correct?

Correct, what made me feel unsafe was number of abandoned houses in area, surrounding houses generally in disrepair, numerous “for rent” signs on houses on street (suggesting no takers), and the fact that the girls were catcalled by passing vehicle as we were checking in.

The host can’t control any of that. And probably didn’t advertise in the listing that the neighborhood didn’t include any of that.

I worked in real estate for an a long time and had to answer or not answer a lot of questions about how safe a neighborhood is. It’s so subjective as to be useless as different people have a huge spectrum of where they feel comfortable or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

It might be poorly written, it it’s reasonable. Leaving a review about the “safety of the neighborhood” (OP didn’t even stay there so how would she know?) wasn’t a review about the Airbnb itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

It might be poorly written, it it’s reasonable. Leaving a review about the “safety of the neighborhood” (OP didn’t even stay there so how would she know?) wasn’t a review about the Airbnb itself.

It would be highly influential to ANY perspective renter.

This is enough to make me never consider using AirBNB again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

It might be poorly written, it it’s reasonable. Leaving a review about the “safety of the neighborhood” (OP didn’t even stay there so how would she know?) wasn’t a review about the Airbnb itself.

It would be highly influential to ANY perspective renter.

This is enough to make me never consider using AirBNB again.

I mean… exactly? OP used a lot of ridiculous language in her posts, so I assume her review was no different. Trashing an entire neighborhood could affect lot of hosts, not just this one. And OP hasn’t given any evidence this airbnb was unsafe other than her feelings and apparently vacant buildings and a shooting 10 blocks away. By that standard, nowhere in DC would be “safe” either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I finally heard back from Airbnb. My review was removed because safety of the neighborhood is beyond a host’s control. Yes they actually put that in writing.

Do you disagree? Obviously lots of other people have stayed there and don’t feel “unsafe”. Whatever feelings you had were not the Airbnb hosts’ fault.

Is this a joke? If they have a policy of removing reviews about safety, then one has no way of knowing whether others felt safe there from reading the reviews because those reviews are removed.

Your fear for your safety was only your perception — you were never threatened or actually unsafe. I agree with the removal of your review. Truthfully you sound histrionic.

Next time instead of saying it is unsafe, try describing the surroundings — graffiti on buildings, open air drug market across the street, whatever. Be specific.

Agree with this. OP, I'm sorry but you are coming off like a really annoying Karen who is mad that Airbnb is not willing to keep up your review that was probably filled with racist and classist dog whistles. Next time, stay in a more expensive place in a nicer neighborhood. It isn't the Airbnb host's fault that you were being cheap or have desires beyond your budget.

As a single woman , I would definitely want to read this poster’s review (perception or not)!

NP who has been following thread. Same, I would want to read the OP’s review.

Sometimes feeling unsafe is just that - a feeling, that you shouldn’t dismiss, and that should not be invalidated by trolls or anyone else with insults and name calling.

If you feel unsafe, you feel unsafe. It doesn’t mean you are histrionic or a Karen or racist or classist.

People should be more alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews.
Of course we want to know what the surrounding area is like, and not just how fluffy the pillows are.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. In March, we went to Philadelphia for spring break for my kids. We stayed about 5-8 blocks from where OP said she booked in Center City and we drove through the South Philly area where OP was scared. I agree that the area might be unsafe for single females after dark, my wife said she would not feel safe walking alone. That said, it did not feel any less safe than many other city locales in virtually every major city in America. I think OP's comments in the original thread and her comments to airBnB were overly exaggerated and suggested that this shoudl be listed as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in urban America. It was a very common inner city neighborhood where it is not recommended to walk at night. I also think that area was pretty typical of the entire South Philly area. I don't think it was particularly more or less dangerous than other parts of that neighborhood and region. If OP was a single female or a small group of females going to a concert, she should have done better research and not rented anywhere in that neighborhood.

So, I think that airBnB did the right thing. Her comment was about the neighborhood and not the individual listing. The neighborhood is what it is. Patrons like OP should not be renting in that area/neighborhood, but that's up to those customers to research the area and realize that South Philly and Center City were not appropriate places for one or a few females who were not comfortable with inner city living to rent. But it isn't about the individual listing and shouldn't be on the individual listing. Renters need to do a better job vetting the neighborhoods they want to rent in.

I’m the PP you are apparently disagreeing with.

What specific statement are you disagreeing with?

the idea that if you feel unsafe, then you feel unsafe?

Or that some individuals, eg single female travellers, may indeed want reviews that describe the surrounding area and not just the fluffiness of pillows?

Or that we should be alarmed that Airbnb removes reviews?

These were the main points. Not sure why you begin with an apology - there is nothing apologetic in your reply. You even admit your wife said she would not feel safe walking alone at night there!

Well, I'm sorry now that I misphrased that. What I disagree with is that OPs review about the neighborhood was appropriate for the airBnB rental listing. The things that OP objected to were information about the neighborhood and not about the specific unit. Moreover, these were items for which the rental owner had no control over. The rental owner cannot change the crime statistics or the relative feeling of previous renters that the area was unsafe. The OP would need to search for the crime statistics or information about the Point Breeze neighborhood and get that information for herself.

Rental owners should not be required to either provide or justify information about the neighborhood in their rental listings. That's just outside of the scope of a rental. If you have such concerns, you need to investigate the neighborhood and zone yourself. AirBnB provides the location map on each rental that shows you the neighborhood. With the zoom feature, you can find the location within a one block radius so you can definitely do research on the neighborhood if this is relevant to your rental. The fact that she didn't do that research and then blamed the rental owner for not providing that information and blames airBnB from blocking such reviews regarding subjects outside of the owner's control is wholly OP's problem.

Ok...you must be an Airbnb owner.

It’s just my opinion, as a single female traveller, that Airbnb should allow reviewers to comment on safety of the location of the rental. Owners should be allowed to provide rebuttal if they want.

If Airbnb is deleting reviews, a very obvious disclaimer that reviews cannot comment on safety of location, and are removed, would be helpful.

I agree with this and I pointed it out earlier. But, I don't think OP's story lines up because I literally have seen (and shared!) reviews on airbnb that describe safety of an area in relative terms. And I shared one! AND you have airbnb hosts saying they CAN'T delete reviews. And I've *seen* 1 star reviews with my own eyes. All the time.

So it's not a matter of defending airbnb's policy of commenting on safety or not, because I don't believe OP saying they said that she wasn't allowed to do so. I don't believe that airbnb HAS a policy like that. I 100% think there's more to the story here and we're getting a sliver of what actually happened.

Well, we'll let everyone judge for themselves, this is the response I got from airbnb customer service:

Thank you for patiently waiting for my response.
In regard to this matter, please be advised that the review left was more on outside the listing and more on about the neighborhood which the Host doesn't have any control of it.
Thus, the review is removed.
|hope I was able to answer your questions and concerns. While I understand this may not be the outcome you were hoping for, I hope that you have many positive experiences with Airbnb moving forward.
Please let us know whether we can still be of help; otherwise, we'll close out this issue for the time being. I would be just right here for you! want you to know that you're not alone and I'm always here to help.

Wow, that is a poorly written response. Very unprofessional.

It might be poorly written, it it’s reasonable. Leaving a review about the “safety of the neighborhood” (OP didn’t even stay there so how would she know?) wasn’t a review about the Airbnb itself.

So pathetic, I stayed there long enough to know that a house on a block that was half abandoned wasn’t safe. The review was abut the safety of the rental, which is of course a function of its immediate surroundings.