Anonymous wrote:AND this is why I really do not like these platforms. I fairly and honestly rate hotels when I stay there. I should be able to do the same for rentals. And yeah if you are shabby then you should not get 5 stars even if I can see the shabby in the pics.

I agree with this, and it’s why I write really thorough reviews on platforms like Airbnb. It kills me when I go somewhere and there is some glaring issue that everyone was too polite to mention in a review.

I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t review, OP. Particularly with a mobility/safety issue like you mentioned. You want someone else to not know just so you don’t hurt the owner’s feelings? Makes no sense.

AND this is why I really do not like these platforms. I fairly and honestly rate hotels when I stay there. I should be able to do the same for rentals. And yeah if you are shabby then you should not get 5 stars even if I can see the shabby in the pics.

Anonymous wrote:OP you said that the rental was on the lower end cost wise. You get what you pay for. The five star reviews no doubt take that into account. It’s not a five star rental, it’s a five star bargain. Big difference.

This.

I had a nice AirBnB in London that was exactly as described BUT the sheets were laundered with a detergent so fragrant it made my eyes water when I laid down. And there was an in-unit washing machine but it was European so it was an all-day affair to run. And the offending detergent was the only one onsite. The spare sheets were also washed with this.

I took off the pillowcase and put a towel on the pillow.

The host wasn't nearby and the cleaning service wasn't going to do a house call just to do sheets.

I just didn't leave a review.

I agree this is a tough one. I recently stayed at a place that really was a dump. The pictures were deceiving. And the owner was a complete jerk when I raised issues. I left a poor review and he turned around and completely trashed me in his review of me which was so petty. So if you leave a poor review, be prepared that you might unjustly get a poor review in return. And VRBO couldn’t have cared less.

Don't leave a review. If they press you explain why.
Or leave less than 5 but on some platforms they can remove reviews.

OP you said that the rental was on the lower end cost wise. You get what you pay for. The five star reviews no doubt take that into account. It’s not a five star rental, it’s a five star bargain. Big difference.

Did you check negative reviews to see if any of the issues were mentioned before?