I went to Miami for New Year’s and stayed in a high-end condo downtown. I traveled with my two small children, so pool and beach club access played a major role in choosing this place. We paid over $1,000 per night.
The pool closed at “sunset” every day, which effectively meant around 5:30 p.m. That was extremely frustrating because we had daytime activities planned most days, and evening pool time was one of the main reasons I booked this condo. I would not have chosen it if I had known the pool and hot tub would be unavailable at night.
I messaged the host during our stay, and they told me it was due to “state law” and out of their control. I reached out to Airbnb support and they refunded 30% of my stay.
I’m conflicted about how to review the host. I know hosts expect 5 stars, and I genuinely hesitate to leave anything less, but I also feel disappointed in the experience. Beyond the pool restriction, the “included beach club access” required a 20-minute drive to Miami Beach, which felt misleading. The condo also ran warm and the thermostat didn’t seem to work properly. There were two box fans in each closet, which made me suspect this has been an issue for other guests. It was a cool week so it wasn’t a major problem, but I would have wanted to know about it in advance.
AITA if I mention these issues in my review? Will it make other hosts less willing to host me? I only have six stays on my profile and I don’t want to hurt my standing. I also got a notification that the host already left me a review, otherwise I probably would have just let it go.
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Host and guest here. Most definitely consider that in your review if it wasn't listed in the series of the listing.
Guy in my beach condo complex states that his units are oceanfront. Well, the property is on the ocean side of the road but they look at the parking lot.
People are pissed when they arrive.
MY unit looks straight at the ocean.
I would definitely mention it in the review and also privately mention to the host that they should say clearly in the listing that State law requires the pool and spa to be closed at sunset. Maybe 4 stars?
What state law? I live in Florida and my community's pool is open 24/7.
That's what the host told them...that it was the law.
I read that. And I said what I said.
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OMG. I hope you said that in your review. We guests rely on you.
Always review honestly, because the reviews are for future potential guests. What would you want to have known before you reserved the property? Put that stuff in your review, and don't give 5 stars because it wasn't perfect luxury, and that's what 5 stars means.
And the only hosts that might decide not to rent to you are hosts you wouldn't want to rent from anyway. The only thing I think might be pushing it is the beach club being 20 minutes away. That really depends on where the condo is located. If the condo is located 20 minutes from the beach, then that's reasonable. If the beach is right next on the condo but you have to drive 20 minutes along the beach to get to the beach club, then that's unreasonable. I probably wouldn't say any specific opinion about it in my review. I would just mentioned that the beach club is 20 minutes away. But I'd say something negative about the pool closing. And I'd look up the local law to see if there really is something saying they have to close at sunset. And I'd mention the thermostat issue, as well, but I'd explain it more. Like, I put the thermostat on cold and turned it down and it was still blowing hot air through the vents. Or, I turned off the heat at the thermostat but the vents still kept blowing hot air. Or, I set the thermostat to 70 over and over and it kept going back up to 75 on its own.
Five star doesn’t mean perfect luxury. It means it reasonably met expectations- there is no perfect. IMHO the hours of the sauna could be mentioned in the review but if the room was otherwise outstanding you give them the 5 stars
Honestly it would take a lot for me to not give 5 stars, that would be like not tipping at a restaurant and I don’t know that I’ve ever done that in my life.
Please give an honest review. Reviews are for future guests. If a host isn’t honest, and guests aren’t honest, that’s a problem.
I will sometimes give a 3-star review. And then I will state in my full review - “the condo itself is a 5-star experience with nice furnishings, comfortable bed, great location, etc. However my overall rating is a 3-star because the pool and spa closed at sunset and the description didn’t accurately reflect that.”
Add whatever else you want, you can still give positive accolades for what was good, but a slightly lower rating overall will give pause to people to read the comments before booking. I think giving a 1-star rating is extreme if it was just the pool hours but all else was great. Most people will think a 1-star rating is just a disgruntled guest.
Mostly agree but I'd go 4, not 3. To me, 3 implies some kind of major issue, which I don't agree this qualifies as.
Most Hosts and Guests just want you to post accurate reviews. It helps the good hosts stand out and helps guests avoid the bad hosts. Win-win all around.
At the very least leave it in the written portion of your review.
The amount of stars you leave; if indeed the listing didn't mention it at all, I'd leave at most 3 stars. If it's mentioned & you missed it - that's on you & you should leave 5 stars permitting everything else is/was dandy.
4 stars and MENTION IT ALL in your public review! - a 4.98 star host here
As a guest I would want to know this in a review for sure. I'd be so mad if I was expecting an evening swim or hot tub and wasn't told it closed that early.
Host and guest. I wouldn't down rate because of the fans. It may have nothing to do with the temperature. I leave a box fan in every bedroom closet in my AirBnB because some people want the white noise, and air movement when they sleep.
Exactly
Certainly mention them.
Another classic case of “one thing was wrong so now I have a laundry list of small complaints”. Is the pool rule truly state law? If so, the host might have forgotten to mention it if it’s common for them— hopefully they take that as feedback and add it. Did they ask you what you felt was fair compensation?
Did you tell your host that there was a thermostat issue as soon as you noticed it? Supplying fans for guests does not mean your host has been negligent, it might just be good hospitality.
I think if you think you received a good room for the money you paid then its a five star, perfect isn’t really achievable
On Airbnb a 4 star is pretty bad
I don’t think the condo rules around hours imho would warrant a deduction if you otherwise had a nice stay at a good place
I wouldn’t blame a guest for mentioning an offered amenity was not available after 5:30PM, if the rating was not below 4. Personally, I would prefer to swim when the sun goes down (mosquitos permitting) and would have tourist plans for the daytime. The fans and thermostat I would leave out of it. The number of guests who want white noise is astonishing and you do not know how the thermostat would be set on a hotter week.
High-end costs and listing, hight-end expectations. Don't be mean about it but definitely mention it in the review because you were certainly charged for it
I think this is a situation that warrants no review. You booked hotel downtown Miami so of course beach club access would have to be a drive looking at a map. Also the pool thing is a rule in Miami. I’ve been a few times fountain blu hotel, small hotels and friends condos I’ve stayed at close sometime between 5-7pm. Honestly all hotels have pool hours and outdoor pools normally close earlier than indoor pools due to safety and visibility. I think that’s a question you should have asked ahead of time. I get it’s disappointing you didn’t get the vacation you expected but I am shocked you got 30% back already. Count that as a small win.
So the pool thing is a Florida state law, Miami itself doesn't have ordinances dictating this. The state law dictates closing public pools at night (sundown to sunset) unless the pool has approved lighting. The law also says the hours need to be posted including on booking site which is why she got money back IMO.
Its worth clarifying this because there ARE numerous 24 hr outdoor hotel pools in Miami. I agree that I would ask too, but I don't think it's odd to expect access after 5pm because I've literally never stayed in a hotel in Miami that closed their pools at sundown.
Hard disagree. This is a local thing that the host should know to make their non-local guests aware of in advance. The benefit of the review is letting people know about a feature that may impact their desire to book, which this very much is. Her getting 30% back doesn't help future guests make informed choices at all
One star. The host lied to you. It’s most certainly not “state law.”
And people wonder why we have such a bifurcated society now.
Those that lie and those that don’t?
That one thing made the stay horrible?
Lying is horrible. Pulling stuff out of your butt and passing it off as truth is even worse. This is why everything is so bifurcated.
Yes.
I can 100% see now how this has made your life so bifurcated. I would highly suggest a weekend at a cabin. Disconnected.
First, did you re-read all of the listing details? Were the pool hours listed in the details? If not then I’d detract one to two stars for “accuracy” and I’d mention it in the review: “It should be noted that pool hours are xx - yy, which wasn’t mentioned in the property description when we made our reservation.”
Next, if the hours weren’t mentioned in the listing details, you might try asking Airbnb for a partial refund, due to the amenity not being available as described in the listing. You might get a 15-20% discount for that.
If the listing was misleading about proximity to the beach, then you should mention that as well. Detract one star for “location” and state in the review something like: “We were under the impression that the unit was (five minutes walk or across the street, or whatever) to the beach, but this isn’t true. It’s actually a 20 minute drive.”
If you’re not sure whether the AC worked properly then you shouldn’t mention it. The presence of fans for supplemental ventilation means nothing, as lots of places have those.