Why are Americans so difficult to please?

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While the vast majority of my Asian and European guests seem to be very satisfied with the services we provide, Americans – especially middle aged travelers – tend to be more difficult to please.

They always think something is too small (flat size, kitchen size, bathroom size, bed size etc) - while people from Asia think exactly the same things are soooo big.
No matter how many amenities we provide, they always miss something.
They always look for a flaw to comment on - genuine or bizarre.
They like to compare us with other hosts (“the previous host we stayed with made us fresh buns at 6.am in the morning, Jan didn’t”).

If it wasn’t for all the American picky guests I’ve hosted I would have had 95% 5 star reviews (should I start to reject Americans? haha). They simply seem to be less generous with the ratings they are handing out and they make you work really hard for your 5 (or 4) stars.

So my questions are, why are Americans so difficult to please, and what does it take to make them happy?

(By all means, I’ve received a lot of glowing reviews from Americans too, but in general they seem to be harder to please than people from other countries)

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This is a difficult one to answer. I am getting lots of American guests, all the time, and they don’t seem to be more difficult to please than anybody else is.

Perhaps it is because your English accent sounds North Korean, to them, and Americans reject North Koreans? There could be a myriad of personal reasons for what you are experiencing.

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@Eberhard_Blocher > Perhaps it is because your English accent sounds North Korean, to them, and Americans reject North Koreans? There could be a myriad of personal reasons for what you are experiencing.

Haha, yes indeed. The problem is probably my accent and my North Korean style of hosting :smiley:

In general I’m getting fewer stars from Americans for sure, compared to other travelers from other countries

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I have only had one set of American guests but they were lovely and left a glowing five star review. I would host them again in a heartbeat.

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:joy::joy::joy::joy::joy: that review about the buns is so funny

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But also Yes in my experience Americans seem to be picky and untidy.

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This year, most of my guests have been American and I don’t find the same at all. Mind you I am in the US which might make a difference?

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@jaquo - I have the feeling Americans want everything to be like they’re used to, so if you’re in the US you probably have an advantage :wink:

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Yes, I’m sure you’re right to some extent. But our hosting style is not American - duvets (without top sheet!), electric kettle, French, English & Swedish books, teapot, croissants and San Pellegrino instead of bagels and US bottled water. Irish tea, English toiletries…

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I believe the experience depends on people and their character, not the nationality :slight_smile:

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Full disclosure, I’m an American married to a Brit.

America is huge. I grew up in rural PA, and I didn’t see foreign currency until I was in 5th grade. Until then, while I knew other countries existed, it was in the vague way you know there were Crusades and world wars and maybe dragons. (Pennsylvania is the size of England and Scotland, with no ocean access.)

I was lucky to get out of my country at a young enough age to still see difference as interesting and not a problem that needs to be corrected. (Note: this is not me slamming old people. I’ve just noticed, in myself, a creeping sense of discomfort at new differences which I’ve been working hard to counter.) But the country is huge, and even if you do achieve escape velocity, you still see McDonald’s everywhere. So it is easy to understand how Americans who don’t think about it, might assume you don’t know how to Do Things Right (where “right” is American. My phone just tried to autocorrect American to Aryan. Sigh.)

Also, politeness is taught locally but not valued in the larger culture. I think it’s about social hierarchy. The higher you are on the power totem pole, the less polite you “have” to be (to avoid negative consequences). Because we’re all about individuality, you can’t rely on your social network/ government to take care of you, so you have to use every advantage you’ve got to appear as high in the power structure as you can in order to be safe/respected/ not have your babies eaten.

If someone else is cleaning your sheets, they count as blue collar/ working/ serving class, and by being rude/correcting them, you affirm that you are above them in social station. (Especially if you’re already sensitive that you couldn’t afford a hotel, and are having to slum it in someone else’s house.)

Insecurity breeds rudeness.

…

Other random but related thought I’ve been thinking about: Airbnb has shifted their messaging from “live like a local” (share my home and neighborhood, see how things here are different from where you come from) to “be at home anywhere” (whatever it is that means “home” to you, we will recreate it wherever you go. There will be comforting sameness)

This second tagline is so much harder, because it involves psychic powers on behalf of the host.

… those are my deep thoughts for the day. :wink:

(Even before we hosted, I still left a nice review for the guest house we stayed in. But only because my mother in law told me to, and she’s better brought up than i am. i also told the host the bed was lumpy and when she said No one else has complained I showed her the black bruise the size of a goose egg on my side.)

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@Jan_J – maybe you’re getting what you expect to get from Americans – self-fulfilling prophecy as it were.

IMHO all AirBnb Hosts should keep in mind what George Bernard Shaw said about guests:

“Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!”

  • They always think something is too small (flat size, kitchen size, bathroom size, bed size etc).

By American standards much of what we find in Europe is small (except maybe buildings in Italy!). European countries generally cram many many more people into smaller spaces than we do in the States – our Country is perhaps bigger that the whole EU, not just Norway or Crete or England. My state (Florida), not the largest or smallest of 50 states, is 2/3 the size of the UK or half the size of Norway

  • No matter how many amenities we provide, they always miss something.

Keep track of that list of amenities and see how many you can find. Perhaps you’re the one who is missing something.

  • They always look for a flaw to comment on - genuine or bizarre.

No, we don’t always anything. Most Americans don’t travel outside their own State (equivalent to a European never leaving his/er country), and new travelers often are struck by how different things are in foreign places.

  • They like to compare us with other hosts…

So? Maybe you could learn something by listening!

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@KenH

Amenites we provide:

General: Fast internet (streaming quality), air condition, view, sound proof walls, elevator in the building, wide halls and doors, fire extinguisher, first aid kit

Living room: Large flat screen TV with 60 international channels, balcony with a great city view, dining table for up to 8 people, sofa for up to 8 people, dimming lights, blenders, Sony sound system

Kitchen: cutlery, plates and glasses / cups for up to 10 people toaster, water boiler, coffee machine, stove, dishwasher, frying pan, bowls, saucepans, shot glasses, red wine glasses, white wine glasses, waterl glasses, Nespresso coffee cups (small) Nespresso coffe cups (large), basic cooking ingredients such as oil, spices, salt sugar etc, the guest can drink unlimited amounts of coffee and tea

Bathroom: Steam shower, washing machine, dryer, heated floor, free use of extra towels, hair dryer, swabs, basic toiletries (soap, shampoo, lotion, gel), large mirror, downlights

And much more…

But still, it’s not the RIGHT type of coffee machine or the guests FAVOURITE channel or the right COLOR of the plates…etc etc…there is always something wrong.

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Are you serious? People comment on the color of the plates? Or is this just an exaggeration to make a point?

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I think you hit the nail on the head.

Some people just can’t stand when other’s have it better than themselves (and Jan’s place sounds better than a hotel AND he’s also in a country with one of the best standards of living in the world!) so there’s this need to take him down a peg. When a person complains, they also get a small adrenaline surge which makes them feel a little more powerful which helps to right their balance.

FWIW, our 4 star reviews tend to come from the French. Some cultures just have built-in entitlement, no matter where they go. Unfortunately, other countries are under no obligation to put up with it, like North Korea.

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I can’t stand a lot of Americans and I’m American. Entitled, self-absorbed and shallow. They are THE worst travelers and they always have been.

https://www.ricksteves.com/press-room/ugly-american-sentiment-abroad

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I was going to say it’s because we think “our sh!+ don’t stink!” @CatskillsGrrl said it more professionally. Obviously every individual should be treated as one, not as a member of a stereotyped group but as a group, Americans have a lot of flaws. It’s actually a part of our culture, scholars refer to something called “American exceptionalism.” Reagan referred to us as a “shining city on a hill.” Our current President thinks he can make us “great again” and that the entire world owes us for building the Panama Canal or whatever. I host about 85% awesome American guests. One of the less desirable guest couples I had were Italian.

Periodically someone makes a post in which they think the nationality of the guest is relevant; it gives us a chance to have fun with stereotypes.

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There is a lot of be said for home baking. At the moment I am on a baking buzz and everyday a guest is leaving my house a few pound heavier. Started doing little bit size chocolate bars, then scones, irish soda bread, t-brake, lemon cake. I get left crumbs everyday and a few have asked for recipes and baked a home which is really nice

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I’m an American who lived abroad as a teenager…my dad held a diplomatic post, defense attaché at an American embassy. I’ve had a lot of experience traveling abroad and exposure to so called third world cultures by living in them for three years. It gave me a perspective I would often find missing in my fellow Americans. America is not like Europe, sharing borders with Lots of countries, allowing for easy travel between them, and thus easier exposure to differing ways of life.

I would never ever be a picky traveler and consider myself super easygoing, and a go with the flow type…

We have a show here called International House hunters, where people relocating, mostly Americans, are shocked at what they get in Amsterdam or Paris In comparison to what they are used to here. They can’t believe no dishwasher, or sometimes, no appliances at all! :rofl::rofl:.

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First off, I had no idea … this explains your political insights. They are usually of larger scope than most Americans.

We watch HHI just so I can 1) See how other counties live … and judge the buyers for their shallowness. (I can usually tell within 3 seconds whether the couple will be so annoying I cannot watch the show) and 2) judge whether their marriage will survive.

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