Airbnb fury as hosts left bewildered by ‘ridiculous’ review from guest | UK | News

A Scottish Airbnb host has been left fuming, and a little bemused, after a guest complained that her stay at a working farm was ruined by noisy sheep.

Holly Thomson, 36, who runs The Barn at Summerhill Farm Stays in Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, said she was “gutted” after the visitor’s three-star review dragged down her perfect five-star score. The review complained that “even earplugs didn’t quite block out” the bleating of sheep overnight, despite the property being located in the middle of a lambing field with around 100 animals.

“It is ridiculous,” Holly said. “We found it quite funny too. What are you expecting? You can’t stop animals being animals. It’s very much, you come because you want to experience country life. We’re very remote and that’s a selling point. It’s why we wanted to do it.”

The disgruntled guest also criticised the “clean and modern” interior as “a bit lacking in character”, saying the shower lacked water pressure and there was “not much to do in the nearby surroundings.”

Before the review, Holly’s farm cottage had consistently earned five-star feedback and was ranked among Airbnb’s “most loved homes.” Now, she fears the single low score could hurt her small business’s visibility on the platform.

“I checked my emails and had a notification from Airbnb that I’d got my first three-star review,” she explained. “It said the sheep were too loud and even earplugs didn’t stop the noise at night. It’s literally in the name of our business — it’s a farm stay! That’s the experience people book for.”

Holly posted a light-hearted TikTok video poking fun at the situation, which has since gone viral, racking up more than 750,000 views and an outpouring of support.

One commenter wrote: “It’s not fair you get marked down for something clearly stated in the listing.” Another joked: “I’d book for the sheep noises!”

Airbnb confirmed that the review will remain, stating it didn’t violate their feedback policy. A spokesperson said: “We have a strict reviews policy to ensure feedback is authentic and useful. Reviews are only removed in limited circumstances, but hosts are free to publicly respond if they disagree.”

Still, Holly insists the complaint is unfair. “We’ve poured our heart and soul into this. We’re young farmers trying to diversify, and it’s been a big risk,” she said. “You can’t please everyone — maybe country life just isn’t for everyone.”