The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that ratings systems on restaurants, hotels and attractions are supposed to keep everyone honest. In a Globe special, Alicia Simms Breland writes that consumers might wonder if Airbnb's system has been corrupted by a relentless pursuit of five-star reviews. After staying in an Airbnb in Montreal, the hosts surprised the writer and her husband. The apartment within a three-unit townhouse gave them a generally satisfactory stay, so they left a mostly positive four-star review. It was clean but they noticed the rental wasn't quite like the photos. It was a cramped space despite being described as "spacious." Also, it was missing pillows, rugs and blankets shown in the listing. There was noise from the upstairs tenants until 2:30 a.m. So the couple mentioned this in their review of the property. The Airbnb hosts then contacted the writer with a plea that had a "cut-and-paste" feel that their less-than-five-star review would affect the overall rating of their listing. Would she consider deleting it? All this left the couple with the feeling that the accommodation rental review business become a cutthroat back alley where customers can't be honest with their experiences.