Building and Improving the Superhost Program

[Airbnb]

As our global host community grows and becomes increasingly diverse, Airbnb’s programmes and policies need to grow and adapt as well – both to ensure the success of people from all over the world, and to show our appreciation for hosts’ hard work and amazing hospitality. That’s why we’re updating the Superhost programme to make it more fair, inclusive, and valuable to hosts everywhere.

Review rates

Great reviews are essential to earning Superhost status. They also help create a community where trust and transparency is shared between guests and hosts. But, hosts can’t control whether or not their guests choose to leave a review. After examining global data and speaking with Superhosts in a number of countries, we discovered that review rates aren’t consistent worldwide – some travellers always leave reviews, while others rarely do. This discrepancy can put some hosts at a disadvantage when it comes to consideration for Superhost status. In order to make the evaluation process more fair for everyone in our global community, we’ll no longer require that hosts have at least a 50% review rate in order to become Superhosts (or retain their existing status).

Cancellation policy

As part of our effort to make sure Airbnb programmes are built to meet the needs of all hosts, we’re also updating our cancellation requirement. Previously, we required that Superhosts have zero cancellations, but for hosts with an extremely high volume of bookings across multiple listings, that standard is impractical. To make the programme more fair for high-volume hosts, we’re now allowing one cancellation per 100 trips booked over the past year, which means a cancellation rate of less than 1% across all of your listings. It’s important to note that we still take cancellation as seriously as ever. Over the past five years, the Superhost community has worked hard to earn the trust of their guests and we will continue to reward that trust by recognising the most reliable hosts with Superhost status.

Both the changes to our cancellation and review requirements will take effect on the 1 July quarterly Superhost assessment. We’ll also be updating hosting dashboards at this time to reflect this new criteria.

Stay tuned 

We’re committed to continually improving the Superhost programme so that it works for the entire host community. That includes using clear, fair qualification criteria and making it valuable for every Superhost. From the overall design of the programme to how it rewards the community, we’re looking at different ways to not only make your hosting experience more positive, but also help you be more successful. So, please stay tuned, there’s a lot of exciting news to come.

[Arline3]

That would not happen in New York. Neighbors would call the police if you don’t. At some level the law has to take priority over Airbnb’s policies.

[Stephanie1227]

Yaassssss! It’s so irritating how Airbnb does nothing about those types of reviews! Especially for a superhost!!!!

[Kerri36]

How do we combat this, especially as SuperHosts who have bent over backwards for guests??!!

[Thomas-and-Hope0]

I see one coming today because my house rules where broken with no pets and Airbnb made it seem like I was wrong when I told the guest either the dog leaves or they have to.  Rules are rules, felt lack of support on this one.

[Connie274]

Great Thought Emilia!! That would be great when you have lots of reviews that are all positive and you get that ONE that no matter what you do for them they are NEVER going to be happy so they pick at everything in their review! So frustrating!!

[Moire0]

Absolutely! I had a recent guest go a step further... 

After a lovely farm to table breakfast with myself and my niece, they stayed after checkout time. One of the guests got in my hot tub naked with out permission (house rule) in clear view of open window where my sweet niece who’s ten saw her, screams and tells me. 

I ask her friend to tell her to put on her clothes. I then text them to leave. 

They then reported me for having a racist statue. It was in my private space and was among many statues of other cultures all over the world. This one was black and they found it offensive. (They were not black.) AirBnB said I should remove it and if I continue with this behavior I could be suspended! After tons of emails they have not drawn back from their stance. 

Note: I explained to them the significance of the antique as a sign that people could freely speak about the Underground Railroad! 

Did I mention it was in my private space?

 I would quit but I love what I do here and could not reach such a diverse group of people with out this platform. It’s helping me save my family farm for my niece. 

[LeeAnn27]

@Airbnb @Moire0 I am so sorry for this unfortunate experience.  It is important that the historical significance of the Underground Railroad be talked about. One of the reasons we have racial tensions is because there is so little understanding between whites and people of color.  One of the premises of Airbnb is to support a diverse community and greater global awareness.        When I joined Airbnb in 2013 the process to become a guest was much more difficult than it is today. I felt, at the time, that it was important I establish myself as a ‘safe and responsible person’ before I was accepted as a guest. I felt it was a ‘privilege’ to be in the Airbnb community and needed to earn a good reputation. 

What has happened is now only the hosts  must work. Guests can book with the most minimal of credentials. I was shocked when I became a host this year and found that the tables had turned. It is wrong!   Much better when guests feel they need to earn the privilege to stay in peoples homes and properties.  

The guest I had who left me a 1* review had actually earned good reviews and yet he still broke the rules. When I was asking him and all the drunk people with him to leave there were young men ( much taller and stronger than I) shouting at me that ‘This is an Airbnb!  We paid for it!  We can do whatever we want!’    We’ll, NO they cannot but this is what Airbnb’s administrators have done.  Airbnb is supporting the bad actors rather than the good ones. 

I would like like to be a host in the future but my experiences thus far have left me feeling that hosts are the minions groveling for good reviews and guests think they can do whatever they please. The majority of my guests have been incredibly wonderful!  But the bad apples are not being culled and, if unchecked, are going to ruin this whole new economy for everyone. 

My city is considering laws  to prevent short term rentals in quiet single-family neighborhoods and buildings.  Airbnb’s leniency towards their own policies to protect users is going to bite them in the Rumpus. 

[Moire0]

Thank you for the understanding. I totally agree with what you are saying. 

I have traveled the world and we as a family have invited the world here. 

I didn't ever expect my hosts to conform to me but the total opposite. I wanted to enjoy them and their experiences. To learn and appreciate our similarities and our differences. 

My BnB is here for an experience of a bygone time of hospitality that I felt in Scotland as a child. Of close to 50 guests so far I have had 2 who took advantage of us. Now I feel like AirBnB is also. 

Be well and I pray a hedge of protection over us!

[John-and-Janis0]

We had one but I finally called Airbnb and they reviewed it and took the review off completely. It was an unfounded star rating review and I had refuted each star in my response(2stars for everything but cleanliness) and we have excellent reviews from all other guests!!  

[Franca90]

Yes I totally agree. I always always tell my guests to please contact me if there are any issues. I will take care of them (or housekeep) asap. Then a nasty guest will post some mundane thing such as bleach stain on a towel , and mark you down. I had a guest complain about the air conditioner when they never ever asked me how to work it.

The only good piece in this system is that we do get the "last word". On the above, I did post a reply to their post. Problem is as hosts we still go down in our ratings. I have been a super host for a few years now and this really really bugs me!

[Rahul67]

They have been -- case by case basis.  We had one - it was stupid - and they saw it was stupid so they removed it. 

[Justin271]

No Doubt @Emilia42 ! It would be in Airbnb's best interest to review retaliatory reviews against hosts and judge what is fair, accurate and remove these ratings and reviews especially if they want to continue to make a profit from successful hosts. I feel the whole rating system is a bit of a hostage situation against hosts. I recently had a guest who decided to dye her hair in my brand new tub staining the bed sheets, duvet, pillow cases, 2 towels, shower liner, bath mat, shower curtain and even a kitchen towel. She didn't mention anything before check out about the incident and I was terrified to say anything before the review process. So I decided to bite the cost and the loss and left a not so stellar review of the incident. 

[Ann647]

Airbnb could consider a new policy of automatically removing the lowest review of every 25 reviews. That would certainly help address the one off disgruntled travelers false review. 

[Karin80]

amen to that.  I recently had a vicious lady whom I let in very late at night very helpful and she complained because I told her there was a $20 charge for hire of a porta cot for her stay.  I told her she could bring her own porta cot if she wished and save the $20.  She said not she would use ours and pay the $20.  Which of course to date she still has not paid.  She ate and drank things from my mini bar which had a form to complete for payment and she neglected to do that as well.  and then complained and gave a bad review.

 Where is my comeback on that.  The place was also dirty when she checkout out baby pumpkin or something orange split and rubbed into the carpet not even cleaned hmmm. What can I say

[Anne715]

Yes they cripple the extensive work of the superhost.  I suggest the hosts review of the sameclients are considered prior to reducing the superhost status.