Clarity about the recent Superhost criteria change

Airbnb · ‎26-04-2018

We’ve noticed a lot of discussion lately about the updated Superhost criteria, so we wanted to explain why we made this update.

The Superhost program recognizes the best and most iconic hosts on Airbnb. Since it began, in order to be a Superhost you had to meet several criteria. You had to host at least 10 stays per year, you had to have zero cancellations (except for extenuating circumstances), you had to respond to 90% of the messages you received within 24 hours, and 80% of your ratings had to be 5 stars.

The first 3 criteria are staying the same, but beginning in July, instead of needing 80% 5-star reviews, Superhosts will now need an average review score of 4.8.

There are several reasons why we decided to make this change. First and foremost, because it’s simpler and easier to understand. One of the top pieces of feedback we received about the old program criteria was that guests couldn’t intuitively understand what it took to be a Superhost. By making the change from 80% 5-star reviews to an overall rating of 4.8, guests can more easily understand what it means to be a Superhost. Additionally, switching to an overall rating of 4.8 stars also brings consistency across our new programs like Collections and Plus, which require a 4.8 overall rating as well as several other criteria.

In looking at recent data, we estimate that between 90% to 95% of our Superhosts are going to have no problem qualifying for the Superhost program under the new criteria. Ultimately, it’s our goal to have as many Superhosts as possible and have all hosts provide amazing guest experiences worthy of stellar reviews. Our plan is to continue to closely monitor how these standards impact the Superhost program and evolve them based on what’s working and what isn’t. We truly appreciate the feedback you’ve provided so far and we look forward to working with you to bring further clarity and consistency to the program.

Margaret507 · ‎29-01-2023

Could you please explain how someone with only 2 reviews can be a "super host".

Thank you.

Elaine-And-David0 · ‎29-03-2022

Thank you all you have made me feel so much better. I have been really upset by a 1* review. I have had 18 x 5* reviews and incredible positive comments then got a 4* overall but 5* on all categories and good comments. Got the impression that she never gives full marks. However she booked again as have several other guests, one came back 6 times. Then I got this one from a guest who didn't read the description or the check in details. Left vomit in the bed and blocked the spa bath with muck. Not to mention unbelievable number of wine bottles. Think he was an alcoholic. He then had the nerve to say it was dirty, awful location not as described and not value for money. I feel better having realised every one gets some crack pots, But it seems really unfair that it may influence future guests and lose us our super host status. Beginning to think it's not worth the stress to host.

Elaine-And-David0 · ‎29-03-2022

This is a bad system and is setting up hosts to fail. Now thinking twice about hosting.

Sonia_Michael1 · ‎16-01-2022

We had to change our business model from hosting groups of 12-15 in our home to having two people in an annexe. Since doing this our income and our bookings have dropped because we cannot offer full self catering kitchen in our annexe. It’s cooking by microwave only. People don’t read the detail and so they book and then very often they cancel when we point them to read our offering. Those that do come love the place but it has been very hard to get people through the door. We cannot return to houseparties yet, if ever again. It’s been tough!

Gilly7 · ‎16-01-2022

In the U.K. the hospitality sector is struggling: the Government here has closed hosts down (completely) repeatedly over the past year and a half and made it impossible to host people inside homes (I serve plant-based food to my guests inside). It is still difficult to host at home: one in 15 people now have the Omicron virus in the U.K. and travellers are reticent to book. .Personally, I saw a lot of people from Europe and this trade stopped over the past two summers. Airbnb should be making concessions to superhosts: historically and pre-Covid they were the back bone of their business.

Chyrel0 · ‎16-01-2022

I see multiple superhost statuses with less than a 4.8

In January , knowing that Airbnb just reviewed the accounts, a host with 4.6 is still superhost.

Or how about a new listing with no reviews yet! Still is a superhost? That’s baffling

Susan990 · ‎10-08-2021

Re: Clarity about... the writer left out a very important CHANGE to criteria necessitated by COVID and the resulting surge in demand for longer term stays-monthlys. The Super Host criteria clearly displays this change -- 10 stays OR 100 nights over 3+stays. Please confirm this change and post it. Thank you.

Susan

Susan990 · ‎24-07-2021

This report is at odds with the changes made to the criteria earlier which specify either 10 reservations per year OR at least 3 reservations comprising 150 days total. Please explain this error. I just had a review and this detail was specified. It is an important distinction because since the pandemic many hosts have transitioned to long term stays of many months to meet the lodging needs of the market which has changed dramatically. Since I pivoted to long term my occupancy rate has skyrocketed! Please tell me you are NOT taking this much needed and welcome change back to the past.

Susan

Rebecca251 · ‎24-07-2021

I’ve given up trying as it’s so confusing.....

Kathy316 · ‎24-07-2021

I agree with all said.I have been a SH for7 years now I'm not.I didn't change but Abnb did and not for the better.I can not get any answers, that I trust. They have no respect for the money we have spent or the work it takes to be a good host.I have always thought they should drop your lowest rating once a year, because that guest was the most horrible and you told them so.

Najla2 · ‎20-06-2021

This is an unfortunate decision by Airbnb. It's nice to be a Superhost, but the new criteria are unreasonable. Eighty per cent of scores being 5s was reasonable, but 4.8 is very different. It only takes one bad score from a disgruntled, unreasonable guest to lose one's Superhost status. And as a result of people booking to host drunken parties during the day and night (we have an ideal space outdoors with a heated pool and barbecue), I have had to vet potential guests much more carefully and if someone seems to be booking to hold a party (I try to warn her/him/them off in advance in my advertisement and first message) then I will decline the booking. I think I will just offer and provide the best accommodation and service I can (just what one would do normally) and put the possibility of Airbnb superhost status to the back of my mind. What is more important is that I provide a pleasant place for a reasonable price and that I have guests who will treat the apartment as if it were their own.

Peter124 · ‎12-10-2020

@Winny1 Wow, sorry to see that ABB has ignored the people who are responsible for creating a multibillion dollar business for so many years. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

Winny1 · ‎12-10-2020

@Peter124Thanks. It's such a shame the business has forgotten about hosts in the process.

Winny1 · ‎12-10-2020

Guests can't leave 4.8 stars... or 4.5 stars... is either 4 or 5.... if there is one tiny fault like they used the toilet alot and ran out of toilet paper (never happened in the 50 guests before)... they can leave 4 stars even though everything else is perfect. Its a not a fair system to:

1) Increase the criteria significantly : we have decided to build our own webpage and take our own bookings, along with not trying to achieve the unrealistic superhost status anymore.

2) Giving no range between 4 and 5 stars - once you have a few guests that leave 4 stars its nearly impossible to catch up.

3) Not have an assessment system to remove reviews from notoriously harsh guests (guests can say everything was perfect and would come and stay again but leave 3 or 4 stars....). Guests who never leave good reviews should not could towards the system.

4) Not factor in 'median' in fairness and remove the worst/best 10% of reviews.

5) Not explaining to the guests the review system, ie if they are happy and would come again the property probably deserves 5 stars! And they are assessing against what they had booked and their experience related to the reality of what they had booked. Not rated against their fantasy holiday, things they wished was there ('The kitchen was exactly as in he pictures but its too small for 6 people to cook together - then please book somewhere with a large kitchen if 6 people want to cook together. Or their overall holiday (ie there was alot of traffic on the motorway so it took longer to reach the property than expected... not part of my property...).

6) Being able to remove reviews that are unreasonable... like booking a place that is not within the town centre for a cheaper price then complaining and leaving a bad review because the guests couldn't walk to all the tourist points, or booking a place without a Pool/TV/Dishwasher/Washing Machine (which is all clearly shown in the listing) and then get a bad review about these unpaid for luxuries...

This topic has been discussed for years now and nothing has changed by airbnb so i'm just talking to a brick wall here but one thing we have decided is to stop chasing the unicorn. The superhost status is not a realistic assessment.

Rossana121 · ‎09-03-2020

I read somewhere in the community a host stating that European almost never leave a 5/5 star rating.

As an European I can confirm that is actually true. Even when I'm at all satisfied with a service, in my mind the 5 stars only go to those who proved to be willing to go the extra mile or make the extra effort. It's like sort of a bonus.

I think the star rating as set by Airbnb is completely misleading. Nowhere it's explained to guests that 5 star is the standard, and everything below that means lacking or not good.

There should be a better policy in place to 1) explain to guests what ratings actually mean for a guest and 2) sort the average for the superhost status with different criteria (i.e. by letting a host flag a defined number of retaliation ratings every year).

My first guest retaliated because I confronted him over the fact that I found out he poured coffee on the wall and didn't bother to tell me (and didn't even apologize!). So I started out with a flat 4 star overall rating. Not to my fault, but still...

Gilly7 · ‎14-04-2021

@ Rosanna121 I agree Europeans are very fickle about rating hosts but the rating system is also open to nuances which possibly are not understood in N America. Even having gone the extra mile - one mainland European gave me 5 stars across the board except for value for money - 3 stars. I have never had a 3 star rating (for anything) in the 7 years I have been running. Certainly she was full of praise in her written review. May be what she was trying to say was that I had not charged enough!

Winny1 · ‎12-10-2020