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.

Jonathan563 · ‎30-08-2019

Airbnb should incorporates the 95th percentile system into the calculation.

What does that mean?

Airbnb would only consider the best 95 reviews out of 100.

To make it simple, if you have:

- 100 reviews, 5 of the worst would NOT be included in your rate.

- 60 reviews, 3 of the worst would NOT be included in your rate.

- 40 reviews, 2 of the worst would NOT be included in your rate.

- 20 reviews, 1 of the worst would NOT be included in your rate.

So basically you have an average of 4.8* after 20 reviews... and the next guest give you a 3*.

Right now, you would fall from 4.8* to 4.71* in a minute... just because *1* single stay gave you a 3*... imagine anything worse, like a 2* or 1*...

With the 95th percentile system, that review would be ignored and you would keep your 4.8*

So every 20 reviews you can have one of your worst review removed. We use this formula in different mathematics to see the real "normal" use, without any brutal change (up or down, as it can be applied both ways)

Of course, Airbnb could find it confusing... but if it's part of the calculation, nobody will see it and you would always have a review reflected by your rates, or simply a better one. Who is asking questions when things are positives?

I can be wrong...

Joel446 · ‎09-10-2019

I lost super host because of one bad review. Dude could not figure out how to change the air conditioner from fan to cool and didn't ask for help, but blamed us for being hot. Pretty sure it was the same guy who left a bad review earlier under a different name. His MO was the same. It hasn't hurt my bookings in the least. I honestly think if you have a budget accommodation, super host is of little or no value.

Debbie338 · ‎12-10-2019

I stopped doing reviews completely. If they want to rate me then I will rate them back, but I give them the opportunity first to rate. It sure saves on a lot of headache wondering what they will rate in response to getting a review. Most of mine are good, then there’s the nitpickers, so I’m really not worried about ratings anymore. Just buck the system and don’t rate them first. Just an idea. I got 5 stars on everything then 4 star overall on several..which is weird, I don’t understand. Do away with Location rating as well. They know where the area is when they book. Airbnb is fun but the current rating system takes the pleasure out of it.

Ann10 · ‎24-07-2021

I usually do not give them a review unless they do 1st as well. Then if they were nightmare guests, I say so in the review. I only review them 1st if the guest has already told me that they are going to give me a 5 star review.

There was one person who gave me a 1 star review because she didn't look on the one and only pole in the back yard that had the lockbox on it. The directions were very clear. Anyway, she never stayed there and airbnb cancelled the reservation and allowed her to give me a bad review. It took them months to remove the review because she came long after the check-in window.

Honestly, I do not care when they check in, but I protected myself by putting a window so if someone complains about not being able to reach me in the middle of the night, I can say it was past check in time. I did that and in this case and months later, they removed the review. However, since they took so long, I did not get "Super Host Status" for that review period, even though I met all of the criteria. I think what made them finally remove it is that I've taken legal action against them in the past for money and reviews that needed to be removed and I brought that up. Then someone contacted me saying they would remove the review because she got there after check in time. It's unbelievable that I had to jump through hoops and refer to how much I knew it would cost them if I took action for them to remove it. It costs us $200 to file a claim to arbitrate and it costs them $1500. If you win it costs them $1700. The AAA had to harass them to get them to pay plus they had to pay what they owed me.

It's mind boggling what I had to go through to get them to come to their senses.

Patricia1008 · ‎09-03-2020

Sad that Airbnb continues using statistically inaccurate methods of determining both ratings and superhost status. There are 6x 5 possible points (30) for a perfect 5 score.

If a guest gives you an overall 5x5 +1x4 that's a score of 29 stars....Not 4.9 stars .

If you have 10 reviews of 30 (6x5 stars each) that's 300 stars for a perfect score...

1 x 4 star review in that group of 10 reviews - 6x5x9 stars ( 270) plus 6x4x1 _24 stars...Total 294 stars/300 possible stars or .98 of 100......49/50 which equals 98 percent out of 100...It's not worth getting an ulcer over one or two outliers . Airbnb pays you nothing extra for being a superhost. Knowing what you do to accommodate guests when they try to make one jump thru hoops for bookings or guests want lower and lower prices and more services...it sends up a red flag. Most hotels don't haggle about prices. When a guest starts that with me I automatically start raising the price. I've found the power the price I offer the more problems the guest present and the more likely they will look for problems and threaten low reviews I'd you don't meet their demands. They know that reviews help drive our business....any time I've gotten a 4 I've responded very publically..." If there was a problem why didn't you bring it to my attention " I failed to mention in my review of you that you leftbwet towels on the furniture, tracked mud all over the carpets etc etc etc. Basically thank them for their damaging review point out that hosts read our reviews of guests before allowing them to book. Tell them they will be charged for damage to the furniture and carpet...then thank them for not ever booking with me again in the future.

We as hosts need to start our own " black list to share of folks we might not want to book...

Sarah977 · ‎09-03-2020

@Patricia1008 You don't understand how the star ratings work.

"There are 6x 5 possible points (30) for a perfect 5 score".

This is totally incorrect. All of the star ratings are separate categories. Including the Overall rating. All the separate ratings are not averaged- they are separate ratings that remain separate. And the only rating that counts toawards Superhost is the Overall rating. Your Overall rating is an average of all of the Overall ratings that guests have given you. The Cleanliness, Accuracy, etc. ratings don't factor into that at all.

Patricia1008 · ‎09-03-2020

Ok when ever possible I discuss the review process with the guests before they depart so any concerns that come up can be addressed before the guest does a revised. I make clear what my expectations are for their visit. I'm very clear about house rules and my listing even says police are my neighbors and anyone misbehaving will be escorted off the property. People who damage my property intentionally will be subject to legal action ...simple as that. I'm nice and friendly but don't tolerate problem behavior. I have no problem telling disruptive or problem guests to leave and refunding the rest of their stay if warranted.... This is my home...whether they pay 10 cents or 10000 per night they have no right to disrespect me or my home.Luckily 4.5 of the 5 times 25 guests I've had have scored 4 s or above on my review. 2 had to be escorted off the property 1 had to be told to leave or be charged with trespassing...they got 1 star reviews and we're not allowed to review me...

Patricia1008 · ‎09-03-2020

Sarah977 that's what I said. The rating system is not statistically accurate

Sarah977 · ‎09-03-2020

@Patricia1008 Yes, it is, for the way that it has been set up. One can argue that the Overall rating should be an average of all the other star ratings, but it isn't. Sometimes guests will rate Overall lower than the individual categories because there was something that wasn't covered in the other star ratings. Perhaps the bed was horribly uncomfortable. Maybe the neighbors were super loud and kept the guests awake. Things like that could downgrade the overall experience for a guest, while the other categories were all 5*, in their opinion.

What is unfair is that only the Overall counts towards Superhost.

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...

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.

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