Introducing Superhost Week

[Laura_C]

Hi everyone,

Let me take a second to introduce myself: I’m Laura Chambers, and I lead the team at Airbnb that’s dedicated to helping hosts like you succeed. (You might remember me from the most recent Host Q&A.) I’ve been a fan and engaged user of Airbnb for a long time, but since I officially joined the team here in July, one thing has become even more clear to me: It’s the wonderful community of hosts that makes Airbnb so special.

Within the Airbnb hosting community, we’re particularly appreciative of Superhosts. As 2018 draws to a close, we wanted to do something special to celebrate them. So today,  I’m thrilled to announce that we’re kicking off an exciting new event for the first time ever: Superhost Week!

Congratulations to those of you who are Superhosts. It’s such a huge achievement. Airbnb’s community is powered by great hospitality and trust, and you exemplify that spirit and excellence. It should be no surprise that Superhosts earn about 22% more on average*—guests really value your hospitality.

This week will be full of celebrations and recognition. Here’s what Superhosts can expect:

• A personalized gift: If you’re a Superhost, check your inbox. We hope you’ll enjoy the custom map you just received, highlighting your own journey as a host with Airbnb.
  
  
• Marketing to guests: This week, Superhosts will be featured at the top of Airbnb’s home page, giving Superhosts more visibility to the millions of people who visit Airbnb each day. Here’s what they’ll see:

If guests are curious and click to learn more, they’ll go to a brand new web page where we’re showcasing Superhosts. This page will help them better understand the Superhost badge icon on your listing, as a symbol of the amazing hospitality you provide.

• Social celebration: Throughout the week, we’ll be highlighting some extraordinary Superhosts on social media channels. Check it out and follow along here:
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

I hope you enjoy this week of celebration! We’re committed to continually improving the Superhost program, and some changes are already underway. For example, we just introduced new criteria to ensure that hosts who host longer stays have fair access to becoming Superhosts. I’d love to hear your ideas for what we can do to make the program even better. Let me know your suggestions in the comments below. I’ll be checking in throughout the week.

Congratulations again to those of you who are Superhosts. Thanks for everything you do— and happy hosting!

Laura

*Based on internal Airbnb data comparing median aggregate revenue earned by Superhosts to other hosts (with 10+ bookings) on the platform worldwide during 2017.

[Rita269]

I  SIMPLY ASK THEM WHEN THEY ARE LEAVING TO BE SURE TO WRITE THEIR REVIEW AS IT MEANS A LOT TO US AS A HOST HOME.. THEY GET IT AND 99%  OF THE TIME THEY DO LEAVE THEIR REVIEW. 

[Sarah1165]

It was a goal we had since we started AirBNB. Proud to wear the badge of superhost and the many perks that come with it are cherries on top!

[Prince18]

This is indeed welcome news- keep it up!

[Nathaphorn0]

That’s sound great!!! We looking forward for good news that coming up 🙂

[Tommi-and-Rafaela0]

We have a great super host story to share 😉 We have two homes in the most stunning parts of Sydney - one near Bondi Beach and the other in Avalon Beach on the Northern Beaches. Both of our properties are on Airbnb and because we work from home to build our Start-up, we live in the one which is not rented giving us a wonderful, versatile lifestyle of living in two beautiful homes. Without Airbnb this of course would be not possible as we could not afford to keep two homes plus we LOVE welcoming guests and giving them the opportunity to share some of our amazing lifestyle 😉 Bondi : https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/plus/17656728  Avalon:   https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/plus/21316089

[Laura_C]

Happy Superhost week @Tommi-and-Rafaela0! Oh I love Avalon - we used to go on family holidays there. I'm so glad you are having such a great experience hosting with Airbnb. ~Laura

[Allison244]

Laura, your letter is wonderful and needed, Thank You.

And, Thank You Airbnb Team for all you do!- Thanks for making it possible for us to be SuperHost!  

I LOVE HOSTING!!! 

Happy Holidays Everyone! 

-Allison 

[Cor3]

Hi @Laura_C,

I salute you!

As I really already enjoyed your pleasant and positive presence at the last Q&A.

I did not really experience any uplift in page views, due to this Superhost-week. Which is not strange  – as mid-December is about the slowest moving period of the year (for me).

As you can read here, a lot of Superhosts are really happy about this initiative and appreciation.

Unfortunately, some other (super)hosts are sad about the way Airbnb sometimes is moving forward.

True, I myself do not always agree/like, on how Airbnb is dealing with new functionalities and ideas.

But then again, there are pro’s and con’s to about everything.

And one just has to live with it, so it seems.

Maybe here is an idea for Airbnb to consider:

Can Airbnb provide some sort of periodic release-notes, when they introduce new functionality?

I know, Airbnb is continuously introducing and testing out new functionalities.

But let me give you an example: It seems Airbnb did change/expand the “Host review by a Guest”-process quite significantly, by about October 2017.

Guests are now able to leave compliments, but they may also be asked to verify the presence of certain amenities. Etc.

It took the host community about 4-6 months, before they realized something did or must have significantly changed in this area. As there was not a single signal from Airbnb about this important change (Guests have to go through at least 7 pages now – in the App).

And even today, there still seems to be confusion in the community here, about how this process exactly works (maybe Airbnb could write a help-article, in which this process is clearly documented).

Some hosts here currently claim, the question “How did your stay compare to your expectations”, is now translated to the overall star-rating. I.e.: “Better than expected” would translate to a 4-star overall rating! (We all know: Acquiring sufficient 4-star overall ratings will finally cause suspension).

I have clear evidence (confirmed by several of our previous guests, including screenshots). Guests can still leave an overall rating according to the 5-star review model (question 1 in the process).

But which makes me then wonder, what does Airbnb do with the answers given to the review question: “How did your stay compare to your expectations”?

In my dashboard, I don’t see any feedback with regards to the answers given to this question, by our guests. Nor do I see results from any amenity verification.

Maybe Airbnb not telling me, to change anything. Can be regarded as everything being just fine.

1 thing is for sure: Airbnb is all about numbers. So they are not gathering data for just no reason.

Ps.

I must add, it is also known for Airbnb to test out new functionality, targeting a select audience.

Each Superhost can lose their badge, when enough guests do NOT review them.

Not much under the control of a host, is it?

Other than just making sure, the guest had a (close to) perfect stay, leaving the guest a review by the host (in a timely fashion) and reminding/begging the guest to leave a review too.

It is my perception/best guess: the Airbnb search engine is particularly fond of properties, that have gathered a lot of (positive) reviews through time.

Obviously I do understand: It is extremely difficult to design/develop a system that suits all, which offers sufficient flexibility and functionality. While still being straight forward and simple to use – by all involved.

Ps.

With regards to the gift: The map I got, looks pretty similar to the map shared by Lisa from Toronto.

For instance: Mine did show, guests from Mexico and Japan. And I’m pretty convinced that no member of any guest-group, I’ve hosted this far. Was from any of these countries.

For your information: I’m legally obliged to collect and report ID information on all persons, we host. Which does include place of birth and residence. Obviously there can be discrepancies between this data and what has been registered at Airbnb.

Overall, I really do enjoy using Airbnb and being part of the Community 🙂

[Laura_C]

Hi @Cor3 - thanks for your thoughtful note. So much to chat about!

On the gift ... I triple checked with our team (because there were so many questions), and each map really is custom to the account data we have for you.

On communications ... I'm a huge propenent of more consistent, clear communications to hosts on any changes we make - I've asked the team to revamp our host communications strategy in the new year, and we're working hard on putting those plans and processes together. 

On guest questions ... that's a great suggestion, I'll work out how we can share some more information on what we do with the questions and why we ask them (I just sent a note to the team).

On % of guest reviews ... I hear you, it's totally frustrating to have a criteria that you don't have control over. We're looking at reviewing several aspects of the Superhost criteria next year and this is absolutely on my list. 

Hope you're having a great week! ~Laura

[Rita269]

Airbnb has allowed us to do so many things in life .  I so enjoy hosting.. the main reason is that I love people and love getting to know them from all over the world.  So many stay in touch and have extended invites to go to their homes and stay with them even though they are not Airbnb host homes. So sweet of them.  

Looking forward to this exciting time for superhosts... we do work hard at making sure everything is woderful for our guests stay and will enjoy a bit of recognition from the company for sure. 

Thanks again Airbnb for having this site for all of us for our own personal travel and to be able to be a host home. Just the best. 

Rita Pappaconstantinou

Marshfield, MA 

[Cindy232]

Thanks Laura!  What I would really like to see is Airbnb bring the co-host and cleaning fee $ split back. No one at Airbnb even wants to address it.  

[Elvy0]

Thank you Laura ... As a Superhost, I am glad to be part of such an exciting and modern hosting/hospitality platform that allow the opportunity of experiencing a true human connection and trust by sharing our homes. Elvy

[Sima2]

Thanks for awarding me the title of super host. I am very moved. I have been a teacher and very soon I was asked to train English teachers.At the same time I started to write for 2 newspapers. I wrote about culture in London and also about “Homes& Houses” and  had a photographer who accompany me and while he was shooting the pictures of the special house I was interviewing the owners of the house which was an unusual house.

Everything I touched was a success and I took a decision that unless I do my utmost I would not continue. 

10 years ago I came from the states and realized that the subprime hit England too. 

The estate agencies were empty and there was no way to rent a flat. My flat which has been occupied by all the top bankers from all around the world and people were fighting over the flat , all of a sudden it came to a holt. Two years ago I felt very low and decided to sit in a cafe in Hampstead in order to cheer myself up. I was sitting in the cafe and I had tears in my eyes. Next to me was a nice couple and we started to converse over the pound which went down and down and the lovely couple told me that they live 40 or 50 

miles from London and they do Airbnb and I said that I had not heard about it and I asked them kindly if they could come to my flat the next day as I am far from being a champion of computers. And indeed they came and put all the information into the computer. I then took them to a lunch and they asked me to come to them and this is how  I started.

Maslow the American Psychologist said that “ The unknown is always frightening “ and it is true but I was determined to be a super host. I have done everything for my guests. 

They say that “ I do above and beyond” but I have always believed that if I do something it has to be excellent. For example: I fill the fridge with food since after a long flight nobody would really be keen to go shopping.... I ask them what they would like to “meet” 

in the fridge and the house keeper buys whatever they want. Since I am a culture addict 

I recommend  plays which are a must , concerts , musicals, exhibitions etc.

I must confess that I absolutely love what I do. I have a guest coming  to stay in my flat for 91 days since he spent his honeymoon 50 years ago and they love Hampstead. 

I am going to fly to London a few days before he comes to make sure that they have everything they need. Anything that they will want they will have and I think what present I should give them for their celebration. 

I must confess that I love Airbnb. They are all wonderful to me and I do not work with any other company. I am taking this opportunity to thank Airbnb which enabled me to go to private cardiologists.. Without Airbnb I would not have afford it. Thank you Airbnb and 

G-D bless you all. I shall never forget it and I am fine now.

Thanks for granting me 4th time Superhost .  You have made my week.

All the best to the wonderful people who have been guiding me all the way through. 

God Bless You All !!!

Best Regards,

sima Jacob

England & Israel.

[Mary1173]

Hi Laura

Thanks for the Superhost week. Reaching SH status was a milestone for us.

We love being on Airbnb. We changed one of the cottages on our property to Airbnb rather than straight letting in May 2017 and haven't looked back. In fact, as empty-nesters, having made our spare bedrooms available as well we can now take in bigger groups.

The best thing is that by sharing it with guests we can now remain in our beautiful hand-built house instead of having to scale down. Recent Aussie guests asked us how long it took us to build and our answer was "well, we started in 1980 and we finished last night"! Literally, we'd put the finishing touches to an added-on bathroom the night before. Hosting on Airbnb has helped us to complete this long-planned goal. I think I can now hang up my overalls.

Best wishes

Mary and Buster

[Jim403]

I  Lost super host status this quarter

I have a guest who damaged my house,  Airbnb stepped in to help pay for the repairs after the guest refused.  The guest gave me a 1 star in every catagory and left comments that made no sense (but did not violate Airbnb's terms so they could not be removed) .  After reaching out to Airbnb for assistance I was told "sorry we cant' do anything" so in calculating this issue her 1 star review will require 20 (Yes TWENTY)  5* reviews to balance out her 1 star reveiw, so I can reach the 80% threshold to qualify for superhost status.  This is dissapointing that AIrbnb can allow 1 "bad apple" to hurt a host this bad.  I would reuqest during future changes this is also addressed.

(I have 4 or 5 guests per month, so you can see how diffucult this can be to attain)

SInce this link was only sent to Superhosts, and I found it via a friend who still has status not sure how many others have experienced this issue.