Secrets from a 16-quarter Superhost

[Airbnb]

Nikki was one of the first hosts on Airbnb to earn Superhost status when the program first rolled out in 2014. She’s maintained that status for 16 consecutive quarters.

How does Nikki do it? She learned hosting from the ground up, starting with a tiny cottage in her own backyard in California. That single listing performed so well that Nikki was inspired to expand into renting out her full house during family vacations.

We sat down with Nikki to get the scoop on how she’s been so successful as a Superhost on Airbnb. Here’s what she had to say.

Why did you start hosting?

Six years ago, I stayed in my first Airbnb in Provence, France and loved it. It was a tiny little studio in the old town of Aix. It served our needs really well, but the hosts hadn’t really put much effort into making it charming or anything. I realized that if I put a bit of money into it, I could make something super special with the little 200-square-foot guest house in my backyard. I assumed it would only get booked rarely, but I was surprised when it got booked right away for a full week.

You got that first booking in your backyard cottage in less than a day. Why do you think it got booked so quickly?

I had cute photos, which is definitely a huge part of getting booked. And I had priced it really low since it was a brand new listing. I do this every time I bring a new listing online. I start with an initial listing price that is only 50‒70% of what the market rate is, until I have at least three reviews (or until I am getting so many booking requests that I can raise the price to market rates). I do this so I can work out the kinks without sacrificing good reviews, and because it is important to get a bunch of reviews as soon as possible so the listing appears higher in search rankings.

Have your expectations of hosting differed from the reality?

I really didn’t have specific expectations or an overall vision as a I got into hosting. It all happened very organically. I took opportunities as I saw them come up, and eventually became really involved with hosting. But I didn’t have a specific income in mind when I started.

Staying booked is key to being successful. How have you created such popular listings?

It all starts with a good space. It has to be clean, that’s the number one thing. I like my spaces open and airy. Very uncluttered, but with design focal points that provide places for your eyes to rest. It also has to be comfortable, especially the beds. I invest in memory foam mattresses, and people love them. It’s really an exercise in empathy. You walk through the space and think about how people will use it, then fit your design concept around that.

Having a good space is one thing, but how do you stand out among all the other great spaces on Airbnb?

Having good photos makes all the difference. Professional photos are a must. I think about what the space is, whether it’s a family space or ideal for a certain type of traveler, and I put that in the title. Write a really good description that’s very detailed and inviting, so that you’re drawing someone into the listing. Describe the beds, the linens, name brands of specific types of soap or amenities you’re providing. This is also where you want to start setting guest expectations. Make sure you include descriptions of your property’s quirks, like if a bedroom has weird doors or anything like that, and mention it several times in the listing. But explain it in such a way that it’s honest and clear, without being a turnoff. You want to attract good fits and provide enough transparency to help your guests select for the property that they want.

How else do you help set guest expectations?

For me, communication is the number one rule of good hosting. Beyond the listing, your direct communication with a guest starts right with that first inquiry. I always ask potential guests a few follow-up questions after every booking request, not to be rude or nosey, but just to make sure that the listing is a good fit for them. Really, you’re starting the process of getting a five-star review at that point.

What strategies do you use to make sure you’re communicating well with guests?

Outsourcing email communications has been a lifesaver. I use a paid service that I load up with pre-written form emails. So when a guest books a listing, they receive an automated welcome email that includes the House Manual and any instructions relevant to the space, such as how to turn on the hot water. It’s too time consuming to compose emails individually and I have no problem sending form emails. It’s a necessary part of hosting. I want to make sure every guest gets the right information with no missing pieces.

What has surprised you most about being a host?

The biggest surprise to me is how wonderful the guests have been. I’ve had maybe five incidents over the years where someone wasn’t happy, but for the most part, people have been so honest and kind and understanding. And on an economic front, I was surprised at the income. I didn’t go into this expecting to do so well, let alone turn it into a career. I’ve focused on the things I really like about hosting and pursued opportunities when I saw them, and it’s turned out really well.

*[If you wish to send Nikki a message regarding her interview, please reply publicly below or via direct message here in the Community Center (by clicking 'Send Message' in her Community Center profile]

[Rhonda69]

I’d love  to see and possibly book in one of her listings. Is that possible ? 

[Sonya60]

Me as well. Thank you 

[Kat84]

Why we can't see her profile?

I expected Airbnb to be transparent. As you do always expect honesty from us

[Thomas-And-Paulina0]

you can see her profile here: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/users/show/2146719

[Jamie326]

Do not see an ad for her cottage , just the house ! This lady has money ! Snan Fran is very expensive !

[Jeanne103]

I got to see the listing - it' a very beautiful space.  But the price was listed at 113 pounds - why is this in English currency when it's located in SF?

[Julie363]

I noticed that when I clicked the link to her profile, it took me to airbnb.co.uk, or in case Airbnb redacts that link, I'll say that it took me to her profile on the UK site, as if I was a UK-based traveler planning a trip to the US and viewing her profile. My best guess is that an Airbnb employee in the UK wrote this article, and inserted the link as they saw it from their end.  If you change the link to DOT COM in your browser, it will show in US dollars.

[Corie6]

I discovered that if you “click” on her name-Nikki in the beginning of the article, it goes to her profile. 

[Gudrun13]

 I also read Nikki's story with great interest. I certainly love her design sensitivies and

the fact that she stresses simplicity and no clutter, I love simple spaces myself.

So she made this into a career and it is not quite clear from the article how many listings

she has, but automated responses is rather a turn-off for me.

Originally, I thought to offer an Airbnb listing, was to create a little extra income by

offering a room or a small cottage, or whatever your property permitted you to offer.

Meanwhile, I have heard in my community where I live, that people actually buy houses

so that they can turn them into Airbnb listings. In my opinion that sort of defeats the purposeof offering that personal touch to travelers.

I used to have the status of Superhost and to this date am not quite sure why I lost it even

after contacting Airbnb a few times. There were good reasons why I had to cancel a request or the potential guest actually cancelled.

However, I have enjoyed working with Airbnb for the last 3 years and had mostly excellent

experiences with guessts and I intend to continue in my little way with my Cozy and Sunny

Studio!

Gudrun

[Jan-and-Ron0]

Good Afternoon Dear Dudrun,  from Jan & Ron Gold Coast Australia,  We totally agree with you re original concept & now too impersonal with "Hosts" who are not at their properties.  We like you will continue in our own small way, & be here to "Greet" our visitors & look after them to the best of our ability.  So sorry that you lost your Superhost through a cancellation, does seem unfair especially when we work so very hard to achieve it.  All our Best Wishes. Jan & Ron

[Gudrun13]

Thank you Jan & Ron for your moral support, means

a lot!

All my best wishes to you,

Gudrun

[Sharon-And-Mal0]

Gudrun I have also recently lost my super status (after about 16 quarters and over 200 (five star reviews) This is as a consequence of cancelling a booking (obviously the first I have ever cancelled ) despite cancelling one day after the booking was made and three months out from the booking date with quite extenuating circumstances (and offered the proposed client a free accomodation weekend, outside this period. I feel very agrieved by this as have not been able to discuss with AIR bnb at all - and feel very poorly treated after such a dedicated run to being the best host I could possibly be. Depite all the rhetoric about "personalisation" I do  not get a sense from Air BNB that I matter at all - and have found it impossible to even have someone to talk to about this (or them to me) despite being a superhost for such a long period of time . Just a warning to others about this situation as there is no repraoch it would seem - and the punishment seems incredibly harsh and non neotionable.  

[Tina501]

Hi,

I will lose mine in next quarter and not a thing I can do.

I had to make a claim, as a guest actually damaged some of my property, he did not agree to apy and after making the claim (within minutes) he retalitaed with a review full of lies, some of which I can prove is incorrect. How is this transparency  ?

I did try take it to higher level at airbnb to get it removed, but Airbnb refues. I think a reveiw should automatically be put on hold, when a claim is involved. Im very upset about the treatment from Airbnb.

[Gudrun13]

Dear Tina,

I am so sorry to hear about your experience. That is quite disturbing

to say the least. The problem, I believe, with the Airbnb system is that

their are not equipped to handle special situations like this, because

everything is automated and the people on the other end of the phone line are not trained to repond to it, because they just follow a script.

Sad comment of our times!

All the best to you and I hope your situation can be resolved.

Gudrun

---

@Tina501 wrote:

Hi,

I will lose mine in next quarter and not a thing I can do.

I had to make a claim, as a guest actually damaged some of my property, he did not agree to apy and after making the claim (within minutes) he retalitaed with a review full of lies, some of which I can prove is incorrect. How is this transparency  ?

I did try take it to higher level at airbnb to get it removed, but Airbnb refues. I think a reveiw should automatically be put on hold, when a claim is involved. Im very upset about the treatment from Airbnb.

---