Critique? Previously Superhost... now not getting any bookings?

[Marina481]

I've been hosting for years and was Superhost continuously for ~2018-2019. We were previously booked at least 1-2 weekends a month. Then the pandemic happened and we took everything offline for a bit. With the downtime we decided to renovate, which took way longer than expected. Got it back online just before the Memorial Day holiday this year and I haven't gotten a single message or request about booking yet! This is during the summer season and through 2 holidays... I'm baffled. Did the market change that much? Was losing Superhost that bad a hit? We are getting the views and first page impressions so not sure why we aren't converting.

Looking for any advice/thoughts on why we aren't getting any bookings. Thanks in advance for this awesome community and support.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17384223

What changed from when I was booking regularly to now...

1. Lost Superhost status
2. Added WIFI, previously there was no internet
3. From 2 beds/2 bedrooms down to 1 bed/1 bedroom (used extra space to expand bathroom)
4. From 1 sink and shower stall up to 2 sinks, shower stall with rainfall, soaking tub
5. Added washer/dryer
6. Added 2 french doors out onto wrap around porch
7. Added dining area, previously it was just the couch
8. Small increase in nightly pricing

Everything else is pretty much the same, including the descriptions besides some minor edits. (All new pictures, obviously.) We are already a unique listing being very rural and pretty restrictive house rules. But again, we had regular guests with all that - even without wifi!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17384223

[Kirsten333]

@Marina481 Your listing is gorgeous! I actually live in Charlotte and would love to stay in your cabin sometime.

I looked at your listing online and everything looks great on the listing itself. When I searched for properties for 2 guests in Hot Springs, NC, your listing didn't show up at all (I looked at all 15 pages). But when I searched for properties in Luck, NC, your listing showed up on page 1. Maybe the location "tag" of your property is hurting your ability to show up in search. 

Also, although your cabin is stunning, I noticed that it is at a higher price point than most properties in the area. Comparably-priced properties in that area have 3 beds. I think trialing a lower price would be beneficial to help get some bookings initially. 

[Marina481]

Thanks so much, @Kirsten333 ! I don't think its possible to change the location tag though, right? It's the address of the property itself. We are technically a ~40min drive from Hot Springs, ~60min from Asheville.

I think you may have found it though... before when we were Superhost it would show up on the map view when pretty far zoomed out that included Hot Springs but now it doesn't have that boost and so I don't see it. I didn't even think to check that with a Hot Springs search... Bummer.

I'd love to host you here! If you want to come in July I'll give you a 30% discount as a thank you and because I'm trying to boost my rating again. 😉

[Kirsten333]

@Marina481 That is so sweet! I really appreciate that, but I do y think we could swing July. I would need childcare and don’t have family available then. I am so glad I could help, though! 

[Suzanne972]

@Marina481 What a beautiful property! Your photos are staged beautifully. I noticed your price was a little high relatively speaking to other 1 bedroom get always in your area. 
just a thought now that’s it a one bedroom as opposed to a two bedroom, I’d market it heavily as a “ romantic getaway” and maybe throw a small shag area rug on the floor in the bedroom. Not knowing the bed linen quality you currently have , take a look at  some high end sheets making the bedroom feel super luxurious and romantic. Just a thought.

Back to school is just around the corner. Parents will be looking for a beautiful retreat like yours.

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

@Marina481 Welcome back! Amazing cabin!  Great suggestions from @Kirsten333 and @Suzanne972 ! 

Here are some other things you might try? 

Last Reviews Aug 2021

From a guest standpoint, I always look at the reviews. I would wonder why your last review was from Aug 2021? I would worry maybe you were forced off the platform for violations or something. I would explain (Maybe in “About This Space”– first paragraph) why you were gone for so long. That you were forced to shutdown the listing during covid, but used that time renovate and improve the cabin. I would use the bullet points. Something like:

“We were so sad we had to stop hosting for almost 2 years due to COVID. We loved hosting and had over 80, 5-star reviews! Now we’re back and even better! We used the time we weren’t hosting to complete a huge renovation and upgrade to the cabin!”

• Added fast WIFI, previously there was no internet
• From 2 beds/2 bedrooms down to 1 bed/1 bedroom (used extra space to expand bathroom)
• From 1 sink and shower stall up to 2 sinks, shower stall with rainfall, soaking tub
• Added washer/dryer
• Added 2 french doors out onto wrap around porch
• Added dining area

(whatever else you want to add)

Marketing

I agree that you should market as a getaway for two, or writer’s retreat (maybe a long term booking will result)? I would add something to your description that refers to that as @Suzanne972 suggests.

Cover Photo

Twilight shots of the home at a slight up angle with the sky or trees in top 1/3 would be a killer cover photo! Maybe add string lights to the porch, and turn on every light in the house and every light/lantern on the porch. Wait until you see a warm glow from all the lights, but can still clearly see the home.  Maybe re-take this photo at twilight with all the lights on:

Re-take at twilight slight up angle with camera - lights on

House Rules

I don’t think your rules are restrictive at all – they make sense. Don’t think they are an issue (they wouldn’t be for me 😊

Washer/Dryer

You refer to the washer/dryer in a photo(behind a door)? I would take a photo of washer/dryer and add to the listing

Roads to Your Place

Right now you have information about the gravel road leading to your place (4WD recommended) in the “Getting Around Section”. Most guests never get that far in the listing before booking and never see this information. Since this is important information for guests to know, I would add this to the “Other Things to Note” section on the Listing to prevent “unexpected surprises” with a guest’s vehicle.

Wishing you well!  Let us know how it goes!

[Marina481]

Thanks, @Joan2709 - Amazing feedback, I will be incorporating it all!

[Fred13]

@Marina481 Great advise below. A few random thoughts that may be further helpful.

Nowadays specialization maybe the best course of action because of the amount of new listings that have hit the market post-Covid. Namely, separation from the competition. You do have such an opportunity with your places, and certainly with your cabin. Perhaps appeal to a specific market (a getaway, a Thoreau type of experience) with this particular one.

Not that you included your other places in your question, but are the 'Villa and Vale' and 'Home' the same place, but differ in price and occupancy, but based on what criteria? I had to go back & forth just to decipher if they were the same place, and it would have  been helpful if those listing (s) followed the same format as the cabin did, with an outside photo of the dwelling so that the viewer instantly knows these are two different places (or 3?).

I will repeat the same thing I say with a lot of places, best not to ever show 2-3 photos of the same thing (subconsciously) to make sure every aspect of it is shown visually, resembling a documentation for an insurance company, but it is more advantageous to evoke an emotion and this happens more often when one leaves more to the imagination by showing less. 🤔

[Marina481]

Thanks so much for your input @Fred13 !

Yes, I totally agree on the specialization. I feel that's the case with most of the countryside rentals. We boast privacy and quiet, and I've included a few quotes in our listing description to give it that vibe.

Its 2 properties, but one of the properties has 2 houses. The Kumbaya cabin I've posted here is our top seller as its a smaller building and rents on its own. The Vista is much larger house on the other property and the Vale is the guest house to the Vista. Its more common for us just to rent the Vista building alone but if its a very large party they can rent both. So a lot of the pictures for the Vista & Vale listing are the same as just the Vista since its the same property + the extra building.

Its interesting, I've got conflicting advise on the only showing 1 picture of a space and more 'artistic' shots and then the next person will say be sure to include a photo of everything... so I guess it just depends on what kind of a shopper the guest is!

[Fred13]

That other person and I may be saying the same thing, but in different ways.

Show everything indeed, but once. I think what happens oftentimes is that a single photograph can't show it all and then people resort to showing different angles to show it all; but when a room is dominated by one feature (table, sofa, bed, furniture, etc) then it comes across as showing the 'same thing'.

Wide angle shots are a classic example of sometimes trying to show too much, at once.

[Dawn241]

We are experiencing a similar issue. We were closed for several months in years 2020, 2021, and 2022 to complete major renovations- doors and windows, bathroom remodel, and metal roof & exterior painting. To make matters worse most of my recent guests didn’t write reviews despite multiple requests to do so. And in the past three years the number of local listings went from 85-194!

with that said you don’t have control over what other people do, only what you can do. So, we added amenities, allowed pets, went back to allowing 4 guests (was 3 during Covid), removed the 24 hour booking buffers, allowed booking out 12 months, rewrote our description listing after reviewing our competitors listings and reviews, and updated our pictures. We immediately saw an uptick in bookings.