Guest Favorite...not my favorite.

[Sara-And-Rob0]

Despite having great metrics, one of our properties consistently fails to achieve Guest Favorite status. Airbnb support assures me that the algorithm will check every 24 hours, but we are passed over every day, and every month. We are overqualified for the badge, and I have found other listings with lower qualifications that have the badge.

First, our listing:

Comparable 1, listing is a new host with a total of 6 reviews, 3 metrics below 5.0

Comparable 2, all metrics below 5 and a 4.81 overall, including at least one 3-star overall review!!!!

Comparable 3, again, lower metrics than ours, lower overall, a 2-star and a 1-star overall review in the mix too:

Something is wrong when Airbnb creates a method by which we all compete for bookings and it operates inefficiently, and unfairly. Airbnb offers ZERO support and refuses to acknowledge that it needs repairing.

[Karen4131]

Hi @Sara-And-Rob0 

The Guest Favorite Badge considers factors beyond just high ratings for check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, host communication, location, and value.

Perhaps some of the reasons can be found here:

https://airbnb.com/help/article/3495?_set_bev_on_new_domain=1710362624_ZmM4NDk4N2YwZGRi

Best regards

Karen

[Sara-And-Rob0]

The info in that link does not show us everything at play, how can I hit the mark if I am blindfolded and knocked senseless by Bot responses from support that don't look at the comparisons I've provided?

[Karen4131]

Here is an external link about the subject: https://www.rentalscaleup.com/airbnb-guest-favorite-not-showing/

[Karen4131]

@Sara-And-Rob0 

I forgot to tag you in the reply above.

- Karen

[Joelle43]

Thanks @Karen4131 for this great link and have enjoyed reading other very informative articles on this internet site 😊

[Kia272 · Accepted solution]

@Sara-And-Rob0  To me, Guest Favorite seems to be an AirBnB construct to allow them to push more listings into the spotlight, and therefore make more money. It also seems to be designed to make already well-rated hosts and Superhosts jump through undefined hoops. It doesn't necessarily benefit guests. 

I honestly don't think that most guests at this point really understand the difference between Guest Favorite and Superhost. When Guest Favorite was implemented, there were a number of guests posting here asking for the Superhost filter to return to the search feature. They seem to understand that a long-term Superhost with a 4.8-4.9 rating, is likely better than a brand new host with five 5 star ratings. 

By shrouding the Guest Favorite requirements in secrecy, AirBnB can arbitrarily award the status and then don't have to justify why it was or wasn't awarded to a particular listing. 

In short, I wouldn't make yourself crazy over it. I know it's not fair, but just keep doing what you're doing, because fighting with the bots and AirBnB customer service will only make you crazy, and likely won't accomplish much. 

I'm in a similar situation with a banner that should be on my listing and isn't, and I can't get it fixed. AirBnB has acknowledged that it's a glitch, but there's no prediction as to when it will be fixed, and there's nothing I can do about it. I've moved on......

[Sara-And-Rob0]

It's an absolute fiasco.  Thanks, Kia, you're echoing Sara's sentiments but I am a stubborn person and when something is wrong, I want it to be right.  Especially, when it costs me something. Lately, Airbnb Support has been an absolute and frustrating waste of time and money, I even think that the first line of support is entirely bot-driven.  If Airbnb wants to bring us fewer bookings, we will pivot and survive, just like after the pandemic when we were all left with nothing, pivot, survive.

[Sara-And-Rob0]

GUESS WHAT!  A month later and nothing has changed and I still am getting nowhere with support.  The algorithm is broken and they are just three monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth...well the mouth is speaking but still saying:

Listings can qualify for the Guest Favorite based on a variety of factors related to overall quality and reliability, which include:
- positive guest reviews
- high overall star ratings and category ratings from guests for things like check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, Host communication, location, and value
- low Host cancellation rates
- quality-related incidents reported to Airbnb customer service

[Sara-And-Rob0]

Still no improvement and the support bots offer the same blah blah blah...circled in black is our place.Circled in Black is our place...

[Sara-And-Rob0]

Not sure at all how this is a guest favourite with 3, 2, and 1-star reviews, low marks for two other metrics too...SUPPORT can offer no insight and can only copy and paste and say ridiculous things like, 'It does not depend specifically on over all rating so the listings below 4.9 rating can still be a guest favorite as it based on a mix of factors related to the overall stay, quality of the place and reliability.'  I personally would not stay at this listing with 4.81 overall in our market, it is very low end.  with 4.7 for cleanliness, it'd be safe to assume it's not great...yet again, my 4.91 property with only 5 and few 4 star reviews (368 reviews) and one secondary metric at 4.9 and one at 4.8, is not a guest favourite...never is after 1.5 years and 25 full 5 star reviews in a row...Airbnb refuses to admit the Algorithm is faulty.  Nothing to see here folks, move along.  Come on, it is creating an unlevel playing field and is unfair. Please fix it.

[Joan2709]

@Sara-And-Rob0 

I agree GF is broken and/or not as advertised. Since Airbnb doesn't provide all the metrics included, it's difficult to understand why? The only thing I can see is the algorithm is faulty somewhere, but without knowing the "rules" how can Hosts be expected to play by them?

I also don't understand the "gold" status metrics and what makes one listing worthy of that and another not?

[Sara-And-Rob0]

Can some person at Airbnb explain how this property is a guest favorite?  Still no tag on my 4.91 property with all metrics great and 368 reviews.

This one is clearly very poor value.   I am in stunned disbelief that this property has 6, 3-star reviews (yes overall is not the only metric but it suggests other metrics were not all 5-stars).  6 from 68 reviews!!!!  We have no 3-star reviews in 368 and we are not guest favorite.

IT MAKES NO SENSE!

[Sara-And-Rob0]

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/915603?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=a8bd464a-0416-423d-a01e-2...

Still no idea how this keeps getting missed by Guest Favourite when absolutely bad listings are getting the badge...

[Sara-And-Rob0]

Couple of more 5 star reviews, still no change.