sharing your experience

Answered!

sharing your experience

I want to hear from existing hosts about airnb experience please

Top Answer

Hey,

 

This is such a vague question that it's impossible to give a valuable answer... I assume you're talking about the experience from the host side? 

 

What I would say is that your experience as a host is what you make of it. Your expectations will determine your experience to a large degree. How you set up your space (with the guest in mind), how you communicate with your guests, what's the level of service you intend to offer (is the space stocked, do you have recommendations for local attractions, can you provide discounts around the area, etc.)? All of those things play a huge role in the quality of guest you'll attract, and in turn, your experience as a whole. 

 

Hosts that try to cut corners with cell phone pictures, low quality items (think towels, beds, cookware, etc.), and the least amount of communication with guests seem to always have a poorer experience than the hosts that set the space up for success, take fantastic photos, and communicate extremely well (without being annoying). 

 

Here's my overwhelming thought: If you're not willing to run this business like a business, you aren't going to enjoy the process, the maintenance, or the workload of dealing with guests, vendors, repairs, and all the other fine details that make a rental successful. If you're good with numbers, willing to put in the effort, and most of all, love serving people, then you'll most likely find it rewarding overall. 

 

Having said all that, I've just now taken a look at your listing. It says entire home, but only shows a total of 5 photos in 3 different rooms, two of which are the same. The photos are blurry and off center, make the space feel small and confined, and don't show me any reason that I want to stay there. The description is one sentence that doesn't tell me anything about the home, area, local attractions, places to get great food, anything that I'm interested in as a guest. It shows no heat, no hot water, and no dryer in the unit, which if is the case, absolutely needs explained to a potential guest that's not from the area. Your profile shows nothing but one blurry photo. Nothing to make me feel like you're there to make sure my stay is comfortable and enjoyable, or that I'll be able to get in touch if something goes wrong. As harsh as it may seem, this is exactly the type of listing that I would avoid as a guest. It immediately feels like a halfhearted attempt at listing a home as an STR, and as a new host you absolutely can NOT have people thinking anything other than that you're a professional, reliable host, and simply a good person. If you don't take the time to set your property, and yourself up for success, I can almost guarantee that your experience is going to be a direct reflection of that approach.

View Top Answer in original post

6 Replies 6
Elisa
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi @Bunty7 😊,

Thank you for asking this question in the Community Center.

 

How is this experience going on your end?

 

I’m tagging a few hosts to see if they want to share anything with you: @Bec3748@Daniel14755@Tom4999@Neha176@Lin29864@Gunarto-0@Evan1118 and @Kwabena9.

 

Thank you in advance, everyone!


-----


Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

Hi @Bunty7 

 

Happy to share a bit of my experience. I’ve been hosting for nearly 2 years now and overall it’s been a really positive experience.

 

Started off just wanting to make a few dollars but my property became very popular quickly so I rose to the challenge.

 

The biggest thing I’d say is that success on Airbnb usually comes down to a few key things: deciding on a target market, good photos, clear communication with guests, and keeping the space very clean and well maintained. Guests tend to appreciate hosts who are responsive and thoughtful about the little details.

 

Most guests are respectful and just want a comfortable place to stay. You’ll occasionally have small issues (a broken glass, a stain on linen, things like that), but they’re usually easy to handle and part of hosting.

 

One tip for new hosts: treat your listing a bit like a small boutique hotel. Think about what would make a guest feel welcomed and relaxed when they arrive.

 

If you’re thinking of starting, it can be a very rewarding experience — both financially and in meeting people from all over the world.

 

Happy to answer any specific questions you might have.

Hey,

 

This is such a vague question that it's impossible to give a valuable answer... I assume you're talking about the experience from the host side? 

 

What I would say is that your experience as a host is what you make of it. Your expectations will determine your experience to a large degree. How you set up your space (with the guest in mind), how you communicate with your guests, what's the level of service you intend to offer (is the space stocked, do you have recommendations for local attractions, can you provide discounts around the area, etc.)? All of those things play a huge role in the quality of guest you'll attract, and in turn, your experience as a whole. 

 

Hosts that try to cut corners with cell phone pictures, low quality items (think towels, beds, cookware, etc.), and the least amount of communication with guests seem to always have a poorer experience than the hosts that set the space up for success, take fantastic photos, and communicate extremely well (without being annoying). 

 

Here's my overwhelming thought: If you're not willing to run this business like a business, you aren't going to enjoy the process, the maintenance, or the workload of dealing with guests, vendors, repairs, and all the other fine details that make a rental successful. If you're good with numbers, willing to put in the effort, and most of all, love serving people, then you'll most likely find it rewarding overall. 

 

Having said all that, I've just now taken a look at your listing. It says entire home, but only shows a total of 5 photos in 3 different rooms, two of which are the same. The photos are blurry and off center, make the space feel small and confined, and don't show me any reason that I want to stay there. The description is one sentence that doesn't tell me anything about the home, area, local attractions, places to get great food, anything that I'm interested in as a guest. It shows no heat, no hot water, and no dryer in the unit, which if is the case, absolutely needs explained to a potential guest that's not from the area. Your profile shows nothing but one blurry photo. Nothing to make me feel like you're there to make sure my stay is comfortable and enjoyable, or that I'll be able to get in touch if something goes wrong. As harsh as it may seem, this is exactly the type of listing that I would avoid as a guest. It immediately feels like a halfhearted attempt at listing a home as an STR, and as a new host you absolutely can NOT have people thinking anything other than that you're a professional, reliable host, and simply a good person. If you don't take the time to set your property, and yourself up for success, I can almost guarantee that your experience is going to be a direct reflection of that approach.

Helen3
Top Contributor

What particular experience do you want hosts to comment on @Bunty7 ?

@Bunty7 Explore this forum, lots of experiences to learn from here.

Elisa
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi @Bunty7 😊

Thank you for asking this here!

 

When did you start hosting?

Have you had a chance to check out the host’s replies?


-----


Please follow the Community Guidelines //Merci de jeter un oeil aux Principes du Community Center

More tools to help you meet your goals

Resource Center

Explore guides for hospitality, managing your listing, and growing your business.