AirBnB is bull**bleep**

[Sherlin1]

They want to hold you to this high ass standard  but basically expect you to let lowlifes book your property. I figured raising my rates would stop it. Nope. My property has been disrespected in ways I didn’t think were possible. 
My new wood floor destroyed by guest from putting joints out on it, even though I have a no smoking policy. People not returning keys. People stealing everything not bolted down. Ohh. I forgot to mention. I haven’t been paid for the last four guest. I have asked to speak to a supervisor and ironically that never happen. I decline certain guest that look like a problem from ratings and I get penalized. This is actually sad. They get pissed when I turn down shady potential guest, but will not even support host that have perfect properties. I need a manager. 911. Help me. 

[Ann72]

@Sherlin1  Beautiful house.  Six guests at $183 a night, though!  That's $30 a person.  $30 a night doesn't scream luxury - it screams budget.  Think about what 6 people would pay to stay in a hotel and charge accordingly.  When I saw that house I thought it would be about $450 a night.  If I were traveling I would not choose the place because the low price would make me think there was something wrong with it.  It is really beautiful, and if your price shows that you value your property, your guests will follow suit and value it as well.

[Sherlin1]

Let me ask you. What do you think would be a great price? I kicked it up to $265. I’m not good with prices honestly because what I think is a deal, may not be one to everyone else. So I guess I started off too low. But honestly the place is breathtaking. 
@Ann72  @Kia272 @When I get back in the country I will attempt to do a better job with the pictures and descriptions. I believe your correct. That still doesn’t change the fact that AirBnB isn’t responsive at all. 

[Ann72]

@Sherlin1  I would go to $379 a night.  $265 still seems modest to me, and would allow a party of six to pool their money with each only paying $45 a night.  I would also recommend a two-night minimum if you don't have that set already.  At $379 a night for two nights, each person in a party of 6 would have to pay $126 for the stay (plus fees of course).  You want to attract people who can afford that, because they're used to staying and living in nice places and know how to treat them.

You care a lot for the place and should be paid for your hard work plus the cost of maintaining such a beautiful house.

[Kia272]

@Sherlin1 I can't tell you what a good price is, because I don't know the market you're in. You should search in your area for other AirBnBs with like amenities and decide on your price that way. Keep it on the higher end of the competition's prices. 

And honestly, I'd lower the guest count if it is in fact a two-bedroom. People who are willing to pay more for nice accommodations do not want to double up or sleep on air mattresses or pull-out couches. 

As to your comment on AirBnB's lack of responsiveness, yes- that's a huge problem. Most hosts recognize that. So I'd say the best course of action is to refine your listing to the point that you rarely, if at all, need help from AirBnB. That is my approach to listing on the platform. 

I'd also say that even if you're out of the country, you can still make some important changes to your listing. I'd clear up the confusion about bedrooms. You can caption your existing photos without needing to be there. You can also do your market research and change your price accordingly. As long as it is listed as-is, you're opening yourself up to future problems. 

[Ann72]

@Sherlin1 And along the lines of what @Kia272 is saying, $265 would be a good price for the two bedrooms and a maximum of 4 people.  Then add an extra guest fee of $25 per person per night to get to where you need to be for 6 people.  Keep a two-night minimum to deter the cheapskate partiers and you should be in good shape.

[Kia272]

@Sherlin1  The first thing I see is a problem with your listing: You show four bedrooms and a picture of a huge house, when the rental is actually two bedrooms and a guest house. Is that correct? One of your reviews notes that they misunderstood this. 

It looks like an amazing space, and you offer a lot of amenities to compliment that. It looks like you're catering to a higher-end clientele. If so, you need to raise your prices and perhaps even lower your guest count. 

I'd also suggest that you clean up your pictures a bit. They are kind of all over the place. It's very easy to label the pics in your listing, but first and foremost, I'd make clear the number of bedrooms and which "house" the guests are actually renting. 

Information like where the dishwasher detergent is and where you want the TV remotes left can be provided at the property in your house manual. Use your listing for the really important information that you want potential guests to see up front. 

There are also more effective ways to vent than using *bleep* words to express yourself here. If you follow the advice of @Ann72 and raise your prices, that will play a big part in attracting a different kind of guest. Many hosts fail to recognize that fewer bookings at a higher price with guests that don't destroy your property result in higher revenue. The damage costs you suffer when hosting guests of a different caliber are high, as you've noted. Hopefully someone else will come along with some good suggestions for you. 

Good luck! Kia

[Ann72]

Also @Sherlin1 I agree with @Kia272 about the accuracy of what you're offering.  Caption each photograph briefly.  Guests don't read text before they look at pictures.  So you can take the opportunity to put some solid info there.

This is not a hobby and you've got this.