Good hosting matters and is rewarded!

[Cathie19]

Whether you think the Super Host ✅ matters or not, I’d like to just say: good hosting does matter and is rewarded!

I’ve always made an effort to provide what I might want or have been supplied whilst undertaking travels; for it makes travel easier and a bit more special.

We undertake seasonal STR only, with maybe three weeks our longest stay, with all stays having a minimum of three nights in our guest suite. It’s attached to our house, in fact a separate abode built underneath our personal home. Separate entrance and separate driveway.

Now here’s an important word in my life! “Personal.”

Every one likes to feel individual and special. So besides liking our own personal space to remain private, we also respect the same for our guests.

We operate on trying to tailor what we offer, to each booking guest’s needs.

Sometimes the communication is scant and that’s not so easy, but we can only try. But something must be working in our favour…

In October we were published and named as one of the 12 finalists in Australia’s Airbnb Host of the Year 2022 awards.

We aren’t fancy, nor is our Homestay space a five or six star expensively presented space. It’s a run of the mill Airbnb home, which we share with others. Yes, we make big efforts for our space and gardens to be very clean, pleasing and most of all, functional. We have what we have and make it the best we can within our budget and philosophy.

We provide conversations and information if that’s what you like or need. We recommend only when asked and are mindful of varying budgets and cohorts. I use my Workplace Health and Safety background to check details or to also not supply items within the Airbnb space or shared spaces.

But mostly, we are friendly, discreet when in the shared spaces but always, always, never in your face, nor would want to be…

So cheers to all of you who try hard to make a space loved, functional and pleasing. Cheers to hosts that care! 🌻

 

[Bhumika]

Hello @Cathie19 ,

Read your post, it is so inspiring! It is never too late to congratulate for achievements, hence , Congratulations on your nomination and being one of the finalists🌻. I would like to reiterate your statement here : Cheers to all of the hosts who try hard to make a space loved, functional and pleasing. Cheers to hosts that care! ✨🎉

Bhumika

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[Cathie19]

Thank you so much @Bhumika  for your kind words. 🌻 My delayed response has been due to our travelling and being very busy catching up with family friends etc etc. With my calendar essentially closed till we return to Darwin in the Xmas week, I was very happy to have a guest who had previously cancelled due to ill health, message us (through AIrbnb message board). They wanted to know if we were opening during our tourist season mid year, with specific dates in mind. After some conversations to understand what was wanted, I opened those specific dates that were being requested, so a request to book then acceptance could occur.

What’s especially nice is that now that they are well enough to travel, they thought of our humble ABB abode for their “Take 2” attempt at having a holiday, be it twelve months later. 

[Marie7196]

Congratulations! Is it okay to see your listing? What's the link.

[Cathie19]

@Quincy, can a link be provided? After all I’m unsure if the removal of links on profiles is a deliberate thing nowadays. I don’t want to upset the apple cart…

[Emilie]

@Cathie19 Links to Airbnb profiles are actually back now!

We've heard everyone's feedback on how important and useful it was in order to support each other here in the CC. 😊

Emilie

[Patricia1945]

Well done Cathie and partner 

From the most northern capital to the most Southern Capital (and we did visit your capital this year in July.)

Your airbnb sounds very much like our humble abode and we treat our guest exactly the same way as you and have never had a bad review. 

Good to see airbnb communicating with you , we have tried and have been unsuccessful on 3 different matters so have given up and now just go with the flow, unfortunately that meant we listed with VRBO and they have filled the gaps in our bookings since the stupid Summer Release ,which from what I can read was an absolute disaster. 

Congratulations on you achievement and I love the fact that your listing is what airbnb started as and not this ridiculous catergories with weekly bookings 😞 

If you venture to Tassy , would love to meet you, so please look us up 

[Cathie19]

Thanks @Patricia1945! Yes, the acknowledgement of an individual host couple with one abode is VERY important. Of course the winners of all categories had very specky places. Something that I don’t consider for ourselves. No thousands spent on it! Just general upkeep and wear and tear improvements. 

But there you go! We met all the super host prerequisites as a starter, and then everything rolled on from there. 

Sadly, even though we have done really well, with us travelling for a few months  south, with our Airbnb calendar closed across these months, but open for February when we’ll get NO ONE, I’m sadly, half expecting we’ll lose our super host status by January; which we’ve held if I remember correctly, since 2016. If not January then the following quarter! 

Because we won’t have the number of stays for the quarter or the following one. Not our tourist season!)

Ironically, by travelling  & seeing more, we get an up to date feel  of fellow tourists…

[Patricia1945]

Hi again,

thanks for the reply, you are so accurate about travelling it really helps with how you look after and treat guests 100% . 

I really believe these "Specky places" are in the minority as far as what guests are looking for, our end of the market although not as revenue generating as these catergories I truely believe we make up a big percentage of what guests look for in airbnb bookings.

We also have a fur baby called Gilbert and he is a Celebrity with guests.

The offer to stay (free) if you ever visit Gods Country (Tassy) is genuinely there if you ever wish to visit.

Norm

[Helen427]

Congratulations @Cathie19 and family including your animal family.

Congratulations also to all others who were honoured and blessed to be nominated across the world.

[Cathie19]

Thank you @Helen42 and Tilly will be pleased to be included!  💐

[Helen3]

Congratulations @Cathie19  what an amazing achievement. Lovely to see a host offering accommodation in their home be rewarded.

I think you are right individuality and the personal touch goes a long way.

It's not always about high end listings that are set up  by investors specifically as STRs that guests value,  but homestays where part of the experience is hosts offering access to their homes, offering a friendly face in a strange place and giving guests tips on restaurants, experiences and attractions they might otherwise not find.

[Cathie19]

Yes @Helen3, I thought it was great recognition for traditional STR style of hosting. Our humble abode matters. 😊

[Sidra5]

That's amazing! Well done!

[Cathie19]

Thank you @Sidra5 . 🌻

[Huma0]

Well done @Cathie19 .  I am sure it is well deserved and we will be rooting for you!

Glad also to see that a humble homestay has made the list.

[Cathie19]

Thanks @Huma0. We didn’t win but to be in the final count was pretty special. 🌻

[Huma0]

@Cathie19 

Yes, it's still an amazing achievement. I hope you had a chance to celebrate!

[Deb216]

@Cathie19   Congratulations!  I agree with everything you mention.  Your positive attitude is contagious.  Wishing you continued success!  Cheers!

[Mark116]

@Quincy  You know that since the redesign we can no longer link to the poster's listing through their profile, yes?  Or if there is a way, I can't figure it out.  When I click on @Cathie19 profile it only shows me posts at the CC, but does not link back to the Airbnb profile, where the listing is.  Weird.  

[Quincy]

Hi @Mark116, we are aware of that. This is something that will come back, so please bear with us whilst we work on that in the background 🙂.