I, like many of you thought I needed to go on plus to get back at the top of the listings bc I was getting buried under the plus listings. So I got approved and very shortly realized it was a bad idea, I’m still looking for that “leave Airbnb plus” button. The photographer that comes is under very strict guidelines of what they can photograph. So he missed 50% of the things that make my rental unique and desirable and that people comment on most. I was there during the shoot, so I told him what additional photos I wanted. He was very reluctant and did some of them, kind of, in the way Airbnb wanted - aka only full room shots from a straight on angle. Then, when your listing is put up by them, they are the ones to pick the photos used - not the owner. Which is nuts, bc the owner knows the space best and what the guests gravitate to regarding the listing. Not only that, you can’t move the photos around in different orders and they chose the cover picture - of which was a ridiculous choice in my case. Oh, and they want you to re-word your whole new listing rather than transferring over your old and allowing you to make changes - much easier. (After several emails they finally got it and somehow transferred my old descriptions over - not sure if they’ve made that standard yet.) On top of that, in my listing in general, I tended to under promise and over deliver naturally. Guests were always surprised by the unexpected touches and amenities. Now, bc its a plus listing I feel like I am having to over promise and am under delivering - even though I’ve changed nothing. Everything is the exact same as before except these guests come with a new set of expectations and more entitled attitude. Not to mention, I didn’t even raise my rate when I changed to plus so it’s not as if they are paying any sort of premium for their heightened expectations. So, if that wasn’t enough - I went from being booked 28 days last month prior to plus, to getting 2 - 2 day bookings - after being on plus. My guess is bc they dont pick the most alluring cover photos. By the looks of it, they default to a bedroom shot. My kitchen, living room are way more beautiful and appealing to the average guest. And last but not least, guests used to leave reviews immediately, without me ever asking bc they were so excited and in love with their stay. They were communicative when they got there and it was an actual pleasure to host them bc I knew they were grateful and loved my home. The few plus guests I’ve had... radio silence and no reviews. Oh, and I’ve rec,d more spam/ annoying questions from random people that put in a fake set of booking requests just to ask me questions or try to wheel and deal than ever before. Anyway, I preferred the early Airbnb days of humble house guests who felt the community of the experience, who were grateful and gracious - rather than the snobby guests plus attracts. Bottom line, don’t feel bad that you are not plus. Just keep being a superhost, pick your best cover shot, and reply quickly and you will make your way back to the top. Plus has been a headache and killed my bookings by 80% ... still searching for that dang button.
