Bookings suddenly stopped after contacting airbnb

[RoniSue0]

My small Airbnb has been running for about a year. I've had a 99% occupancy rate with only 0-2 nights unbooked per month.  Every one of my reviews were 5-star until a couple of weeks ago when I received a 4-star review. There was an environmental issue with the room that I couldn't control, the guest left, we communicated well, and I contacted Airbnb to ensure the guest would receive a full refund. The guest gave me 4-stars, but my bookings came to a screeching halt. I'm still a Superhost, but I'm not getting booked, no matter what I try! 

Why have I gone from being BOOKED SOLID to not being able to attract ANY bookings during a heavy seaons here? Airbnb prices are really high in my area, but I'm applying steep promotions and/or offering rock-bottom pricing, just trying to pull in anyone! What is HAPPENING??

-- Did my call to Airbnb get me punished?

-- Does getting one rating below 5-stars destroy my visibility? 

-- Did Airbnb's "categories" roll-out have anything to do with this? I'm near a university, in the center of all kinds of arts venues and nature hikes, but not showing up in any of the categories because my place is just a nice, clean, simple, suburban unit; it's not a high-end property with million-dollar views.  

My stats have nose-dived, and I don't know what I can do to get a steady stream of bookings again. I've tweaked and refined every setting I can find, but I'm in the dark as to what went wrong! 

Please help??!!

[Emiel1 · Accepted solution]

@RoniSue0 

Your listing is in the search system and it can be booked.

https://www.airbnb.com/s/homes?host_id=1180240&map_toggle=true

So technically it is OK.

You can check your ranking by performing a search in your area (when not logged in).

Airbnb recently updated the platform with new features and it seems to me listings are presented in differeent order then before. The major issue causing this is as Airbnb has set "flexible" as the default search option. This should be optional. Most guests are not flexibel and simply want to search for the dates they have in mind.

Try promoting your listing outside Airbnb (Social media, private website etc), use the "share" option on the listing (and also add a cover photo to your homepage: https://www.airbnb.com/users/1180240/listings )

[RoniSue0]

Thanks for your feedback! I wasn't aware of the profile page needing a photo, so I appreciated that tip, and I added one. I'm still mystified as to what has caused me to go from 100% booked to hardly any bookings at all. 

I am curious if other hosts experienced a complete drop in bookings during Airbnb's roll-out, or if my situation was due to getting one 4-star review, or due to calling and asking Airbnb for assistance.

It's very concerning that I have so many dates unfilled this month. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@RoniSue0yes, same here, since Airbnb introduced this new category circus we got no bookings at all and it's a top season.

[RoniSue0]

I appreciate your feedback! I’m sorry this is happening to you, too. It’s upsetting. 

[Barbara2519]

I have been a superhost for 4 years - 100% booked and now two booking for next month. I suspect Airbnb is promoting the most expensive properties. 

[Jennifer3562]

No bookings since April. I've been on Air over a year and vrbo for 5 years. All 5.0 ratings. It's been months since I've had an Air booking. 

[Catherine2826]

Is this still the case for you, no Air bookings? 
I’m experiencing the same problem. 

[Barbara2519]

yes 😞 5 years of I’ve 95% bookings -good lluck

[Catherine2826]

The same has happened to us. Makes no sense.

[Ann72]

@RoniSue0  Is your calendar open for just 3 months in advance?  You could experiment with 6 months.  You could also list on Furnished Finder, a site for traveling nurses.  No, you haven't been put in time-out because you called Airbnb.  If you read this forum you'll see many hosts remarking that their views and bookings have slowed since the roll-out.  

[RoniSue0]

It is generally open for 3 months in advance. I find that people who book more than 3 months in advance are more likely to cancel or change their booking. Before the roll-out, that worked just fine.

I am still a bit skeptical about the timing of my contacting Airbnb and the halt in my bookings, but I do see that some others are unhappy with the new changes for various reasons. I'm not specifically seeing that others have gone from being fully-booked to hardly getting any bookings, but I will keep looking... 

I appreciate your input, Ann72! 

[Barbara2519]

Same here in Tucson. Superhost and 100 % booked for 4 years. Now two bookings for next month. My n listing is now on page nine. No preference for being a superhost. 

[Scott-And-Sharon2]

Since air bnb changed the platform a couple of months ago, my bookings are practically nil, I am a  super host and reasonably priced.  I’ve looked at stats and not many views either, don’t know what is happening.

[Matta1]

Same here