Thank you for sharing this post — it's a really important warning for new hosts! You are actually right that this strategy makes sense in the beginning.
The "New Listing" discount and last-minute promos are designed to attract your first guests and build reviews quickly. But when you stack them with the Top Rated Guest promo on top, the combined discount becomes much bigger than expected — and that's where it hurts financially.
The good news is — those first bookings and reviews are the most valuable thing for a new listing. Airbnb's algorithm rewards listings that get early bookings and positive reviews with much better visibility. So even though $400 is painful right now, those reviews will bring you more bookings at full price very soon.
My advice: once you have your first 3-5 reviews, turn off all promos and let your listing grow organically. The early discount phase is temporary — the results it brings are permanent.
