Who do we blame when we no longer have enough bookings for superhost.?

Wende2
Level 10
Church Creek, MD

Who do we blame when we no longer have enough bookings for superhost.?

It just dawned on me, at this rate I'll never have the bookings they expect to keep my superhost rating.  And let's face it, it won't be due to any of us for the lack of bookings.  I wonder how many more are out there, that don't come to the CC to see what's being talked about.

19 Replies 19
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Wende2 

 

You can not blame anyone.

Airbnb has updated their platform and now we are all (!) in a new reality, where  search results are different then before and a lot of hosts facing less bookings, but others have more !

But as a host you can adapt somewhat to the new situation.

(I am back on same booking level as before the update).

 

@Emiel1...Have you done anything to your listing to be having the same success.?  I do feel I can blame ABB, had they just left well enough alone, a lot of us would still be getting booked.  I'd be interested to know what you did, if anything to get back to the bookings you were getting.  Thanks.

Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Wende2 

 

Besides some smaller "adaptions" (discussed already in other threads) there are three major actions to do:

-  Be sure your listing can be booked for at least 7 nights, as "flexible", "1 week" is the default setting on the search platform and most less experienced guests will not change it.

- Do not rely on Airbnb search that much, but promote your listing outside the platform.

(see "share" feature on the listing for options)

- Try to influence AI so it attaches your listing to correct catagories.

(Your listing is now assigned only to catagory "farms")

 

Emiel1_0-1658182077627.png

 

@Emiel1...HOLY COW....THANK YOU.!!  That isn't even my property, a very nice farm just before you get here.  That's just a photo I mentioned is my favorite sight just before getting here, thinking that would be a nice heads up for how close they are to me...mind blown. 

 

I will take your advice and do the other suggestions as well.

 

Again, thank you.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Emiel1 

 

I totally blame Airbnb. My listings were doing just fine. I know there is a market for what I offer because (except for pandemic situations that made it impossible), I have always been fully booked for any dates that I offered since I first started listing on Airbnb in 2012.

 

Maybe some hosts are getting those bookings instead. I'd love to hear from more of them to find out if that is true. I've only seen a couple of hosts report here that they are doing fine and I am not entirely convinced that they are factoring in that their bookings came in before the summer release. My listings are still booked, but views/new bookings stopped, so, it would be foolish to be complacent as they won't continue to be booked at this rate...

 

Yes, do please let us know what you did to regain bookings (that is assuming your bookings initially took a dive after the release).

 

Anyway, of course I will adapt, but that may well mean finding bookings elsewhere. I can't control Airbnb's random AI that sends me to France when I am trying to search in South London or whatever.

 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

 

@Wende2 

 

 

Good question. I hadn't even thought about that, to be honest. I just lost Superhost status, so perhaps that is why. I was pretty confident that I would regain it next quarter, or the quarter after, as it was due to a couple of problematic guests that I probably should never have accepted, so I wasn't too concerned, but now I feel like I will have to rely on bookings outside of Airbnb, that might not be the case...

 

I have heard over and over again that being Superhost doesn't affect your bookings. I've been one for so long that it is impossible for me to comment on that and the current situation following the summer release also makes it impossible to make a comparison. However, I don't feel nervous about losing the status. I don't think it is that meaningful. It's just a matter of personal pride for me, but I think I am over it.

@Huma0...I'm thinking once it's gone, it may be almost impossible to get back.?  I have had guests mention they look at the superhost first, check out photos and decide that way.

 

I made some changes to my listing, finished raising the price for the rest of the yr, added 1 new photo, that was last night.  I went on and used the anywhere search, put my town in, today I was back at the first spot, maybe 5 -6 days ago I was in the 3rd spot.  I've been at #1 for years, who knows if that helps with bookings.  With a category titled OMG!, who isn't going to be interested in looking at those.  I looked at the categories that I would/could be in.  National parks, there were so many pages for a neighboring state, I gave up.  Then I went checked countryside, there were some about an hour away.  I'm going to see about getting in both. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom


@Wende2 wrote:

@Huma0...I'm thinking once it's gone, it may be almost impossible to get back.?  I have had guests mention they look at the superhost first, check out photos and decide that way.

 

 


No, I don't think that's true at all. The first time I got Superhost, I just missed it the following quarter. Then I got it back the next quarter and had maintained it every quarter until the last one.

 

The assessment is always based on the previous 12 months, so if you lose it because of one bad review or not having enough bookings, you can definitely get it back when you get more 5* reviews or bookings in subsequent periods.

 

The problem, as you've correctly pointed out, is that if Airbnb's new search functions prevent us from getting bookings, that can also prevent us from getting/maintaining Superhost. 

 

Yes, some guests do search for Superhosts, but I think that they are probably the minority. A lot never even think about that. Maybe they notice it, but just think it's a bonus rather than something important. I think that most guests look at the photos, the price and the location and then the reviews more than anything else. I think if you have great reviews and a great star rating, they won't even notice if you don't have the Superhost badge.

 

Funnily enough, the only booking (other than the one from a repeat guest) that I've gotten on Airbnb since the Summer Release was AFTER I lost SH status! 

@Huma0....I'll take bookings anyway I can.  I do have some people say, in their review that the other reviews are true.  I'm actually at 4.96% for a star rating, clawing my way back to 5%.  I had a guy book for a golf tournament, he didn't bother to see where I was, in regards to how close to the golf course.  He told me I was an hr away, he gave me 3 stars for location.  When I called to have something done about it, nope nothing.  That's been 4 - 5 yrs ago, how is that fair.  I've argued location should not be a star rating, not our fault people don't have enough sense to go on maps an look for themselves.  Had he mentioned the name of the course, I could have let him know that didn't sound familiar in my area, an we have 3.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Wende2 

 

The location category doesn't count towards the Superhost evaluation. It's the overall star rating that is taken into account. However, guests who mark down in a category, including location, can then mark down overall due to that one gripe.

 

Guests who moan about location are so annoying. If they can't do any research and book the location they need/want, then I am sorry, but they are just stupid. The only reason to downrate on location is if it was not accurately described and, even then, you don't need the location category because there is already one for accuracy. 

 

I don't seem to get marked down on location anymore, which is strange because it used to be the category that I got lowest scores on and my house hasn't moved, nor has the area changed in any significant way. I put this down to switching to long term guests. They seem to appreciate the area because they are here longer and realise it's super convenient and that it's normal to see people of colour in London. Go figure.

@Huma0...I rarely have long term, at the most 4 nights, I actually like a couple days, longer make me lazy about wanting to get it ready for the next guest. The girls that just left yesterday, and I had people coming in, and the place was a disaster.  Just as I thought I hope my people come later than they thought, she sent a message they'd be a couple hrs later.  Talk about a happy girl.!!  It took me forever to get it cleaned.  And one was here last yr, same, total mess.  Yesterday she mentioned coming back in Oct.  I don't understand how people can be so disrespectful of someones property.  Not to mention act all buddy with me...insert blowing up head emoji here.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Wende2 

 

Yes, I love it when that happens! There have been a few times where I have been in a panic about getting a room ready in time and then the guest magically messages to say they're running late.

 

There was one time though that I had to ask incoming guests if they could possibly come a bit later. The guests who checked out that day left the bedroom in a horrendous mess. I've not really seen anything else quite on this level in my listing. I had already lost an hour sorting out the mess they left in the bins outside, which were completely full of liquids and un-bagged food waste amongst other things.

 

It was hot weather and they had barely left the room for a week, let alone left the house. I hadn't realised that they were eating in there the whole time (against my house rules), but also storing perishable foods.

 

There were lots of dirty dishes, but also loose food everywhere, including fried chicken, fries and ketchup strewn all over the floor and on an expensive dressing table. There were several bottles of curdled milk scattered around the room and in the wardrobes. There was so much trash all over the place, even food packaging stuffed behind the radiators. I could go on and on. It was disgusting.

 

This couple left all smiles telling me what a wonderful stay they had. I guess they thought that was a completely normal state to leave the listing in...

@Huma0...WOW.!  I had an older couple that were my worst to date.  The place was a mess, they put the coffee maker in the bathroom, and cleaned out their car and left the garbage bag for me to throw away.  Everything under the sun was in that bag, even dental records for someone getting dentures.  And when they got here they thought they'd booked someone else, he cancelled with me, said his wife had to work, then booked again 4 - 5 later, I sent a message asking about it, he thanked me and said see you soon.  When they got here they were shocked, asked

1f I had another place on the water, nope I don't, but now I know where you thought you booked.

 

I had this place on a lease agreement for yrs before a tenant left at a good time to put it on.  I gutted it and remolded, and the carpenter screwed me over so I had to lease it, my idea was to put it on here right away, but he took twice as long as I expected, he kept saying it won't be long now.  I wanted to get away from tenants, figured if some ignorant people booked, at least I didn't have to put up with them for  whole year.

 

Lost a 6 night booking yesterday, lady said her dog was having knee surgery today and wouldn't be well enough by her dates to climb stairs.  My August is looking really sad, the only time I've gone this long with hardly any bookings is Jan to March.  My people here today booked in Feb.  I thought about asking that lady yesterday how she found me on here. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Wende2 

 

That's weird. Why would anyone put a coffee maker in the bathroom? People can be very odd at times. It sounds like this pair were fairly clueless. I've occasionally had that type too. I've also had guests leave loads of discarded personal items, i.e. not just rubbish from their stay. One girl left about six trash bags full of personal items, but not actually bagged, just in the drawers, wardrobes and strewn all over the room. It baffles me that people think it is an Airbnb host's responsibility to deal with that sort of stuff. It's also just plain rude.

 

Anyway, going really off topic here!

 

Sorry to hear about your booking. Will you be getting any payout or is it a full refund situation?

 

Likewise, my guests mostly book quite far in advance. The girl who is currently staying booked in December last year. The next guest arriving booked in March. So, normally, during the summer, I would have been getting plenty of enquires/booking requests for the autumn, but nope.

 

I do have bookings for September, but two of those are returning guests and the other is the only booking I have received since the Summer Release. And where are all the enquiries? I would normally be inundated over the summer by enquiries from students/interns looking to come in September/October. I wonder what they are booking instead...