Airbnb Plus Program Nightmare

[Jeff471]

Is it just me or are others absolutely stunned at how poorly managed the Airbnb Plus program is?

Apparently making phone calls to Airbnb regarding the Plus program is a complete waste of time as all the customer service agents do is 'send an email to Airbnb Plus team' where it sits unresolved.

First and foremost, the Airbnb Plus program for me has been horrific. It all started with the initial visit. The person they sent did a terrible job. It took FOUR HOURS to inspect a 3br/2.5ba townhome. I had soooo many issues but they were trivial AND some of them weren't issues.  For example, the reviewer noted an issue with Wifi.  He didn't actually use the Wifi credentials to test the speed but he noted it as an issue so that I could take the screen shot. That's just being lazy.  Another example, he submitted six issues for the same thing: not having four pillows on each of the three beds. For some reason he felt that each bedroom needed to be called out twice for the same problem. Finally, he dinged me for not having a guest book and to highlight the issue he...submitted a picture of the guest book. LOL. But, whatever.

In any case, ALL of the open items were FIXED and ACCEPTED by Airbnb Plus and I was told to schedule the final photographer, which I did. As part of the email regarding the photo shoot there was clear messaging this was NOT another inspection, however, that wasn't an issue because all the issues had already been resolved. Now, after the photographer came out I expected to see some awesome photos from the professional photographer. Nope. I haven't seen or heard anything. And when I called about this I was told Airbnb Plus would decide what photos to use, not me. What I did get was a message telling me I need to fix 13 issues!  These were the SAME issues that had already been fixed and approved by Airbnb Plus otherwise (I assume) I wouldn't have been told to schedule the final photographer. I was pretty livid when I got this message so I called and complained. I was told an 'email will be sent to the Airbnb Plus' team. No one has responded.

So I get yet another message (automated I assume) telling me to fix the items. Against my will I went into the system to RESUBMIT the evidence for fixes. But, again, I get stuck on the absolutely stupid process they have for fixing the 'Check-in instructions' issue. You can't actually submit a fix like the other items.  An error messages tells me to 'Please publish a check-in guide to submit this item for review.' Guess what? There isn't a 'publish' of anything. There is a text field for this information. And, guess what again? THE INFORMATION THEY WANT IS ALREADY THERE! In fact, I had to call customer support during this initial fix process to resolve this.  In any case, it had already been submitted and accepted as resolved.

At this point I hate this program and I WOULD NOT recommend it to anyone. It has caused me A LOT of grief and frustration. I placed another call to customer support today only (again) to be told all they can do is send an email to the Airbnb Plus team. As I outlined before, that's a useless black hole.

[Roderick8]

Oh please, you think you are scaring me? Do you think that is what real entrepreneurs do? Worry about boneless regulations that no one enforces and which have no real value? My response to you is toughen your fragile ego before it cracks.

[Ela25]

I too have not had a great experience and would like to revert back. I’m also losing money now since becoming a Plus host. 

[Amelia92]

Same experience here as everyone else, poor customer service, poor photos, no photos of the best features of our space. 

Who has reverted and how was that experience? 

[Ann489]

@Jeff471  Welcome to the "club", Jeff.  So far, I have heard nothing but bad things about it from other hosts.  If things are going well for you as a host, do yourself a favor and don't participate in this joke of a program!

[Pierre85]

Hi 

i am beginning to see what you are talking about: they had arranged the initial visit today and they did not show up.

i think I am just not going to bother.

my team, in Morocco, worked hard during Ramadan to prepare the property ready for professional photo shoot... and Airbnb Plus did not honour the appointment!!!!

it did not prevent to host guests with raving reviews before and having read your assessement... I might simply not bother! 

Kind regards

pierre 

[Geraldine205]

Hi, I am currently going through the upgrade process which has been a nightmare - similar experiences to the above. Also, I probably didn't do my homework - is the Plus a different platfrom for guests to search?? I thought it would be on the same platform, just tagged as Plus. If I am not happy on this new Plus platform, can I revert to my old ad? I have gone to so much trouble for this upgrade - wish I'd read this earlier. Very disappointed. Thanks.

[Denise405]

Airbnb Plus is a disastrous dumpster fire.  I have added major backyard hardscape, a brand new hot tub, a fully enclosed glass solarium and Airbnb Plus has not responded for almost a month and a half at this point to update the photos/listing.  At first, they said wait for a photographer to reach out to you.  I waited.  2.5 weeks later, nothing.  I called back.  I then was told no photographer will be coming out because they are too busy.  I was told to take and submit my own photos.  I did that and I heard nothing.  I called back, they said my case was not escalated and they "escalated" the case.  I nonetheless heard nothing.  I called back and another rep said my case needed to be escalated, OK...I thought they did that last time.  Still nothing.  I have called multiple times, been told there is nothing they can do and Airbnb Plus is separate from Airbnb and Airbnb can't reach out directly to Airbnb Plus...  I have had several guests question me about why my listing doesn't show what it describes and they do not book.  I have 1 future booking - and before Plus and all this nonsense, it was booked every weekend.  It took a huge effort to get Plus - I don't want to leave after all of that work just a short time ago - but Airbnb Plus' program is a total disaster for hosts.  Advice is welcome.

[Celeste136]

"disastrous dumpster fire" haha Indeed.

[Melania38]

Hi, I had almost the same problem. I fixed every issue but not 2 because they never never answer!! 

Now my candidacy has expired because I didn't answer... WHATTTT!!!! I wrote to support 10 times and nobody help my and now you say I didn't answer?? that's a joke!

Moreover the team told me: don't worry we are slow but you will get your answer.... Totally a lie.

I would never recommend to anybody to try this program. Too much effort and waste of time.

[Celeste136]

It has not improved at all since its inception. It has actually gotten worse. 

[Eddie143]

Same situation.  The plus team absolutely refuses to communicate in any other manner that by email.  It usually takes a week to get a response and then it is very vague and not helpful.  I am currently in my 5th month trying to get the house approved and it is extremely frustrating.   My home is brand new and everything in the house is new.  Their design team does not like some of our unique local art and has asked us to remove it.  I have seen many homes with a plus rating that do not meet the same credentials that are being required at my house.  They insist on white bed coverings which do not make sense in a rental property, and this has been a point of contention.  In summary, most of these issues could be resolved with a single phone call, but that is not  part or their approval process.  If you choose to move up to a plus rating, have patience.  It will take a while.

[Roderick8]

They are amateurs. The reality is that top notch designers don't work for AirBnB. A top notch designer wants to create, not become a design policeman.

[Lilly-And-Paul0]

I started doing Airbnb Plus this year and my bookings have dropped dramatically each month since. It’s incredibly disheartening and frustrating! I used to make decent money and now I’m just barely breaking even. I want to quit the program but I’m not *positive* that it’s the reason for my decline in bookings and when you say you want to quit they give you a laundry list guilt trip for all the reasons you shouldn’t. It’s all very confusing and maddening. 

[Hannah690]

I completely agree. I have been waiting to hear back from Airbnb about a refund. The refund is regarding a stay in Rome, Italy. I cancelled the trip at the end of February due to COVID and am still waiting to hear back. That is 4 weeks. FOUR WEEKS. No return phone call. I have called Airbnb over 10 times. Most of those times I have waited to speak to a representative for over two hours, sometimes over 4 hours. Every time they say that they will mark my case as urgent, send the Airbnb plus team an email, and that I should hear back from an Airbnb plus representative within 24-48 hours. Well it has been over 720 hours. I am not happy. I will not book an Airbnb plus again. I may not ever book an Airbnb again.