SuperGuest - suggestions?

[Michael-and-Dru0]

Airbnb is beginning the process of creating a category of "SuperGuests."  I'm elated by this move by the company.  For years we have wanted airbnb to have a category for guests which allows hosts to verify a bit more about them and vet their history.  As not only hosts, but regular guests on the platform, we are super excited about this!

Here are some initial ideas we have about ways to earn "SuperGuest" status:

1.  Follow all rules of the host

2. Leave the apartment very clean

3. Strip all beds and put towels on the floor of the bathroom

4. Clean the dishes in the kitchen or place in the dishwasher and start the cycle

5. Only allow guests 2 cancellations less that 48 hours in advance of the reservation

6. Communication:  This is key.  

[Marie-Et-Simon0]

Great suggestions!

Id put communication as number 1 and no thumb down review by a host.

Personally Id never want the guests to strip down the beds, they are guests after all! This is my job after they have vacated the premises. 

Same with the cleaning. Tidy yes, clean no.

[Michael-and-Dru0]

@Marie-Et-Simon0

I completely agreea bout "tidy," not clean.  The question is, how do you distinguish between the two so a host can leave an honest review about a guest?

As for striping the beds, *shrug* we always do it when we are guests at an airbnb; we have just decided that for us, it's common courtesy and takes 5 minutes.  It's not inconvenient at all and then the cleaner knows for sure whether or not the bed was slept in.  This is especially true when we end up renting a house with multiple rooms and we only use one room.

I agree about no thumb down reviews!

[Susan1160]

I ask guests to leave beds unmade so I know which beds they used. They actually strip them down anyway! For me that is a super guest.

[Daniel-Rusteen0]

My guess is Superhost will be based mostly on who sends the most money to Airbnb (days on Airbnb). The last thing Airbnb wants is to limit it's size of 'guests' if they don't take bed sheets off or start the dish cycle. I've stayed over 400 nights in Airbnb and I'd never do that unless there was no cleaning fee charged.

I do like the idea of not canceling 48 hours ahead. A week or so is not so bad because Airbnb will highlight your listing, but a day or two really stings (though, most of the time you get rebooked).

[Alexandra316]

@Marie-Et-Simon0 I agree with you: it's not my guests' job to strip the bed or clean up. That's what they pay me for. Tidy is sufficient. Regarding dishes being done, I find that I have to redo them 75% of the time anyways, so I'd prefer that they're left. We all have different standards that we want, so I think leaving it that the guests are highly rated on cleanliness and following rules would likely suffice. 

[Michael-and-Dru0]

@Alexandra316 You bring up a good point about dishes.  I guess I'd leave that one on there because I'd rather not have caked on food sitting in the sink.  Even if I have to redo the dishes, at least they've had a once over to be sure some cleanliness has been reached.

[Ned-And-Laura0]

I think there should be at least 5 or more reviews.  One positive review from one host does not a superguest make.  I'd like to see multiple reviews and thumbs up from multiple hosts with maybe an average of 4.8 or higher....just like superhost.  And no thumbs downs.  I don't care if they strip the bed, they are all coming off either way, takes 30 seconds.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Agree with some of the opinions.......I for one don't want my guests to strip the bedding. And in my home, towels go into the used towels bin (for collection), NOT on the floor. I don't have a dish washer and guests are expected to "clean up after themselves" - very clean is too subjective.

In my mind, superguests are people who recieve full 5 star ratings for house rules, cleanliness, and communication from min 3 hosts within the past 1 yr plus  no thumbs down and no cancellations.

[Robert292]

Stumbled on this completely at random, but "no cancellations" seems a bit high of a bar.

I use AirBnB for a lot of entertainment travel (I live in the middle of nowhere, frequently book shows/concerts in Dallas/Fort Worth TX, Albuquerque NM, and other places).  I have had an instance where the concert I was attending got cancelled itself (Lynyrd Skynyrd, and I was pretty bummed...no reschedule, just cancelled).  Given that is was a 5 1/2 hour drive, with no concert to attend I had no reason to make the trip and take the time off work (it was a weekday show).

So I cancelled the AirBnB reservation.  This was all well in advance (a couple weeks, if memory serves).  The host understood, and there were no negatives on either side (I suppose the host also having tickets to the cancelled concert didn't hurt).

Point is, no cancellations being the criteria will eventually exclude virtually everyone, as even with the best of intentions things do happen beyond our control.  

Just my input as a somewhat frequent guest.  

[Rachel0]

Like @Jessica-and-Henry0 I don't want the  guests to strip the bed either, that's my job and I  can check that nothing nasty has been left on the bedding while I am doing it.  For me, communication and compliance with the house rules are key factors  - preferably from at least 3 hosts - with an overall average of 4.8* just like superhosts have to have.  Nobody has mentioned the issue of profile photos - and I cannot understand why they are no longer mandatory for the booking process.  Any "super guest" MUST have a clear, recognisable photo I would have thought.  How are Airbnb going to get this initiative up and running I wonder.  Will they just roll this out without any feedback from hosts and present it as a fait accompli like they have done with every other "improvement" to the system.   

[Lizzie]

Hello @Michael-and-Dru0,

It's fantastic you have started this topic. I like that you are an active traveller yourself, I too am hoping I can become a Superguest when it is introduced, I might need a couple more reviews...oh well, if I must go on another trip then needs must! hehe

It is interesting to see the areas you have focussed on. Do you think that the categories, such as response rate (communication in your point) and other categories should mirror quite a few of those shown in the Superhost category? 

@Rachel0, @Jessica-and-Henry0, @Ned-And-Laura0, @Alexandra316, @Marie-Et-Simon0

[Michael-and-Dru0]

@Lizzie I absolutely think the categories offered for SuperHosts should be mirrored for SuperGuests.  Lower down in this thread @Kim87 mentions the problem of guests not reading a listing completely through before booking.  I noted that often guests don't read the rules.  It would be really helpful to have a checkbox for guests to click which affirms they know the rules and have fully read the listing description - maybe it's not required, but for those guests who do click it, it helps with gaining their superguest status?

[Daniele-Y-Fabricio0]

Absolutely: some guests really forget until last minute to reply to a message requesting their time of arrival. For us who don't live in the apartments we rent, this kind of communication is vital to organize check-in's (and our lives)

[Ange2]

I guess it depends on the listing, whether shared or whole apt., whether the host is nearby,  host expectations, organization and logistics, etc.

I share my space so I can be more flexible because I am on hand. But, personally Superguest or not makes no difference to me, I generally go on my communication with the guest. Star ratings are so subjective that I do not rely on them. I have taken people with no, even a low star rating who were fantastic and equally I have had 5-star rated guests who were a definite thumbs down.

If I had to pick a few things that would go towards being a Superguest.

1. Read the description, amenities, rules
2. Follow all the rules
3. Timely communication especially as regards check-in, changes of plans and problems
4. No Cancellations unless for proven 'extenuating circumstances'
5. Average 4.8 or higher star ratings and no thumbs down.

I  say NO cancellations except if extenuating circumstances because just one from a host,  however far into the future can rip Superhost away for a year.  Standards should be as high for guests as for hosts so as not end up with a skewed, overloaded, meaningless "Superguest" category that disappoints in person.

I do wish there was an "easy to host" category for hosts to rate guests on and  a "check-in" rating – they would go on my Superguest checklist. Or why not, as for hosts,  an "overall" category to rate  guests.

The cleaning up after yourself  is in my rules. I do not expect guests to be perfect and I prefer they don't strip their beds, they need to wash but not put china and cutlery away (a cupboard full of plates with dried-on food is more work for me to ensure they are clean for the next guests). But, whether they leave it looking 'very' clean or not I always have it professionally cleaned after they leave – some dirt you cannot see and nothing beats a feshly cleaned room.