Superguest Suggestions

Jaime233
Level 2
Washington, DC

Superguest Suggestions

Hello,

 

I am very excited for the Superguest program to begin sooner rather than later! I love AirBnB and everything about the idea of the experience. I have had many positive experiences, but adding some of the suggestions below would greatly enhance that. In response to AirBnB seeking suggestions for the travel membership program (https://www.airbnb.com/new), I submitted the following:

 

Discounts on stays - for every x number of stays, I receive a % or $ off of my next stay

The same discount on referrals as new users - currently new users receive $40 off and the person referring a new user recieves $20 off. I would suggest $30 or $40 for both users. 

Waived or discounted cleaning fees, especially considering some hosts have excessive cleaning fees

Flexible/adjustable check-in and check-out times

Pick up from and drop off to the airport

Cleaning during the stay - depending on length of stay, cleaning every few days during the reservation

Expedited tax exemption for business trips

Priority booking - currently when someone receives pre-approval, the room/home is not blocked off for them and still shows as available

Stocked refrigerator with snacks and drinks

Gift baskets with local delicacies

 

Would love to hear others' thoughts!

 

@Airbnb2I am ready to sign up for the Superguest program as soon as it is offered! 🙂

 

Thank You,

Jaime [Surname hidden]

39 Replies 39

@ Jaime Yes I have to say its a bit OTT. Sorry to say this, hotels offer airport transfers and hotels also charge $350 to $450, $500 a night. Hotels stock their bar fridge and charge per item. 

 

Most of my guests seem to have distinct tastes and usually couldn't care less whether there are gift baskets, gift fruit bowls, etc. They simply prefer to buy their own organics. Stuff gets thrown out.....!!

 

'Skilt' does have an updated conversation with airbnb staff about this superguest program and its actually not on the cards in the near future...........! the stuff you mention would prob exhaust most simple hosting techniques. In saying this, in addition to  more frequent cleaning, like hotels, one can always check with their hosts and they send professional cleaners with an hourly fee.

 

Its a good topic to start and as a guest myself whom have stayed in a doz places, I woudn't expect this much from hosts. I think 'Guests' should try hosting to understand the responsibilities that come with hosting. 

Allison2
Level 10
Traverse City, MI

Jaime, you have some really solid ideas here.

 

Some things on your wishlist Airbnb could facilitate without involving the host. For example, I can't leave my full time job (90% of my income) to pick up guests from the airport, but could see Airbnb offering Lyft or Uber credits.

 

Same thing with some of the discounts and loyalty programs, so long as Airbnb chose to fund them.

 

But some things make me wonder if you really "get" the idea of homesharing. At least to me, it's meant to be a peer-to-peer exchange. I lived with families when traveling overseas and enjoyed it SO much more than I ever did a hotel.

 

Suggesting things like flexible checkin/out make me wonder if you understand how this works from the host side. I'm not a hotel that has hundreds of rooms with, inevitably, one open at all times. Do you like the "live like a local" and human contact parts, or just the "vacation for less than a hotel"?

 

I work an 8-5 job on top of hosting. My cleaners are friends who clean your bathroom and change the sheets while their kids are in school.

 

If Airbnb makes a SuperGuest program with flexible checkout and you want to leave at 4pm, that means my cleaner doesn't get dinner with her family (if she'd even accept the gig). My next guest can't arrive until 7-8pm or I'd have to leave that night unbooked. Why would I want you as a superguest when I'd lose that extra $250 (or $500 if you also wanted a 10am check-in)? Or suffer a bad review from the non-super-guest who was upset they couldn't arrive until 8pm, or forced to check out at 7am?

 

To earn my SuperHost status (14 consecutive times in the 4 years I've been hosting) I have:

  1. greeted 1am arrivals
  2. dug a car out during a blizzard
  3. built countless bonfires and offered hundreds of S'mores
  4. drug myself out of bed to let in the drunks who couldn't open the door at 2am
  5. cheered guests on in marathons (and left them salt and foot baths for afterward)
  6. popped champagne corks and offered cocktails
  7. cleaned vomit, urine, male ejaculate (Airbnb censors the scientific word), and menses off my linens
  8. celebrated weddings, bachelorette, babymoon and anniversaries
  9. slept on the couch when guests are having late-night noisy fun above my bedroom
  10. finished prepping laundry for the next day or cleaned myself until 1 and 2am

What does a guest do to be a SuperGuest? Communicate well and leave the place in decent shape? Sheee-it. I'm doing all this stuff for you all and you want me to bend MORE over backwards? >.<

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this whole thing only works if there's a balance and give and take. Otherwise the only "hosts" left here will be hands-off professionals and hotel listings. No more living like a local.

 

If you're that valuable Airbnb can send gift baskets to my house in advance of your arrival, or a service over to stock the fridge and do housekeeping service during your stay. But really you should just go to a hotel where they offer those things along with 24-hour conceirge service and same day fully refundable cancellations. Too many SuperGuests with ideas like yours and home sharing, at least the way Airbnb is doing it, will be dead.

Emily487
Level 10
KCMO, MO

@Jaime233

Perhaps you are more suited to a luxury hotel experience?

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Jaime233,

 

Firstly, welcome to the Community Center, it great to see you here.

 

This is a great topic and it is really nice to have a guest's perspective on what would attract you to a Superguest program.

 

As others have mentioned, some of the ideas you have, are something that might be more on the host side of things, but I personally think it is really interesting (and I hope others here will agree with me) to learn what is important on your trip, even if we are thinking more generally and not necessarily regarding a Superguest program. 

 

Out of interest, you mention discounts on bookings, do you also think a set amount of travel credit would be of similar interest or would you prefer discounts on every booking more? 

 

Thanks again for starting this topic. 🙂

 

Lizzie


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Hello Lizzie! Yes, as I mentioned, I am excited about the idea and start of the program.

 

Yes, it has been brought to my attention that many of my suggestions may require a lot from hosts. I submitted a list of suggestions as ideas of what could work. I am happy you, someone from AirBnB has seen them, but I am also happy that hosts on this post, have stated the negative impact it would have on them. As a AirBnB user, I of course would want what is beneficial for the general AirBnB community.

 

I have had little to no negative experiences with my hosts. Some of them have gone above and beyond (one let me use their car) and some have done nothing more than what is listed (a room, a bathroom plus a towel, etc.) and regardless each experience has been appreciated. My suggestions are not things I require, but ideas/options that could be offered. If none of them were implemented, I would still use AirBnB and support hosts as I have been doing by cleaning up my space when I leave, leaving private  feedback when necessary, and leaving public reviews that hopefully assist them with getting more bookings. The responses I have gotten are challenging me to think of more ways AirBnB, not hosts, could contribute to the program.

 

Travel credit would be great! Perhaps for every x number of stays in a given time period, guests receive a travel credit towards their next booking - a loyalty program of sorts. I also mentioned in my original post, making the referral travel credit the same for both the new user and the one who referred them. I am open to whatever is easiest for AirBnB to manage/makes the most sense.

 

Again, thanks for reading the post! It is great to know that you all actually check in with the community and engage!

 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Jaime233   Here's what I get as "perks" for being a Superhost-

A $100 travel voucher after a year of maintaining that status, which I don't have time or logistics to use, as I have a house to run, a garden to care for, a large dog, and a full time job apart from hosting. Not to mention that taking a vacation, even if you have some travel credit, requires disposable income.

An ugly badge pasted across my profile photo.

Hopefully some guests who actually care about booking with a Superhost. Most don't even know or care. They just look at price and photos.

That's it. I don't even get priority search ranking, because I won't use Instant Book.

 

So aside from getting a travel credit from Airbnb, if there was a Superguest category, you could just consider that the designation meant that hosts would feel confident that you would be a good guest and be grateful for that. Most of your list reflects total cluelessness about all the effort it takes to be a good host.

 

Sarah, 

I can't state it better!! We are so busy hosting guests year round, especially the holiday seasons, with a fulltime job. Honestly, I have even not stay in any airbnb housing since I started to host 5 years ago (my kids and my husband did once in Poland, and they are very happy)  I agree with you, most guests just looked at the prices and photos. 

You nail it.  

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

Well, I will not object if Airbnb would offer lower service fee or a discount coupon to superguests. I will not object if they get a superguest badge or a priority customer service.... but not on their host expense.

 

When I read your ideas I don't see you as a "superguest", in contrary... more like a "better suited in  luxury hotel" type of guest. As you already noticed from our comments in this thread - you are not a dream guest to any of us . 

 

For hosts the "superguest" is the one who:

- reads the entire listing's description and house rules before booking so there are no surprises or wrong assumptions

- arrive on agreed time, within the check in time frame

- respect house rules

- communicate timely and polite

- do not ask for discounts

- understand they should pay for any extra service (like a transport from the airport)

- do not abuse A/C , water or heating

- respect his host's home, things and time

- leave everything clean and tidy, lock the door / turn off airconditioner, lights and appliances behind him

- do not make any damage (or pay for the damage he have accidentaly done)

- check out on time

- leave a nice review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helen56
Level 10
San Diego, CA

Jamie@Washington.  I could not afford to give guests all the discounts and  perks you suggest.   I charge $55 a night for a room in my house.  

@Jamie0 as everyone else has said, if hosts were expected to offer extra perks to "Superguests," we would simply have no reason to accept them. Just as guests would not choose to stay with "Superhosts" if Airbnb added significant extra fees for that badge.

 

From the Hosting perspective, I honestly see no benefit in a Superguest program. From the hundreds of guests I've had, I've found it just as likely to have a great experience with a first-time Airbnb user as with a frequent one. My expectations are pretty simple:  communicate the relevant info, follow the house rules, treat the property with respect, and you get a 5-star review from me. What more can I ask, when I'm charging for the accommodation? It takes a lot more effort on my part to earn the positive reviews from guests.

 

From Airbnb's business perspective, I can see value in having a loyalty scheme with some kind of benefits, like hotel chains, airlines, retailers, and chain restaurants do. I bet a lot of people's wallets are overflowing with loyalty cards and punch cards for the various brands they use, and Airbnb could add itself to the list paperlessly. But most people don't have the time and/or money to travel frequently enough to use travel credits with expiry dates, so a program based on travel credits would ultimately target a pretty narrow demographic which doesn't necessarily reflect who the "best" guests are.

 

@Lizzie my suggestions for a reward program for frequent and well-reviewed guests (as well as Superhosts) would be:

 

- Expand the Credit system to encompass experiences, restaurants (where applicable), and products that can be used locally. Perhaps the recipient isn't traveling to a place with suitable accommodation options, but Airbnb can partner with other global businesses to allow Airbnb credit to be exchanged for something useful. Perhaps it would be nicer if @Sarah0 in Mexico could use that $100 Superhost voucher toward new linens or other things we normally pay out of pocket to maintain our property.

 

- Make the possibility of Guest benefits conditional upon guests having 100% complete profiles with a vetted face photo and securely verified ID. Hosts care about these things more than colorful badges.

 

- Here's a bolder idea: instead of a travel credit, how about trip insurance? A paid option for regular guests, a complimentary one for "Superguests," that can ultimately replace the deeply unpopular Extenuating Circumstances loophole for uncompensated guest cancellations?

Loving that trip insurance suggestion @Anonymous. Inspired thinking!

Agreed @ Andrew, excellent idea and practical

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

I always viewed a Superguest as becoming that because of the collective opinions of past hosts and one that is a pleasure to host. Their perks should come from Airbnb and well away from the host.  If requiring perks (aka expectations) from the host than this is more like a 'Superpain' guest.  Airbnb might as well put an icon of a skull & crossbones on 'Superguest' faces, for that would be what I be 'seeing'. 🙂

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The icon of Skull & crossbones suggested by @ Fred is the most reasonable suggestion I have seen in this topic! 🙂 

The same picture used to warn people that the content is toxic. I was thinking >

 

bones.jpg