Tell me PLUS is better than this....please!

[Robin4]

There have been a few posts from hosts who have been somewhat disappointed with the Airbnb 'Plus' scheme, with the attention and help they have had, and the results they have achieved for the money they spent! So this evening I have had a look at a few Plus listings, and I don't really know what to say that is positive!!

I have seen one listing in Shepherds Bush in London were the host has 11 reviews in total and one of those is a host cancellation...his star rating is a 4....how does that work?? How does a host even get, let alone retain a Plus status with 10 reviews and a host cancellation.

Isn't that a slap in the face for all of us?

Here is another one which, on the surface, absolutely robs the Plus program of any form of legitimacy or respectability!

 

The listing lead photo is a double bed in one of the two bedrooms on offer with one glass table and a lamp I would struggle to read by! And nothing for the unfortunate who gets the right side of the bed........ and a futon in the other bedroom.

Personally I feel insulted that this ranks itself above my listing where I would not, in a fit, provide a bed like that for my guests!

And to the reviews for this listing.....6 of them in total! Here is one of them.....

And this is from a listing that purports itself to be classy, stylish, a cut above the ordinary......What th!!!!

I am offended by the whole Plus scheme. It demeans the hard work that we hosts all put in for this company. It is becoming clear from the complaints here and the reviews which are starting to build up, this is purely another money grab on the part of the company! They are having a devil of a time supporting it and providing any back-up service for those who choose to part with their dollars to be involved with it. Approvals appear to be running 6 months behind and listings lack any host input!

You cannot under any stretch of the imagination say you have verified the track record and approve a host to enter the Plus scheme when the host has 10 reviews and a host cancellation....... or 6 reviews including something like the one above! Where is the track record of reliability there? 

I am so disappointed the company are choosing to fragment their hosting base like this. I would do anything for Airbnb, it has been so good to me but, the Plus scheme makes me thing I am tied to a lame duck!

Cheers......Rob

[Allison2]

All you need to do to qualify is paint everything white and hang some Insta-Pinterest artwork. Ha ha.

Airbnb likes the idea of selling a space you could imagine being owned by a hip, world traveling host. But Plus takes the host out of it: the listing is written by Airbnb, the decor is approved by their panel of experts, and the hosts are forced to allow 24-hr check-in which means they're less likely to greet anyone in person.

They've killed the soul of home sharing by turning it into set dressing.

[Cor3]

Hi @Allison2,

That's new to me: Requirement of 24-hour check-in, to join the program.

Where did you get that particular piece of information? As I don't recall it to be 1 of the initial requirements (The high-level requirement states: Easy Check-In; Also allowing personal handover of the keys).

[Robin4]

@Allison2

Hi Allison, it has been said before, Airbnb are employing people with no empathy! They are given a brief to design a program that the accounting projection analysts have considered provides an additional revenue stream.

You only have to spend half an hour reading Plus Listing descriptions and perusing the hosts background to find out, in many instances, the host doesn't have a background! The host has managed to satisfy a few visual criteria and gets a Plus gurnesey. He has a profile name like 'Comfort Awaits', he is not a person, there is no humanm element involved any more, there is no empathy.......you will follow your leader!!

"They've killed the soul of home sharing by turning it into set dressing."

You are so so right Allison!

Cheers.....Rob

[Lawrene0]

@Robin4: Ah yes, the lovely Comfort Awaits. I knew her sister, Hope. 

[Robin4]

@Lawrene0

Well you're ahead of me Lawrene, as usual! I could not even work out whether the entrepreneurial host 'Doormat Below' was male or female!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Lawrene0]

Doormat Below? You remember him, @Robin4. Had a brother, Lookout, who walked all over him.

[Robin4]

@Lawrene0

Hey Lawrene, Yeah and Hope had a sister 'Charity Awaits', you surely must remember her!! Lawrene, although I got the title wrong, the host who listed the listing responsible for these reviews is....well read and you will see.....

This host has 11 reviews and one is a host cancellation.

This just makes a mockery of the whole platform, and 3 others of the 11 are critical....lights going out and other things! 

Lawrene, you strive so hard to do what you do, you have been a featured host and you are a shining light in the hosting community. Doesn't this sort of nonsense just make your blood boil?

Cheers........Rob

[Lawrene0]

As I was briefly listed on a glamping site that wrote its own short and hyperbolic descriptions and curated the photos to match, @Robin4, I have a little insight into such programs, albeit much lower tier. I left that site, in case anyone is worried about me, but what I have to say is: Surely Plus attracts the sort of guests we all moan about - who don't read, who expect the world, who don't think of the hosts as humans. But perhaps Comfort or Doormat will set us straight. 

[Cor3]

Hi @Lawrene0,

There is not much to read in the Plus listings anyway :-))))

[Lawrene0]

Exactly, @Cor3! "No need to read these few slick words. Just book!"

[Cor3]

Hi @Lawrene0,

In noticed, you already seen this thread: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Plus-Rollout/m-p/820093

For anyone else, that didn't. If it wasn't this serious, it would actually be somewhat funny.

[Lawrene0]

I did, @Cor3. Poor things. You can read their frustration quite clearly. I thought I would address that they were reaching the wrong crowd with their rant before I asked, "So, how are you finding Plus?" 

[Cor3]

Hi @Lawrene0,

Yesterday I stumbled on another 'Plus'-host. And I asked this host more or less the same question.

Outcome, for now: Page-Views tripled, but booking-wise it was less than same time last year (when the listings were obviously still regular ones).

Then again, the program is still in its infancy. So we have to see how it unfolds.

What I'm really curious after is: Why did Airbnb get rid of the text in the Plus Listings?
Are they recognizing, it won't be read anyway?

[Cathie19]

Hi Lawrence. 

🤣🤣 I choose who I Comfort, and I definitely will NEVER be anyone’s Doormat! 🤣🤣

Seriously, if you want the same same ol’ coffee = Starbucks or similar styled franchises.

If you want basic burgers that seem the same globally, give Maccas (McDonalds) a go! 

If you want a set style of homestay... choose “Plus”? 

Gosh, don’t hotel chains have that already covered?