WHy are hosts so worried about keeping superhost status?

[Donald28]

Honestly, what does it do for us besides the annual pitiful $100 travel voucher AND the free airbnb magazine? We're all busting our butts worrying about getting, keeping and losing superhost status. WHY? 

Convince me that being a superhost is such a beneficial thing for a host. 

[Jose68]

Blah.....Blah.....Blah

SuperHost I've been trying toreach on this platform five years ago and over 400 reservations later I still haven't reached Superhost Status. I get the free AirBnB magazines but not Badge next to my Pic. I agree with some Some previous comments. Not here to compete with Hilton or the Fairmont, Here to provide a clean affordable option. My personal experience Is you can't satisfy everyone, There's always that guest that complains to try get freebies by threating to leave a bad review.  Then there is the guest that cancels doesnt recive a refund and is still allowed to leave a review. Then there is the instance when a guest wants to extend their stay but there is a guest with a one day booking affecting your ability to bring in more cash, so I would take the peanlty and Losing the chance at SuperHost but Im still booking up no problem!

[Marie82]

@Donald28 The last term I was superhost and during the busiest time in Sydney end of December  many of my listings where empty till very last min as some guests got disappointed with their apartment booked and Airbnb called me to relocated them in my apartments and that happened 3 times and that time i was Superhost. so superhost i won't kill myself for it as I have seen far to many time a nasty guest can give u 3 stars across because u caught him with extra guests and others issue. Till ABB change the revenge review i won't fight for Superhost, the whole situation pushed me to diversify and have my listings in others platform best move I have ever made.

[Susan17]

The entire Airbnb SH/ratings/review program is nothing more than a psychological manipulation and behaviour modification tool, specifically designed to force/coerce hosts into toe-ing the company line. 

It's all about mind games and control, and we're allowing ourselves to be played like fiddles, by buying into all the nonsense. 

Discover the Gamification Secrets behind Airbnb's Success

https://octalysisgroup.com/2019/02/discover-the-octalysis-secrets-behind-airbnbs-success-part-1/

Airbnb and the Art of Behavioural Influence

https://uxdesign.cc/how-airbnb-com-uses-behavioral-psychology-123dd50f5cf

[Jeff158]

Don't worry about it, the new Luxury homes don't appear to even have a host never mind a superhost

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/luxury

[Susan17]

Lol! Those search pages are just all so d*mn  cluttered, @Jeff158 - Airbnb Adventures, Airbnb Luxe, Airbnb Plus, Airbnb Experiences, Airbnb Superhosts, Airbnb Non-Superhosts...  it's like finding a needle in a haystack! 

Had to book a place last night for this weekend. The Airbnb search was an absolute mess - showing me places over an hour and a half away, mixed in with local places. (No wonder hosts get marked down for location all the time!) Got fed up trawling through all the dross, and booked a place on BDC in 5 minutes flat instead. 

[Susan17]

Anyway, who needs a boring old host/superhost, when you can have your own super-sparkly "Trip Designer" instead??

Each Airbnb Luxe booking provides 24/7 access to a dedicated, highly trained trip designer who will ensure the stay is tailored to the traveler’s unique needs every step of the way. This includes ensuring effortless booking and check-in, coordinating local bespoke experiences and activities, and arranging a wide range of services from childcare, to private chefs to in-house massage therapists – or, for the dedicated, personal training sessions in your own private gym.

[Jody79]

@Susan17 LOL!  I was just looking at the luxe option out of curiosity last night!  I'm not even comfortable with the whole being pampered thing.  I tend to prefer doing my own thing.  Give me a down to earth place that's clean with common everyday amenities and I'm a happy camper! 🙂

[Donald28]

Im on BDC too but in over a year have only had 1 booking 100+ on airbnb. I don't get it? I'd love to diversify but with airbnb being the go-to for home sharing, it's not worth the time and effort

[Helen3]

Hi @Donald28 

It's not up to your fellow host to convince about SH status. If you don't value it, then you don't. I think rather the question should be why are you 'busting a gut' to retain something that you clearly don't value 🙂

I just host as I would normally and have had SH status within the first quarter of listing and still retain it four years later.

For me I like the fact I get through to them as a priority if there is an issue, and I have some guests mention it as the reason as one of the reasons they book with me.

[Donald28]

if you've always been a SH how do you know you get through to them with priority? Seriously. And Im not busting a gut... like you I am doing what I would normally do and people like it. I just see so many people striving to be "superhosts" when in reality, that title doesn't mean squat. It's what's in your reviews that counts. 

[Helen3]

Confusing @Donald28  you are the one in your initial post who actually stated that you are 'busting a gut' to retain your superhost status.

Now you are saying that you don't !!!

In answer to your question, because other hosts without SH status complain about how long it takes to get through to Airbnb and I always get answered within a minute or two and as you know when Airbnb customer services answer the call it recognises that you are a SH.

[Kira32]

@Donald28 

I just love hosting people and that is a reflection of me doing my best to make everyone feel at ease and for them being comfortable in my own home.

Kira♡

[Val76]

I worked hard for my Superhost position but last night and this morning almost broke me.  I had a guest that wouldn't communicate with me on when they might be arriving until 8:30pm they said they would be arriving around 11:00pm and where would the key be.  Well I don't leave keys for a stranger to walk into my home (with me in my bedroom sleeping) I asked that he ring the doorbell and the dog would bark and wake me up so I could let him in and show him to his room.  Well they arrived at midnight didn't ring the door bell because they thought it was to late and decided to go to a motel.  I received an email saying they were in the driveway OMG I'm sound asleep I don't check my email every 5 minutes to see if they have arrived but when I did wake up at 1:00 I text them to see where they were, no answer so I emailed them then I sent them a text from the Airbnb site still no answer.  I went outside to see if they were in my neighbors driveway instead of mine and no.  Well now it's 2:30 so I text them and said i was going back to bed and if they came back to PLEASE ring the doorbell.

This morning a huge argument saying it was my fault and they want a refund, I called Airbnb right away to see what to do and in the meantime I suggested they stay in the hotel and to contact Airbnb I didn't want a mad guest in my home alone while i'm at work who knows what they might do.  After spending the entire morning with him and Airbnb he received a full refund and I get one nights pay.  I sent copies of all my communication to Airbnb to prove that I was communicating in every way he was with me which I did 80&% of the communication he suggested that I need to communicate better and leave a key under the mat.  Oh yeah I'm to leave a key for a stranger to walk into my home with me alone what's safe about that???  Thank goodness I had all the communicating documents to email to Airbnb to prove my side of the issue.  I have to say Airbnb got right back to me and I think they were fair but I learned NEVER communicate other than on the Airbnb site NEVER it will save so much time in proving what had happened.  I guess we as host keep learning with every new guest.  Oh and I still have my Superhost status even though I told them to stay at the hotel.

[Alice595]

@Val76  The still have a chance to write you a review. Just imagine how bad the review would be and a lone star would be given. 

Please keep us us updated about it. 

[Suzanne302]

@Donald28 So many good points being made by hosts here! Personally, I think Superhost is too easy to attain. It seems there are more Superhosts than not, so it must be easy to attain as long as you don't have a string of "rogue" guests. I'd really love to see some research/polls with actual guests to see how Superhost influences their decision to stay at a place.

When I travel as a guest, I do not specifically seek out a Superhost.

I enjoy the "recognition" and I've been a Superhost ever since I was first eligible, so I'm not sure how I would feel if I lost it.