How did you find the Airbnb Community Center?

[Sybe]

Hey all,

When you join a new place, like the Community Center here, it can take a little while to familiarise yourself. I’m still new and trying to find my way here as well.

You sometimes even get an instant sense of belonging, like when you’re reunited with a long lost relative or when you’ve finally found that place you’ve been looking for all this time. But I’m not writing the greatest drama series to ever grace the big screen here, I’m curious about your experience!

How did you find and how are you finding the Community Center so far?

What was it that brought you to us, how was your first experience, and for the members that have been around a bit longer already, how does it compare to your experience now? Join the conversation and let us know!

-Sybe

[J-Renato0]

My native language is Portuguese. However I can speak English, Italian and a bit of Spanish. However I feel more comfortable with Portuguese and English.

My first contact with an Airbnb Community it was with the Community in Portuguese.

Later on I decided to join the Community in English because here there are more information available due to the high number of posts and posters.

I am more of a reader than a poster although sometimes I answer some questions.

I believe that the best community manager ever that was here it was Lizzie and I think she is an example for all. Then came Quincy, another great C.M. when Lizzie was still here. And currently we have some other greats C.Ms !

I have seen many member coming (mainly hosts) staying for a while as great and prolific posters, and then vanishing from this community. Some come back again once in while. That's how things go. It is normal. 

I think the community continues to be a good space to know about Airbnb, exchange ideas and to socialize.

I think you @Sybe  are already a great C.M. You communicate well and have great ideas. This topic and the way you wrote it to express your feelings and questions shows your talent.

[Sybe]

That's very kind @J-Renato0 , thank you so much! I have learned some Portuguese in the past but on the internet in general you can usually find way more answers in English, and the CC is no exception to that. 

[Quincy]

Hey @Sybe @J-Renato0, I found the CC before I actually joined the Airbnb team. I think I was looking for something related to payouts at the time. It's so nice to see how the CC has evolved 🙂. 

Also, thanks for the kind words @J-Renato0! I will pass this on to Lizzie 😃.

[Kelly1601]

I found it via Google, it came up at the top of my searches. Nobody has been able to reply to me yet here but I like the idea of talking to other people. 

[Sybe]

Google is my best friend for many things @Kelly1601 . I hope you got a reply to your question in the meantime but if not, let me know!

[Liv]

@Laura2592 @John5097 @Robin4 @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Emiel1 @Mike-And-Jane0 @Huma0 @Colleen253 @Stephen1156 @Debra300 @Elaine701 @Kitty-and-Creek0 @Ann72 @Fred13 @Christine615 et al

If you get a chance, it would be great to hear your stories about how you discovered the Community 🙂

[Colleen253]

@Liv @Sybe I was a very new host and I think it was a question about how my pricing was displayed that brought me here. Very boring, sorry. But, I quickly discovered what a terrific community and fabulous resource I had stumbled upon. I never left. Being here has improved my hosting game like nothing else could have. Also, I have a very lovely room with a super comfy bed here, thank you! 🤣

@Quincy 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Liv @Sybe I think I found it by accident around the time Covid was just kicking off. As a result it became a great source of amusement with pretty much everyone complaining about Airbnb's policies. Since then I have learnt a few good tips on hosting, pricing and dealing with reviews etc.

[Ann72]

I can't remember @Liv @Sybe  - it was either searching in "help" or finding it on the dropdown list in my account!

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Liv @Sybe 

I was originally involved with the various Groups those that focused on my interests and would be excellent for my guests looking for hosts with similar interests, hobbies, skills & lifestyles: vocations and avocations. As the groups were phased out I became a follower of the CC. It became more relevant to me, over time, as everyone everywhere started using it. I still host several people who came from the groups - birdwatchers, musicians, working artists, etc.

[Elaine701]

@Liv 

My first rude awakening with CS. Guest Trashed house, broke many house rules, CS gave me misinformed advice on how to proceed, which I followed precisely. Bzzzt! You lose. 

So in my dismay, I sought some sort of Airbnb community to vent and discuss it, and was set straight about CS. And then learned that there's nothing unusual about my case. That event turned a devout Airbnb believer into a devout Airbnb sceptic. I even quit the ambassador programme. It was just a sales programme anyway, also a misrepresentation. 

But I've since found my own way around most of the Airbnb land mines. My only remaining fear is getting one of those guests that trashes the house and then proceeds to file a complaint with Airbnb citing imaginary atrocities I've committed, and end up getting suspended or delisted, guest getting a full refund, and future bookings cancelled. 

That explains why I vet my guests as best I can, scare them away when I'm uncomfortable, and avoid Airbnb CS wherever possible. 

[Sybe]

Unfortunate events can often open doors to better times, and I'm glad you found the CC to support you. The experience that you built up can be very valuable to other Hosts as well that may be experiencing their issue for the first time like you once did @Elaine701 . Thanks for sharing!

[Emiel1]

@Sybe 

I found the community from the Airbnb help section, as it was mentioned as a source for help.

Unfortunately the community is not mentioned anymore in this article:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1542/get-help-or-contact-airbnb

[Christine615]

You know, I can't remember how I stumbled on the community board for the first time. I think it was when I was new to the platform as a host, but not as a guest. I'd only stayed in one place several years prior to hosting when I was traveling internationally and it really set the tone for me in a good way about how this could grow into a real community across borders.

So I think, when I became a host a few years ago, I had a question, or was curious when the link was in the profile menu. I began reading about other hosts and answering questions or commenting. Then began posting my own joys and tribulations as a host.

What I have found is that there were a few people on the boards who were argumentative or opinionated, they didn't stay around long. It was a core group of hosts who became like a second family. And the moderators, @Liv and @Quincy and @Stephanie and @Lizzie and @Nick who really enhanced the experience. By setting up periodic chats with other hosts, listening patiently while we vented. Invited us to share what we'd learned. And being our sounding board. And I loved when @Sybe reached out to introduce herself.

I have been on other community boards for various groups and organizations. This is the only one that I frequent regularly.

Either way, it's been helpful to share joys, have a shoulder to cry on, and get tips for ways to address problems or enhance what I'm already doing.