More categories like 'Super host' ?

[Jeet0]

Hello,

I have been hosting for almost a year now. Have completed 44 trips with 5 upcoming, have maintained a 100% commitment and response rate since I started. However, I only have 16% 5 star reviews. One major reason here is that the location of my property isn't the most ideal. Now there's nothing I can do about the location (I do guide the guests accurately and pre-inform them about the address) and so it is almost impossible to get 80% 5 star reviews.

I have seen how passionately each one of us works everyday towards creating the best experiences for our guests; to recognize that, do you think that it'll be nice if Airbnb could create additional categories, like say, "Great Host" for commited and super responsive hosts who may not always be able to maintain 80% 5 star reviews but who do exceptioanlly well on other parameters?

Let me know what you feel? It'll be awesome if you can take this super-short survey to record your responses.

[Luis-and-Tati0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jeet0

I agree 100% with you that location shouldn't count as “Super Host” feature… As one bad listing could affect another listing and vice versa… Are we talking about the house or the host??...

And I also think they should consider 4 AND 5 star and part of the super host…

You are rated in 6 different categories… Almost 17% for each category…

If you aim for 5 stars in all other 5 categories (other than location) you should reach 85% 5 stars…

So work on everything else and, indeed you are well above the average! With the most # of reviews around you!

Luis

[Luis-and-Tati0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jeet0

I agree 100% with you that location shouldn't count as “Super Host” feature… As one bad listing could affect another listing and vice versa… Are we talking about the house or the host??...

And I also think they should consider 4 AND 5 star and part of the super host…

You are rated in 6 different categories… Almost 17% for each category…

If you aim for 5 stars in all other 5 categories (other than location) you should reach 85% 5 stars…

So work on everything else and, indeed you are well above the average! With the most # of reviews around you!

Luis

[Geraldine219]

My location is very good for the price (not in central London but 20 min by bus from Kings Cross, 10 min by bus from Camden Town) but the rating seems to depend on where the guest needs to be, one guy needed to get to college an hour away so gave me 4 stars. Someone else might be going to a wedding round the corner and give me 5 starts. But the place is where I always said it was and he booked because of the price. Surely location stars are meant to be for a bad neighbourhood, if it's next to a railway line or similar? And people's tolerance to noise, view out of the window, willingness to walk to a bus stop (3 min in my case) vary so much. Makes no sense to me.

[Susan151]

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@Geraldine219 wrote:

Surely location stars are meant to be for a bad neighbourhood, if it's next to a railway line or similar? And people's tolerance to noise, view out of the window, willingness to walk to a bus stop (3 min in my case) vary so much. Makes no sense to me.

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I am going to disagree here. I think the location rating is a "it was described properly in the listing." If there is a train outside the window and it is fully disclosed in the listing, why should a guest drop a star or two anymore than they should drop your stars for being an hour away from a college. It is all about accuracy, isn't it?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

I honestly think Superhost is so over-rated - not one of our guests for this year recognised what we had been given a little badge. They looked at the photos,  number of 'stars' and read the reviews. It's not really meaningful in our experience,

[Sharon66]

I agree.  Even though I met the super host requirements, they made me wait 18 months because I had had to cancel a reservation.  I had not choice in the matter.  One of my guests reached superhost status when she had only hosted twice.  She travels a lot and had a lot of 5 star reviews on her as a guest.  That kind of makes it a joke imo.  No one is a super host who has hosted twice.  They are just learning.

[Nancy2 · Accepted solution]

The only 5 Star rating that contributes to Super Host is the Overall rating.  I've had 4 stars for Location but the guest has given me an overall rating of 5 stars.  So my lower location rating does not contribute to whether or not I acheive SuperHost.

When I looked at your listing it appears cleanliness falls below location.  When you have more than one category falling below a 5 it is probably difficult to expect an overall 5 rating from a guest. 

It seems you have a great response rate and don't cancel on anyone but you may want to spend more time focused on the experience the guests have once they arrive.  You are doing well but not getting that coveted overall 5 star review most of the time so there's room for improvement if you want to look at it.

[Jeet0]

Sorry for the late response.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions and insights @Nancy2, @Gerry-And-Rashid0, @Luis-and-Tati0.

I was refering the Host, but I hadn't taken into consideration that some hosts have multiple listings.

I agree, super host is quite hyped, but since Airbnb is now offering a "Super Host" Filter, I'm gradually working towards improving things based on the feedback and ratings that I've received. Hopefully one day, I can sport that badge too!

Thanks once again guys 🙂

Jeet

[Sharon66]

No, they will remove or withhold superhost status if you cancel once, even though everything else is where it should be.  

[Preetika0]

Hi Nancy .. 

It's been only 7 months now I have been listing my villa. I am a super host level 1. I just read you are super host level 6 , how do you accomplish this . Can you guide me. My villa is in North Goa , India . 

Thanks 

Preetika 

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

Hi Jeet

Sorry to hear that you do not have an overall 5 stars rating. Well as a superhost i can tell that it is certainly not only about your location, the rating also includes accuracy, communication, cleanliness, checkin and value. So even if your location is not so nice atleast the rest should be good. That means you need to work more on the other points that i have mention. Do not lose hope you will certainly progress. Goodluck.

Best regards from Mauritius island.

Oomesh

[Helen3]

Unfortunately that's not true. You can have five star across the other categories but a poor location can mean you can't reach superhost status @Oomesh-Kumarsingh0

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Helen3 Tell me what is not true in my comment! i simply told Jeet that to become a superhost it isnt only about having a nice location and that he needs to improve his  accuracy, communication, cleanliness, checkin and value etc. I never said that he doesnt need a good location to become a superhost. I was actually being supportive and giving a positive advice to Jeet so that to encourage his. Helen you should read my comment again you will see that you were wrong saying that my comment is not true. Next time think twice before typing!!!

[Inga31]

Please read my experience. 

[Doris59]

I think this would be great for Airbnb to say something like this!! I am also in the rural and need help with more hosting! I would like to stay full all the time since I have the space I want to host more. I don't want to co-host because I don't charge that much and that would defeat the purpose of me hosting.