Question about strange Superhost status

[Lily494]

Hello!I found a property that I would like to book but I don't know if I can trust the host. The host is a superhost and has only 2 properties, only 1 property has 4 reviews from the same person in like 2020... The other property has no reviews at all. It seems a little strange to me.

Is this even possible?

Could i trust the host?

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Lily494 

How about messaging the host and  asking some questions that are important to you? Many hosts had very few - if any - reservations during the Covid lockdown in 2020, for health and safety reasons. Perhaps someone traveling for work booked there several times. Only 1 or 2 properties is a good sign, btw. That is likely to be a hands-on host. 

Best of luck with this. 

[Huma0]

@Kitty-and-Creek0 

I think @Lily494 is more concerned with the fact that the host has no reviews after 2020 as well as the fact that the only reviews he/she has are from one person. 

It does indeed seem rather odd, as Superhost is assessed on the previous 365 days, and you're supposed to have a minimum of 10 bookings, or 100 nights over at least three bookings, in the past year to qualify for Superhost, as well as a 4.8* or above average for any stays that were reviewed during that time.

There may be some other logical and innocent explanation. For example, the host could have continued to host a repeat guest (maybe the same one as in 2020), thereby completing the minimum stay/night requirement, but the guest didn't bother to leave more reviews. Sometimes guests who stay multiple times don't.

However, I think that @Lily494 is right to be a bit cautious about this one. A few months ago, a young woman posted about a really terrible stay at a Superhost's Airbnb. When I had a look at the host's profile, the vast majority of reviews were from the same person for multiple short stays within a very short space of time. Likewise, on that guest's profile were only multiple reviews from that host and identically worded ones from other hosts with similar names. It was all clearly fake.

[Lily494]

Exactly! My mistake, the host's reviews are from 2022,
 but they are all in May.
 I also checked the guest, 
it doesn't seem to be fake but I'm still concerned.
 I'll probably book another property.
 Thank you for the answers!

[Huma0 · Accepted solution]

@Lily494 

Ah, I see. That makes more sense then, but it's still a bit weird that all four stays are from the same guest and all in May...

Otherwise, it could be quite innocent. It would not be unusual for the other listing to have no reviews if it is new. The two listings were not necessary created at the same time.

As for the listing not having reviews since May 2022, I am not sure if you know, but Airbnb drastically changed its search function and algorithms in early May, and many hosts were adversely affected by this, with their listings dropping off the map and bookings slowing or stopping altogether. Many hosts list on other platforms as well, such as VBRO, booking.com etc. and a lot of them found that, from May onwards they were getting way more bookings on those sites than on Airbnb. So, that's another possible explanation.

If you want to do further investigation, you could look for the listing on those sites. You may find that the host has a bunch of reviews there. 

At the end of the day, you should go with your gut feeling and you can tell a lot by the way the host communicates, how they write their listing and profile etc. as well as the reviews.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Huma0 @Lily494 

Agreed with your assessment.

I do know a local host who has had non stop traveling nurses and such for these 3 covid years. None are leaving reviews and it has gotten them all through a tight housing situation, and keeping income flowing. That's where I'm getting my guess on this host. 

@Lily 494 should definitely follow your gut on this and any other situation. None of us as hosts or guests would want to be in an uncomfortable situation.