Why am I not a Guest Favorite?

[Ryan3422]

I read on Reddit that the Guest Favorite badge only applies to properties that got 5 stars overall and 5 stars in cleanliness on their last 5 reviews.  This is nowhere in the "articles" / robotic responses support will send you, or from support over the phone.  This means if you are a Superhost that got a 4 star in cleanliness over the last five reviews (which can take a year for some people to accumulate), then you won't be a Guest Favorite.  They also removed the Superhost filter for guests to search for, and replaced it with a NICE BIG WELCOMING GUEST FAVORITE filter instead.  So, for all you hard-working 5 star overall with dazzling reviews Superhosts that got a 4 star in cleanliness on one of your last five reviews, then you are lumped in with the one star hosts and are essentially un-filterable when a guest searches.  Welcome to the graveyard.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/605669673879860817?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=c7895f3f-9196...

I guess my reviews aren't good enough to be a Guest Favorite.  Thank you Airbnb, for crushing my views and wrecking my chances for any possible stays right before the slow season starts.

[Ryan3422]

@Cody265  Since you seem to be such an expert on the subject then please, bless us with your knowledge.  From your comments below, you received a 4 star after already having the guest favorite badge and retaining it.  This leaves me to think that this "daily" algorithm being run is not being run daily at all, which actually makes my original point accurate.  If it was run daily, then surely my listing and the others that meet the criteria but have not gotten the badge would have been picked up by now.  Seems like  they ran it once - in waves, but once overall per property - and have not updated anything.

...and did you really hit me with a do better?!?  This is like a scene out of Seinfeld.  Do some research before you go riding off on that high horse of yours.  My rating is literally better than yours, so I'll play the Uno reverse card and hit you with a do better!!

[Cody265]

Airbnb has been pretty clear that they boost listings that do various things that yours does not: instant booking, flexible, cancellations, fewer length-of-stay restrictions, competitive pricing. Obviously, it's not that they just "ran it once" and left you out and obviously it's not just about review sub categories. Your listing would have been ranked lower in search results prior to GF because of all those factors. So why would it make sense to now mark your place as GF and give it the search ranking boost based only on reviews, when search rankings have never been based only on reviews?

[Damon42]

@Ryan3422 - I am in a similar boat. We have 150+ reviews with a overall 4.94 rating, but we did not get the Guest Favorite badge (we even used to be AirBnB Plus before it was deprecated). That being said, this year we had a weird batch of 4-Star reviews.

1.  One guest gave us 5-stars in all sub-categories, except for a 4-star for "Cleanliness" (dust on a ceiling fan) and gave us an overall 4-star rating (go figure).
2. One guest who was a recovering cancer patient was visiting Atlanta and had an allergic reaction to something - she assumed it was something in our unit (no proof, just a guess from her). We were as supportive as possible and offered her a full refund. She gave us 4-stars. 
3. One guest who has stayed with us multiple times and has given us 5-stars in the past gave us a 4-star rating.
4. One guest complained about a busy road next to our unit, stairs, a shared door with the main house (which is always locked) - mind you all of these things are mentioned in our listing multiple times - she gave us a overall 4-star rating. 
5. Another guest gave us 5-stars in all sub-cates except for "Accuracy" - she gave us a 4-star there because of "steep stairs" - which again are outlined twice in our listing (we should probably add a picture). 

We had twenty four 5-star reviews. So - it was a weird year for reviews (we never get that many 4-stars). I did reach out to the help center. The article on Guest Favorites does not mention recency of reviews. We do have Super Host status, but there is no longer a filter for it. I think Super Host vs. Guest Favorite will be confusing for guest - AirBnB should just stick with one.  

It is what it is and we will just try to work with the system. 

[Desmond28]

I assume it's also about how the Airbnb algorithm sees the interaction online with your listing as well, rather than just what past guests think. My tip? Invest in some pro pics and ditch the blurry ones. Also, consider sprucing up the place a bit—make those beds, stash away the empty soap bottles, and tidy up the cords behind the TV. Little touches like that can really boost your listing's appeal and improve how guests engage with the photos, potentially earning you the guest favorite award.

[Dr-T6]

Yoohoo, a mere level 2 SH has entered the chat. I completely understand OPs frustration. Had laurels once, then lost them. I agree that the guest favorite system is indeed a mysterious rubric. Maybe my listing will see them once again. It would be lovely if that occurred in the next few hours or days. Not holding my breath, but here's hoping. 

[Sidney125]

According to the article that explains ‘guest favorite,’ it states that it is “updated on a daily basis” which I found it to be false, since I have received nothing but 5 stars all the way around from the most recent 15 past guests and I don’t have that guest favorite badge. It also mentions that the host must have a rating of at least 4.9 to qualify, which I also found to be false because I have seen other listings with a rate of 4.7 and 4.8 with that darn guest favorite badge. It bothers me that the super host search was replaced by this “guest favorite.” Been hosting for approximately 6 years, my star average is 4.95 with many reviews and I haven’t yet received this freaking badge 😒🙄

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Sidney125 Guest favourites average 4.9 stars. This means Airbnb can award it to a property with a 4.0 average as long as they  have 10ish properties at 5.0 to balance it. As I have said before this allows Airbnb to award it to anyone they like - Sorry but it looks like they do not like you enough.......

[Norine23]

Glad and sorry to hear I am  

not the only one. I’m newish, with only 5 reviews, but 5 stars in all categories, no cancellations, quick response time and great reviews etc. and  I’m still waiting for my “guest favourite” badge. Clearly it’s not updated daily and a call

to support was no help sadly. Very frustrating. 

[Sowmiya1]

Hi Ryan, I see that you have already got the guest favorite badge. How did you get it? Can you please help me as well?