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]

 **[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

and the saga continues!

[Bhumika · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ryan3422 ! I noticed your comment on multiple threads and understand your concerns for your listings. Are you looking for this article that talks about Guest Favorites : https://www.airbnb.co.uk/resources/hosting-homes/a/guest-favorites-most-loved-homes-according-to-gue... ? 

I also wanted to share that Guest Favorites are dynamic and their status is refreshed daily and that the Listings are evaluated on a daily basis. 

To add more information, Guest Favorites are evaluated on an individual listing level and take into consideration a number of other signals of quality and reliability, including subcategory ratings for a listing’s cleanliness, accuracy, communication, location, check-in, and value, as well as any guest feedback left in a review. 

Please note that I had to remove the private conversation with Airbnb Support in your comment due to our Community Center Guidelines. Thank you for your kind understanding on that.

[Ryan3422]

Perfect example of a vague, copy-paste (enter link for unhelpful article here) response from support.  Didn’t address anything I asked, and removed the picture of my chat with support saying I should have the badge.  The saga continues!!!

[Sara-And-Rob0]

I have been engaging Airbnb regarding Guest Favourite for many weeks now.  Recently, we had the tag on 2/3 of our old town Bern apartments.  The one without is an excellent listing, good quality HD photos, over 300 reviews spanning 10+ years, no reviews under 4 stars in any category, ever, so we weren't sure 'why not'. The other two are also really good and had the tag but I wanted to know what to feed the algorithm to drive search results.  I called Airbnb support and got a wishy-washy answer that tried to sell me Airbnb photography services, then I got a note saying that, '...the algorithm is updating every day, keep working hard to get the tag...' Huh?  We work hard with every inquiry and every booking, we strive for excellence and are heavily invested, full-time hosts.  Really, we ARE Airbnb, with the community, we built this platform from 2013. 

Therefore, when I look at a random search in my neighbourhood to analyze why we are getting no bookings, I see other hosts as Guest Favourites and not us.   For stark example, today, a unit nearby has 8 reviews, all 5 star except value (which we all know is a ridiculous thing).  This listing showed up just ahead of our apartments, the first of our listings has 4.95 stars over 259 reviews and is really a lovely listing with glowing reviews and happy guests but is NOT a Guest Favourite.  So, I use this analogy, there's this great café next door, I go there all the time for a quick lunch, friendly service and good value.  It is my favourite restaurant, I've been there 100's of time, that's how I know it's my favourite.  It takes time to make something your favourite.  In this example, I don't think 8 visits later, I would have called it my favourite restaurant.  So Airbnb, please explain to me how another listing in my neighbourhood that has 8 reviews is a Guest Favourite, and mine which has the benefit of a wide selection of guests (259) and is highly rated, is not a Guest Favourite...

I just ended a call with a very nice support agent. She pointed me to the same Guest Favourite article that lists a few things we can do to get the badge, we have all of them covered, and then some.  She also said there are changes to the algorithm coming and our properties seem to clearly qualify and to give it 15 days to make it's way around again.  I was told this same thing two weeks when I last started beating this drum and low and behold, we went from 2/3 Guest Favourites to 0/3.  Not quite the change I was expecting.

So, in summation, I firmly believe the algorithm was sent out as a Beta and the data is being harvested now but change is not yet enacted.  My feelings are definitely involved in this because, like when Superhost was introduced, I felt it was creating a two-class system.  I would like to ride the same bus as everyone else and use whichever washroom I want.  I prefer to compete on merit alone, that is clear and informed, not determined by an AI bot that cannot see the people behind the listings. If Airbnb wants classes, over us pay-to-win listing search or something that is clear-cut, not ambiguous and frustrating for hosts.

Rob

p.s. (Canadian spelling of Favourite)

[Sara-And-Rob0]

It has been three weeks since we were promised that the algorithm would pick up our listings, as they both qualify, but our status has remained unchanged. To make things worse, there are listings nearby with only 5, 7, and 11 reviews that have already received the badge. The most frustrating part of this experience has been the seemingly bot-like, automated responses we are getting from the support team. It feels like no one is thinking independently to help us troubleshoot or provide actionable advice. I believe that the algorithm needs some work and while I am willing to cooperate, I have exhausted all my resources and spoken to everyone I could reach at Airbnb, but it has all been in vain so far.

[Debra300]

@Bhumika,

Thanks for sharing the link.  The criteria for getting this distinction is another item that doesn't bode well for listings that rent primarily long-term stays.  This year, one of our Atlanta listings will have had just one guest checkout and review although the place will have been booked all year except for the month that we stayed there.  If we are fortunate to continue having guests who stay for several months, it may be a couple more years before the place even gets five reviews.

[Ryan3422]

FYI this definitely is not the best answer

[Ted518]

Hello, my listing had a guest favourite badge which disappeared recently for no apparent reason this week. I haven't hosted any stays or received any reviews. I have not cancelled any stays and have been careful to maintain my 100% response rate. The listing has an overall  5 star rating (28 reviews) which 5 stars across all subcategories (cleanliness, accuracy, communication, check in, location and value) without exception suggesting the listing is a guest favourite. 

Hoping for a.speedy resolution. 

[Ted518]

When I raised the issue with Air BNB support I received the following message stating  there are no reasons why the badge should have disappeared and they are unable to help. The guest favourite badge is an extremely frustrating and unfair update from Air BnB. As a superhost for many years who puts a huge effort into delivering 5 star stays and experiences I feel very let down 😞 

Guest Favorites are identified based on a mix of factors related to overall stay and listing quality and reliability, including:

- Overall star ratings and feedback in guest reviews

- Category ratings for check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, Host communication, location, and value

- Host cancellation rates

- Quality-related incidents reported to Airbnb customer service

- A minimum of 5 reviews

Inline with this, there are no criteria or factors for the listing for not having a guest favorite badge. As much as we want to apply this badge on your account we are unable to and no option since this is system generated and automatically refreshed on a daily basis based on a mix of factors like guest ratings and reviews, Host cancellation rates, and past quality-related and safety incidents reported to Airbnb.

[Helen3]

As you know Reddit is full of misinformation and this is no exception @Ryan3422 

glad you've been given the correct information on this helpful community.

[Ryan3422]

@Helen3this info has been confirmed, and the Airbnb host subreddit is a better place to connect with hosts and get real info than this censored board is.  Misinformation is literally on any platform you could possibly check these days so feel free to cite your sources.  I did, and Airbnb took it down.

[Helen3]

Sorry you are not correct you stated  Reddit said you need all five star reviews to be featured as a guest favourite this is not correct as you can see for the clarification given above @Ryan3422 

I'm not sure why you feel the need to be so rude to your fellow hosts . 

[Ryan3422]

@Helen3 You should go back and read what I wrote.  I said you need 5 stars overall and 5 stars on cleanliness on your last 5 reviews - not all 5 star reviews.  Not sure what clarification you are talking about, but below is verbatim from the article written by Airbnb, which does not mention that anywhere.

• At least five reviews from guests
• Excellent reviews and ratings above 4.9 stars on average
• High marks from guest reviews for check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, Host communication, location and value
• Superb record of reliability, with Host cancellations and quality-related customer service issues of 1% on average

What me and many other hosts are experiencing is that we meet (or exceed) the criteria listed by Airbnb to achieve the Guest Favorite badge, but it is not being applied.  I have been told in writing by multiple support ambassadors that I do qualify, and they are not sure why the badge is not being applied.  For now, they are saying it's a phased release and the badge will eventually be applied. 

I host on a lake with only 8 other listings on the entire lake.  6 other properties have gotten the badge, leaving me two other listings without the badge.  All 6 listings that have gotten the badge have lower ratings and scores than my listing does.  With the superhost filter now being removed, and the guest favorite filter taking its place, all a guest has to do is click the enticing guest favorite button when applying search filters (I would if I were searching for a place to stay), and my listing becomes invisible.  This is also happening as we enter slow season, when every view I don't get is money being taken out of my (and Airbnb's) pocket.  

I'm not trying to be rude, but you are the one picking the side of this battle that is not supporting your fellow hosts.  My beef is with Airbnb, not you.

[John5097]

@Ryan3422 

Your listing says you are a Super Host and have a 5.0 overall rating, so it seems you are on the right track that it may be a 4 star in the sub category. 

I agree the timing would be very difficult entering the slow season. You also don't have any upcoming reservations so no chance to pull that back up. 

You also have amazing reviews where your guest are saying its the best one they have ever stayed. 

While I understand the most recent reviews should be more relevant, a single four star in the overall or sub category shouldn't have too much weight. 

For example I had a single 4 star review in 330 reviews. Clearly this was an outlier. I hadn't had a single 4 star in any sub category in  over a year, but I went from the being featured at the top of page one to the bottom of page 10. Thankfully I'm usually always booked so the next 10 reviews were all 5 stars, but it is so competitive in my area, and it also happened to be at the start of the slow season. I also don't get bookings on short notice like I used to. 

Anyway I think you have valid concerns.

Airbnb should consider that 1% of guest are going to leave an inaccurate review because they didn't get to check in early, didn't read the listing, or just don't understand how it works, and think the sub categories are feed back to Airbnb. In 345 reviews 3 have given me a 4 in cleanliness, without any reason. Almost every guest comments on how clean it is. Location is my lowest yet every guest that leaves a 4 star raves about the location. 

I think your only option may be to make some adjustments on your end if you aren't getting bookings or page views. 

ETA: If potential guest read your reviews they will book regardless of Super Host or Guest Favorite.  SH or GF would help enhance a listing; the most important upgrade is that guest can now see how each guest star rating, like Amazon. I dont think they will even notice SH or GF badge. Guest will be very perceptive and dismiss any marketing hype. Just because a celerity or an Airbnb executive deciides to open their home or guest house for a single night to handpicked guest for marketing hype issn't the same as host who have hundreds of guest per year.