Hi, This is an interesting thread. I’m Lauren, and I have been hosting for 4 1/2 years. Here is my perspective. I suspect that most guests don’t care about whether or not a host has Superhost status, or whether they have 4.5 or 5 stars. I think that the guest reviews are most important, but in the aggregate. An occasional negative review just makes it all the more clear to the readers that they ARE real reviews and not made up! I usually copy the negative review and send it to my other friend who hosts, we have a laugh, and move on. Sometimes it’s fun to read it out loud in a haughty British accent. Negative reviews are entertaining as heck! I live in a suburb and my room is homey, as unhip as they come. I get no partiers or rowdy people but have sometimes gotten newbies who are picky and have a half-glass-empty view of my accommodations, and also I’m going to guess that’s how they see life in general. Whatcha gonna do?
Many Airbnb accommodations are pragmatic, homey places where regular people actually live. And many, many guests really appreciate that. This will be true no matter what kinds of silly things folks at the San Francisco HQ think “hospitality” consists of. Hospitality is a trustworthy, friendly, and helpful host, and a safe, comfortable, clean room. That’s enough.