Interesting post, @Rory_Taylor. Thank you for taking the time to write it. What would you say is the average length of stay in your rental? And what is your location?
Yes, please keep us posted if you find that losing your SH status changes anything. I was surprised, but please, to get the golden carrot, but I don’t really care. I clean the same for every guest and provide nothing extra, unless my guest is a repeat guest, and then I ask them if they like wine, and I also provide cheese, crackers, fruit, and some sweets because they are a proven guest and I want to let them know that I really appreciate the return visit! I have a guest coming back next week for his fourth visit. I guess what I am trying to say is that I have a standard and I maintain that standard, no matter what. The SO status does not change that – I don’t do more or less than when I first started (except now I have two umbrellas).
And this you connected to being SH? Perhaps is the rise of more competition and now more an arrogant clientele, or the totally non-contact style you have with your guests that evokes a zero emotional bonus, or you have entered an efficiency/lucrative combination that fits you well but its equilibrium of guest satisfaction falls below the requirement of SH. Any of these things could also be the reason, solely or collectively.
3 Likes
This is so typical of human mentality. Given enough time, the SH status will be made to sound like it is a liability, and those with it will have to apologize to even mention it. The omnipresence of social conformity.
Of course, the SH program is a bit silly now, with some of its present requirements. To me it misses the mark, its goal should be - to illuminate the hosts that are the most consistent over time (4.5+ star rating for example) because those are the ones that will serve best the Airbnb brand in the long run.
Personally, I could care less whether I am labeled SH or not (or any other label for that matter), because Airbnb doesn’t define how I run my place or the way I am going to treat my guests. Airbnb and I run in parallel, sometime they find I am worthy of their badge, and maybe sometimes they won’t; it makes no difference to me, for I will be doing an excellent job by my standards not theirs, regardless of what label they choose to give me at times.
3 Likes
This is such an interesting question – have Rory’s ratings dipped because she’s changed the way she hosts or has it gone down because she’s getting increasingly demanding guests, or combination of both?
I’ll repeat what others say here – I often worry about how my good reviews are inevitably increasing guest expectations. Some of the review statements are just so over the top using words like “magnificent,” and “words can’t express all the things that chicagohost did for me that made my visit so great.” I’m just renting a basement apt. I told that last guest to download uber. I provide half & half. That’s it, folks.
1 Like
Maybe provide a disclaimer? 
2 Likes
The magnificent guy was ESL so he must have been using a thesaurus… It makes me laugh now but a part of me was like, “Oh no!..”
2 Likes
The most outlandish adjective ever used about my place in a review was “spectacular.” Spectacular view.
I am not fancy, or elegant. I don’t want anyone to get the impression that I am…
OK, I’ve got to disagree with you on this one. The view from your place is indeed, spectacular, especially for the incredibly reasonable rate you offer. We have a vacation planned with extended family this Christmas in Maui and I’m paying over $450/night at the Fairmont for a little suite with a view of a ginormous McResort with a tiny sliver of ocean to the left.
1 Like
Wow! Well thank you. I always worry guests will think something about my place is shabby. No granite, travertine or stainless anywhere.
My last guests, two philosophy professors, just loved it. She said, I love the vibe you have in here…
It’s all little touches, only because I can’t compete with travertine. 
Trust me. Travertine is so yesterday.
3 Likes
Ha! True! My neighbor installed it and I wasn’t in love with the look. It’s kind of sterile.
1 Like
Your place would have been my dream studio when I was pre-baby. Gorgeous ocean view, excellent snorkeling, serenely located far away from Kona suburbia, and a rate so reasonable that I could stay for a week or more. My association with stainless and granite kitchens is tens of thousands of ubiquitous condos thrown up by developers since the 90s – that’s just not what I’m looking for when I’m dreaming of a relaxing getaway on the Big Island.
1 Like
That’s so lovely of you to say! Wow! Yes, I like to think I offer all that and more to my guests. That is why I truly appreciate the ones who get it.
@AmyB
You wrote this a while back and I was just reading it this morning:
MissMiami has her business-only approach to hosting, and it’s fine for those who want to do it that way. But pushing that approach on other hosts spreads the very destructive social problem of commodification of human beings that corporate culture has promoted in America. Airbnb is part of the sharing economy, where real humans have an opportunity to bring heart and soul back into our exchanges, and resist the corporate trend to dehumanize everything that can produce profit.
My business-only approach doesn’t mean I’m uncaring or cold; I treat my guests with kindness and respect, and my reviews reflect my warm and nurturing style of hosting. For instance, I do my best to personalize the guest’s experience, be it with special children’s pillowcases (for a young guest’s favorite character), or with ice cream and cake for a guest celebrating a birthday. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t think of my enterprise as a business.
Until a few years ago I traveled extensively, and always stayed at hotels. I treat others as I like to be treated. Even in impersonal hotels I was always treated well; in some, hotel staff knew my name (even the staff who stood at the curb opening my taxi door) and preferences (such as a certain room that I liked or the extra towels that I preferred), some hotels welcomed me with personalized notes in my room and favorite brands of soda in the refrigerator. Yet the attention was about business and not anything else.
3 Likes
Exceptionally well put Lady Miami. The best of good business people straddle the thin line between business and personal smoothly; they tend to deal with people without effort. Firm but friendly. And one thing about them, they always have an ‘anything is possible’ and ‘nothing is a problem’ attitude. A far cry from businesses that run as impersonal as a calculator (i.e.corporations) or those in which there is always a ‘problem’ (drama central).
I am speaking in general and philosophically.
2 Likes
To prove your point just read a few Google Reviews for your local spots: shops, restaurants, etc. You will see the exact type of person you describe. Some get downright mean and spiteful.
As an example I went to very hip but not pretentious little cafe for breakfast yesterday. They specialize in high quality meats. The decor is minimalist/industrial and the food was incredibly good–and unique! Which is probably why some feel they need to be criticized. Some of the reviewers complained about the most superficial stuff that had nothing to do with the amazingly good food on offer. The waitperson was probably too pretty and nice, so she got a few jabs.
However! As you mentioned, savvy people can see through the meanness because there were enough 5 star reviews to balance things out.
1 Like
Aye, social media is a two-edged sword, gives a platform to all, from the kindest to the meanest. Personally, I think it oftentimes is like walking through a minefield, blindfolded.
1 Like
Where I am in the Riviera my experience is that they expect a 6 star hotel concierge service but only want to pay hostel type rates. Yes they are more picky but Airbnb encourage that by accepting cancellations for spurious reasons. Fortunately I have not had any cancellations but the demands are getting silly.
1 Like