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I discovered I had an unused USD100 coupon for being a Superhost expiring March 31 so I booked a 5 night stay in Kiev with a Ukrainian NON SUPERHOST. This is a win-win!
Why non-Superhost? Logic is if they are not superhosts, they’ve just recently started and don’t have enough reviews. Likely they have not yet gone into the “profitable business” in Airbnb yet. These folks likely appreciate and need donations much more than other “professional hosts”.
I was looking last night to do this and it is a good idea to look at the reviews that the host has . I found one with 1400 personal and 400 at her listing, which might show that she has multiple corporate listings, or she travels a lot herself.
Finding a new listing with no reviews , unfortunately might be a scammer, but if chosen, hopefully a scammer that needs help.
I noticed many host calendars that are full.
Booking Ukraine is a real way to help people on the ground there!! 
Well, no. I’ve been a Superhost for many years. And made good money from day one too. 
Using the coupons is a great idea though.
I saw a lot of those too and looked for more independent hosts. And I also looked for places that I would want to stay and for hosts that were pet-friendly because I value that. I even checked to make sure that they had been hosting recently, I saw a few listings that hadn’t received a review since 2019 or 2018, so before covid. And when this was posted, I had the same thought about possible scammers.
However, I’ve been thinking about it and the goal is to inject some money into Ukraine. And that is accomplished whether or not someone is a good host or a bad host, whether or not they are a small hands-on host or a manager for 10 professional listings. And it is even accomplished whether or not they have been a host before now or not. Also, as you mentioned, a lot of places already have full calendars.
So, in hindsight, I realize that any parameters I used to pick out the hosts that I wanted to book with were for me, for how it made me feel. Ultimately, I would accomplish the goal of getting money into Ukraine regardless of who I booked with. A bunch of hotel rooms came up when I was searching and I immediately disregarded them but even booking a hotel in Kyiv, would still accomplish the goal.
I would encourage anyone who hasn’t already booked to book what is available, whether it be a poorly rated host, a manager type or even a hotel.
Yes we’ve been discussing this for a couple of days and several of us have booked places. It was very gratifying to get the messages back from the Ukrainian hosts.
People can also book experiences. On twitter I read that some people are buy digital downloads on etsy to the same ends. The only caveat is to make sure you’ve got an actual Ukrainian on the other end of the transaction.
Here are some of the prior threads
I didn’t even think of Etsy! That’s a great idea. And they get paid more or less right away. I buy a lot of stuff on Etsy, but I don’t have any need for digital downloads. I think it’s just as good to purchase a physical something and then say, “don’t worry about getting it to me, I just wanted to send support”. It is like saying, “I’m not coming to stay” for a reservation on Airbnb.
(some time ago) I bought a one in a million Soviet era Ukraine bathroom shelf for Gypsy the Trailer, on etsy, I kept the stamps!
Apparently Etsy punishes sellers if they don’t ship things? I’ve purchased on etsy but not sold on there so don’t know how it works. I think you could tell them not to ship things but there might be some confusion. I canceled one of my Airbnb bookings like you suggested thinking they could rebook it. I got a confused message at 1 am. So then I had to write back to explain some more and then I couldn’t fall back to sleep. So I won’t be doing that again.
The thing with etsy or experiences is that many folks don’t have property to rent out. Some on twitter were arguing that booking airbnbs is sending money to those with resources. That may be why some of the Ukrainians are replying that they will use the money to help others.
After making my Lviv bookings the other day, I now see a number of new listings with high rates and no reviews – $100 to $200 per night in some cases. Scammers, was my initial thought. My second thought, who am I to judge Ukrainians attempting gather some financial resources?
But I’m not going to book anymore support stays, as it is impossible to tell if these are real Ukrainians listing real properties. I don’t assume Airbnb host verification processes are very robust.
I don’t think there are enough resources in the world for what they’re going through there. I.e. everyone in Ukraine is deserving. I will give what I can and then trust that it will help as needed, whether it be used directly for something essential, spent frivolously at a local shop but then supporting the shopkeeper or donated to a cause for soldiers. To be truly helpful, I think I have to let it go. I do not have enough to give for the rich to get richer anyway. Honestly, I think everyone there could use a beer right now, I’d be happy for my money to go for that too.
When it comes to giving, it also seems very tricky to me when the discussion turns to who is deserving of it. It’s not to say that there shouldn’t be any consideration, but only that it is much more difficult than presented.
As an example, a homeless fellow on the street could qualify as someone without resources, perhaps qualifying as deserving for some, but then when someone points out that he spends all of his money on drugs, he then becomes less deserving for some. Sure, there is that single mom living in with her two kids in a car who was treated unfairly, was knocked down at every turn and lost everything through no fault of her own that may be agreeable to most but she’s not the only one in need and thus, not the only one that is deserving.
That’s obviously the tip of the iceberg, I will stop…
That’s a good point, I was unaware. I wonder if it is only if it is reported that something wasn’t shipped. I know someone who sells on there, I will ask her.
I suspect so, and as you stated, no guarantee they are either Ukrainians, or even in the Ukraine. They may very well be listings created in a basement somewhere in Russia, on the basis that any relief diverted from Ukrainians helps the cause.
JF
Has anyone seen information about doing support bookings in Poland, Hungary, etc. where the refugees are landing and people are taking them in?
I haven’t but I did think of that. Problem is I see even more potential for scamming than in Ukraine. This is where relying on charities that have the networks established makes more sense, including airbnb.org.
Hmmm, this will be slow. Airbnb says it is “currently working on establishing partnerships” that will refer Ukrainian refugees to .org bookings. And that those booking “must meet eligibility requirements and be approved.”
The company is currently directing refugees to the UN Refugee Agency.
Their press release on housing 100,000 Ukrainian refugees was, not unexpectedly, prospective.
From what I understand is that is how it always works. It was the same when I looked at it for for Afghan refugees. I think that is how Airbnb.org works. A host volunteers their place, a non-profit partner (like the UN Refugee Agency) books it for a refugee and then Airbnb pays for it.
But I am not positive.
I agree. I think the time to do that has passed—too many scammers. So sad when we know the bad guys will jump on something like this & ruin it.
Well, I will let the forum know how this works out – I’ve requested to “book” with a Polish host near the border who has an airbnb.org designation on her profile, to provide financial support to whatever housing support she is providing.
Of course, no way to verify the funds actually go for that purpose, but I am OK with that.
On of the places I “booked” had only one night open and it was $15. She has two rooms in a home outside of Kyiv and had reviews going back before the war. I’d bet anything, and a real $15) she’s a real Ukrainian. But that was the first day it was posted about here and now the scammers will be on it. I’m more worried about someone in a US basement than a Russian basement though.
