This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Superhost status is meaningless, unless you can travel at a time you can use the bogus coupon (mine expired).
Being a Superhost made absolutely no difference in how many bookings I got. So when I lost it because of cancellation of a booking that should never have happened because of Air’s system allowed a booking when it wasn’t open, I didn’t care.
No it’s not. I think you’ve forgotten how cancellations work.
First, if it’s a legit reason then the host can get an extenuating circumstances penalty free cancellation. Second, I always search with the SH filter on first so any host with multiple cancellations probably isn’t even going to be seen by me. I also search with the IB filter on and they get penalty free cancellations.
It’s up to me to choose a host who is reliable. I’ve stayed in about 20 airbnbs and I’ve looked at hundreds, maybe thousands of listings. Very very few have any cancellations for the reasons I just listed. Why should I take the chance if there’s a suitable listing without cancellations?
That said, if I found the perfect listing except for a cancellation, or maybe more if they had 100’s of reviews, then that alone wouldn’t be a deciding factor.
Don’t forget that it’s some CS rep who makes the call as to whether a cancellation qualifies for EC. There are legitimate reasons a host might cancel that Airbnb might decide simply isn’t a good enough reason.
If a host’s review page was littered with cancellation notices, of course that would be a red flag, but if there was only one, and they otherwise had a bunch of good reviews, it wouldn’t make me wary.
And like the OP here, there are hists who are not newbies and seldom read forums who are totally unaware of the penalties.
I’ve also seen review pages where a host made a bunch of cancellations when they first started out, but it was several years ago. That ses obvious to me that they simply didn’t have their shit together when they first listed but have ironed all that out since.
Like I said, there’s no reason for me to take a chance on a host with multiple cancellations when there are plenty of hosts, some with thousands of stays on their listing(s), with zero.
Well, that depends on where you are. Not all places have “plenty of hosts”.
I’m not arguing that hosts with cancellations on their record won’t get any reservations, of course they will. But not from me. And if it’s a place with very few hosts, I’m even less likely to book with a host with cancellations on their record. Last thing I want to do on vacay is have a host cancel on me last minute and there’s no where else to stay.
I understand.
When I worked in Human Resources a basic premise behind the open-ended interview questions about past work experience was “past performance is an indicator of future performance “.
It’s the same premise everyone of us hosts follow who’ve looked at a prior review to determine if we are going to accept a requested reservation.
Back in the day, losing SH status to idiots completely gutted me. Now I do my best, and like the rest of us that’s pretty darn good. It’s me I have to please.
Thanks to all of you who posted here. I have decided not to cancel the guest, and will chalk this up to a learning experience. One bad review won’t hurt among other stellar reviews, and I will give her the same great hosting that I always provide. It was my mistake. I’ll own it and move on. Great info on this forum. I really appreciate your input.
ITS A NO BRAINER… EVERYTHING IS A RED FLAG.
Don’t punish yourself
Personally, when I get a bad vibe from a guest I try to disuade them from booking in the first place. Whatever they inquire about… I cannot deliver. I trust my intuition… and it works well for me most of the time.
The more high maintenance they sound from the beginning… the worse it will become. Trust me:)
Yes, prevention is always preferable to damage control.
Sad that Airbnb has created such a system that hosts have to worry so much over reviews and gaming the system rather than concentrate on spending their time hosting guests and making money.
Well, to a large extent it’s the host’s choice whether to play into all that and worry and wring their hands over the possibility of a bad review.
As I have said recently, it’s the pursuit of 5 stars. The Burj doesn’t have it. Mamounia doesn’t have it. But we have to explain to each guest that the only review is a 5 star, or please come and talk to us, yada yada, we are responsible for educating guests. Not Air.
Most of us would concur that the 1 star guest does it to hurt the host deliberately, regardless of the story. Regardless of the on platform convos, and regardless of their behavior. I hope that has changed
I have heard of hosts getting hundreds of 5 stars in a row. But it tends not to happen with a room in your house.
Since Covid I have long term directs. My depression got worse. But they tend to stay, often for years. And they forgive trespasses! 
Yes. Since I’ve decided not to care about reviews, I feel liberated
The first couple of years that I hosted, I wasn’t even aware of hosting forums, therefore I had no awareness of this review and rating anxiety. So I never thought about it at all, or sat on pins and needles waiting to see how the guest rated me, or busted my ass trying to ensure a 5* rating.
And I also wasn’t aware of Superhost and was taken aback when I got the “Congratulations, Superhost” email. I had no idea what it was or what it was based on.
Starting out that way- naive- has proved to be a blessing, because I never got in the habit of worrying about it from the get-go and it still isn’t really a part of my hosting consciousness, at least not in a way that produces any anxiety.
And I have had lovely guests who all left 5* ratings.
I never use my ‘vouchers’ they are useless to me and as for ‘Superhost’ what does it do for me?
Plenty of hosts don’t see any value in SH. As a guest I always search with the Superhost filter turned on because it’s the only way to filter out listings with star averages below 4.8. Most places I go have hundreds or thousands of listings and it’s a good way to expedite the search.
I called and explained my smoking allergies and my “I’m not comfortable” and ABB denied the cancelation. Then I escalated and denied again.
Guest finally emerged from the ghostly cricket mode and back-tracked and offered to go elsewhere, but it’s for Thursday. I gently explained that her 3pm check in message and 8pm check out message were not requests but statements and that checkin is 4 or later and checkout is 10am and I have people coming that night.
I don’t think either of us are happy (is happy?), but I’ll don my best manners and “warm host” mantle and hope that all goes smoothly.
I canceled one this year (actually guest canceled) because I came down with a fever, runny nose, and cough/congestion 2 days before their visit. And I was bummed - communication had been lovely and I was looking forward to a fun visit.
I didn’t want to get them sick. Excellent reason to cancel, especially these days.