Airbnb hosting basics
Starting out, Superhost requirements, and the decisions worth making before your first guest arrives.
8 articles
Most problems that show up in month six were decided in week one. Whether you allow pets, how you handle a late checkout request, what your photos promise: these get set early, often by accident, and then get tested by guests.
These guides cover the decisions worth making deliberately before your first booking, and the rules Airbnb applies that are worth understanding rather than discovering.
· 3 min read
What to do when a guest breaks your no-smoking rule
Smoke smell is the hardest damage claim to win because it's invisible by the time you're arguing about it. Document it right and know what you can actually charge for.
· 3 min read
Thermostat rules that don't start a fight with your guests
Locking the thermostat feels like the obvious fix and usually backfires. Here is what actually reduces energy costs without generating a stream of complaints.
· 4 min read
Airbnb doesn't really have a security deposit. Here's what actually protects you
Most guests never see a deposit, and most hosts don't fully understand what AirCover actually covers. Here is the real protection stack and its limits.
· 4 min read
What to do if Airbnb suspends or deactivates your listing
A suspension is not the same as a ban, and most are resolved in days if you respond the right way. Here is what actually happens and how to fix it.
· 4 min read
Should you allow pets in your Airbnb?
Pet-friendly listings reach a less competitive market and carry real costs. Here is how to decide, and how to set it up so it works.
· 4 min read
Airbnb Superhost requirements, and which one actually trips people up
Four numbers decide Superhost status, assessed quarterly over a rolling year. Here is what each one means and which one catches most hosts out.
· 4 min read
An Airbnb guest broke something. What now?
Most breakages are not worth claiming for, and the ones that are have a deadline. Here is how to decide which is which without damaging the review.
· 4 min read
Setting yourself up for success as a new Airbnb host
The handful of decisions that actually determine whether hosting goes well, made before your first guest ever books, not fixed after the fact.