Airbnb has posted its list of the ‘The number one most hospitable Host in every US state’.  To even be considered, hosts had to have achieved 100% 5-star ratings in the categories of Cleanliness, Check-in and Communication. Then ‘to raise the bar even further’, they set the minimum number of reviews at 100. 

Of course there’s arguments to make about how relevant those criteria actually are in reaching the #1 in each state position, but hey….that’s Airbnb.  For our purposes to talk about hospitality in general, it allowed access to all those 100+ reviews in each property to analyze what makes these places so special.  So, that’s what I did.

Quite honestly, there was nothing super-special about any of these listings, apart from some locations, but it did point out a solid consistency on the part of the hosts in maintaining high ratings in the categories.

They also highlighted areas that guests clearly consider to be super-important, and interestingly it wasn’t the high value features and amenities that scored the most satisfaction.  In fact, many of the listings are very modest – one or two bedroom spaces. 

Most of the ‘secrets’ mentioned in this episode are the things we do all the time; however, this makes for a good reflection on how those little things are perceived by our guests.

The star of the show was cleanliness as just about every review mentioned how spotlessly clean the properties were.  Then came communication as a primary source of positive feedback.  Hosts were consistently highly rated on the quality of their response to questions after booking and any issues that arose during a stay.

In this episode I take apart some of these reviews and attempt to apply a framework for creating the perfect hospitality package.

You’ll hear

• Why I don’t give my 2 cents on Facebook posts that attack guests (it’s a rant)
• The simple item you can add to your power outage kit that will make your guests super-happy
• A neat solution to questions about TV remotes
• How hanging a sign can wow your returning guests
• The 8 practical suggestions for the perfect welcome
• Why being welcoming in every communication attracts a multitude of 5* reviews
• The importance of clear directions and easy access

Links mentioned:

The number one most hospitable Host in every US state

Vacation Adirondacks (Steve Elsey)