Superhosts: their tips for a listing that stands out

The essentials. To improve your Airbnb listing, show each room as it is, choose a first photo that is clear when seen small and describe the amenities as well as any access constraints. A precise title helps the guest understand what they are booking. These changes alone do not grant the Superhost status: Airbnb awards it based on the host’s activity, responsiveness, cancellations and reviews.

Superhosts are hosts recognised by Airbnb. If you’re aiming for this status, check the current criteria before assessing your activity. To polish your listing, start with the photos, the title and the property description.

Status is not inferred from photo quality. Compare the conditions shown by Airbnb with your activity data and your reviews.

Stage your property

Before taking photos, look for what makes your property stand out. Personal decoration, paintings or houseplants can appear in the frame, provided the room remains visible.

Photograph each room without hiding the space or the amenities. Every photo should allow the guest to assess the available space, the condition of a room or the listed amenities so they can judge whether the property suits them.

To choose the first photo of your Airbnb listing, compare a view of the living area with one of the terrace if its panorama is the main feature. Keep the image that most clearly shows what the guest will find on site, without obscuring the space behind the decoration. Then place the other views so they can check the rest of the property.

Look at the two images in thumbnail: on which can you better distinguish the living room or the terrace? If the panorama fills the frame and hides the terrace, open the listing with the living room.

Airbnb lets you choose the cover photo and organise a room-by-room tour. Use this to also show the kitchen, the bathroom and the sleeping areas. The photo tour described by Airbnb helps the guest find each space; it does not excuse you from checking that the images still match the property.

Polish your listing

If your terrace is sunny and faces a panorama, a photo can show this right at the start of the listing. A title such as “A cosy nest in the heart of Auvergne” suggests an atmosphere, but the photos should also show the property from several angles. State the amenities available and ensure cleanliness: the guest must be able to form a fair idea of the stay.

What to include in the Airbnb description? Distinguish between the amenities that are actually available, access to the property and the constraints that may affect the stay. If access is by stairs, state this clearly.

The written content of your listing answers the questions left open by the photos. Specify the amenities on offer and the activities nearby, then update this information regularly to showcase your property. Listings labelled “superhosts” on Airbnb can inspire you, but they do not explain which choices helped their authors. If you collect testimonials from Superhosts, ask what they changed in their listing after guests’ questions. Without those testimonials, you cannot attribute these tips to their experience.

List the amenities that are actually available and state any constraints that may affect the stay, such as access by stairs if that is the case. Update the description and photos whenever an amenity or access changes.

A descriptive title makes this check easier. For the property in Auvergne, “Terrace with a view, access by stairs” says more than “Cosy nest”. Keep the atmosphere in the description, where you can also specify what the view shows and the steps to reach it. If you also rework your Airbnb host profile, do not confuse its presentation with the property’s features: those must remain in the listing.

Before publishing, check these four points in your listing:

• Photos: show the decoration, paintings or houseplants without hiding the room. Choose an attractive, sunny first photo if it matches the property. The guest must be able to form a fair impression.

• Title: avoid “A cosy nest in the heart of Auvergne”, which locates the property without saying what the guest will find there; instead indicate its main asset, such as a terrace with a panorama. Check that this promise matches the photos and the description.

• Listing text: specify the amenities and activities nearby. Keep this information clear and up to date so the guest can judge whether the stay meets their expectations.

• Personal decoration: show what gives the property character, without overdoing it. Tidy enough for the guest to imagine where to place their belongings and to settle on the sofa or terrace.

If guests often ask whether pets are allowed or how to access the property, answer in the fields provided by Airbnb and in useful text before booking. For house rules applicable during the stay, prepare separately an Airbnb house rules document adapted to the property. Information discovered after payment comes too late.

Show the property as it is

If you rent out your living space, your mementos and personal decoration may appear in photos. Show what gives the property character, without hiding the space that guests will have.

Tidy what clutters the rooms, without erasing all traces of life. Photograph the sofa and the terrace so as to show their condition and the available space. Your decoration gives an idea of the place; guests can judge for themselves whether the property suits them.

Before publishing, check that every element of the listing helps the guest picture the property.

Element	To show or specify	What the guest can check	The question the listing prevents
First photo	Living room or terrace with a panorama	The property’s main asset	“Is the terrace really usable?”
Other photos	Rooms from several angles, without hiding the space	The available space and the condition of the rooms	“What does the bathroom look like?”
Description	Amenities available and activities nearby	Whether the stay meets expectations	“Is there what we need?”
Constraints	Access by stairs, if applicable	Whether the access suits them	“Can we enter without climbing steps?”
Decoration	Personal touches without cluttering the rooms	Where to put belongings and sit down	“Will we have space for our luggage?”

Does Superhost status depend on the listing?

A clear listing helps set fair expectations, but Airbnb does not award the badge based on a title or a photo. According to its criteria to become a Superhost, the listing holder must, among other things, have hosted at least 10 bookings, or 3 bookings totalling at least 100 nights, maintain an overall rating of at least 4.8, meet responsiveness requirements and keep a cancellation rate below 1%, subject to exceptions provided by Airbnb.

Airbnb reviews the holder’s activity over the past 12 months every 3 months. Open your dashboard to compare each condition with your data: a better photo does not make up for a missing requirement. If you are only a co-host of a property, that activity does not count towards your personal eligibility for the status.

After booking, how to deliver on the listing’s promise?

Check the property with the listing open: is the terrace accessible, is the photographed sofa still there, does the listed amenity work? Correct the listing before the next stay if the answer has changed. To prepare check-in and on-site instructions, the model welcome book for holiday rental follows the flow of the stay.

Internal StyQR observation: 40% of openings of our welcome books are in a language other than French. A clear description before booking remains necessary; after booking, a digital welcome book for short-term rental can bring together check-in, the wifi and the instructions in a link shared with the guest. You can paste this link into your Airbnb message, as explained in the answers on sharing the welcome book. For a rarely rented property with few changing instructions, a shared document is enough; the digital welcome book allows you to correct the content accessible from the same link.

Frequently asked questions

How to choose the first photo for your Airbnb listing? Choose a photo that clearly shows the property. If your terrace is sunny and faces a panorama, it can open the listing. Decoration, paintings or houseplants can show the atmosphere; then add views of the other rooms from multiple angles so guests can judge whether the property suits them.

What criteria does Airbnb check to award Superhost status? Airbnb checks the listing holder’s activity, responsiveness, cancellations and overall rating according to the thresholds published in its Help Centre. Note each condition and compare it to your account data, without assuming the badge will be granted. If a condition is missing, record which one: better photos do not fix a shortfall against the status criteria.

How often does Airbnb review eligibility for Superhost status? Airbnb reviews performance every 3 months, over the past 12 months. Review periods start in January, April, July and October. Check your progress in your account: meeting a condition between reviews does not immediately trigger the badge.

How to write a listing title that appeals? “A cosy nest in the heart of Auvergne” gives an idea of the desired atmosphere. If the terrace with a panorama sets the property apart, name it in the title, provided the photos and description confirm that promise. Do not fill the title with amenities that the guest will find on the listing page.

Should you say everything in the listing text? Specify the amenities available, activities nearby and any constraints that may change the stay, such as a staircase at the entrance. Also show the property as it is in the photos. Keep this information up to date so guests know what they will find at check-in and can decide before booking.

How to add a personal touch to your listing without overdoing it? Your decoration can reflect your personality. Tidy enough to show the available space, without erasing everything that gives the property character. Guests must be able to imagine where to put their belongings and to sit on the sofa.