Ray and Silvia are joined by Carmel O’Beirne, a lifestyle host from Clifton Hill, Melbourne, who uses her one-bedroom apartment to fund travel and supplement her income as she transitions toward retirement. The episode opens with Ray sharing a challenging guest situation involving a dropped wallet, refusal to check out, and police intervention — a reminder that hosting can sometimes take unexpected turns.

Inspired by her daughter’s success paying off a mortgage through Airbnb, Carmel began hosting her “cosy nest” — an earthy, plant-filled apartment with a green urban jungle balcony in a vibrant Melbourne neighbourhood. Her approach is what she calls “lifestyle hosting”: using Airbnb income to support extended travel, including a month in India, while keeping her home active and secure.

Carmel relies on trusted neighbour friends when she travels, meeting guests in person for key handover to reinforce respect and care for her home. She is selective with bookings to maintain strong relationships in her owner-occupied building. Rather than scaling, she plans to continue hosting sustainably, avoiding “empty house syndrome” while balancing income, community harmony, and flexibility.

• How to handle difficult guest situations, including when police become involved.
• Why guest preparedness and clear house rules are essential.
• Pricing strategies: Smart Pricing vs manual or third-party tools.
• The power of clear instructions to prevent misunderstandings and bad reviews.
• Preparing a personal home for guests while protecting privacy.
• Building a reliable local support network for remote management.
• Managing neighbour relationships in owner-occupied buildings.
• How lifestyle hosting can fund travel and supplement retirement income.

Name: Carmel O’Beirne
Airbnb: View Carmel’s Listing

Ray’s South Yarra Airbnb: View Listing
Ray’s North Melbourne Airbnb: View Listing
Silvia’s Airbnb: View Listing

This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription.
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Ray and Silvia are joined by Emma Bartlett, a new Airbnb host in Trinity Beach, North Queensland, juggling a full-time job and two young children. They kick off with a discussion about the hosts' shared pet peeve: guests who don't provide feedback during their stay, only in post-checkout reviews. Ray shares his frustration with missed opportunities to improve guest experiences, while Emma, a new host with a five-star rating, reflects on initial guest support, and Silvia highlights the benefits of direct feedback in a shared home.

Emma shares her journey into Airbnb, driven by a desire to maintain a family base in Trinity Beach, North Queensland, while residing in Melbourne. Her two-bedroom townhouse stands out with its Daintree rainforest-inspired styling, offering warm colours and greens distinct from typical coastal decor. A key focus is making the property family-friendly, providing extensive amenities like a cot, booster chair, and toys to ease travel for families. Despite a highly competitive market and initial hesitation from management companies due to seasonal bookings, Emma has achieved unexpected booking success. She efficiently manages the property remotely through a trusted local cleaner, podcast-inspired smart lock systems (using guest mobile numbers for codes), automated messaging, and dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs. Hosting in a tropical climate brought unique challenges, including managing various insects (ants, wasps) and mold, necessitating regular pest control and AC maintenance, with Ray suggesting Sensibo for humidity control. Emma attributes her high guest satisfaction to accurate property representation, unique styling, abundant supplies, durable selections, and a personal touch as a new family host, which she believes fosters guest understanding and open communication.

The episode wraps with Emma expressing her pleasant surprise at the Airbnb's success, which has exceeded initial expectations. She emphasizes that her meticulous setup, durable design choices, and personal approach have ensured smooth remote management and fostered positive guest interactions, allowing her family to enjoy the property for their own holidays once or twice a year.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Strategies for encouraging guest feedback during their stay versus post-stay reviews.
• How to successfully set up and manage an Airbnb property remotely, even with family commitments.
• The importance of thoughtful styling and equipping a property to stand out in a competitive market.
• Practical considerations for making an Airbnb family-friendly and reducing guest packing burdens.
• Addressing unique environmental challenges in tropical climates, such as pest control and humidity/mold management.
• Leveraging technology like smart locks, automated messaging, and dynamic pricing tools for efficient remote operations.
• The value of durable materials and a systematic cleaning process for long-term property maintenance and guest satisfaction.
• The benefit of transparent communication and personal touches in fostering guest empathy and improving overall experience.

Guest

Name: Emma Bartlett Instagram: @trinitybeach_townhouse Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1086727624986172101

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

Ray’s South Yarra Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/I2cCaaW5 Ray’s North Melbourne Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/l/KGfcunu3 Silvia’s Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription. https://riverside.sjv.io/xLR1Wx

Ray and Silvia are joined by Stefan Jordana, a Brisbane-based host (and emerging interior designer) behind a colourful, tropical one-bedroom Airbnb nicknamed “The Fishbowl.”

They kick off with a practical host topic: communal facilities in strata buildings—what guests should be allowed to use (pool, gym, rooftop BBQ), what’s often too hard to manage (bookable cinema/dining rooms), and why some residents and building managers default to blaming Airbnb guests when issues arise.

Stefan then shares how he transformed his ground-floor, south-facing unit into an experience-led stay—using statement pieces, lighting, and multi-purpose furniture to solve space and brightness challenges, and to stand out in a market full of “white-on-white” listings. He also breaks down what surprised him most once hosting began, why he chose a co-host/property manager, and what he’s learned about launching confidently while maintaining five-star standards.

The episode wraps with Stefan’s next chapter: documenting his interior design studies and building his brand, with plans to expand his Airbnb portfolio—while keeping an eye on evolving Brisbane short-stay regulation.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Communal facilities in strata buildings: what to allow vs what to avoid (especially bookable amenities)
• Why issues in buildings are often blamed on Airbnb guests first
• How “The Fishbowl” aesthetic came to life and why bold design stands out in search results
• Brightening darker apartments with reflective finishes, white balance, dimmable and mood lighting
• Space-maximising design: storage walls, hidden study, Murphy bed, pull-out sofa and multi-purpose furniture
• What guests actually comment on versus what hosts tend to worry about
• Co-hosting best practices, transparency and communication expectations
• The fine line between helpful guest messaging and over-communication
• Choosing a property manager when quality and detail matter

Guest

Stefan Jordana
Instagram: @stevielarkin_design

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

Ray’s South Yarra Property
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/I2cCaaW5

Ray’s North Melbourne Property
https://www.airbnb.com/l/KGfcunu3

Silvia’s Property
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X