Ep 50 - Nightmare guests, review disputes, and building a sustainable Airbnb business

This week on Superhosts Down Under, Ray and Silvia are joined by returning guest Tanya, plus Superhost couple Jay and Rod. Tanya shares a recent, highly stressful stay that escalated fast — including late-night Airbnb support contact, refund pressure, a privacy breach, cancellation outcomes, and a retaliatory one-star review. Jay and Rod then share how they built three strong-performing Airbnb listings and a complementary paddleboarding business, plus the systems they use to host reliably even while travelling.

In this episode

Tanya’s complex guest stay and what hosts can learn

How amenity expectations (like air conditioning) can create disputes

Practical ways to approach Airbnb review disputes (including using policy-based language)

Why one bad review shouldn’t define a good host

Jay and Rod’s journey from early hosting challenges to three cash-flow-positive listings

How they manage operations, cleaning, maintenance, and contingencies

Hosting while travelling internationally: communication, backups, and checklists

Using a local experience business to differentiate the guest experience

Key takeaways

Be extremely clear in your listing description about amenities and where they apply (for example, air conditioning location)

If a stay becomes a dispute, document everything and reference Airbnb policy when escalating

Don’t over-optimise for star ratings — focus on consistent service and clear expectations

If you can, self-manage at the start so you understand what “good” looks like before delegating

Reliable cleaners, trades, and simple operating systems make remote hosting realistic

Guest links

Jay & Rod’s Airbnb listings

https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/835771603387295054?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/40829555?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/40413091?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

Shoal Bay SUP

www.shoalbaysup.com.au

Instagram: @shoalbaysup

Connect with the podcast

South Yarra Property

https://www.airbnb.com/slink/I2cCaaW5

North Melbourne Property

https://www.airbnb.com/l/KGfcunu3

Silvia’s Property

https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

Instagram

@superhosts_down_under