The Airbnb Superhost
Welcome to The Airbnb Superhost, your ultimate guide to mastering the art of hosting on Airbnb. In each episode, lasting about 15 minutes, Neil will reveal the secrets to creating unforgettable guest experiences and maximizing the potential of your property, drawing on over 10 consecutive years as a qualifying Airbnb Superhost and hosting over 2000 guests from over 40 countries.With a focus on 3 specific aspects of running an Airbnb business; the host, the property, and Airbnb itself, Neil provides step-by-step guidance on everything from ambiance creation to effective communication.In each episode, a Superhost Secret will help you elevate your hosting game and k...
#137. What Your House Is Trying to Tell You
Can your house tell you what's going on without you seeing a thing?
After eleven years of welcoming strangers into my home, I've developed something rather like a sixth sense. I can often tell who's arrived, who's gone out, which rooms are occupied and even when something isn't quite right â without seeing anybody!
But when I recently started training a new helper, I discovered that what has become second nature to me isn't necessarily obvious to somebody else.
And that's when I realised that listening to your house is a sk...
#136. Does anything ever get broken?
Episode 136 â Does Anything Ever Get Broken?
What happens when your Airbnb guests break something? And what if the thing they break is actually your way of thinking?
After eleven years of hosting and around 19,000 guest-nights, I've come to accept that things occasionally get broken. It's part of welcoming strangers into a working home.
But when a mysterious broken fridge door turns up with a vital piece missing, I'm left wondering whether someone has been covering their tracks!
That little incident got me thinking about a completely different kind of br...
#135 Get rid of what you don't want to make room for what you do want
Get rid of what you donât want to make room for what you do want.
What does throwing away a 60-year-old armchair have to do with making more than ÂŁ300 from Airbnb the very next day?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
In this episode, I explore something I first learned many years ago called the Principle of Vacuum:
Get rid of what you don't want to make room for what you do want.
It's a principle that has followed me throughout my Airbnb jou...
#134. Airbnb: The Entrepreneur's Training Ground
Episode 134 â Airbnb: The Entrepreneurâs Training Ground
What if the best place to learn how to run a business isn't in a classroom, on a course, or by risking tens of thousands of pounds?
What if it's your spare room?
In this episode, I explore why I describe Airbnb as a âbusiness in a boxââand why becoming a live-in host can teach you many of the skills every entrepreneur eventually needs.
I share the story of one of the students who helped me run my Airbnb before tak...
#133. Romance in the Dome
Episode 133 Show Notes
The Dome at the bottom of my garden has witnessed rather a lot of romance over the years.
Marriage proposals. Newlyweds. Candlelit pathways. Engagement rings hidden inside fruit.
And then... there was the Viagra.
In this episode, I share five very different stories from my years of hosting guests in the Dome â some genuinely touching, some wonderfully unexpected, and one that required a particularly good pair of rubber gloves.
You'll hear about an encounter with a film producer where Bambi, Thumper, Honey and some suspiciously memorable le...
#132. My Airbnb makes money for my neighbours.
What happens when your Airbnb is full â but one of your regular guests still needs somewhere to stay?
You send them next door!
In this episode, I explore something I rarely hear mentioned when people talk about running an Airbnb: the importance of having great relationships with your neighbours.
It starts with a young Malaysian student arriving in the UK for the first time. I'd promised to collect her from the bus stop after dark â before realising I wasn't actually going to be there.
One phone call to my neig...
#131. The unexpected joy of strangers
Episode 131 â The Unexpected Joy of Strangers
âI couldn't have strangers in my home.â
It's probably the number one objection I hear when I talk to people about becoming a live-in Airbnb host.
But here's the thing: every guest starts off as a stranger.
And over the years, some of those strangers have given me experiences, friendships and memories I could never have anticipated when they first walked through the door.
In this episode, I'm sharing five of them.
There's the captain of a winning USA Ultimate Frisbee team w...
#130. Never forget the 'mint sauce'!
Episode 130 â Never Forget the âMint Sauceâ
What does a dollop of mint sauce have to do with being a great Airbnb host?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
This week, a new guest paid me a wonderful compliment. Having stayed in countless Airbnbs around the country, he told me there was something about staying in my home that just felt... different. So different, in fact, that he immediately booked another three consecutive weeks.
But what was that something?
In this episode, I go back to my experi...
#129. When Archie refused to pay
Episode 129 â When Archie Refused to Pay
After ten years of hosting, thousands of guests and pretty much every situation you can imagine, there was still one thing I'd never done: escalated a payment dispute to Airbnb.
Until Archie.
And it was over just ÂŁ35.
Archie booked my Dome for a romantic night away with his fiancĂŠe and asked to use the hot tub â an optional ÂŁ35 extra clearly stated in the listing. Wanting to add a little Unreasonable Hospitality, I offered him an âI Love Youâ banner free of cha...
Episode 128. Every House Rule has a story.
Episode 128: Every House Rule Has a Story
House Rules can easily become a long list of DON'Ts.
Don't smoke. Don't make noise. Don't bring visitors back. Don't eat in your room.
But what are House Rules actually for?
This week, I've been writing a set of Extended House Rules for a potential long-stay guest â and realised that almost every rule I've included is there because something has happened in the past that made me think, âRight... I need a rule about that!â
From soy sauce spilt over a bedr...
#127. My worst guest ever - and what lessons he taught me.
After more than 2,500 guests, 18,500 guest nights and over ten years of hosting, I finally encountered a guest I genuinely didn't like.
If you're thinking this episode is going to put you off becoming an Airbnb host... think again.
In fact, quite the opposite.
This story reinforced just how rare serious incidents really are, how supportive Airbnb and the police can be when something does go wrong, and perhaps most importantly, how our own reactions can either calm a situation or make it worse.
In this...
#126. Six words you must never say
Episode 126: Six Words You Must Never Say
Have you ever wanted to help someone who was clearly in crisis⌠but had no idea what to say?
In this deeply personal episode, Neil shares the remarkable story of Simon â a guest battling alcoholism, homelessness and suicidal thoughts â and the six words he was taught to never say to someone in emotional distress. What began as a hosting decision became one of the most powerful lessons in empathy, communication and human connection Neil has ever experienced.
This episode isn't really about Airbnb. It's about people.
<...
#125. Getting your guests through the correct door
Every host has received that phone call.
"Hi... I can't find your house."
Or perhaps even worse...
"I'm outside... but I can't get in."
In this episode, Neil shares the journey he's been on over the last ten years to eliminate those frustrating calls by continually refining his arrival instructions.
From understanding why postcodes and sat navs aren't always enough, to discovering the power (and limitations) of What3Words, creating a simple arrival video, using Airbnb's Quick Replies and Bitly links, and finally solving an unexpected smart-lock problem with...
#124. When Iron Maiden came to town
What does an Iron Maiden concert have to do with being a better Airbnb host?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
When more than 50,000 music fans descended on nearby Knebworth, the ripple effect stretched far beyond the concert itself. My house was completely full, not just with concert-goers, but with wedding guests, birthday party revellers, football fans and people whose original accommodation had been cancelled at the last minute.
In this episode, I share the lessons I learnt from managing my busiest Saturday in monthsâand why the real challenge wasn't getting the...
#123. The most dangerous word in communication
How many times have you asked a guest, "Do you understand?"... only to discover later that they didn't?
In this third and final conversation with helicopter paramedic Vito, we explore why people often find it much easier to say "yes" than "no"âand how changing just a few words can dramatically improve the quality of the answers you receive.
From lifting critically injured patients into helicopters to helping Airbnb guests feel comfortable enough to ask questions, the principles are surprisingly universal. Great communication isn't about talking moreâit's about making it easi...
#122. Why checklists are so vital
What do helicopter pilots, paramedics and Airbnb hosts all have in common?
More than you might imagine.
In this episode I'm joined once again by Vito, a helicopter paramedic working on North Sea wind farms. Every day he works in an environment where mistakes can have life-changing consequences, and one of the biggest lessons aviation has taught the world is the value of checklists.
As hosts, we can be tempted to think, "I've done this hundreds of times. I don't need a checklist." But as Vito explains, checklists aren't there because we don't...
#121. Helicopters and Hosting - what they have in common.
What does a German helicopter paramedic working on North Sea wind farms have in common with an Airbnb host in Hertfordshire?
Surprisingly⌠quite a lot.
In this slightly different episode, I welcome back one of my regular guests, Vito, who has travelled over from Germany and joined me to discuss something that sits at the heart of both our worlds: communication.
In his profession, ambiguity can have serious consequences. Instructions have to be precise, language must remain consistent and everyone needs to understand exactly what is expected of them.
The more we...
#120. Overcoming the fear of strangers
What if your biggest obstacle to becoming an Airbnb host isn't Airbnb at all?
For years, I've described myself as an Airbnb Superhost, speaker and mentor. But this week, while refreshing my LinkedIn profile, I had a realisation that completely changed how I describe what I do.
Because if Airbnb disappeared tomorrow... everything I teach would still exist.
So perhaps I don't teach Airbnb at all.
Perhaps what I really teach is something far more fundamental.
The biggest objection I hear whenever I speak at networking events...
#119. How to build a business that works without you
What do a wood-fired hot tub, a helicopter paramedic and a Tokyo train guard all have in common?
Checklists.
In this episode, Neil shares a recent hosting mishap that occurred while he was away from home. Despite seven years of experience managing his wood-fired hot tub, a delegated task didn't go quite to plan, resulting in disappointed guests and a valuable lesson about systems, routines and human nature.
Drawing inspiration from Atul Gawande's bestselling book The Checklist Manifesto, Neil explores why even experienced people overlook simple tasks, and how creating effective routines can...
#118. There's nowt as queer as folk!
After hosting more than 2,000 guests and living through over 18,000 guest nights, you might think Iâve seen it all.
Trust me, I havenât.
In this episode, I explore one of the most fascinating aspects of hosting: the fact that every guest arrives with their own unique interpretation of how the world works. What seems obvious to us may be completely unfamiliar to somebody else.
Using a series of real-life hosting stories, I look at how easy it is to judge behaviour through our own lens and how often our first assumptions turn out...
#117 Why My Festival Guests Return Each Year
What if the reason guests return year after year has very little to do with the room⌠and everything to do with how you make them feel?
In this episode of the Airbnb Superhost Podcast, I share the fascinating psychology behind why the same festival guests keep returning to stay with me every May Bank Holiday â and why many of them now feel more like a temporary tribe than Airbnb guests.
From fire pits and BBQs to WhatsApp groups and Maslowâs Hierarchy of Needs, this episode explores how emotional connection, belonging and shared experiences create...
#116 If you want a star - create the stage
What does it really mean to welcome someone?
In this episode, I explore a lesson Iâve been reminded of while travelling around the UK speaking at property networking events: when we arrive somewhere unfamiliar, we all ask the same silent questions.
Am I expected?
 Am I welcome?
 Do I matter?
 What do I do next?
 Am I in the way?
 Have I made the right decision?
And whether youâre a guest arriving at an Airbnb, a speaker walking into a venue, or a nervous delegate entering a room fu...
#115 When guests make a suggestion
Episode 115 â When a Guest Makes a Suggestion
What if the things holding your Airbnb back are the very things youâve stopped noticing?
In this episode, I explore one of the most important lessons hosting has taught me over the last decade: fresh eyes see what familiarity hides.
From a nearly dangerous oven door⌠to a toilet roll in the wrong place for ten years⌠to a rain-soaked BBQ experience that unexpectedly led to a complete kitchenette upgrade, this episode is all about how guest feedback â when listened to properly â can quietly transform your hosting...
#114. Managing a bad month
What happens when bookings suddenly dropâafter years of consistency?
I share how I navigated my worst month in five yearsâand how I made sure it didnât turn into a financial problem.
If youâve ever worry about a dip in bookings, this episode will help you stay calm, in control, and on track.
April 2026 was inexplicably quiet.
Economic uncertainty, platform changes, seasonal shifts, or even local redundancies⌠it could have been any of these.
The key takeaway:
A bad month can feel like failureâbut itâs usu...
#113 How I ran my Airbnb business whilst on 10 days holiday
In this episode, I share exactly how I managed my Airbnb business while being away for 10 days with limited internet accessâ yet everything continued to run smoothly.
Worried that your hosting business would stop the moment you step away? This episode will explain how to build systems that keep things running - even when youâre off-grid.
What Youâll Learn
How to step away from your Airbnb without shutting it down
The difference between running a business & having a job
How to...
#112 What Guests Leave Behind
Running an Airbnb might sound like itâs all about fresh sheets and five-star reviews⌠but sometimes, it feels more like managing a lost property office.
In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of what guests really leave behindâfrom the obvious forgotten items like chargers and clothing⌠to the less visible (but far more meaningful) things that come with hosting.
Because what guests leave behind isnât just âstuff.â
Itâs stories. Itâs energy. And sometimes, itâs a reflection of the experience youâve created.
 What Youâll Hear in This Epi...
#111. It's not what you've got - it's how you use it
Episode Summary
What if the biggest excuse holding you back from hosting⌠simply isnât true?
In this episode, Neil shares a powerful real-world experience from a remote tented safari lodge in Samburu Game Reserve, where thereâs no mains electricity, no traditional infrastructureâand wild animals roam freely.
Despite these challenges, the team delivered one of the most memorable and seamless guest experiences imaginable.
From baboon break-ins to solar-powered systems, this episode uncovers a simple but game-changing truth: You donât need perfect conditions to be a great hostâyou n...
#110: When Airbnb Success Turns Sour (and What You Can Learn)
To join Neil on one of his free in-person webinars, paste this link into your browser: https://bit.ly/SuperhostNeilWebinar
In this special episode, recorded during a family wedding in Kenya, Neil sits down with Sarah â an experienced Airbnb host from Australia â to unpack her journey from early success to stepping away from hosting altogether.
What starts as a story of booming bookings during COVID quickly turns into a cautionary tale about guest expectations changing, operational challenges, and the realities of being an absent host.
What Youâll Hear in This Episode
...#109. There's something strange about Mary!
Register for my next FREE webinar on how to monetize your own home, here - https://bit.ly/SuperhostNeilWebinar
What do you do when a guest doesnât just challenge your setup⌠but challenges every solution you offer?
In this episode, Neil shares a brilliantly entertaining (and slightly exhausting!) real-life hosting story involving a trainee guest whose needs kept evolvingâbed, room, smell, temperature⌠nothing quite worked.
But beneath the humour lies a powerful lesson.
Because this episode isnât really about quirky guests⌠itâs about you as a host.
The Su...
#108 - Are The Nightmares True?
In this episode, Neil Harvey sits down with Akash, a master's student in Berlin who lives rent-free by managing an Airbnb for a property owner. Together, they tackle the big question: are the "nightmares" of live-in hosting actually true?KEY TAKEAWAYS Myth vs. Reality: The media often overblows the dangers of Airbnb hosting. Statistically, live-in hosting is incredibly safe, with major incidents being exceedingly rare compared to domestic settings. The "Leave No Evidence" Rule: A simple sign reminding guests to leave no evidence behind in shared spaces is highly effective. This strategy helps keep communal areas, like the kitchen...
#107 The Student Who Lived Rent-Free
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAgNeil Harvey interviews Aakash, a former assistant who has successfully applied Neilâs hosting techniques to live rent-free while pursuing his masterâs degree in Berlin. Aakash shares his journey from learning the ropes at Neilâs property in the UK and managing his uncleâs huts in India to becoming a live-in host for an apartment owner in Germany. The conversation explores the practicalities of co-hosting, the importance of meticulous cleanliness, and how a focus...
#106 Stop It Before It Starts
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAg In this episode, Neil Harvey shares a fundamental lesson learned from over a decade of hosting: the real issue is often not the problem itself, but the sequence of steps that led to it. Neil explores three common challenges hosts face: guest check-in difficulties, property damage, and time management, and demonstrates how identifying and addressing their root causes can dramatically improve the hosting experience. From installing smart locks and creating clear instructional videos t...
#105 2 Nights Out of 18,000
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAgIn this episode, Neil reflects on the rare occasions when drama unfolds in the world of hosting. Drawing from over a decade of experience and more than 18,000 guest nights, Neil shares three distinct stories of âcrisisâ, from a midnight EpiPen emergency to a mysterious police investigation involving a garden dome. With a blend of humor and wisdom, he explores the fine line between real emergencies and mere noise, emphasising why a hostâs primary job is...
#104 Building Predictability Into Your Hosting Income
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAgIn this episode, Neil Harvey shares his expert insights on how to de-risk your hosting business by building multiple income streams. He explains how to focus on predictability over simple occupancy by cultivating different types of guests, including Airbnb travelers, long-term regulars, and corporate trainees. Neil also discusses the importance of building authentic relationships and maintaining integrity with guests, illustrating his points with personal stories from his ten years of experience as an Airbnb...
#103 Unreasonable Hospitality
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAgIn this episode, Neil shares how the book Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara has completely changed his perspective on hosting. He discusses how he applies the book's principles of intentional hospitality and over-delivering to his own Airbnb rental, transforming a simple stay into a memorable experience for his guests. Neil also emphasises the importance of a positive attitude and genuine interactions in creating a five-star experience, even during challenging times.KEY TAKEAWAYSAs Will Guidara...
#102 When The Alcoholics Came To Stay
I teach people how to monetise their own home! Register for my next FREE webinar here - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAgIn this episode, Neil explores the âpeople businessâ side of hosting by sharing a story of two memorable guests, Pete and Mandy. Despite being functioning alcoholics with several run-ins with the police during their stay, Neil reflects on their time at his property with surprising fondness. He discusses how he navigated the challenges of their addiction, including a theft from his personal liquor cabinet and late-night police visits, while maintaining a five-star hosting experience. KEY T...
#101 Guests Are Not The Problem - Your Systems Are
Link to zoom webinar! - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAg#/registrationIn this episode, Neil explores the âSuccess Triangleâ of hosting, focusing specifically on you, the host. Neil tackles the inevitable frustrations of property damage, from water rings on polished wood to wet floors, and offers a radical mindset shift to protect your peace of mind. Featuring insights from conflict management expert Andy Baker, the episode discusses why we should stop judging guest âmaliceâ and start investigating the âignoranceâ or systems that lead to mistakes.KEY TAKEAWAYSWhen furniture gets damaged, ask yourself: âWould I rather have a perfect floo...
#100 - 100 Things I've Learnt from 18,000 Guest-nights
In this milestone 100th episode of the Airbnb Superhost Podcast, Neil celebrates a decade of hosting and 18,000 guest nights by sharing 100 rapid-fire lessons heâs learned along the way. Moving away from the typical interview format, Neil reflects on the realities of being a live-in host, covering everything from guest psychology and essential room amenities to setting boundaries and managing finances. KEY TAKEAWAYSMost hosting issues stem from miscommunication rather than âbadâ guests. Tone, timing, and clarity often matter more than the actual words you use.The most critical âamenityâ isn't high-end decor or gadgets, but a high-quality mattress and a dark, quiet...
#099 Avoid Your Guests Kicking Off
In this episode, Neil is joined by behavioural specialist Andy Baker (Able Training Support Ltd) to dissect a hosting horror story that started with a tumble dryer and ended with accusations of racism. Neil shares the story of how a simple request to turn off an appliance spiralled into a heated confrontation with a guest. Together, they explore the psychology behind why guests âkick offâ, the dangers of text-based communication, and how misinterpretation can turn a small friction point into a full-blown battle.KEY TAKEAWAYSResearch suggests communication is only 7% words, the rest is tone (38%) and body language (55%). Written notes and text...
#098 Why Guests Don't Think Like You Do
In this episode, Neil chats with behaviour specialist Andy Baker, exploring the complexities of guest behaviour that can challenge even the most seasoned hosts. They discuss real-life scenarios, including a guest's puzzling disregard for cleanliness and another's awkward response to a note about food in the room. Andy shares insights on understanding the motivations behind such behaviours and emphasises the importance of clear communication and setting expectations.KEY TAKEAWAYSIt's important to recognise that unusual guest behaviour may stem from various underlying reasons, including psychological traits or personal circumstances. Approaching these situations with empathy and curiosity can lead to better outcomes...
