With more than 140 million guest arrivals to date, Airbnb has proved a boon for hosts and an attractive option for travelers looking for a hotel alternative. In the process, you can earn the classification of a Superhost, which means that you have hosted many guests and consistently received five-star reviews. This is a selective group; only about 7 percent of hosts earn the title of Superhosts.

In exchange, you get more visibility in search results, invitations from the company to exclusive events and a medal next to your profile photo. Yet vaulting to Superhost status is hardly intuitive. Here are some tips on running a successful Airbnb rental based on interviews with Superhosts.

Hospitality

People who rent your house on Airbnb are choosing it over a hotel. Being hospitable, friendly and communicative is just as important as for a hotel. For your rental, this means a few things. Your offering must live up to your listing’s description. Provide staples such as cooking equipment, cable TV and internet, soap for bathing and cleaning, towels, toothpaste and toilet paper. Your house should work as advertised. Repair or replace faulty appliances.

In addition, be extremely responsive to guests. Nobody will trust a host who is slow to respond. Try using the  free app Aviva IQ

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to respond automatically to messages from potential guests when you are unavailable.

Being dishonest about your listing will hurt when it comes time for a guest to leave a review. It’s better to be straightforward about what you are offering and transparent about any imperfections.

Solve Problems Quickly

Be quick to address complaints, or risk facing a negative critique. If a dishwasher breaks or the shower pressure is too low, call in a plumber. If a remote control was misplaced or stolen by a previous group, have a backup ready in a drawer.

If you host the property remotely, the best option is to befriend someone trustworthy in the neighborhood who can act as a property manager. Pay the manager a fee for each task.

Make Cleanliness a Priority

Airbnb attracts travelers from all over the world. It is remarkable how standards for cleanliness differ from person to person. Hire superb professional cleaners and relay any negative feedback from guests to your cleaners so they improve over time.

Set Prices Based on Demand

Depending on where your house is, demand may fluctuate certain times of the year. You will want to set prices higher during peak seasons and reduce prices over slow periods.

Get the Guests You Want

Airbnb introduced an anti-discrimination policy that urged hosts to welcome guests regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender and age. That makes sense, since Airbnb wants to connect hosts with travelers from all over the world. But it doesn’t mean you should let just anybody into your home. Hosts reserve the right to decide what types of guests they would like to host, especially when taking into consideration city ordinances. Accept bookings only from visitors who already have positive reviews themselves. You can read their profiles to get a sense of their personalities. Another important point is to describe your listing in such a way to attract the guests you want. For example, if you want couples, use a title like “ideal couple getaway”.

Document Everything

Most guests are good people. However, from time to time a rotten egg will slip through you filters. To protect yourself, diligently document everything valuable in your house. Take photos of counter tops, refrigerator, stove, dining table, barbecue grill, television, etc. In the event of damage, Airbnb will ask for before-and-after photos to prove that the guests caused the problem.