The Airbnb Superhost

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" —and how changing just a few words can dramatically improve the quality of the answers you receive. From lifting critical...

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,...

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 hav...

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 Ai...

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 an...

After hosting more than 2,000 guests and living through over 18,000 guest nights, you might think I’ve seen it all. Trust me, I haven’t. 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 rea...

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 — and why many of them now feel more like a temporary tribe than Airbnb guests. From fire...

What does it really mean to welcome someone? In this episode, I explore a lesson I’ve 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 you’re a guest arriving...

Episode 115 – When a Guest Makes a Suggestion What if the things holding your Airbnb back are the very things you’ve 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 tha...

What happens when bookings suddenly drop—after years of consistency? I share how I navigated my worst month in five years—and how I made sure it didn’t turn into a financial problem. If you’ve 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 r...

In this episode, I share exactly how I managed my Airbnb business while being away for 10 days with limited internet access — 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 you’re off-grid. What You’ll Learn How to step away from your Airbnb without...

Running an Airbnb might sound like it’s 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 behind—from 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 be...

Episode Summary What if the biggest excuse holding you back from hosting… simply isn’t true? In this episode, Neil shares a powerful real-world experience from a remote tented safari lodge in Samburu Game Reserve, where there’s no mains electricity, no traditional infrastructure—and wild animals roam freely. Despite these challenges, the team delivered one of the most memorable and seamless guest...

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 — an experienced Airbnb host from Australia — to unpack her journey from early success to stepping away from hosting altogether. What starts as a story of booming bookings during COVI...

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 doesn’t 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 evolving—bed, room, smell, tempera...

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 m...

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 Neil’s hosting techniques to live rent-free while pursuing his master’s degree in Berlin. Aakash shares his journey from learning the ropes at Neil’s property in the UK a...

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-...

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 ‘crisis’, from a midnight EpiPen emerg...

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...

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 Ai...

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 ‘people business’ 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...

Link to zoom webinar! - https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h15hgvyqQYmHk4GFjlaTAg#/registrationIn this episode, Neil explores the ‘Success Triangle’ 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 insight...

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 he’s 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 fina...

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 ‘kick off’, the dan...