Air BnB and My Self Esteem

Yesterday was the end of an era for me. 5 years of hosting on Air BnB ended.Deciding to take it off this platform, I am now electing to rent it long-term. I’m happy to report my cute little studio already has a one-year signed lease.I took my time to scour the cozy small space of the delicate 620 square feet. I meticulously, passionately cleaned it for over 3 hours. This is how long it took me after each guest. Sometimes 2 to 3 times a week, depending on the length of each stay. As I was wrapping up my cleaning it dawned on me. This is the LAST time I need to do this and certainly this time I won’t be rated on it.I was a SUPERHOST with 4.97 STAR rating for over 5 years. It bothers me to this moment that it wasn’t 5 stars.My studio is located out back of my home. Separate enough from my main home to give each guest privacy but close enough that if problems arose I was there. Happy to help!I was smitten with my space. A hand-painted mural of dahlias, poppies, and other vibrant flowers reigns down on the walls of the bedroom. Handmade madrone wood countertop installed in the kitchen. Plush area rugs put over the cool stamped vibrant red and orange concrete floors. My space for rent is delicious and right across the street from the waterfront with miles of Broadwalk where anyone can find themselves a new friend in numerous herons, seals, eagles, and other wildlife that are out showing off daily.I loved sharing my space… at first. Most people are so gracious and excited to be there. Leaving me notes of gratitude, sometimes wine, pastries even STICKERS! ( I LOVE stickers!) but of course, there are the few that I dwell on. The ones that are not kind. The ones that have other things going on in the forefront of their minds (yes, I’ve done my work) People that leave reviews that they found “a” hair. That the concrete floors are cold on their feet when they use the bathroom at night, they wish for more privacy, they stepped in dog poop before coming into the studio so that’s all they could smell their entire stay. They don’t like the brand of coffee I provide. The bed is too soft. The bed is too hard. Perhaps there should be a welcome mat INSIDE the door. There isn’t an umbrella rack. The shower handle is too stiff.The list goes on and on…In 5 years I’ve dealt with poop, human and animal including 15 colostomy bags (used ones), pubic hair, sisters that hired a male escort, a tired older woman that was fed up with her husband so she left him in my hydrangea bush when he fell ( I went out and helped him up ). Breakups (yes, while in my Airbnb). I ever had a stalker who continued to send me dick pics.This list could go on and on as well but I will save all these juicy details for another day.The last straw was July 12th. A man and his wife arrived early. Written a few times in my listing are check-in time and check-out times.When I approached them as they were unlocking the door, he simply said “Yes, we know we are early” and walked right in. Shrugging my shoulders I went inside my home. Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. This “gentleman” violently yelled in my face announcing how he was an attorney, he knew the owner of Air BnB and was on the board of directors and the studio was not up to his liking. Shaking I asked what he would like different. He wanted me to come and look. Walking back to the studio he continued to yell and I simply announced this wasn’t going to work out between either of us and I would be refunding his money and he needed to vacate. I still wanted to see what he saw. I walked into the studio and saw his poor wife cowering in the bathroom. He screamed at her that I was the one kicking them out. I asked her what seemed to be the problem. She just shook her head in terror and shrugged her shoulders.I pivoted on my heel and told him he had 5 minutes… 5 F$cking minutes to get out! “ I had FINALLY come to my breaking point.Air Bnb has changed since COVID-19 and going public. It’s greedier with its pay structure. It’s nickel and diming its guests AND hosts. They added many new ridiculous charges and I am sure the guests think we as hosts pocket this money. We as hosts are getting charged fees like never before as well.I also believe there’s an uptick in people being on edge since COVID-19. Things that used to not matter are now BIG things. Maybe even to me?I know I should just concentrate on the big picture and focus on all the great amazing guests that graced my studio’s doorstep. I know I provide an amazing, tranquil vacation spot that will be remembered for years by many. I know this. But I need to work on it. I still want to be 5 stars, not 4.97 stars. I know that’s impossible but how I got treated and talked to by just a few still hurts my heart.. until I can figure out a way to “Shake It Off” (thank you Taylor Swift) I am turning to long-term leasing and letting a management company do all the leg work.Thank YOU for gracing ME with reading my article today….