In this episode, Ray and Silvia are joined by David Speirs, an Adelaide-based property investor and former Airbnb superhost who now runs two short-term rentals as a family business under the Haven Retreats brand. The episode opens with Ray's candid update on joining the Guesty multi-channel platform and the unexpected cash flow trade-offs. David then shares why he walked away from Airbnb entirely in favour of Booking.com and direct bookings, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

• Ray's experience with Guesty: more channels, more exposure, but a slower monthly payout cycle
• Why David chose Lodgify for direct bookings across Booking.com, Airbnb and VRBO
• Designing a family home with a self-contained downstairs apartment as a revenue stream
• Running short-term rentals as a true family operation, with cleaning, hosting and admin shared between siblings and mum
• Why David left Airbnb despite a 4.9 superhost rating — including the water leak and bar-of-soap reviews that pushed him over the edge
• How Booking.com compares: fewer reviews, less guest chat, and 90%+ occupancy on his Brighton property
• The Middleton Shack story: a retro 1960s surf shack, 2,500 Instagram followers, and 20% direct bookings
• Why David sold the shack along with its website, Instagram and contact database
• Social media tips: professional photography, rotating image libraries, and targeted paid ads
• Giving back: $5 from every stay split between Still Aware and Friends of Osprey, the sea eagle conservation charity David chairs
• Local partnerships, including welcome coffees from Dozy café on Jetty Road, Brighton
• Future plans for a rural Fleurieu Peninsula property near McLaren Vale — farm stay or wedding venue
• David's role as an advocate for the Short Term Accommodation Association of Australia
• The one piece of advice every host should follow: stay in your own property at different times of year

David Speirs is an Adelaide-based property investor and short-term rental host with a background in politics, law and conservation. After building a family home with a purpose-designed guest apartment and purchasing a property on Jetty Road, Brighton, David became an Airbnb superhost before transitioning entirely to Booking.com and direct bookings under the Haven Retreats brand. He previously co-owned the Middleton Shack on the Fleurieu Peninsula, chairs Friends of Osprey, and is a volunteer advocate for the Short Term Accommodation Association of Australia.

Website: havenretreats.com.au
Instagram: @havenretreats.adl

Ray's Airbnbs: raymondyee.com.au/airbnb
Silvia's Airbnb: airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

In this episode, Ray and Silvia are joined by Jodie Odlin, a 10-year Airbnb host, creator of the Hospitable Hosts book series, founder of a publishing company, and the driving force behind the Global Hospitality Collective. The episode opens with a discussion on co-host responsibility for property damages, including a tricky real-world scenario involving a mystery carpet stain, AirCover limitations, and why documenting property condition from day one is so important. Jodie then shares her remarkable journey from hotel management school in Australia to running 15 short-term rental properties in the UK, all managed remotely from Australia.

• Weekly topic: who's responsible when damage can't be pinned to a specific guest or stay, and why clear documentation protects everyone
• Why AirCover only applies when damage is linked to a specific booking
• Jodie's tip for a small per-booking management fee as a slush fund for unclaimable damages
• How Jodie became an accidental host in the Cotswolds, with her children as her first cleaning team
• The arbitrage model explained, and how Jodie scaled to 15 UK properties managed remotely from Australia
• When to screen out difficult property owners, and why some opportunities are really just distractions
• How the Hospitable Hosts book series was born out of conference conversations and Clubhouse connections
• Why Jodie opened her own publishing company for the second book onward
• The Couples Edition and STR Sisterhood, the newest books in the series
• The Global Hospitality Collective, a certification body Jodie is launching to raise standards across the short-term rental industry
• Jodie winning the Shorty Award for Entrepreneur of the Year 2025
• The one thing Jodie says every host should do right now: invest in their own education

Jodie Odlin is a 10-year Airbnb host and serial entrepreneur based in Australia, with a portfolio of 15 properties in the UK running on the rental arbitrage model. With a background in hotel management and extensive experience traveling and hosting around the world, Jodie is the creator of the Hospitable Hosts multi-author book series, now spanning five volumes including a Couples Edition and the STR Sisterhood. She is also the founder of a boutique publishing company, and the Global Hospitality Collective, a soon-to-launch certification and community platform designed to raise hospitality standards across the short-term rental industry. In 2025, Jodie was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the Shorty Awards in London.

Website: www.hospitablehosts.com
Instagram: @hospitablehosts
Tetbury Escapes: tetburyescapes.co.uk
Instagram: @tetburyescapes

Ray's Airbnbs: raymondyee.com.au/airbnb
Silvia's Airbnb: airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

In this episode, Ray and Silvia are joined by Jenny, a San Francisco-based Superhost who shares a deeply personal journey into Airbnb hosting. What began as a way to navigate a major life transition turned into a sustainable lifestyle, allowing Jenny to keep her family home while welcoming guests from around the world.

The episode opens with a discussion on guest expectations, particularly around air conditioning, and how hosts can manage situations where amenities are misunderstood. Jenny then shares how she transformed her property into a high-performing Airbnb, her approach to creating a warm, community-driven experience, and the systems she’s built to maintain a near-perfect rating over eight years.

• Guest expectations vs listing transparency, especially around air conditioning
• Why guests need to check listings carefully before booking
• Jenny’s journey into Airbnb after separating from her partner
• How she restructured her home to live downstairs and rent out the full upstairs
• Creating a “home, not a rental” experience that guests immediately feel
• Building a strong neighbourhood and community vibe for guests
• Maintaining a 4.99 rating across 250+ stays
• The pressure of chasing a perfect 5.0 rating and why letting go matters
• Jenny’s cleaning systems, including monthly deep cleans and walkthrough checks
• Using Instant Book strategically to attract the right guests
• Hosting families, repeat guests, and musicians using her piano
• How Airbnb allows her to cover all property expenses and keep her home

Jenny is a San Francisco-based Superhost with over eight years of hosting experience. After a major life transition, she turned to Airbnb as a way to keep her family home and generate income.

By redesigning her space and focusing on warmth, detail, and consistency, she has built a highly rated listing with a 4.99 average rating. Her approach combines strong operational systems with a genuine passion for making guests feel at home.

Stay at Jenny’s property:
https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/30129780?unique_share_id=86857236-e02b-43ba-a77a-fee29c31f732&viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

Ray’s Airbnbs:
https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb

Silvia’s Airbnb:
https://www.airbnb.com/slink/Kpse4K4X

In this episode, Ray and Silvia sit down with Topaz, a Nurse Consultant and professional model who has rapidly scaled her hosting business in Clayton, Victoria. In less than a year, Topaz has achieved Superhost status by mastering a unique hybrid model: managing multiple side-by-side properties and listing them by the room to cater to both medical professionals and university students.

• Topic of the Week: Silvia shares a cautionary tale about the "naked dash"—a guest who was caught off guard when a host returned home early.
• Topaz’s Experience: While Topaz hasn’t encountered any "naked" guests, she recalls a memorable Chinese New Year where she walked in on guests changing a baby’s diaper on the couch while delivering a traditional gift.

• The Catalyst: Topaz originally intended to live in her first property while working at a nearby hospital but found herself splitting time at her partner’s apartment.
• The "Student" Pivot: When her long-term student tenants went overseas for breaks, she offered to list their rooms on Airbnb and reimburse their rent, which launched her professional hosting journey.

• Property Portfolio: Topaz manages two properties on the same street. One is a five-bedroom house (with three active Airbnb rooms), and the other is a four-bedroom house.
• Risk Management: She employs a "hedging" strategy by mixing long-term tenants with short-term Airbnb guests to maintain financial stability.
• Creative Labor: One of her long-term student tenants assists with cleaning and turnovers in exchange for reduced rent.

• Hospitality & Healthcare: Being a Nurse Consultant nearby allows her to be responsive to the properties when needed, using one room as a dedicated study and work hub.
• Trade Partnerships: She met one of her current long-term tenants—a tradesman—while he was installing floorboards during her initial renovations.

• Ray’s South Yarra Property (Suite Scandinavia): View Listing
• Topaz’s Clayton Room Listings:
  • Listing 1
  • Listing 2
  • Listing 3
  • Listing 4
• Silvia’s Recommended Resource: Host Checklist Video

In this episode, Ray and Silvia dive into the "behind-the-scenes" of property management when things go wrong—from cold showers in Sydney to power outages in Melbourne. We are then joined by Eloi and Emiie, the sibling duo behind Sable and Stone Stays, who share how they built a thriving Airbnb arbitrage business in Melbourne in less than a year.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Host Horror Stories: Ray’s "humid" Sydney stay and the importance of proactive hosting over sending manuals.
• What is Airbnb Arbitrage? A breakdown of the model where you lease a property long-term to sublet for short-term stays.
• The Sibling Dynamic: How an 11-year age gap and "Sable vs. Stone" personalities (the "Butterfly" and the "Grandpa") create a balanced business partnership.
• Pitching to Agents: How to build credibility with real estate agents to get them to say "yes" to subleasing.
• Automation at Scale: Using PMS and dynamic pricing to manage a portfolio while working full-time 9-to-5 jobs.

Interview with Guests: Eloi and Emiie

Eloi and Emiie are the founders of Sable and Stone Stays, a boutique short-term rental company based in Melbourne. With backgrounds in sales and insurance, they’ve combined their eye for design and technical systems to create a professional, high-standard hosting brand.

Website: Sable and Stone Stays

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

• Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠




Silvia's Property

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

In this episode of Superhost Down Under, hosts Ray Yee and Silvia interview Elena Stepanova, founder of My Perfect Host. Elena discusses her transition from a corporate career to managing a portfolio of over 20 properties[cite: 122, 123, 140].

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The "Brick" Solution: Silvia shares how a host sourced bricks from a building site on New Year's Eve to raise a bed for a guest with a disability[cite: 13, 14].
• Hosting in the Suburbs: Elena explains how her Forestville listing succeeded by catering to visiting family and corporate travelers[cite: 133, 134, 135].
• Business Evolution: Starting with a family guest room 13 years ago, Elena grew her business through word-of-mouth and professional co-hosting[cite: 89, 104, 146].
• Professional Standards: Why high-quality photography is a non-negotiable requirement for any successful listing[cite: 168, 169].
• Automation & Systems: A look at the "tech stack" Elena uses, including channel managers, dynamic pricing, and automated cleaning schedules[cite: 174, 175, 176].
• Direct Booking Strategies: Using software like Truvy (formerly Super Hog) to screen guests and manage security for off-platform bookings[cite: 227, 229].

Resources Mentioned:

• My Perfect Host: www.myperfecthost.com.au [cite: 125]
• Hospitable Hosts (Vol. 3): A book co-authored by Elena featuring global hosting stories[cite: 254, 267].
• Truvy: Guest screening and identity verification software[cite: 228, 229].

Key Takeaways:

• Acts of Service: Successful hosts often view hospitality as a "love language" and find joy in helping others[cite: 41, 49].
• Owner Partnerships: Elena "interviews" owners to ensure they will be supportive partners when maintenance issues arise[cite: 157, 160].
• Concise Communication: While automation is key, it's vital to keep messages short to avoid guest annoyance[cite: 184, 185].

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team
Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠

Silvia's Property

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

Sponsorship
This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription. ⁠Learn more⁠

Ray and Silvia are joined by Carmel O’Beirne, a lifestyle host from Clifton Hill, Melbourne, who uses her one-bedroom apartment to fund travel and supplement her income as she transitions toward retirement. The episode opens with Ray sharing a challenging guest situation involving a dropped wallet, refusal to check out, and police intervention — a reminder that hosting can sometimes take unexpected turns.

Inspired by her daughter’s success paying off a mortgage through Airbnb, Carmel began hosting her “cosy nest” — an earthy, plant-filled apartment with a green urban jungle balcony in a vibrant Melbourne neighbourhood. Her approach is what she calls “lifestyle hosting”: using Airbnb income to support extended travel, including a month in India, while keeping her home active and secure.

Carmel relies on trusted neighbour friends when she travels, meeting guests in person for key handover to reinforce respect and care for her home. She is selective with bookings to maintain strong relationships in her owner-occupied building. Rather than scaling, she plans to continue hosting sustainably, avoiding “empty house syndrome” while balancing income, community harmony, and flexibility.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• How to handle difficult guest situations, including when police become involved.
• Why guest preparedness and clear house rules are essential.
• Pricing strategies: Smart Pricing vs manual or third-party tools.
• The power of clear instructions to prevent misunderstandings and bad reviews.
• Preparing a personal home for guests while protecting privacy.
• Building a reliable local support network for remote management.
• Managing neighbour relationships in owner-occupied buildings.
• How lifestyle hosting can fund travel and supplement retirement income.

Guest

Name: Carmel O’Beirne
Airbnb: View Carmel’s Listing

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠

Silvia's Property

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

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription.
Learn more

Ray and Silvia are joined by Emma Bartlett, a new Airbnb host in Trinity Beach, North Queensland, juggling a full-time job and two young children. They kick off with a discussion about the hosts' shared pet peeve: guests who don't provide feedback during their stay, only in post-checkout reviews. Ray shares his frustration with missed opportunities to improve guest experiences, while Emma, a new host with a five-star rating, reflects on initial guest support, and Silvia highlights the benefits of direct feedback in a shared home.

Emma shares her journey into Airbnb, driven by a desire to maintain a family base in Trinity Beach, North Queensland, while residing in Melbourne. Her two-bedroom townhouse stands out with its Daintree rainforest-inspired styling, offering warm colours and greens distinct from typical coastal decor. A key focus is making the property family-friendly, providing extensive amenities like a cot, booster chair, and toys to ease travel for families. Despite a highly competitive market and initial hesitation from management companies due to seasonal bookings, Emma has achieved unexpected booking success. She efficiently manages the property remotely through a trusted local cleaner, podcast-inspired smart lock systems (using guest mobile numbers for codes), automated messaging, and dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs. Hosting in a tropical climate brought unique challenges, including managing various insects (ants, wasps) and mold, necessitating regular pest control and AC maintenance, with Ray suggesting Sensibo for humidity control. Emma attributes her high guest satisfaction to accurate property representation, unique styling, abundant supplies, durable selections, and a personal touch as a new family host, which she believes fosters guest understanding and open communication.

The episode wraps with Emma expressing her pleasant surprise at the Airbnb's success, which has exceeded initial expectations. She emphasizes that her meticulous setup, durable design choices, and personal approach have ensured smooth remote management and fostered positive guest interactions, allowing her family to enjoy the property for their own holidays once or twice a year.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Strategies for encouraging guest feedback during their stay versus post-stay reviews.
• How to successfully set up and manage an Airbnb property remotely, even with family commitments.
• The importance of thoughtful styling and equipping a property to stand out in a competitive market.
• Practical considerations for making an Airbnb family-friendly and reducing guest packing burdens.
• Addressing unique environmental challenges in tropical climates, such as pest control and humidity/mold management.
• Leveraging technology like smart locks, automated messaging, and dynamic pricing tools for efficient remote operations.
• The value of durable materials and a systematic cleaning process for long-term property maintenance and guest satisfaction.
• The benefit of transparent communication and personal touches in fostering guest empathy and improving overall experience.

Guest

Name: Emma Bartlett Instagram: @trinitybeach_townhouse Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1086727624986172101

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠

Silvia's Property

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

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Riverside. Use code Ray15 for 15% off your first subscription. https://riverside.sjv.io/xLR1Wx

Ray and Silvia are joined by Stefan Jordana, a Brisbane-based host (and emerging interior designer) behind a colourful, tropical one-bedroom Airbnb nicknamed “The Fishbowl.”

They kick off with a practical host topic: communal facilities in strata buildings—what guests should be allowed to use (pool, gym, rooftop BBQ), what’s often too hard to manage (bookable cinema/dining rooms), and why some residents and building managers default to blaming Airbnb guests when issues arise.

Stefan then shares how he transformed his ground-floor, south-facing unit into an experience-led stay—using statement pieces, lighting, and multi-purpose furniture to solve space and brightness challenges, and to stand out in a market full of “white-on-white” listings. He also breaks down what surprised him most once hosting began, why he chose a co-host/property manager, and what he’s learned about launching confidently while maintaining five-star standards.

The episode wraps with Stefan’s next chapter: documenting his interior design studies and building his brand, with plans to expand his Airbnb portfolio—while keeping an eye on evolving Brisbane short-stay regulation.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Communal facilities in strata buildings: what to allow vs what to avoid (especially bookable amenities)
• Why issues in buildings are often blamed on Airbnb guests first
• How “The Fishbowl” aesthetic came to life and why bold design stands out in search results
• Brightening darker apartments with reflective finishes, white balance, dimmable and mood lighting
• Space-maximising design: storage walls, hidden study, Murphy bed, pull-out sofa and multi-purpose furniture
• What guests actually comment on versus what hosts tend to worry about
• Co-hosting best practices, transparency and communication expectations
• The fine line between helpful guest messaging and over-communication
• Choosing a property manager when quality and detail matter

Guest

Stefan Jordana
Instagram: @stevielarkin_design

Where to stay — hosted by the Superhosts Down Under team

Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠

Silvia's Property

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

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

Ray's Property

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.raymondyee.com.au/airbnb⁠⁠⁠⁠

Silvia's Property

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

Instagram

@superhosts_down_under