07/13/2026
For the past ten years, I've been a Superhost across multiple platforms—Airbnb, Vrbo, and Google Vacation Rentals.
And you know what?
The overwhelming majority of my guests have been wonderful people. Many of them have become friends. They're the kind of people you would gladly welcome back into your home because they treat someone else's property with the same respect they would expect for their own.
They're the reason I still love what I do.
But there's another side to this business.
Today, I want to thank my housekeeper, Stacy—the person without whom this business simply wouldn't exist. Over the last ten years, she has become much more than an employee. She's been the guardian angel of my vacation rentals.
She cleans every property as if it were her own. Under the beds, behind the couches, on the highest shelves—there isn't a single corner she doesn't inspect.
One day she laughed and said, "Anastasia, I just can't clean halfway. I have OCD."
Honestly, in this profession, that's almost a superpower.
I trust her completely.
A few years ago, as an attorney, I asked her to photograph every room after each cleaning.
Not because I didn't trust her.
Because I knew those photos could one day protect an honest person from false accusations.
Recently, they did exactly that.
About ten minutes after a guest checked in, I received a message with a photo of an old metal can filled with cockroaches, sitting in the back corner of a kitchen cabinet. The message quickly turned into complaints, hints about terrible conditions, and talk of compensation.
There was just one problem.
A few hours before check-in, Stacy had completed the cleaning and, as always, taken a full set of photos.
That can wasn't there.
Not in a single picture.
So instead of panicking, I found myself asking one simple question:
How did it suddenly appear ten minutes after check-in?
After ten years in this business, you learn to recognize the difference between a real problem and an attempt to create one.
Unfortunately, some people know exactly how much damage a complaint or a negative review can cause. And some are willing to use that to pressure hosts into giving refunds or discounts.
Sadly, this wasn't even the first time.
On another occasion, after guests checked out, my housekeeper discovered used toilet paper hidden inside the couch cushions—not dropped by accident, but deliberately stuffed inside.
Why?
I honestly don't know.
Maybe some people simply enjoy creating problems for others.
The saddest part is that situations like these almost always happen during the busy summer season. My winter guests—the wonderful "snowbirds" who stay for months at a time—are some of the kindest, most respectful people I've ever met. Many return year after year, and they're the reason I continue to love hosting.
So here's my advice to every host, especially those just starting out:
Take photos.
After every cleaning.
After every turnover.
Before every check-in.
Not because you don't trust people—but because sometimes honest people need evidence to protect themselves from dishonest ones.
And one more thing.
If you have a great housekeeper, treasure them.
People like that are incredibly rare.
They don't just keep your property clean.
They protect your business, your reputation, and sometimes even your peace of mind.
