A good host can make or break an Airbnb overnight or experience, and so Airbnb is honouring the best among them with its second annual Airbnb Host Awards. The awards recognise hosts who go above and beyond for their guests, with categories including Best Designed Stay, Best Unique Stay and Most Magical Experience and, new to the line-up, Best Nature Stay and Best New Host.
Winning Hosts were selected based on extensive Airbnb data, guest scores and reviews, with oversight from a panel of judges that included Australia and New Zealand Airbnb Country Manager, Susan Wheeldon.
“[Since the pandemic], we’ve seen fundamental shifts in the way people are travelling and living that are creating tangible opportunities for communities that lay off-the-beaten track,” says Wheeldon. “It’s incredibly exciting to see travellers so enthusiastic about exploring new destinations and Hosts act as passionate advocates for the regions and communities they live in.”
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So, from the host of an eco-lodge built from recycled materials in Lilydale, Tasmania, to the owner of a 160-year-old converted barn in Merrijig, Victoria and the tour guide of a secret waterway in Noosa, these are the winners of this year’s Airbnb Host Awards.
Host of the Year
Carla Dawes from Olinda Cottage, Alstonvale, NSW
Best New Host
Peter and Charlie from The Little Seed Studio, Franklin, TAS
Best Designed Stay
Coombs Hill Barn, Merrijig, VIC
Best Unique Stay
The Winged House, Table Cape, TAS
Best Nature Stay
The Container, Lilydale, TAS
Most Magical Experience
Kayak Secret Waterways Full of Stingrays, Noosaville, QLD
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