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