Airbnb’s top hosts for 2025 have been named. NZ host of the year reveals tricks for success

Hawke's Bay's Jo Demanser has been crowned the Airbnb Host of the Year NZ. Photo / Airbnb

The 2025 host of the year reveals how to be an Airbnb hit ... and what not to do.

Hawke’s Bay Airbnb host Jo Demanser loves to make people feel special. And she’s got the receipts to prove it.

The 46-year-old recalls one summer day when she had put beanbags out on the deck of her Seafield View property in Hawke’s Bay.

“I could see up onto the deck from our place, and I just saw a woman lying there with her feet, lying on one beanbag with her feet up on the other, soaking up the sun. She looked like she was in pure bliss.

“I just thought, ‘Wow, we created that moment,’ and I felt so happy and proud.”

Today, Demanser has been crowned Airbnb’s 2025 Host of the Year.

The stunning property was designed and built from scratch by her and her husband six years ago - she has a background in marketing and he is a builder - costing roughly $200,000 at the time.

The couple had intended from the outset to use it as an Airbnb. And Demanser says it’s been a success from day one.

A scenic window seat view like no other. Photo / Airbnb

“[Guests] feel so relaxed the minute they walk in, and just love the views and the peacefulness,” she says.

It’s a two-bedroom with queen beds, a sun-soaked lounge, a broad window seat for watching tūī and an outdoor bath with a beautiful view of the rolling hills of the mighty Bay.

Now, with close to 650 5-star reviews, the property is so popular that it is listed as a “guest favourite” on the Airbnb website. Demanser herself is dubbed a “superhost”.

“From the styling to the provision of generous amenities, there’s a clear commitment to comfort, sustainability and guest experience,” says Airbnb judge Geoff Gedge.

“The welcome pack and bathrobes are refined details, but what stands out most is the consistency in guest feedback: responsive, accommodating and full of small gestures that leave a lasting impression.”

While the property lies close to the family home, Demanser says she rarely gets to meet her guests. For her, this is key.

“Even though the property is approximately 100m from our home, it’s very private,” she says. “We’ve done that on purpose to give people the sense of privacy.”

That doesn’t mean to say she’s absent.

“I certainly make sure there’s a really strong level of communication done throughout the whole [process] ... and they’re made very aware that we’re only a phone call or a few minutes away if they need us,” she says.

However, Demanser, who stays in Airbnbs while travelling, believes there is such a thing as too much communication.

During a recent Airbnb stay in Auckland with friends, Demanser says they were “bombarded” with lengthy messages detailing expectations and what to do when the group left the property.

“That certainly taught me what not to do.”

According to RNZ, which cited data from AirDNA, there were 73,513 properties in New Zealand listed on Airbnb in 2024. What does Demanser do to stand out?

“I think it’s [about giving] a little extra,” she says.

“Pretty much all the guests seem to comment on the little extras and the fact that it feels like a home from home. You only need to open up any of the cupboards and you’ll find first aid kits, mozzy repellent, sunscreen, tampons, and hair straighteners.

Jo and her husband built and designed the Seafield View property themselves. Photo / Airbnb

“I’m really happy to do whatever it takes to personalise.”

Demanser says she likes to act on the little details her guests might slip in conversation to make their stay extra special.

“Recently, I had a man who said he and his wife are coming from up north, [and it was his] wife’s special birthday. She’s a diabetic, so he was asking if there was a supermarket that does ‘click and collect’,” Demanser recalls.

She says she told the guest to do the click and collect in her name, that she was happy to pick it up for him and set it up in the guesthouse “nicely”.

“He was over the moon because it meant that she was surprised anyway, but when she arrived and found all her favourite foods that she could have. It was really overwhelming [for them]. He was so grateful.”

The sun-soaked lounge. Photo / Airbnb

She also ensures there’s “a little something different” for return guests.

“It might be something like a new Ecoya candle or flowers ... I always just want it to be a little bit better than last time.”

For new Airbnb hosts, Demanser has one piece of advice: “Just think about what you would love or expect if you were going somewhere to stay.

“I think it’s as simple as that.”

2025 Airbnb Host Award Winners

• Host of the Year - Seafield View, Hawke’s Bay, North Island
• Best Family Friendly Stay - Tuki Views, Hawke’s Bay, North Island
• Best New Host - Hightide River Escape, Hokitika, South Island
• Best Design Stay - Nest, Canterbury, South Island
• Best Nature Stay - The Black Yurt, Ōakura, North Island
• Best Room Stay - City Views at Whareora, Christchurch, South Island