A Coast teacher is Airbnb’s top new host in MS. Her cool Gulfport cottage has a purpose.
An Airbnb host in Gulfport has been named the vacation rental company’s #1 new host in Mississippi for 2021.
Claudia Salvador, a teacher from Long Beach, is the top Mississippi host for the way she handles “Quick Walk to the Beach,” her Airbnb rental in Gulfport. She joins top hosts that Airbnb has for the first time selected in each of the 50 states.
“The criteria included becoming an Airbnb host in 2021, having the most guest check-ins within that universe and already achieving Superhost status on the platform,” an Airbnb spokesperson said.
Superhosts must maintain low cancellation rates, high ratings and guest-check-ins, and meet other critieria.
Salvador has done all that since she opened her B&B in January as a way to help pay for her daughter’s college education. She rents a two-bedroom, two-bath cottage off Cowan Road, two blocks north of the beach, for $120 a night.
She bought the cottage from her sister, who had maintained it as a rental. Salvador said she remodeled the kitchen, added a bathroom, painted the cottage inside and out, and made other improvements before opening in January.
Gulfport Airbnb hosts guests from all over country
Salvador has had guests from all over the country, including New York, California, Maryland and Texas. When Hurricane Ida hit, she hosted Louisiana refugees.
Salvador said she is “a people person” who likes to tell guests about all the activities available on the Mississippi Coast, including going to the beach, visiting casinos and taking children to the Mississippi Aquarium and the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, both in Gulfport.
She makes improvements at the cottage based on guest feedback and can write reviews on the guests, who leave her cottage in good shape, she said. Her rating from guests is 4.9 out of five stars
“I love for people when they come to Mississippi to feel welcome and see all the things we have to offer,” she said. “We are growing. Our towns are growing.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 2:56 PM.
