Thailand's Airbnb Ambassadors: Showcasing the best to global guests

In today's fast-paced world where people are connected 24/7, the personal touch can sometimes be missing, especially during the travel experience. For Airbnb Hosts, sharing their passion for the destination, local neighbourhood and community of which they are part with guests is something they do for the many local and international guests they welcome into their homes over the years.

Airbnb's five Most Hospitable Hosts achieved 100% 5-star ratings in Cleanliness, Check-in and Communication and had a minimum of 100 reviews. Below, they share their insights on what makes a great Host and what guests are looking for when they travel to and around Thailand.

Piya Boontarig

Bangkok's Most Hospitable Host, Piya Boontarig (Tor), has welcomed guests to his stylish private house in Bangkok since 2014. With a desire to reinvent and repurpose his parents' house and to connect with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, Tor counts many of his guests as friends, and his first experience being an Airbnb Host is one that he remembers to this day. "My first memory of hosting was of my first guests, who were two Chinese artists - we exchanged our paintings during their stay. This is my first memory of Airbnb and one I cherish. I also recall hosting three elderly Americans and because of their age, I spent a lot of time with them making sure they had a great experience. And after they returned home we kept in touch. They have since invited me to stay at their house and to this day they still send New Year cards."

Malichan Cipolat

With a strong background in the luxury hotel industry, Malichan Cipolat (Jasmine) saw an opportunity to start a rental villa business on the tropical island of Phuket and searched for a platform that enabled her to connect directly with guests. She chose Airbnb, and has been one of Airbnb's top-rated Hosts for more than nine years with 13 listings including this private pool villa, Jasmine shares her thoughts on what it is to be a hospitable Host. "For me, a great Host is responsible and honest, and someone who treats customers like they are part of their own family. We always listen to feedback from our guests and are keen to learn so we can ensure that future guest experiences are even better." Speaking of what makes her a proud Host she adds, "When customers say, "Wow! Your villa is even more beautiful than in the pictures and has everything that I need."

Kritsanapan Vikiniyatanee

Fellow Most Hospitable Airbnb Host is architect Kritsanapan Vikiniyatanee (Neo), who saw the house his Aunt had bought and was drawn to its unique courtyard and spiral staircase. He saw its untapped potential and transformed it into this Scandinavian-style townhouse in Hua Hin. Neo has been hosting on Airbnb now for five years and prioritises the needs of his guests. "As an Airbnb Host, I follow a single guiding principle - care. In my experience, guests appreciate attentiveness, I also think responsibility and integrity are important - be sincere, keep to your word and take care of your guests."

Nutth Ritharom

A former commercial film director in Bangkok, Nutth Ritharom (Nutth) moved to Chiang Mai in 2016 and started transforming his long-term rental house into this hidden space on Airbnb, welcoming his first guests in 2017. Located off Chiang Mai's beaten path, the Most Hospitable Host likes to introduce guests to the local neighbourhood and shares how his guests feel like part of the destination, and not simply someone passing through. "A guest who stayed with us in Chiang Mai told me how much our stay and their experience in Chiang Mai made them feel like they saw the destination - they felt like they weren't just a tourist and made some good memories while staying with me."

Chanokporn Nunvichean

Struggling with a debt-ridden business, Chanokporn Nunvichean (Ami) returned to Phuket and with the limited funds she had at the time, she started to renovate an abandoned family home one room at a time and named her first Airbnb stay Little Latte House after her daughter. Having been an Airbnb Host for six years, her attention to detail has meant many of her guests have now become friends. "We pay attention to our customer's needs even before they stay with us - when they first reach out we try to respond quickly and thoroughly answer all their questions. Sincerity and honesty towards our guests is important and we are always looking to improve our guest offering."