Airbnb Tips
I’m so thankful for Instagram and the constant resource it is to me! It’s just a well of beautiful people willing to give information! Sometimes, unsolicited, but non the less... information! When we decided to turn our detached guest house into an Airbnb rental, I asked for help on my page and received some good nuggets of wisdom from solid airbnbers! So here’s a few key pieces I thought I'd pass along to you! First off, safety! This was my biggest question and it’s the number one question I get. Because our guest house is on our property, how do we stay safe? Well I’m happy to say that Airbnb does have a lot of settings in place for your protection. You can let people know in your settings, all of your rules. Quiet hours, where to park, if you’d like them to be a verified user, they must have a photo on their profile, ask them to tell you how many people are staying and why they are coming. I say everything and anything in my “house rules” to give me protection. I also like to use Instagram to look them up if I can too! One thing Airbnb likes to push is, “instant booking”. However; we don’t do this. I want to have that control over the space and definitely want the ability to deny someone if it doesn’t feel right. I haven’t had to do this yet though and don’t see it being an issue. Pricing: We started by talking with other Airbnb hosts as well as checking our area for other rentals that looked like ours. Just like renting your home out, check the market! This is also super personal. If you feel more comfortable with a little higher price, then start there. You can always shift it! We have smart pricing on ours. So based off of availability, demand, and days of the week... Airbnb sets our prices. Again, I can shut that off at anytime! Cleaning fees + Deposit: This is again I think a personal number. Depending on how big your space is and if you’ll be hiring out for the cleaning. Our space is pretty small and right now I’m doing it myself, so I charge $40 for cleaning service. Cleanliness is huge, so no matter what just make sure it’s clean. No one wants to see someone else’s hair anywhere in the space! For the deposit you want to pick a number you feel comfortable with if your space got trashed. Ours is $150 and this is handled all by Airbnb which is great. If someone damages anything you can notify Airbnb and they will resolve the issue for you. Be sure to take pictures of any damages so you have proof.
Amenities: Well this one is a huge one because ultimately this is what will invite people in, give them a great stay, and bring them back! I went through Airbnb’s guide on what to have to hit all the major points. But also took a bunch of the suggestions I received from Instagramers and added those. As well as, when people stay and leave comments, I try and add those things if there are any. So here are some big ones; - shampoo, conditioner, body wash. -white lines: towels, sheets, wash cloths. -extra blankets -comfortable mattress -heater/fan -blowdryer, extra tooth brushes, razors, tooth paste (under the sink). -a desk + chair (this helps so you can add “work space” to your listing). -somewhere to hang clothes + hooks. Everyone loves hooks! -snacks + drinks. I think this one is huge. Mostly because I value this a lot, so I make it a point to have plenty of snacks and yummy drinks in the fridge. They say you should give 10% of what your guest is paying back to them in amenities. So that’s how I do that. You can make it even personal by getting local snacks from bakeries etc in your area. -personal touch. And this is whatever that means to you! What makes you feel special when you go somewhere? A note? Fresh flowers? Play around with this and see what guest have to say! -guest guide book. You can create a guide book for your guests so they know what do and where to go when they come. This can be printed into a book form or you can do like I did and make a sign out of it. Our place is small so I wanted to stay super functional. I typed up our favorite spots to eat, wineries, coffee shops, shopping, places to go, and estimated travel time to most places. I also included our favorite ways to get around.
Design: Well this to me is the biggest thing. Just like posting on Instagram, pictures say a thousand words. Its what is going to stop people in their scroll. So not only design well, but take great photos to showcase you design. I like to design with functionality in mind. I want to utilize all the space I have well, not over cluttering it with a bunch of things that are just gonna get in peoples way. Adding art and design to the actual space is where I like to do it. Wallpaper, wood details, pretty furniture. You can also design in a big bold way to make you space almost like an attraction. Like the famous Palm Springs Pink Door. There are pros and cons to this. Pro: people want to come to your space because of the specific design you have. Like an attraction or photo opportunity... its one of a kind! Con: it could turn away some people and may not appeal to the masses. A fresh paint job and your personal touch is huge and will go a long way. A few other things to note:
Be quick to answer and respond when people request to stay and message you. Communication is huge with guests. Try not decline anyone if you don't have to. Airbnb will ding you. If you have a bad feeling about someone just let them know they need to agree to the "House Rules", thats why its important to have all that info in there! All in all, we are SO thrilled with our experience and the extra income its bringing in!
A great way to get more insight is to check other listings! Another airbnb host helped me with mine and it was so helpful! You can take a look at ours to see what we wrote and how we set ours up. And if so inclined you can also book a little get away at our lovely little casita right here! https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/31239500?s=51
