5 Must-Know Tips
Each passing year, the Airbnb market becomes a more and more competitive place. To be successful as a host, you need to make sure you give your guests everything they were expecting…and more.
Quickbreaks have boiled it down the essentials and developed this 5 step guide to ensure you can be the host your guest was hoping you would be.
1. Get The Price Right
Before you have the opportunity to welcome a guest into your home, you have to attract them through your Airbnb listing.
This is much easier if you already have good reviews in your favor, and a surefire way to get good reviews is to offer great value for money.
Overpricing is a serious no-no – trying to grab an extra few dollars from one customer will surely lose you many more in the long run.
If you are looking to set your price high then it is an absolute must that your place be in top condition
The main thing here is to stay in the right ballpark.
Look around the other properties in your Airbnb neighborhood; look at properties of a similar size and quality. What are these people charging? Are they successful with their listing?
This is about more than just money. Getting your pricing right will set you up for 5-star reviews and long term success.
2. Create a Guidebook
We are not suggesting that you go into competition with lonely planet here, just that you create a document your guest can refer to whenever they have a question.
You can be as basic or as complex as you want with this, but the better the guidebook is the more chance the guest has of enjoying their stay.
One of the tricks to being a great Airbnb host is to think like a guest. Your guidebook should have anticipated the kind of problems an out-of-towner might encounter, and offer solutions.
A guidebook isn’t just about troubleshooting though, you also want to pass on your insider knowledge of the city, and the neighborhood you call home.
Don’t assume!
Don’t assume your guests’ interests and preferences, just list your favorite spots and let your guest decide whether it’s for them or not. It’s a good idea to offer a wide range of suggestions and cover all your bases.
In a well-curated Airbnb guidebook, museums and fine dining are right at home alongside fast food restaurants and dive bars.
Finally, don’t forget to leave all the less exciting information: where is the first aid kit? Who do they contact in an emergency? Where should they leave the keys when they leave?
3. Show Your Best Side
Putting your home on Airbnb is kind of like sending it out on a hot date. You are going to want it to look great and make an amazing first impression.
You want it to be interesting and charming too. In fact, when it comes to getting your home ready for an Airbnb guest, you want to make sure you have left no stone unturned.
The obvious comparison here is with hotels. If you think of the standard you expect when you enter your hotel room, the same is now expected of your Airbnb.
It is much more difficult to prepare a lived-in home than it is a hotel room. Think of all your year-round belongings – all those things you need for the everyday grind that don’t necessarily lend themselves to creating a stellar guest experience.
If cleaning and de-cluttering present an issue for you, there are excellent companies such as Hometime who saw all this coming in advance.
For a reasonable fee, their team of pro cleaners will make sure your home is looking its absolute best.
Whatever you decide to do, remember that dust, dirt, and grime are not an option.
Your home is just that, a home – and your guest knows this – if they didn’t want a certain lived-in personality they would have gone to a hotel. At the same time, they expect hotel standards of cleanliness.
Make sure your home is showing its best side.
4. Go Beyond
The first thing any good Airbnb host can do is greet their guest with the keys. However, if this is not possible we recommend leaving a lock-box right by the front door.
You can also get off on the right foot by leaving a small selection of provisions around the house for their pleasure. In the Airbnb world, this is what’s called going beyond.
We have all experienced that feeling when a friend unexpectedly shows up with a packet of chips. All of a sudden – despite not being hungry at all – you desperately want some chips! And if your friend is generous enough to give you a few – they somehow taste like the best thing you have ever eaten!
This is what going beyond is trying to capture, that satisfaction in the smaller things. It is the Airbnb equivalent of the “free” mint when you leave the restaurant or the chocolate on the pillow in hotels.
Ways You Can Go Beyond…
You should have all the basics such as milk, bread, coffee, and juice, but you should also include some treats such as a bottle of wine and a six-pack of beer. How about some chocolates and sweets for the kids; a good collection of cereals and cheeses? All these little touches can go along way to making your guest happy.
Place some new magazine issues around the house and stock the bathroom with top quality shampoos, salts, and lotions.
Offer your guest access to any mode of transportation you may have. This could be a travel card, a bike, a skateboard…anything you don’t mind offering that will help your guest get from A to B.
Going beyond is about adding those sweet classy touches add to the overall experience. It’s not about breaking the bank or filling the fridge, just about taking a little extra time and effort to welcome your guests into your home.
5. Get Your Technology in Order
There are few things more frustrating in life than technological glitches. Part of creating a smooth living experience for your guest is getting your technology in order.
There are a lot of things that could go into this entry but we only have so much time so let’s focus on the more important ones…
The Internet
Let’s be honest, the Internet is a must-have accessory in this day and age. Wi-Fi passwords and general connection details should all be laid out in clear and easy to understand ways.
The TV
TV’s aren’t as easy to operate as they used to be. Most houses have at least two remote controls, and with smart TV’s being hooked to the internet, things are even more complicated. As with the internet, a clear and easy explanation should be available in your guest’s guidebook.
The Sounds
If you have an expensive record collection that you want to protect, either leave it somewhere safe or let the guests know in advance. Make sure your stereo system is all set up and ready to go, and any Bluetooth connection devices are explained. You don’t want to spoil the party.
The Rest
As we said, the guidebook is a great place to explain and detail everything about your electronics. As well as sound, internet, and TV don’t forget heating, AC, ovens and cooking devices, computers and consoles, alarm systems and smoke and CO2.
That about wraps it up, folks.
Following these easy steps will give your place that extra quality to help it stand out as an exceptional Airbnb home.
Quickbreaks are always happy to engage with the Airbnb community, if you have any comments, pictures, or stories feel free to leave them here.
