Consider your neighbours.
Neighbours could be the ones to deal with with noise or mess, and they’ll be the ones left to express their frustration to both you, any future guests, and even the authorities once problem guests have long checked out and moved on.
Be sure to vet guests carefully and make them aware of any rules that can make your neighbours’ lives easier. Ask them to be considerate and courteous when it comes to things like checking in, checking out, noise and luggage.
Protect yourself as an Airbnb host.
Be sure to check with your management company about recommended, short let insurance. Remember Airbnb comes with a Host Guarantee (insurance scheme) up to £600,000 but other platforms and websites do not necessarily offer the same. Most guests are wonderful, just like most Airbnb hosts are wonderful – but as with anything there could always be an undesirable.
It all starts with clear directions and managing expectations.
Of all our tips for Airbnb hosts, when it comes to dealing with guests, this might be the most important one: lots of stress and frustration can be mitigated by simply having a smooth start to an Airbnb stay, and if a stay gets off on the wrong foot, it’s often hard to recover the trust of your guests.
When providing details of the listing–especially how to get there. Err on the side of too much detail. Make your instructions; from how to arrive and check in, to how to get through each gate or door, crystal clear.
Guy, our CEO, often likes to record his own videos with step by step narration, to assist with check in instructions. Watch out David Attenborough.
Include plenty of quality photos on your listing.
One dark photo of a messy bed and one of a bathroom is not going to get many bites, and as Airbnb grows more popular and more competitive, this Airbnb host tip is becoming more relevant by the day.
The best listings we have seen include 7-10 good photos, all of the property itself. The bedroom, the bathroom, and, if you have one, the kitchen (explicitly showing what appliances are available) should be shown.
Make sure that you include one photo of the exterior so your guests can recognize it when they arrive–and if you have a great view, don’t be afraid to show that off.
Photos of activities or attractions in your city that aren’t in any way connected to the property? Absolutely unnecessary.
Guests may or may not have phone service. Keep this in mind.
“Call me when you get here!” doesn’t exactly work if your guests are from another country and haven’t picked up a SIM card yet.
If you’re going to check in your guests in person, one of our best Airbnb hosting tips is to do your best to find out when your guests will be arriving and be at the property waiting for them, this will remove a lot of stress on both sides.
Provide local information.
Tourist maps? Restaurant recommendations from a local? Brochures for local activities?
Your guests will either love it or ignore it (most will love it). There is absolutely no downside to showing off your area, after all, you want them to come back!
One of our favourite things that we’ve seen in a property was a bulletin board in an Airbnb with the city’s map on it. Our host had marked famous attractions and ideas of things to see, along with some of their favorite restaurants.
Stay in touch and communicate regularly.
Everyone has different comfort levels with communication, but one of our suggested Airbnb host tips is sending one message about 24 hours after check-in, asking how things are going, and one message about 24 hours before check out, to set up a schedule for leaving.
This allows the guests an opportunity to address any concerns with the property toward the beginning of the stay (some people are shyer than others and may hesitate to communicate on their own), and also takes the pressure off of the guests to set up a check out with you.
If the guests are staying for a week or more, you may want to add in another message or two in the middle of the stay to check in again.
Feel free to communicate with whichever method you and the guest prefer, but know that using the Airbnb app can come in handy in the event of a dispute. If needed, Airbnb can access the conversation and use it when resolving any issues.
The little things speak volumes.
A couple of chocolates on the pillow or a few extra vegetables from your garden may not cost a lot, but they go a long way with making guests feel at home in your Airbnb.
We have received homemade cakes, homemade chicken noodle soup, fresh zucchinis and tomatoes, bottles of wine, olive oil, sliced fruit, and other odds and ends from hosts.
We’ve also had hosts who went above and beyond by offering us rides to and from the bus/train station, making sure that we had no trouble finding their property.
Is any of this necessary to have a great experience? No, in fact, one of our favorite Airbnb hosts of all time didn’t provide any of those things (but they did have the best, clearest expectations and communication style that we’ve ever seen).
But, there is no doubt that little extras have helped several properties stand out, even if the property itself isn’t particularly remarkable. There are certain properties that we know that we would 100% return to if we go back to the area, or even recommend to our friends–and the Airbnb host has a lot to do with that.
An Airbnb isn’t a hotel room.
Ultimately, of all our tips for Airbnb hosts, this is the one that they all tie back into: if guests wanted a hotel room, they would get one.
When a guest chooses an Airbnb, they’re looking for an experience beyond what Best Western or Marriott can provide, and though Airbnb hosting has trended more and more to commercial ventures rather than locals renting out a spare bedroom over the years, the gist of the intent is still the same: to provide a personal, local experience.
In fact, as Airbnb prices have risen over the years to reflect the popularity of the service, a personal experience is almost more important now than it was in the past–in some cities, there is less of a price difference between an Airbnb and a hotel than there ever has been!
No, you don’t need to become best friends with your guests, but you do need to constantly keep in mind when designing and promoting your property that your purpose is to offer something more.
Whether that’s an excellent location, local tips, a well-stocked kitchen, or all of the above, your goal as an Airbnb host is to provide a unique, memorable experience that will make guests review you positively on Airbnb, and perhaps even come back one day.