Top 5 MUST HAVES!!

[Carol10306]

What’s important to creating the best Airbnb.  We are in building approval stage and want to ensure we get it right. In south west Australia (Busselton) 300m town centre and beach and cafes. 2 bed and 2 bath 

[Helen3]

It really depends on your location, type of property and guests you want to target .

have you done any market research to see what your competitors with similar properties in your location @Carol10306 

for example for a beach location you could provide beach equipment.

if you are targeting families with young children you could provide cots, high chairs and play equipment. 

[Emilie]

Great pointers, Helen! 

@Carol10306 Could you tell us a bit more about your target audience or the type of property you're looking to market? This would help other hosts give you more specific advice. 🙂

[Graham490]

Hi Carol...

Treat your view of your place as if you were the guest.. what would you expect to find ?

The basics must be covered and to me that means things like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tissues and maybe make-up removal pads (also helps stop towel and sheets stains... :))

Then..

1. No hairs anywhere!.. this means sheets, shower, benches and tiled floors... if found, to me this means not enough care was given to cleaning after the last guest.

2. Spotless glass, mirrors and shower chrome.. again, a sign of great cleaning processes.

3. We iron the top 20cm of the top sheet... again, just gives the guest that feeling of care.

4. No stains or marks on any linen or bathroom ... retire them if the marks cannot be removed.

5. List the local features that your place offers... not just by name but also what is found there and how far (miles or KMs) from your place. a local name means nothing to a visitor... but if you say what is at that location, that helps sell your place. This is also true of cafe - list the name, distance and style of food (including take aways).

I hope this may help you.

Regards, Graham

[Emilie]

Thinking about it through a guest's lens is always a good idea 💡

Some hosts also do a trial run with friends or family to get honest feedback like this, is this something you've tried @Graham490? I'd be curious to know if you did and if it uncovered maybe other aspects that you hadn't considered. 

[Graham490]

Hi... Yes we did have family stay prior to opening for Airbnb. It happens that my son-in-law has been involved in 5 Star Plus accommodation operations ... so he pointed out several things including:

1. update all multi-plug power boards (include charging options)

2. introduce a monitor for carbon monoxide detection/presence

3. provide open clothing storage/ closets because so many people fail to check in drawers and leave stuff!

4. avoid what you think are "nice" smelling sticks... cos some people cannot have them present

5. provide cleanup items in case of spills by guests.

I hope all goes well with your venture!

Regards

Graham

[Graham490]

ahh.. sorry Emilie.. your venture well well progressed!

Carol... best wishes with YOUR new venture...

Graham

[Rich-and-Yan0]

Hi Carol. Good luck on your hosting. We have been hosting for nearly 6 years and have been Superhosts for almost that entire time. Here are some tips that we just gave another new host who was asking similar questions. 

1. Respond immediately if your guest has a question before or during their visit. If there is a problem while they are staying there, try to resolve it as quickly as possible.
2. Give very clear directions on how to find your property. We give them the address and a Google Maps link, and we also send them some photos showing the property and the surrounding area so that they can find it easily.
3. Cleanliness is vital. Make sure that your property is super clean, like what you would expect from a hotel. 
4. Always be friendly in your communications. Chat with your guests the same you would with a friend. They always seem to appreciate that.
5. Respect their privacy. When guests show up at an Airbnb property, they want to feel like they are in their own home. Make sure that they do. If they communicate with you, respond. If they do not, leave them alone. Communicate only when it is necessary, such as when it is time for them to check out and you need to give them checkout instructions. Otherwise, do not bother them.

We hope this helps, and we hope that you find your hosting experience to be an enjoyable one. 

[Emilie]

6 years as a Superhost, thats a long time and I bet a lot of lessons learned along the way @Rich-and-Yan0 😃

In addition to your insightful tips for @Carol10306, I wanted to add this guide written by a very experienced host which might be handy: A Guide For New Hosts. Is there anything else you'd add to it you think?

[Jeanette385]

1. Comfortable beds.

2. A really detailed house user guide and local recommendations guide - it will mean you’re not inundated with questions or issues during your guests’ stay.

3. Our reviews have often mentioned how great it is to have a well stocked kitchen ( utensils etc, not food)

4. A reliable cleaner/laundry service if you’re not doing it yourself 

5. spares of the essentials as back up in case of breakages/damage