What amenities are most likely to earn five-star reviews?

[Micheal42]

I’ve been hosting for almost three years now, and I’ve been thinking about which amenities make a short-term rental stand out and consistently earn those five-star reviews. I’d love to hear your thoughts—what’s worked for you, and what do you think guests value the most? Let’s share ideas and level up together!

[Andrea6232]

Ciao @Micheal42 ,

for my house in Venice the amenity that guests definitely appreciate the most is the hot tub.

But I have to say that as a statistic it doesn't count, as I believe that my house in Venice is the only one with a hot tub in the garden 😉

Andrea

[Micheal42]

That’s amazing! A hot tub in the garden must be such a unique and relaxing feature—I can see why guests love it. How do you go about maintaining the hot tub, and what are the ongoing costs like? I’d love to hear more about your experience, especially since it’s such a standout amenity!

[Andrea6232]

Ciao @Micheal42 ,

the maintenance costs are not very high (the main impact is the cost of electricity) but it requires periodic weekly maintenance, which is not difficult, but there must be someone who can do it 😉

Andrea

[Emilie]

Hi @Micheal42, 

That is a great question! 

I wanted to tag in @Andrea6232 to make sure they see your message and can come back to share more insights later. You can simply tag someone by using @ and then their name should pop up (or you can search for their name instead). 🤗

I'd also love to invite some of our other hosts to share their view on this: @Lydia594 @Joey28 @Kate2192 @Maria22471 @Nicholas439 - what do you think?

Thanks everyone! ✨

Emilie

[Maria22471]

Hey @Micheal42 ,

I believe a five-star experience is less about the quantity of amenities and more about providing a listing that reflects reality. If the property matches the photos, is clean, and includes all the spaces and amenities described, guests are more likely to leave a great review. Add to that respectful treatment, quick communication, and attentiveness, and you've got a recipe for a five-star stay! I believe that guests appreciate honesty and reliability above all. Obviously there is always some picky guests, but in my experience that's what I think! 

[Lydia594]

Good question @Micheal42! So I feel like top special amenities can change given the market area. You can click on filters for your area and see what it suggests, that's a good starting point. For us, our top amenities people like are the washer and dryer, coffee and tea bar, and fire pit. Besides the given things like wifi, TV services, cozy beds, etc. What has been very impactful has been having excellent cleaners who leave everything spotless, leaving a welcome note with snacks, and friendly yet professional communication. We also leave a 5 star review rating sheet that explains how short term rentals are rated differently than say a hotel. So far we've only gotten 5 star reviews! Also, I think people appreciate a binder of local recommendations, check-out instructions, and a written manual of instructions for anything in the house that might be complicated (how to run the TV, ac/heat, etc). 

[Rosanna51]

Hi  @Micheal42 

in no particular order, I think WiFi, Smart TV, cooling and heating, comfy beds and lounge,  adequate kitchen items. Also depending on your location, some items that can be utilized to enjoy the area. For example, my listing is at a seaside area so I provide bikes as well as picnic and bbq equipment. Hope this helps.