Ask an Ambassador #4 Beds

[Stephanie]

Hiya everyone,

It’s time for our next Ask an Ambassador edition and today we’re talking to @Kate434  in Richmond, VA, USA about deciding what sorts of beds you should have in your listing and what criteria impacts that decision.

Can you share the story of when you decided to become a Host?

I decided to start hosting in September 2015, after staying with other Airbnb hosts who really motivated me. I figured it would be a great way to put my design brain to work, meet new people, and earn some extra income. The room was being used for storage, so I cleaned it out and gave it a new life! It was so fun and rewarding, I eventually decided to quit my job and become a full-time Airbnb Superhost.

What’s your favourite part about being an Airbnb Host Ambassador?

My favourite part about being a Host Ambassador is connecting with the newbie hosts. Their excitement and entrepreneurial spirits are so inspiring, and each one has a different space and story. I love helping them market their properties in the most effective way. The most rewarding part is when I start to see their reviews roll in, and when they receive Superhost status in just a few months. So proud!!

What types of beds should I have in my listing?

It depends on your space and goals, and who your ideal guests are. If you're renting a studio or 1 bedroom space, a king or queen bed is great for couples. If you're trying to attract families, add a bunk bed for the kiddos. I'm also a big fan of sofa beds. Why not feed two birds with one scone?

Thank you, @Kate434 ! If you are new to Hosting, learn from Airbnb Ambassadors like Katelyn in a free Hosting class.

What factors impacted your decisions on beds in your listing?

Please share your comments and any more questions you may have for us to put to the Host Ambassadors!

Many thanks,

Stephanie

*Ask an Ambassador is an educational series designed to let Ambassadors answer questions and provide suggestions for your debut listing.  The views and opinions expressed in this series are the Ambassador's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Airbnb. Stays and Experiences on Airbnb are always evolving, and the information discussed in this series is subject to change.

[Lorna170]

The number of beds that I can install in a vacation rental property is governed by several things:  the occupancy rules of the municipality and for remote properties, the capability of the septic system.  

The municipality allows two persons per bedroom.  A bedroom is a room with a door, closet, and egress window.  For mountain built properties this can include a sleeping loft.  Properties with septic systems will have a rating for the system, generally for the number of bathrooms and bedrooms in the build, with an additional rating for overflow.

So, my little (built in 1937) 2 bedroom cabin can accommodate 4 humans.  I have two (full/queen) beds.  No bunk beds, no sleeper sofas, no air mattresses.   I agree with the OP that the type of beds that you install has a lot to do with who you want to attract; I want one or two couples or a couple with a single adult, so my cabin has a queen bed in the master and a full bed in the second bedroom.  It has been suggested that I change the second bedroom to a bunk situation, but I don't choose to attract families who would want a bunk arrangement.   I (and my housekeeper) would never add a sofa bed; the cabin is too small, and the additional guests (over occupancy) it would attract would tax the septic system too much.

I have other and larger properties that are not rented via AirBnB which are all very strictly set to accommodate by "the rules".  I learned that putting sleeping areas in every nook and cranny in order to put more heads in beds led to bottom feeders, party guests and guests who would not disclose the actual number of persons in residence.   

[Christine615]

Our beds were dictated by the room sizes and shapes. We have a queen in one room, a full size antique bed in the second, and two twins in the third bedroom. The third bedroom is narrower so a single twin or a full might have worked (we started with one twin bed) but we found matching beds and it's helped when there are four adults, but also works well for families to have space.

So far no one has been bothered by a lack of a King bed, so that's a blessing.

I agree with the other hosts, putting lots of bed in a space that wasn't built for it leads to problems and poor quality guests. Also, I won't book those spaces for myself when my family is traveling. The placement of furniture has to make sense. Sometimes quality over quantity builds revenue.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

When Henry and I were looking at beds for our guest room, we thought about a double (1400×2000cm) because the room would be cramped with a queen. After weighing the pros and cons we decided our Airbnb guest room should be single occupancy and went with a super single bed (1100×2000cm) because bedding is easier (and cheaper) to buy since popular bed sizes are super single (SS) or queen(Q) in Korea. When we have friends or family who are a couple over it makes the sleeping arrangements a bit more complicated, but they are much more understanding and don't mind 😆 Also with the SS in the guest bedroom, we had space for a small desk which turned out great because we ended up getting a lot of exchange student guests. 

I agree that the type of bed (and how many) really depends on the type of guests you want to attract.