How to be a successful Airbnb host: Setting up your space

[Airbnb]

Becoming a host on Airbnb means opening up your home, vacation rental, or extra room to guests from all over the world. Whatever type of space you share, there are simple things you can do to make it even more inviting as you get ready to welcome your first guests. This 5-step guide will help you create an Airbnb-ready space, one that will help your guests enjoy a great stay and help you attract more bookings.

Step 1: Choose your amenities

Let’s talk about the must-haves first. There are five essential amenities guests tell us they expect in order to have a comfortable stay: 

1. Toilet paper
2. Soap (for hands and body)
3. One towel for each guest
4. One pillow for each guest
5. Linens for each guest bed

Once you include these basics, you can add that detail to your listing (you’ll need to select each amenity you provide in the Amenities tab), which will help you stand out to potential guests. When looking for a place to stay, guests can see the amenities you offer and filter their search to only see listings that offer the amenities they want.

Beyond the basics, you may want to provide a few extras to make your space even more comfortable for guests. Here are some extras guests tell us they want: WiFi, a hair dryer, and a laptop-friendly workspace. You may also consider adding shampoo and conditioner, cozy blankets and pillows.  Some hosts even offer local chocolate and coffee. As Airbnb host Melanie puts it, think about what you’d want if you were traveling. Here are a few more tips from Melanie—who’s part of Airbnb’s Plus program that spotlights high quality homes—and interior designer Bobby Berk.

Step 2: Consider design details

A nicely designed space with thoughtful touches can help create a welcoming home. If you’re looking for design inspiration, Airbnb homes like Melanie’s are a good place to start.

Just as Melanie used artwork she created to decorate her Los Angeles loft, you may want to feature things that showcase your own personality in your listing: mementos from your travels, perhaps, or plants and greenery. Individual design elements can help your space feel more homey and inviting— and they don’t have to be complicated or expensive. DIY touches, such as a bouquet of flowers picked from your yard, and simple accents, such as throw pillows can go a long way. Learn more about how Pygmalion designed his space to welcome guests:

Airbnb Plus hosts Sam and Chad have more tips for adding personality to your home. Their suggestions include avoiding sterile or empty spaces and, instead, livening up blank walls with collections that highlight things you love, such as album-cover art, if you’re passionate about rock music. Get inspired by Sam & Chad’s ideas in the video, below.

Step 3: Create a cozy bedroom

Since this is where your guests will sleep and store their belongings, comfort and storage are key here. Let’s talk storage first. A dresser with empty drawers or closet with hangers is helpful, or you can take a cue from hosts Beverlee and Suzie and add a luggage rack to your listing. A bedside table with a lamp is key, too, since guests will want to access things like eyeglasses, their cell phone, and a book when they first wake up or right before they go to sleep. To make the space extra welcoming, you could also add some plants, a mirror, a carafe for water, an international adapter, and a multi-phone charger.

And of course you’ll want to pay special attention to the bed itself. Adding a few extra pillows and blankets and making a tidy bed can go a long way toward making guests comfortable. Here are Airbnb Plus host Katrina’s top tips for a well-made bed.

Step 4: Get the bathroom ready

We can’t talk about the bathroom without a quick mention of cleanliness. Of course it’s important to keep your whole home tidy, but guests have told us that they especially appreciate a clean bathroom. Different hosts have different methods for keeping their homes and bathrooms guest-ready: some do the cleaning themselves, or you could add a cleaning fee and hire a cleaning service to save yourself time.

Besides the essential bathroom amenities we mentioned before (toilet paper, hand and body soap, and one towel for each guest), there are some additional items you may want to think about including in this space, such as shampoo and conditioner. Get more ideas in the video, below.

Step 5: Add the finishing touches

Depending on the type of space you share, there may be additional areas beyond the bedroom and bathroom to think about. If there’s a kitchen available to guests, for instance, you’ll want to make sure it’s clean and that guests know how to operate any shared or available appliances, such as a coffee maker. (You can include those kinds of instructions in your house manual.) The same goes for a living room or outdoor area: Try to look at it with fresh eyes, as a guest who’s just arrived would. Does it feel welcoming? It can be helpful to approach your whole space this way. Hosts Beverlee and Suzie recommend staying in your listing, just as a guest would, to help figure out what’s needed or what could be changed.

If you’re sharing a space you live in, it can be hard to know what to keep in the space and what to put away. Airbnb Plus hosts Sam and Kirsten have a simple solution: simplify. Decluttering can help make your space feel more open and inviting—and ensure your guests have space to store their own belongings. Here are some more tips from Sam and Kirsten.

Recap & next steps

We hope these suggestions and resources gave you some good ideas as you get your listing ready for guests. To recap:

• Think beyond the essential amenities and consider what guests need for a comfortable stay at your space.
• Decorate your home with an eye toward thoughtful design details.
• Create a comfortable bedroom with plenty of storage.
• Prepare the bathroom with cleanliness and essentials top of mind.
• Look at your space as a guest would and tidy it with fresh eyes.

Update your amenities now

Review

Check out the other two articles in our “How to be a successful Airbnb” host series:

• Creating an attractive listing
• Welcoming your first guests

[Fiona58]

I use the photographs to show the 'beyond basics' - I wouldn't be able to list pinball machine, juke box and pool table otherwise! 

[Katie---Sean0]

This is why I don’t have our two guesthouses in the Airbnb Plus program, despite being invited in at no charge several times. I’ve read too many complaints about Airbnb taking over the photos, listing description and not being able to list all the amenities. This is all so Airbnb can keep the Plus listings “on brand” but that brand has been decided by some clueless marketing department, not actual hosts and/or guests. I’d love to be in the Plus program if they ever figure it out.

[Lani11]

This has been a very frustrating experience for me as well. The owner loses all control of what pictures are the cover shot and what we can add to the pictures. We know our hike and features best and what we’d really like to highlight and make sure guests are aware of. I have been on Airbnb Plus now for a few months, and am extremely frustrated with the process. Hopeful it will improve.

[Petero0]

I had the same.experience like Valerie of Lagos in not editing my price list for extra guests so I have to cater for 4 people under 1 fee and than I have to redesign it again, thanks to the Airbnb team for their advice.   The tips given above are very helpful indeed which of course has motivated me to apply a bit more effort in redesigning my home for my guests..Great tips ..thank you

[Sanjay45]

Thank you very much for beautiful and very useful suggestions and tips. 

[Helen427]

thank you fellow ABB hosts for your great tips, love all the colour, it's nice & cheerful

[Alberto777]

thank you airbnb for your valuable suggestions and tips...

[Patrick1410]

For amenities, these might sound minor deals, but this is what makes the difference. Going an extra mile in comfort means extra business.

[Joy323]

Thank you. My listing has all the things you mention here but I have still had guests who just had to find some fault with something. I have fresh flowers, fresh towels, 100% cotton bed linen, lots of pillows, great decor, full bouquet dstv (cable) ,wine, chocolates,  mineral water, breakfast rusks, tea and coffee...the works! I wish I knew how not to accept bookings from non appreciating guests who are paying a pittance for a great service.

[Jen263]

Oh my goodness, Yes!  In three years, I've only had three guests that were absolutely sour.  You really cannot make some folks happy, despite every effort.  I think if someone would have told me this ahead of time, I would not have taken it so personally.  

I have a beautiful little 100 year old cape cod cottage near a scenic coastal Maine village that is darling.  My charges per night are much less than rental in the village where the waterfront is.  I actually had someone book with me, then leave three nights early because she said that I was not on the beach.  My listing states this, but she was put out.  Such a grumpy gal.  And this is after she texted me nonstop about the property before arrival asking how far away the beach was.... 

Being a host to strangers means growing a little thicker skin, but it's heartbreaking when folks are so rude after you try your best to make them happy and comfortable.

Expect a few sour apples.  If everyone else seems pleased with your place, then just be glad you will never have to see the not so enthusiastic renters ever  again.   🙂 

[Karen1063]

How brilliant to have one of the Fab5 sharing AirB&B tips - AMAZING 😉 Thanks AirB&B for this really useful update. I’ve got some great ideas from this.

[Anne-Marie78]

Really useful - thank-you! 

[Clarissa7]

  As a guest, I have appreciated amenities - and provide all that are listed in my own offering.  Don't worry about listing everything: an unexpected one is like a little present and even more appreciated!  As an experienced  guest I would advise hosts against  lot of 'clutter' -  eg the  'ideal' picture showed plants on a bedside table: likely to be knocked over reaching for glass of water at night!  One photo of the owner is interesting, but  a guest staying for more than a very brief period  wants to unpack their  own stuff and  feel at home - if a space is overwhelmed by the host's personality and taste, and surfaces covered with bits and pieces it is just not comfortable settling in...

[Scott162]

All well and good at fancy places as for decor , I am budget , if I upgrade will I get more bookings at the higher price ? Independant and self contained ? Got me thinking again , thanks .

[Anonymous]

The thing I noticed is that people don’t supply face clothes. We always have them in our BnB but we stayed in one recently and no face clothes. We also have a special one for make- up.