Critique my listing - Eugenio in Genoa, Italy

[Eugenio207]

Hi folks,

I am Eugenio from Genoa (Italy). I have been actively hosting on Airbnb for the past 4 years (with a break during the toughest part of pandemic). While until spring 2023 we have had a relatively prosperous period, we are now having troubles in getting my apartment booked and visible.

I have recently decreased prices, added extra equipment (e.g. high chair, board games) maintained a 5-star rating, become a superhost. However, none of this actions is really helping out.

Not only I do not see reservations coming, by searching through friends accounts I realized that my flat is barely visible among Airbnb Genoa's offering. 

Could I borrow some of your time and expertise to get a point of view and precious recommendations?

Many thanks in advance,

Edoardo 

LINK:  https://airbnb.com/h/genoa-flat

PS: the levers I cannot consider are a) instant booking, b) reducing the minimum stay under 5 nights and c) allowing "Flexible" cancellation policy (I currently have "Moderate" option with a 7-day notice period)  

[Paula]

Hello @Eugenio207,

Welcome to the Airbnb Community 😊

Our forum is filled with expert Hosts who would be delighted to share their feedback on your listing. I am reaching out to some of them here: @Lorina14 @Cheri354 @Melanie318 @Andrea6232 and @Gwen386 

All the best,

[Lorina14]

Hi @Eugenio207!  I noticed that there are not many plants or color in your bedrooms, it lacks a bit of warmth (maybe a pop of color with a pillow or throw)?

Also for your living room, you may want to place a rug in front of the couch to help create a cozy space. In the bedrooms, a rug on the floor would help (unless you have heated floors).

You may want to retake pictures with the TV's having a picture of nature (waterfall, forest) - I noticed some hosts do this and it is a nice touch.  I took pictures of my listing and the TV was off - having a nature image would make it more appealing.

The food spread in the kitchen, plants in the kitchen, and the balcony with drinks on the table was inviting.

You may want to consider a mirror, picture, or floating shelf on the wall above the tub. 

I think because your ceilings are so high, having white walls with no art on some of them makes the place feel spacious but lacks the warmth or inviting nature of a picture. 

Also your listing write up (while translated from Italian) is descriptive, it doesn't invite me to experience your space. Something like - step out onto the balcony and sip your morning coffee while reading a book or watching people pass by. In the evening after exploring the city, a full tub is waiting for a relaxing soak by yourself or with a loved one. 

[Eileen462]

@Eugenio207  Hello Edoardo!  I love your place.. the bathtub in back of the bed is romantic as well as the candles  and champagne.  Classy and clean.  I would stay there for sure.  Smiles,  Eileen

[Andrea6232]

Ciao @Eugenio207 ,

beautiful house and excellent listing, I can only tell you two things:

a) "the levers you cannot consider" are those that bring visibility and bookings 😉

b) if your guests come from the USA we are entering the low season period and furthermore the war in the Middle East does not encourage them to travel...

Andrea

[Lorina14]

I agree with @Andrea6232 that those factors help with visibility. In the US, a moderate cancellation has a 5 day grace period, is it different in Italy?

It is likely that it is a slower period for travel now (as compared to summer) so dropping the price or shortening the night requirement is helpful. Can you consider a minimum 2 or 3 night stay? Many people I know who travel tend to spend 2-3 nights in one town then go to another when traveling in Europe.

If your town serves a focal spot where it is easy to travel to other towns for a day trip, you may want to highlight how far by km/mi or how long it takes to drive or catch a train to get to neighboring towns. I updated my listing to include how far away local towns/companies were (we are in a tech area) and how long it would take to drive, walk, bus to those places.  In my guidebook I did the same mapping out the distance and time to get to local attractions (gardens, chocolate factory tour, wolf haven, wildlife trek adventure, beaches, national parks, even Portland, OR and Vancouver BC as if I didn’t live here I wouldn’t know they are both a 3 hour drive away from the Greater Seattle area) from our guest suite.  

Some hosts in the states use AirDNA (there is a fee for this) to get local market trends for pricing and local events influencing bookings in the area.  I have not checked it out but it was mentioned several times in our local Facebook group; some like it better than the Smart pricing on the Airbnb platform. I think they said they do global market analysis for short term and long term rentals and compare it to hotels in the area too.

Hope this helps!