Experienced Hosts: What Would You Change About This New Florida Airbnb Listing?

[Stanja0]

Hey everyone! Looking for some honest feedback and advice on a newer listing I’m helping co-host/manage in Port Charlotte, Florida. The home itself is beautiful — private pool, hot tub, great layout, family-friendly, and in a nice area close to Punta Gorda, waterfront dining, marinas, and Gulf Coast attractions.

We’ve gotten bookings and interest, but unfortunately the bookings we had ended up canceling. At the time, the host had:
• a $100/day pool heating fee
• a flexible cancellation policy

I advised her to lower the heating fee significantly and move to a firmer cancellation policy because I felt both may have been hurting conversions and commitment from guests. She’s very responsive, open to advice, and willing to improve the listing.

I also personally feel the photography and staging are the biggest issues right now. The home is much prettier in person than it appears online. I suggested hiring a stronger Airbnb photographer, improving the staging/decor, adding warmer lifestyle touches, and making the photos feel more upscale and inviting.

For those experienced with newer listings and the Airbnb algorithm:
• What helped increase your clicks and conversions early on?
• Do you think the heating fee and flexible cancellation played a role?
• Any tips to help Airbnb push the listing more in search/feed?
• What photo angles or staging details tend to perform best for Florida pool homes?

Would love honest opinions and constructive feedback. Thank you!

Stanja

Home in Port Charlotte · ★New · 3 bedrooms · 3 beds · 2 private baths

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stanja0 I wouldn't book just because the late checkout fees are stupidly high. Also if early check in is available we always made it free to generate goodwill. $50 for nothing is almost as stupid as the late fees.

[Stanja0]

Thanks for the feedback, Mike & Jane. I definitely understand your perspective. Victoria is a newer host, so we’ve been testing different policies and operational costs. We’ve already adjusted some of the fees. Appreciate you taking the time to weigh in.

[Nahuel60]

Hello. Just to chime in I think the pool/water view is your strongest first-screen asset, so I would keep the listing centered around that. The thing I would tighten though is the story told by the first 5 photos.

Right now the first screen shows: pool/view, night pool/hot tub, living room/kitchen, exterior/parking, bedroom. Those are all useful, but for a Florida family/pool home I would make the first 5 answer a very specific guest question: "Can I picture my family spending a relaxed week here?"

So my order would probably be something like:

1 - best bright daytime pool/water shot

2 - outdoor hangout / hot tub / seating moment

3 - living + dining space that proves 6 guests fit comfortably

4 - best bedroom, with warmer staging

5 - one practical trust photo: parking/arrival, kitchen, or family-friendly feature

Also the bigger conversion issue may be commitment friction. Since you already had bookings cancel, I would make pool heat fees, cancellation policy, and the ideal guest very clear and calm. Guests should not feel like they need to calculate surprises after they get interested.

The home itself looks strong. I would focus less on adding more information and more on making the first 10 seconds feel warmer, more specific, and easier to commit to.

[Stanja0]

@Nahuel60 this is sound advice. I’ll be sure to rearrange the photos. The host did take my advice for better staging. I’ll rearrange the new  photos as soon as she sends them to me. Thanks again . 

[Helen3]

Hi @Stanja0 

The owner has a lovely place but as you know many markets in Florida are oversaturated.

As a local cohost who's already researched the local market for your client  - you'll be in a much better position then we are to understand what will make the listing more likely to convert . 

what did your market research show ? 

there is information on the airbnb help website about factors Airbnb considers when ranking listings you could look at. 

finally I'm not sure what the benefit is for the owner of testing out policies and costs which are likely to put guests off from booking. 

[Stanja0]

Thavk you for your very considerate response. I will share this information with her. 

[Stanja0]

Hi @Helen3!  The market research shows her views and impressions for the last 30 days were doing well. I noticed from other software I use that her comp set of similar properties are mainly Superhosts or they are guest favorites. Also those in her comp set with similar amenities stage their properties. She just completed doing that so I’ll give it another 7 days or so to see how her conversions reflect those updates. 

[Jacqui71 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Stanja0,

I took a look and my honest view is that the listing is not yet fully optimised, which in a competitive market like Port Charlotte is absolutely essential. The encouraging part is that many of the improvements are straightforward wins rather than major changes.

The biggest issue for me overall is the photography. It is clearly a beautiful property, but the photos are not currently doing it justice. Some appear to be taken from above eye level, which can distort perspective, and several feel a little underexposed, making the spaces look darker and less inviting than I suspect they are in reality. The décor and furnishings look lovely, but the images are not showcasing them to best effect.

I also agree with Nahuel60 that photo order is incredibly important. Not just with the overall first impression of the listing but also within each room category. The cover photo and the four thumbnail images that appear alongside it when viewing on a laptop are absolutely critical because they are what help stop the scroll. Within each room/exterior, sometimes 'less is more' and the best image should be arranged so that it appears larger than the others.

With interiors as lovely as this property appears to have, I do not think the current cover photo and thumbnail selection are selling the home strongly enough. If I am being completely honest, I am not sure the current first impression would make me stop scrolling in a competitive search result.

A few improvements I would suggest:

• Add captions to every photo. This is such an underused optimisation tool and helps guests understand what they are looking at while reinforcing selling points.

• Reorder the photo tour carefully. Within each room category, make sure the strongest image is the large feature image guests see first.

• Revisit the cover photo and opening thumbnail sequence. This is prime listing real estate and has to work hard.

• Restage and reshoot with warmth and lifestyle in mind. Florida pool homes are often sold on aspiration and experience as much as accommodation. Bright, airy, inviting imagery tends to perform much better.

• Review exposure, angles, and composition. Even without adding additional décor, thoughtful staging and stronger photography could make a huge difference.

I also noticed there is no guidebook attached to the listing. That may not directly drive conversions, but it does help build guest confidence and creates the impression of a professionally managed, guest ready experience.

On pricing, I do think the pool heating fee may well have been hurting conversions. When guests see one price in search results, then discover additional charges later, it can create friction or even a sense of hidden costs. Personally, I prefer to build operational costs into my nightly pricing wherever possible. Some weeks that works slightly in my favour, some weeks slightly against, but guests appreciate transparency and simplicity.

I also think moving away from a flexible cancellation policy was a sensible move. Flexible policies can sometimes encourage tentative bookings that do not always convert into committed stays, particularly with newer listings.

I would also look closely at the title and opening description. The title is just as important as the cover photo when it comes to stopping the scroll, and I think there may be room to make stronger use of that space. Likewise, a more creative, guest focused description that sells the experience rather than simply describing the property could help with conversion.

The biggest positive here is that you have a host who is responsive, open to advice, and willing to improve. That makes all the difference.

I genuinely think with stronger presentation, sharper optimisation, and a more compelling first impression, this listing could perform really well.

I hope this helps 

[Stanja0]

@Jacqui71! You’re a gem!

The owner is awesome and yes she is responsive to my tips.

Recently, she took my recommendation for a photographer. I changed the title and first 5 photos to tell a more inviting story. I  revised the pool fees because I told her they were too high. 

I also added some promos for the next month. She needs at lease 3 reviews or 10 stays before we can price more competitively.

You’re right about Port Charlotte, FL. …it is competitive. So, she did more staging and added more wall art to naked walls as I suggested.

Her home is gorgeous and I know she can win in this market. But changes had to be made. We implemented these changes last week and got a booking 5 days later! 

Thanks so much for your respectful and strategic advice. 

I have muted this post now that changes have been made. Thanks again. 

[Daniel15557]

Hi Stanja, good diagnosis, and you are right that photography and staging are the main levers. Direct answers:

Photos for a Florida pool home: the cover should almost always be the pool and exterior at blue hour, lights on and water lit. That twilight frame beats any interior as a thumbnail. Then bright living space, pool in daylight, then bedrooms. Lead with lifestyle, not an empty room.

Early clicks and conversions: with a New listing and no reviews, the cover plus price has to beat the no-reviews hesitation. A short intro promo and Instant Book kickstart velocity, which is what makes Airbnb push you.

The $100/day pool heating fee: agreed, that is a conversion killer as a surprise add-on. Bake a modest amount into the rate or cap it.

One push-back: for a brand new listing I would keep flexible cancellation a bit longer, not firmer. Lower risk wins those first bookings and reviews, then tighten once you have social proof.

Hope that helps, you clearly know your stuff.