Listing advice - Casey - Orlando, Florida USA

[Casey464]

I rent my spare bedroom in the home I live in. The dedicated guest bathroom is located in the hallway and, unfortunately, is not attached to the guest bedroom.

I have had a steady stream of guests since I started hosting at the end of December 2024, but June has been crickets. I have only booked 4 nights!

I already added a 20% off discount for the entire month. That resulted in two immediate bookings, but one was already cancelled. (He said they needed to reschedule their vacation.)

My style/home isn't for everyone, and I understand that. I do, however, tend to attract interesting guests with whom I have things in common. I don't have the money for any major upgrades or amenities, but I have been slowly adding items as I can afford them.

I will note that I don't offer keyless entry/self check-in because I don't want strangers to show up when I'm not home and scare my dog. I want to be able to introduce them so she knows it's okay.

Does anyone have any suggestions for my listing that might help? It seems that most of the nearby places booked for the month have pools and private entrances, and are significantly more expensive than mine.

https://airbnb.com/h/popcultureorlando

Shared living room

[Casey464]

@John5097 Only my guest bathroom is Star Wars themed. Haha I did find a fun set on Walmart.com that I ordered. That was my one improvement on the listing for the month, I'm afraid. I've only booked 7 nights for the entire month and am significantly behind where I normally am each month. I hope July picks up.

That's one good thing about the small rug I have in the guest bedroom — it's easy to clean. I just throw it in the wash. I have found some 8x10 machine-washable rugs online, but those will be a lot more difficult to wash since they will go under the entire bed. That improvement is going to have to wait a while.

[John5097]

@Casey464 

That's such a great idea to have the different themes! 

Cleaning is just part of it and well worth the extra effort in my experience. I also do a lot of washing. I'm sure I could get away with less but why not just put a little extra effort into what matters most. 

BTW I did drop off all my extra towels, blankets to the Pet Helpers. I really should have take a picture. 

I hope your bookings pick up as well! Seems like it would be super fun to rent a room in someone's house. 

[Casey464]

Thank you @John5097  I did get a booking for this weekend! So that gives me a total of 10 nights for the month. I tend to pick up a lot of last-minute bookings 24-48 hours in advance. I'm pretty chill like that. Haha

I think most of my guests who book with me really like the interaction. I can definitely understand the perk of staying with a local host who can offer suggestions on things to do. I typically like my own space when I travel, but after hosting, I might consider booking a shared space next time.

[John5097]

That's so awesome @Casey464 

If you are getting bookings that's a great sign!

A lot of guest are booking same day. I think Airbnb even purchased a company that specializes in last minute bookings.

I got two today for November. One a couple from UK on the honeymoon.

I also enjoy the interaction with guest when we see each other. Everyone has been really positive and super friendly. I just had two sisters from Ireland and glad we had a chance to say hi. It was the hottest weather they had ever experienced and was just June! But they really appreciated the AC and it was so much fun chatting with them. They really enjoyed the beach as the ocean is already over 80 degrees.

I may look to book a room this July 4th up around Asheville area. I've also just rented a small cabin before but I'd be fine with a room also. I saved one place near the bike trails I like to go that's more of an apartment but the host seem really nice. I also get a lot of solo travelers and enjoy offering a safe place for everyone. I really love that about hosting on Airbnb probably more than anything else.  

Orlando gets so many visitors! I think it's over 70 million a year. I've had several guest from Orlando and all my guest from Florida have been great. 

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Casey464 

Highlight your value: If your place is a more affordable option with a personal host and local insights, underscore that in your title and description.

Consider upgrading or adding photos where you can: crisp lighting, dog-friendly shots, and hallway for bathroom convenience.

Expand your description, longer summaries tend to correlate with higher occupancy 

Best Regards

[Casey464]

Good points, thanks @Patricia2526! I'm at my max character limit for the title and think the things I have in there are the most important (private room close to the airport and theme parks) but I will definitely expand my description more.

[Rebecca]

Wonderful support here @Casey464 - huge thanks to @Karen114, @John5097, @Patricia2526 and @Jamie600 for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. 

Has anything in particular stood out for you @Casey464? 

Quick tip: if you type "@" and then the username, this will tag the member that you're replying to. 

[Jeanna27]

Hi @Casey464  - I just looked over your entire listing and read through all of your details and description.  You really do a fabulous job describing your home, and the guests space including your entire set-up.  That's really great as someone coming to stay will or should have zero questions as it relates to expectations.  My only suggestion to you would be to change the verbiage (gothic aesthetics).  I would reword it to say "fascinating aesthetics" OR "aesthetically fascinating".   And, then continue with your Pop-culture, etc.   At the end of the day, you are marketing your property, and you want to stand out from the rest.  This provides an inviting place for your potential future guests.  When I look at your pics on your listing, it doesn't scream gothic to me, and that word, whether right or wrong can potentially be off-putting for someone, and I wouldn't want you to lose a booking just based on verbiage.  Anyways, that's my food for thought.  Best of luck to you! 🙂

[Casey464]

Thanks @Jeanna27!

That's an interesting suggestion. However, I definitely have a lot of gothic decor. (I'm goth.)

The first time my friend's daughter came over, she asked, "Miss Casey, why does your house look like Halloween?"

I have tons of skulls and decor I bought around Halloween that are part of my permanent decor. Goth fits. I highly doubt that word is keeping anyone from staying with me. My first guests were Christian, and they even held their morning Bible study on my patio. They were lovely guests.

If anyone is put off by the word "goth," they will be even more put off by the Halloween decor! I think I'd better keep it to be safe. ; )

[Jeanna27]

Oh, of course - I was just trying to find something as your listing really looks lovely to me, and being so many people are super particular, that was the only thing I thought might be helpful.  At any rate, all the best to you and your bookings!

[Casey464]

I get it. I just don't want to be misleading. haha Thanks!

[Kathleane0]

You mention that you discount the room occasionally. Did you know that ABnB promotes discounted listings even via email? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they like to see a 25% discount to promote you. I raised my nightly rate which works well for me because  (as we all do) I'm not keen on 1 night bookings. That higher nightly rate though gives me room to discount the space to promote the # of nights I'm trying to get a booking for.

[Casey464]

I do! That's why I add a 20% discount (which is the minimum discount to be included in emails and promotions).

I LOVE 1-night bookings. Haha I charge a $25 cleaning fee for short stays, so it ends up being a nice amount to only have someone in my house for less than 24 hours.

[Kathleane0]

LOL - I never liked 1 night bookings until I started charging a small cleaning fee. So basically I figure that I get paid the 1 night rate plus the cleaning fee to clean the room. 1 night guests are not demanding, rarely use any amenities and are very easy to flip the room for the next guest.