Please critique my listing - Alysha in Melbourne, Australia

[Alysha38]

Hello!
I would be very grateful if anyone had suggestions on any improvements I could make to my listing. I was hoping people would book further into the future but maybe just one month ahead is fine and normal!

We are pet friendly but so far no-one has booked with a pet, I thought that would set us apart and we would have mostly pet bookings

Here is my link:

https://airbnb.com/h/melbourne-view-pool-spa-pet-friendly

Thanks again,

Alysha

[Sangeeta8]

Fabulous place. Refresh or rearrange the photos and see. Try. No harm done.

[Alysha38]

Thank you Sangeeta8, your suggestion is helpful and I will give it a go. Congratulations on being Level 7!

[Marina481 · Accepted solution]

Congratulations on starting on your hosting journey, @Alysha38 ! And also congrats you've already got Superhost, that's a great thing to have!

I'm not sure about the market in your area, but it is unusual in all my years of hosting to get a booking that's more than 3 weeks out. The majority of my bookings are made during the week for the upcoming weekend. Only extended stays or special event stays get a lot of lead time. So I don't think your booking situation is out of the ordinary. Once you've been hosting for a year you'll get a better feel for the trends in your area for the seasons. (e.g. we barely get any reservations in the winter, except on Thanksgiving and New Years weekends)

I would consider it a blessing you haven't had a pet stay yet! Much harder to clean up after and does put more wear and tear on your space. My listings specifically don't allow pets for this reason. People booking with pets may also be looking for listings that aren't apartments for the very reason that allowing pets there is rare. I see the picture with the astroturf patio, which is great. You could add another photo with a pet bed and toys, if you have them... but honestly unless this is something you are very keen on doing, I would just keep the pet friendly flag on but don't promote it.

This is your "money shot". I would retake this photo at the same time of day (because the cityscape lighting is amazing), but turn the lights on and get more of the bed/pillows in the photo so its clear that you could lay there and look at this view. Then I'd make this the cover photo!  Also I would suggest retaking the living room photos as well because it looks a bit dark. The rest are great!

Lastly, I would reformat and edit your description a bit just so I could read more of it without needing to expand and bring the highlights to the top! :

"Luxurious inner-city apartment opposite the iconic Queen Victoria Market. Free tram (transportation) just across the road with easy access to explore all Melbourne has to offer! Perfect for a couples getaway with amazing city views from the king size bed or private balcony. Building has a pool and workout room with free access."

[Alysha38]

Thank you so much Marina481!
Your suggestions are really helpful, I'm excited to implement them and make our listing more attractive with the better photos and listing description.
It's reassuring to know that it is normal to not have advance bookings. We end up being booked every weekend, so I won't stress that there are gaps next month.

Good point about being pet friendly, I guess it's not front of mind for most people to bring their pet to the CBD for a weekend getaway! I will just leave it as an option and not promote it, as you suggest.

I look forward to getting better at this and moving up the levels, and one day also offering great, helpful advice to others.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement.

[Eva2518]

I second the recommendations of the other hosts.  You might also consider retaking the photos of the refrigerator & stove.

Refrigerator shot:

- it's a bit crooked and doesn't feel professional. (although it is practical to know there is a nice big frige).  The art in the middle doesn't do much to show off the fridge - could you remove it for the photo?  And perhaps take the photo at a different angle that shows off more of the kitchen?

Stove:

- shot is a little low

- kitchen towel is crumpled

- a personal touch on the counter like a tin box labeled bread or a plant or little functional art piece might make it feel warmer and more inviting...sort of a mood photo combined with the functional knowledge that there is a nice stove

[Alysha38]

I really appreciate you taking the time to look at my listing and for coming up with suggestions for improvement Eva. I am going to take a bunch more photos of our apartment to show it in better light and angles. Thanks heaps.

[Helen744]

@Alysha38 Hello Alysha well you have the perfect spot, for all the theatre goers , and the market lovers. Maybe a pic of fruit and vegies  in a lovely basket as the place looks a little generic so show its context.A good market pic although we dont know the future of the wonderful market at this stage. Some pics of the library , the historical jail and maybe a coffee shop and down town theatres, a clothes shop or two  would help. Parliment house , The shrine , the gallery , beautiful Princes bridge, anything to show Melbournes excitement . Most people know where you are but for international tourists paint the town red... Good luck .. H

[Alysha38]

I have just incorporated your great suggestions into my listing, thank you 

Helen! It's now showing photos of our wonderful city and things people can get excited about joining in on.

[Helen744]

@Alysha38 Now the dear old girl looks wonderful . Well done Alysha. You have named it and claimed it ..the fireplace looks spectacular... H

[Alysha38]

Thank you Helen.
But now I'm wondering if I should remove that fireplace photo incase people think it really is a fireplace, It's just an image on the tv.

[Helen744]

@Alysha38 you cant win them all Alysha , maybe add a poster.Well done you... H