musical instruments

[Scott-W0]

What do people do when trying to find places that have musical instruments in the rental? I feel like there should be a whole section where listings can put if there are any instruments and which ones.

When I travel, that would be a big bonus from my standpoint. This seems like such an easy thing for AirBnB to have.

What am I missing? Thanks!

[Charlie470]

You can search for keywords in airbnb listings by using Google as follows. Make sure to include "stays"  in your query, otherwise your results will include all airbnb "experiences" as well. Here is an example searching for rentals that include the word guitar:

site:airbnb.com/ stays guitar

[Jackson119]

Hello All.

I found this thread when searching for listing a guitar on an airbnb.

It seems that it is still not possible ?

shame !

thanks

Jackson

[Brett-And-Alex0]

@Ann783, music is life! You are right that Instruments should be more featured, or a “tick box” in amenities. We keep a $200 acoustic guitar at both of our properties. Certain folks love it, certain folks ignore it. But at least if I leave it out, maybe some kid will pick it up and love it.

I’m new posting here but a long time host. Ready to start a musical revolution!

[Ann783]

We had scored a free piano a while back and tried to rehab it. No luck. Today it went to the local  dump. But we replaced it with a  digital piano with weighted keys. 

[David4022]

I often have to move from place to place. I had to buy small tube amps (from this list https://musirank.com/best-low-watt-tube-amps/) to free space for another stuff

[John2406]

We have a 'yellow and chrome' 1930s "Eavestaff Mini-Piano" in our luxury holiday cottage, and we have never dissuaded any Guest from using this extra facility, whether they are able to play music, or just thump the keys; indeed, I would recommend to all Hosts that rather than deny Guests access to musical instruments, their usage should always be encouraged!

Of course, if one has an original Stradivarius, or Liberace's piano, or a one-off musical instrument of any variety, what on earth is it doing in a holiday property in the first place, as we all recognise   -  or should  -  that anything left in one's property is going to be touched or handled, or otherwise used by anyone who stays.

That I am talking about a whole property in which Guests' stay without the owner being present, rather than where Guests stay in a part of an owner's own home, is, of course a totally different situation, and I would imagine thatfor the latter, having to lay down 'rules' as to what can and cannot be used by Guests may very well lead to some friction, especially should anyone not heed such 'rules'

As to whether Airbnb should provide extra tick boxes in order for Hosts' to highlight any "little extras" (i.e. facilities and amenities) we have and provide for Guests' use, whilst I would totally agree that it may well be beneficial to highlight what musical instruments, baby/toddler requisites, games/toys/jigsaws, or anything else we have and provide for our  Guests' enjoyment, I do agree that there does have to be a cut-off point where the provision of tick-boxes has to stop.

In our own case, rather than rely on what Airbnb can do for me as a Host, I included more photographs in our portfolio to highlight  that within our property is a piano; that for parents'with babies we have a high chair, a baby's cot, and a toddler's bed, as well as cutlery, bowls, plates and other items; that for families we have a great selection of board-games, jigsaws, and other facilities, whilst for dogs, we provide towels, mats, bowls, poo-bags, and toys for their use  -  for after all (so the saying goes) "every picture tells a story", and at least Guests' know in advance, what we have available for their use.

Returning to the musical instruments for a moment, more specifically in our case, re the piano mentioned above, we have had children staying who by the end of their holiday have shown interest in learning how to play properly; we have had our piano featured in a magazine when one Guest hovered her dog's paws over the keys to make it look as though it was playing them;  and we have had piano players of all abilities and none, experiencing the difference between a 'conventional' upright piano, and the quirkiness of our Art Deco piano (on which I first learned to play, some 61 years ago!)

As my wife reminded me earlier though, when it comes to more specific musical instruments, such as a violin, guitar, clarinet, flute, etc, players of those usually prefer to bring their own, so perhaps not having such instruments in a holiday home, especially for Hosts' fearful of damage being done, is the wisest option.

Our piano however, despite its age, despite how it's treated, and despite its needing to be retuned

1930s Art Deco Eavestaff Mini-Piano at Pilton House Gowerevery year is in place to be used, so if anyone wants to stay at our cottage, they're more than welcome to tickle the ivories, soft pedal the notes, use the range of music in the piano stool, play some Chas & Dave, or Jazz, maybe a few bars of "Moonlight Sonata", a Waltz or two, or just let themselves go with "Rhapsody in Blue", whilst for those who aren't interested in playing any form of musical instrument, but do enjoy Listening, we have DAB/FM radios throughout the building (except in the w.c.!)

(Note: the 'white' on the side of the piano stool is where sunlight over its lifetime has 'bleached' away the "yellowish"  "mottled" coating. Although the lack of coating doesn't affect the piano's sound, nor the stool's comfort, we are currently waiting for a specialist to recoat the affected areas)

[Tim690]

I appriciate for this useful information!

[Deborah614]

@Scott-W0   

As a host, I pricked up my ears.   I have a guitar, which I wouldn't leave out for guests because it was quite expensive, and these things tend to get a bit banged up.    But I've thought that, having a fire pit down in the garden, I could find an old, already banged-up Yamaha for 50 bucks, plus a ukelele, plus a bodhrun drum,  and feature it in the first profile picture - if that was to be my positioning.     But I don't think I'd attract a lot more guests by positioning my offer as a place with instruments.   So, I wonder if Airbnb would have a search engine with keywords, so that when you're searching for a place, you can add "guitar" or "musical instruments" to the area, and the computer would do the rest for you.   

[Sandra126]

There is no way to search for this unfortunately. We have tick boxes for everything from hairdryer to baby crib but none for musical instruments. Wrong, I know! I have some in the accom myself. Guests are taken by surprise as they sometimes bring their own guitar for some holiday rnr.

Personally, I would rather stay in a place with piano than one with a baby crib 🙂

[Scott-W0]

Sandra,

Thanks for responding. When you say "We have tick boxes..." are you stating that you work for AirBnB, or are you using the "community we?"

It just blows my mind as it seems like such a simple feature.

[Sandra126]

I don't work for Airbnb, it is the host ''we'' I was thinking of. Yes, it would be very simple. Pool? Tick. Musical instruments? Tick. I just don't think they have thought of it. Also they are unlikely to read many ideas from the forum, perhaps post it on their FB page?

[Scott-W0]

Cool. Thanks again for the input and suggestions. They are very helpful!!

[Helen3]

I think many hosts with music instruments would be uncomfortable leaving them in a listing because of concerns about damage @Scott0

I don't think it is a common enough feature to be worth creating a separage enough feature. Hosts are much more likely to offer books or board games neither of which are provided with their own tick box.

If you want somewhere with say a piano, you are probably best doing a good search. Piano + New York + 2 bed townhouse . Juast as an example.

[Deborah614]

@Helen3   Helen has a good point.    I have just had guests  (not Airbnb, but somewhere else), whose kids ran around jumping all over the furniture, and getting into stuff, I found myself in a constant state of hyper vigilance, as the parents didn't seem to be at all concerned.       

The scenario where guests arrive with kids and see that you have already run around putting away your Gibson Les Paul, and locked the piano room, when they have an expectation of access to the advertised instruments for a good old family singsong down around the camp fire.    Even a bashed up guitar, needs to be a working guitar, and you need to spend money on strings and tuners and so forth.  All that effort can be ruined in one careless moment - someone puts it on the ground and then someone else steps back and stands on it.   Gone for ever.   

I have stated that I like to play guitar, and if a guest asked me, I might consider getting it out and handing it to them to play, but it would be at my discretion.