Critique my listing - Arlenne5, Cabrera, Dominican Republic

[Arlenne5]

Hi everyone my name is Arlenne and I have a property in Cabrera, Dominican Republic. 

I am looking for some feedback on my property to see what else can I add to improve my listing. Note: I still haven't hired a professional photographer because we have to finish a few stuff.

Other than that please critique my listing. 

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/628815765032463496?source_impression_id=p3_1658220920_IR5GeVHIR7cdeVM...

[Anonymous]

@Arlenne5   Shorter URL for your listing: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/628815765032463496

Your location and outdoor features look perfect for a relaxed holiday. In most locations my biggest concern about a house with your size and amenities would be guests throwing out-of-control parties with many unapproved guests. Your listing has no rule against any of this, and I'm sure some people will be considering it, but I don't know how much of a risk it is specifically in your location. Even so, it doesn't make sense for a place this size to be available for bookings as short as 1 night; I strongly recommend a longer minimum length of stay.

In terms of guest count, your sleeping areas seem to accommodate more people than the living space is set up for. If more than 8 people are staying, they will notice things like they can't all enjoy a meal at the same table or sit in the same living room. Not a problem at all if some of the guests are infants, but your listing specifically mentions that major features are not safe for children. That puts the way your home is furnished somewhat at odds with your target clientele.

Personally, I would only go for one double bed per room and filled the space with different features to add luxury appeal (more workspaces, wardrobes, reading lamps, soft rugs). Obviously you're not about to throw out 2 of your beds, but the latter is still possible. And don't offer the living room sofa as a sleeping space. I think a lot of new hosts believe that they can maximize their listing value by offering as much occupancy as they can possibly fit, but a group of 4 to 8 adults tends to have a lot more money to spend on accommodation than a family of 13, and your listing is actually more visible in searches for a group of 8 if the maximum occupancy is 8.

[Arlenne5]

Hi @Anonymous thank you for the tips, I will put them to good use.

I will look into adding a minimum day stay. What do you recommend 2-4 days minimum?

I will remove the couch as a sleeping option.

The reason why we added to beds per room is because that tend to be the norm in the area the house is located, so I wanted to make sure guest have more options to sleep if they come with kids, but I will look into removing 2 of the beds and reducing the amount of people. We are also looking into fixing the issues where the kids can be in danger like adding a gate to the stairs going to the roof and stuff like that. Thank you so much for your input I appreciate it. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@Arlenne5 if you're relying on weekend trade, a 3 day minimum makes sense. Your location seems like more of a place people would want to spend a longer time and relax, so that would lend itself to 4 or more. Basically you start with the question of what the ideal group and experience is for your space and work backward toward that.

If your area is popular with big families and that's the market you want to serve, definitely go with those childproofing features, get some high chairs and stair barriers and cribs or whatever things parents in your region want to find in a home. And if you'd rather target groups of adults, eschew the kids' stuff and make each of those rooms luxurious and romantic. Either option is within reach for you, but realistically you can't serve both possibilities at once, so all I can suggest is that you pick the target that best fits your personal style of hospitality and lean hard into it.