If you had to pick ONE—what attracts guests most?”

[Vivek143]

Hi everyone 😊

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and would love to hear your experiences.

When it comes to attracting guests and getting bookings, what do you feel makes the biggest difference?

Is it:

High-quality, eye-catching photos that create that first impression?

Amenities that add comfort and convenience (or even a “wow” factor)?

Or the location, which often becomes the deciding factor for many travelers?

In my view, all three matter—but I’m curious to know what actually moves the needle the most in real situations.

👉 Have you noticed a change in bookings after improving photos?

👉 Or after adding certain amenities?

👉 Or is location something that outweighs everything else regardless?

Would really appreciate hearing what has worked for you? Your insights could help many of us optimize our listings better.

[Priyanka110]

@Vivek143 but photos make the biggest first impact. If your pics dont grab attention, people won’t even click no matter how good the place is. After that, pricing, reviews do the heavy lifting. Amenities help, but only if they match what your target guest actually cares about. Location matters too but you cant change that photos and positioning you can

[Paula]

Hello @Priyanka110, thank you for sharing your opinion here. @Vivek143, let us know when you have a minute to read this comment 🙂

I’m curious if any other hosts would like to add something to the list: @Laëtitia-Stephy0 @Stacey413  @Alex14140 and @Elise43 

Regards,

[Vivek143]

Well you are right @Priyanka110 @ !! How ever pricing also matters sometimes ..with equal comfort but less pricy. Lol? 😆

[Elise43]

@Vivek143 You forgot the listing description! After photos, if there isn’t a credible, hopefully fantastic listing description that creates a narrative and puts guests into a story that they want to be a part of, you will not get the kind of bookings you want. The listing description is so important, and  in my opinion, one of the most neglected parts of creating a stand out listing!

[Oksana127]

Hi @Vivek143 I manage multiple listings, and after years of testing, tracking, and optimizing, I’ll say something slightly controversial:

Photos matter more than location for bookings.

Yes — location sets the potential. But photos decide whether that potential turns into actual reservations.

I’ve seen average locations fully booked with great visuals, and great locations struggling because the listing simply didn’t “feel” attractive in photos.

Guests don’t read first.
They don’t compare amenities first.
They scroll — and they feel.

If the photos don’t create emotion in 3 seconds, the guest is already gone.

Amenities come next. They don’t bring guests in, but they remove doubts when the guest is choosing between 2–3 similar places.

So in real life, what moves the needle most?

👉 Photos create desire
👉 Location creates opportunity
👉 Amenities close the deal

And here’s the part many new hosts miss: you can’t change location, but you can completely change how guests perceive your place through presentation.

That’s where the real leverage is.

[Vivek143]

Thank you @Oksana127 for the greater perceptive. I totally agree with you 💯

[Christine2602]

@Vivek143 

Bonjour 

Clairement ce qui les attire chez moi, c'est le grand jardin.

J'ai beaucoup de réservations d'une nuit et le fait de profiter de l'extérieur entre 2 journées de voyage est un plus.

Quand j'ai demandé à mes 1eres voyageurs ce qui leur avait plu, c'était toujours la même réponse.

J'ai donc pris plusieurs photos à différents endroits. J'en ai mis une en photo d'accroche.

Ma chambre n'a rien d'exceptionnel et ça fait toute la différence.

[Translation added by Community manager]

Good morning 

Clearly, what attracts them to my place is the large garden.

I have many one-night bookings and being able to enjoy the outdoors between two days of travel is a plus.

When I asked my first travelers what they liked, it was always the same answer.

So I took several photos in different places. I used one as the lead photo.

My room is nothing special, and that makes all the difference.