How to ask for listing critique on the Community Center

[Stephanie]

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the "Ask about your listing" board – I hope you’ve been finding lots of useful information, insights and advice from our community. One of the amazing things about this space is that those starting out on their Hosting journey can get a keen eye on their listing to work out those little niggles and considerations they may not have thought of just yet. We’re more than happy for you to share your listing for this purpose - here’s a guide on how you can do it in a way that makes it easier for your community to find and offer critique:

• Start a conversation to create a topic.
• Name your topic “Critique my listing - (your name and where you’re from)” for example “Critique my listing - Stephanie in London, UK”.
• Include your favourite listing picture in the post. This makes the topic stand out more, gives viewers a sense of the type of listing you offer and means your Community Management team can more easily highlight it to the rest of the community.
• Share something about what your trouble might be at this point in your journey. This might be a lack of bookings, missing house rules, or even your custom URL.
• Finally, post a link to your listing and add the tag on the thread “listing feedback” and anything else you think is suitable, like the example below:

You can always ask any of your Community Management team myself, Quincy, Bhumika, Jenny, Breanna and Paula if you need help. And you can share a link to your Critique my listing topic in the comments section below too!

What’s your biggest worry with your listing at this point in your journey that you want help with?

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Clara116]

@Simon3200  Your place is beautiful....and all white....so clean....so white....if you added a little color it would pop a little more and when photos pop guests seem to click. Notice how the books in the bedroom stand out with that orange color. 

I'd highly recommend you stayin your place before you rent it to anyone! This is really important. Stay, try everything out that a guest would do. You'll be surprised at how things appear to you after that. 

I don't recall luggage racks....important, cause if that nasty traveling luggage doesn't have a rack waiting for it guess where that suitcase goes.........ON top of your beautiful white bedding. 

Most folks like a lamp on a bedside table....so they can read or just hang out in bed with their phones. 

You have a beautiful place and are off to a great start....but remember its a pandemic, people are afraid to travel, some can't do to travel restrictions, its winter and so hang in there and use this time to stay and experience your own place with open eyes. Before a guest does and calls your attention to things you missed in the middle of the night or after the fact when you can't change it.

Happy Hosting, enjoy its learning and can be great fun.

Clara

[Sarah977]

@Simon3200  I have to agree with Clara- it needs some color, as it stands, it is sterile hospital-like. A few colorful throw pillows on the bed, a colorful throw rug or two, doesn't need to be much, just something to break up all that white and beige.  

And the bed needs bedside tables on both sides with reading lamps on each.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Simon3200 A couple of things:

1) You don't have a check out time set - this will cause problems even if you don't do back-back bookings

2) You have a flexible cancellation policy. This is fine if you are happy with guests cancelling a day before their stay or even cancelling during the stay and getting refunded for unused nights.

[Joanna623]

Critique my listing - Joanna in Beacon, NY   USA

Brand new to hosting and am just a little nervous.  I have two extra bedrooms in my house now that the kids have all moved out.  

I don't know what people will want and what I should beware of in guests.  I haven't finished the house rules and manual yet.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/54396450?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=85270288-d2f2-48b7-91e6...

[Sarah977]

@Joanna623  Are you wanting to rent both bedrooms as a unit for 1 set of guesrs, orr rent them out separately? If you want to rent them separately? If you want to rent them out separately, you need two listings, one for each bedroom, with a guest count of 2 for each, and only photos of the ine bedroom.

I see you have kitchen use checked off in amenities. Your listing description needs a lot more information. You need to let guests know who they are sharing the home with (you I assume) and describe the kitchen situation- are you allowing full kitchen use, light cooking only?  And speak about any common areas the guests have access to- yard, porch, outside seating area? 

[Joanna623]

Thank you @Sarah977.  I just added language for them to know they can rent one or both bedroom and more information.  I just added the listing today and there's so much to do!

[Sarah977]

@Joanna623  No, you can't rent each bedroom separately just by inserting language into the description. You need 2 separate listings, one for each room.

You can then have a third listing, the one you have now, which is for both rooms together, that is for 4 guests. Then you link the calendars so you don't get double bookings.

You really should snooze your listing until you have things set up right with your listings. If someone tries to book one room, as it stands now, the pricing will be off and the other room will not be rentable- the calendar will be blocked.

Yes, there's a lot to get set up and until you do, you shouldn't have your listing active.

One good thing about having a home share listing (I do, too) is that you don't have the headaches that off-site hosts of entire house listings do- no one can throw a party and trash the house, sneak in extra guets or pets, etc. I've really had nothing but nice guests.

[Joanna623]

I only want to host one set of guests right now. Similar airbnb nearby with two bedrooms at once is priced similar. 

[Rebecca1635]

CRITIQUE OUR LISTING PLEASE 

We are new and would love any and all feedback on our listing . Because it's a unique space and the options for room types are limited we weren't certain if we call our den space a second room (thinking not) so we had to list it as a second living space ? Any feedback is welcomed!  Thanks so much ! 

https://airbnb.com/h/mcbelge-hideaway-1

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca1635  Your place is really attractive and nicely furnished.

I think you could list the den as a second bedroom. 

But your guest count  is too high. 6 is way too many in a 1 bedroom, 1 bath place. You do not have dining room space for 6 nor living room space for 6. Forget any mention of an air mattress. You have a nice apartment, not a camping listing.

Just because you can cram more people in doesn't mean it's a good idea. It's a bad idea- you don't want to give guests the idea that they can cram in more people than there is really space for- before you know it they'll be 8 in there. 

It may also very well lead to critical reviews, guests saying the place was too small for 6. 

I don't understand the little tables next to the beds that have a plant taking up the entire surface. Beside tables are where guests put their phones, their book, their eyeglasses, a glass of water, etc. They serve a purpose, they aren't just something meant to be decorative taking up space.  They each need a reading lamp on them and nothing else. And the bedroom needs a bedside table and lamp on both sides of a bed for two people, not just one. 

[Rebecca1635]

@Sarah977  - thank you so very much for all the feedback. I am so used to seeing air mattresses listed as options to sleep more but I love the points you made about this. I think also we were counting the patio as living/dining space since we are in such temperate weather but I LOVE your feedback and think we need to  take it down a bit as you mention. 

Great point about the end tables. 

To clarify - you do think we can list the den space as a bedroom? making our listing a 2 br listing ? 

thanks again - very appreciated!!

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca1635  The fact that the den has a curtain instead of a door is the tricky part, which I imagine is why you were reluctant to list it as a bedroom, as it's true that it doesn't afford much in the way of privacy. For instance, if 2 couples booked the place, they might find it awkward. Is there any way you could put some sort of door there without major renovations? Even a screen, one of those tri-fold things, in addition to the curtain, would make it feel more private, I think. 

So I understand the dilemma- you certainly don't want to open yourself up to complaints about falsely advertising it as a bedroom, so I'm not going to say that you should. Maybe some other hosts will weigh in here. 

Forget that you've seen air mattresses mentioned in other listings- almost all the advice I've seen from hosts here says not to do it. Air mattresses are fine in our own homes to sleep extra family or friends who come to visit, but in an Airbnb, it seems to convey the idea to guests that the more the merrier.  And for you, 4 guests will likely mean the place will tend to be respected- the more guests, generally the bigger the mess and potential for damage. And six people sharing one bathroom may be totally normal in some places in the world, but most first world guests aren't really accustomed to that. 

You will likely get requests for more than your max guest count anyway- hosts often do. So you could decide on a case by case basis. If a guest says they are travelling with their spouse and grandma and grandpa but have a child or two, you could decide to give them the use of the air mattress. 

I did see that indoor/outdoor seating area, which looks quite nice and could accommodate 6, but the dining table is only suitable for 4, as are the 4 kitchen stools, and the living room area, and if it's raining or something, guests would be hanging out inside.

[Rebecca1635]

Such great feedback. I really appreciate all your insight. Thank you very much!

[Gillian166]

hi Rebecca, I did respond in the other thread you posted in.

Agree with @Sarah977 's comments, the second room isn't overly private but it's not a deal breaker in your location I suspect, I stayed in an apartment in Sydney that had a bedroom like that, but it did have a tri-fold door rather than a curtain. 

I also noticed the bedside table situation in your main room.  Your place is perfect for simple Ikea style furniture (lucky you), that is minimalist, stylish and inexpensive, so 2 bedside tables should be easy to add in there.

Another reason to not host too many people is the hot water situation. Too many guests taking extra long "vacation length" showers will be a problem. (speaking from experience!), unless you are on some unlimited hot water supply via the apartment building? 

otherwise it all looks very stylish, well put together. Nice work!

[Rebecca1635]

Thank you @Gillian166  - Much appreciated. I think we will look for a more substantial divider based on both of your feedback and I have two end tables for the bedroom on order. The plants will go from the tables in the Den as well. As for the water, we were thinking about that as well - we have great hot water here, but it will be costly. 

Thank you for taking the time to send feedback. It is really appreciated.