Renting out a house or room through AirBNB is a great way to supplement your income and get use out of a space that you don’t constantly utilize. If you’re serious about making money through AirBNB, then you need to make sure that you are getting good reviews.
Only about 3% of AirBNB hosts are considered Superhosts (experienced hosts that average 4.8 stars out of 5). But reaching an average like that means that more people will rent from you and you can charge what your property is worth. Here are some upgrades you could implement to make your vacation rental a hit and bring in some glowing reviews.
Comfortable Mattress
When people travel from across the country, or even the world, they look for a place that will make them feel safe and well rested. Giving your guests a luxury mattress will help them sleep well, leave them feeling great, and give them a very good reason to rave about your AirBNB. You can also give them options when it comes to pillow firmness. This will give them even more comfort since they’ll be able to choose the level of support they prefer.
Guidebook
You want your guests to feel at home, so providing them with all the information they need to settle in quickly is important. Having WiFi passwords readily visible, the details of the property, nearby locations that are worth a visit, local activities, or coupons for local establishments will give your guests another reason to give you five stars.
Meeting Expectations
You want to make sure that the expectations your guests have match what their experience will be once they arrive. You can start this off by ensuring that your listing is accurate and very clear about both the positives you have to offer, and any perceived negatives. You not only want to attract a lot of guests, but you want to attract the right kind of guests that are a good match for your property and will have a good time there.
Amenities
Vacationers like convenience. Including everything guests could possibly want during their stay will help put your AirBNB over the top. For example, putting hangers in the closets and providing an iron could really help those guests that want to stay looking sharp. Other less common, but must-have amenities include electrical adapters, extra towels and sheets, and high-speed internet connection.
Lighting
Especially if your guests are traveling in groups, they may have different bedtimes and routines that they want to follow on their travels. Equipping your AirBNB with several different lighting options will allow everyone to feel comfortable. You may want to provide soft lighting in the bedrooms so guests can read before bed without disrupting everyone else in the room.
Activities
While most people will have activities outside of their vacation rentals to participate in during the day, there’s bound to be some downtime during your guests’ trip. You don’t want them sitting around feeling bored in your accommodations. Providing a few activities to make sure they always have something to do can boost your ratings. It may be a good idea to invest in activities that don’t have small parts that are easy to lose, like a foosball table or a shelf of popular books or magazines.
Hanging Luggage Weight Scale
A hanging luggage weight scale is something guests will only use once during their vacation, so most people will not bring one of their own. For many people, a scale like this will be necessary to ensure that their luggage is below airlines’ limits, especially if they’ve picked up a few souvenirs. Finding housing that provides this small but necessary amenity can be one of the tipping points for guests to choose your AirBNB.
Customer Service
Occasional issues are bound to come up, and the way you handle any problems is often going to be more impactful than the issue itself. Most guests understand that some things are out of your control, so they can be understanding if you are prompt in your communication and make sure they feel heard.
You should take all issues seriously and work quickly to resolve them. While you are working to resolve the issue, you should also be in communication with the guests, so they know what you are doing to resolve the issue. They want to know that you are mindful of their comfort and that the issue will be resolved quickly.
Most of All
No matter what you choose to add to your AirBNB and how you decide to provide for your guests, the most important thing to remember is to be kind, courteous, and honest about everything you have to offer. The small details are what is going to set you apart from the competition.
