Remember when Dorothy said “There’s no place like home” in the Wizard of Oz? Truer words were never spoken, and there are Airbnb host tips that play up on this to make guests feel as though their experiences are more personalized and therefore, more memorable. A main reason why Airbnb took off the way it did is because it appeals so well to travelers who prefer the comfort and hominess as opposed to impersonal hotel rooms. It’s definitely about the amenities offered, but also all about the service that hosts provide.
Airbnb Tips for Hosts
Your hosting style should fit your personality to a point, but this strategy won’t work if you’re lazy! Learnbnb points out the importance of being realistic about the time commitment; you’re not just posting the listing and taking reservations and payments. The best hosts are pleasant, friendly and involved during every step of the booking process, enjoy welcoming their guests and don’t mind being available throughout the stays.
Beginner hosts need to carefully consider their property’s locations and think about how a rental will impact nearby neighbors. If it’s a quiet community, you won’t want to be renting out to spring breakers who will have loud parties until the wee hours. Conscientious hosts consider their neighbors and the categories of people that they will rent to. A lot of complaints will make everyone unhappy, and lead to less and less bookings.
And if you’re a renter who has been landlord- or owner-approved to rent the premises on Airbnb, you’ll have to manage the rental and follow their regulations. For example, should they prohibit renters under the age of 18, you will have to comply with their wishes. And if anything gets damaged, you will most likely be held responsible.
More Airbnb Host Tips
The best Airbnb hosts offer personalized service that’s not too touchy/feely. In other words, you should be available to answer any questions with quick response times, but avoid hanging around for too long or checking in every hour. It’s nice to greet guests when they first arrive and to walk them through the house; this can also reduce the need for them to reach out with questions during their stays. Also be sure to leave written instructions for operating the appliances if they’re tricky; guests will also want the WiFi password, entry keycode and anything else they might need to operate things in the home.
To get the most bookings and best reviews, your Airbnb must be well-maintained and completely cleaned after each rental ends. If you can’t handle the work yourself, you can hire a property manager or a cleaning service to do this for you. Avalara recommends having a checklist and to pay special attention to the bathrooms; the space should have no traces whatsoever of the previous guests, just like a hotel room.
The clutter should be kept to a minimum, so you won’t want to leave a lot of tchotchkes, family photos and other things taking up space on the desktops and tabletops. Don’t leave personal belongings in the closets either; the goal is for guests to feel able to spread out, relax and feel like they are at home. You can provide extra bathroom towels, good quality kitchen tools, kitchen cooking basics, spices, snacks and of course, a great coffeemaker with some gourmet tea and coffee. Some hosts even take things a step further by leaving a welcome basket with local produce or a bottle of wine − this can really make your place stand out from the competition.
Airbnb Superhost Tips
Airbnb Superhosts are top performers who have special badges on their listings that can help them get more bookings. To become eligible, you’ll need to be the primary host and have a good standing with the company. Applicants must have 10 or more completed trips or three reservations totaling a minimum of 100 nights, a 90 percent or higher response rate and a one percent or lower cancellation rate unless there were extenuating circumstances. The ratings are important, too; it must be 4.8 overall. Airbnb evaluates host performances every quarter, on the 1st of January, April, July and October.
Those who meet all of the requirements automatically become Superhosts; they notify hosts at the end of each assessment period, and the badges appear around a week later. If becoming a Superhost is your goal, you’ll first need to get the bookings. Robemart explains that the listing is the first step; it should be honest about all the offerings, since you don’t want to build up guests’ expectations and offer them less; their reviews will reflect their disappointment. This source also suggests greeting guests personally, and emphasizes the importance of providing them with all the supplies they need plus extras just in case.
This means having extra sheets, pillows, blankets and towels in the linen closet, a backup coffeemaker and of course, plenty of paper towels, napkins and toilet paper. It’s also nice to leave them shampoo, conditioner, soap and other bathroom essentials; have a working hair dryer, ironing board and washer and dryer. It’s also thoughtful to leave information about your favorite nearby restaurants, hiking trails and other landmarks that they might enjoy. And be sure to leave your phone on 24/7 (unless you have a property manager who does this for you); you never know when an emergency could occur.
Airbnb Safety Tips
The thought of having strangers stay in your home was pretty much unheard of years ago, but these days it’s business as usual for millions of home owners and travelers across the globe. Still, safety should always be of the utmost importance for both parties. Have guests fill out detailed applications that include their home addresses, contact information, copies of drivers’ licenses and credit card information. Hosts shouldn’t provide direct contact information until the payment has cleared and even then, it’s best not to share a personal residence address and to use a business phone number.
Airbnb does provide some additional insurance coverage for theft and damage, but this is often a secondary insurance option. Hosts are encouraged to have their own insurance policies, and companies that offer it are usually familiar with Airbnb coverage. Hosts can also set house rules like no smoking, no pets, no extra guests and no parking on the neighbor’s property; the agreement should state that breaking these can incur fines. And if you don’t live in the area, it’s wise to check on the property when it’s being rented. If you can’t do this, a property manager or neighbor may be able to help.
Some hosts rent out rooms or parts of their properties and prohibit access to other areas. To make sure that guests don’t wander into these spots, you can let them know and also use a motion detector. Security cameras are discouraged for privacy reasons, but you can set up motion detectors. It’s also a good idea to protect your home WiFi network. A home network security device can help with this, and can let you see all of the WiFi-enabled devices using your system at any given time; this can be an indicator of a large party taking place at your rental, too.
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