How to Wow Your Airbnb Guests
Raise your hand if you want to wow your Airbnb listing to be a cut above the rest!
Just yesterday I was on Instagram when a photo of a cozy cabin living room with a fireplace stopped my scroll. An orange fire glowing, a woman wrapped in a wool blanket gazing out a floor-to-ceiling window, and a view of a turquoise blue lake. I immediately bookmarked it for a future trip.
I’ve stayed in hundreds of Airbnbs and hotel rooms around the world. Some have been WOW, some ho-hum, and some straight up gross.
So what really creates the big difference? And what’s the secret eye-catching look that makes some Airbnb spaces so popular online?
I’m here to help unveil that mystery.
Many hosts ask me how they can start marketing their Airbnb. I get questions like, “do I need a website? Do I need to hire a photographer?”
I hear you. You want to set your listing apart from the competition.
Well, I have to break it to you — if your listing and space aren’t set up to WOW a guest, then marketing will not do anything.
Before you try to promote a lackluster listing, let’s make your space top-notch. It’s worth upgrading the details and making a few changes that will make it shine.
Inspire guests to live differently.
Let’s start with what guests want. Guests don’t just want a place to sleep! They want to feel different in your space than they do at home. They want to relax, be on vacation, or do their work with more focus and clarity.
Guests want a place that inspires them to live differently when they return to their daily lives.
So, the first question to ask yourself is: what do you want guests to FEEL when they are in your space?
At our casita, I hope guests feel inspired to live a more minimal lifestyle, to get outside, and to relax with a book while breathing in fresh air, surrounded by green plants, rather than looking at their phone.
The first step to upgrading your space is to write down that feeling.
The second step is to upgrade your space with that feeling as your central goal.
Make a list of what upgrades will achieve that feeling.
(Psst . . . If you wanna go deeper into learning how to elevate your Airbnb, I’m launching a class in January 2021. Click here to learn more.)
The best listings include these FIVE key ingredients, no matter how small of a space you have:
1. Spaciousness.
Go for decor that evokes relaxation, spaciousness, and easy living.
Instead of asking yourself what you can add to the space, first ask yourself, “What can I eliminate from the space?”
Start creating a guest house with a blank slate. Every piece of furniture should be essential. If it's not essential, then consider removing it. Your guests want room to move, to unpack their bags, or spread out a yoga mat.
What evokes spaciousness?
Neutral, light-colored fabrics: rugs, curtains, furniture that is as light in color as possible, especially in a small space.
No clutter, ever. Countertops should be as clear as possible.
Lots of light. How can you add light into the room with more lighting at different heights or replace heavy curtains with sheer ones. Let in the light wherever possible.
Nothing under the bed. Really. Nothing.
A place to sit and lounge. Ideally, a few places to sit and read a book.
Open layouts with clear pathways to walk through the space
Large enough furniture to eat a meal, unpack your toiletries, or set down your clothing. Guests should feel there is enough space to spread out and unpack their things.
Hooks, hooks, and more hooks, because you cannot have too many hooks, as well as empty closets, luggage racks, dresser drawers or shelves to unpack.
Larger rugs that tie the whole room together
Not too much furniture! Room to walk and not knock anything over. I like to be able to stand and swing my arms around in a room, as a good rule of thumb!
2. Personality!
Have you stayed in an Airbnb that felt like a monotonous hotel room and you could have been anywhere in the world?
Many Airbnbs make this mistake: they are too blank.
Guests want to stay in spaces that draw them in and inspire them. They book spaces that have a specific personality and draw.
What is your style? Name it.
Mine is organic, modern and California casual. Yours might be mid-century modern, bohemian, glam, vintage, surfing, or it might have the personality of the place you’re in: beachy, log cabin, jazz studio, vintage skiing, mountain modern, pop art, eclectic artsy, musician’s pad, industrial loft.
Don’t mix multiple styles throughout the space - create a theme and stick with it. Then, add decor that matches that personality:
Rugs
Pillows
Blankets and throws
Art and antiques
Books
Plants / planters
BUT. Do not over clutter. Keep art and tchotchkes to a minimum so that they add personality but guests still have room to unpack.
3. Amenities.
Why are guests traveling to your location?
Add amenities that help enhance their experience. For us, some guests are here to work while others are visiting family or checking out the Oakland restaurant scene. So, we provide guests with strong coffee options and great Wi-Fi, plus a big desk. We give guests a list of our very favorite nearby restaurants. We provide a basket of outdoor dining gear including a tablecloth and lantern.
Our list of amenities is quite long and I’ll share it another time, but our list will be different from yours.
The question to ask is: What experience are your guests aiming for? Are your guests on vacation? A beach trip? A cozy wintry weekend with a book and a crackling fire?
Consider what guests will need to experience their ultimate stay. Chopped firewood? A cabinet full of family-fun games? Beach towels? A bike? Robes and slippers? A s’mores kit?
4. Cleanliness.
Listings should appear clean even in the photos!
And your reviews should reflect that your space is sparkling clean.That means you’ll need to regularly deep clean.
It's one thing to wash the bedding. It's another level of clean to go deep: wipe down baseboards, clean under the sink, scrub the shower grout until it shines, vacuum the light fixtures, change the air filters, wash the windows, scrub the outdoor light fixtures.
Guests should open closets and look under beds to find squeaky clean, dust-bunny-free space. One hair will ruin it all.
Your cleaning to-do list:
Make a checklist of the regular turnover tasks that happen between each booking.
Make a checklist of the deep cleaning tasks that you need to do monthly or keep an eye on.(They may need to happen every few stays depending on the space.)
5. Photos.
Yes, it’s worth getting professional photos of your space done once.
Wait until you’ve upgraded your space so that your listing photos reflect reality. Then, check back here for my upcoming photo tips!
If you’re stuck or want a second set of eyes on your listing, get in touch with me! I’m here to help you on your path to making your space a glowing guest house with 5-star reviews.