
Since its foundation in 2008, Airbnb’s popularity has grown so much. Apart from just staying in hotels, travelers now have the option of a more localized feel through short-term vacation home rentals. Those who have extra properties are putting theirs on Airbnb where they sign up as hosts. Many are even offering their spare rooms or their residence, so while they go on holidays, there are travelers also staying in their space.
Level Up Your Airbnb Accommodation
However, if you’re a host, you’ve got to expect a lot of competition. It’s not just enough to be ordinary because the goal is to be a professional Airbnb host. When you have this badge, your properties become more popular as travelers will often prefer you.
If you’re looking for ways to improve, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some pro tips to make you a better Airbnb host:
1. Be Honest
Don’t give people heightened expectations far from reality. You may get a booking, but this isn’t going to make you a good host. Plus, there’s nothing to stop these travelers from posting unpleasant reviews on your listing when you gave them a disappointing experience.
Just be honest about how your property looks and what its features are. Don’t say it can accommodate seven people when it’s made only for four. Guests are happiest when you manage their expectations and keep things real.
Also, be frank about the elements present. For example, if your place has a flight of stairs to navigate through, post photos of these. In this way, travelers with young children or those with mobility problems will know about the scenario.
2. Make It Personal
Make a room for some personal interaction with your guests. If you can’t welcome them personally, then you can go as far as leaving a note near the door and perhaps a small welcome package. Because you have the list of guests who are staying, you can put their names on the greetings.
This may be a small thing, but it elevates the whole experience by making your Airbnb more welcoming and personal. Make sure they’ve got everything they need for a good stay. And should they have concerns while they’re around, be open to help them out if you’re just in the area.
3. Keep Your Listing Current
It’s also important to keep your Airbnb listing up to date. This means if the photos of your property were from many years back, it may not have the same appearance anymore. Are there renovations you’ve undergone? Were plants and other features been added? Are there new amenities included now in the rental price?
Be sure to update these, so the listing stays current. Apart from the positive aspects, this also includes the negative ones. For instance, if a road construction or building construction is going on right across your property, be frank about this and put it in your updates. While these may not always drive travelers away from your property, they’ll be able to appreciate you more as a host when they’re made aware of these.
4. Be Flexible With Check-In And Check-Out Time
One of the reasons why many travelers choose to go for Airbnb rentals is the flexible check-in and check-out time compared with the strict regulations of hotels. This should be an advantage for you to give as many travelers would be appreciative of this.
Remember, while plane tickets and flying schedules are fixed, this doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be any delays. When this happens, it’s an inconvenience for the travelers, so they’ll want to be able to count on you to help smoothen the experience by being understanding of this.
For instance, instead of the usual check out at noon, maybe you’ve got guests who need to stay until the afternoon as their flight has been moved later in the evening. If you don’t have guests checking in on the same day, why not give them those extra three hours to help them through the inconvenience of a changed flight schedule?
It’ll come back to you when the reviews are positive and the ratings will be better, which will attract even more travelers.
Conclusion
When you’re an Airbnb host, your goal shouldn’t just be to have many guests during peak seasons. The challenge comes during off-season travels—how you’re going to attract the few travelers to your vacation home. If you’ve already worked as a host and you think you need to improve your strategies, the tips above will come in handy. Soon enough, you’re going to have the much-coveted Superhost badge.