You don’t become an Airbnb Super Host by being average
I’ve hosted many guests over the years here in Toronto using Airbnb. Not all of my experiences were sunshine and rainbows, but like anything you do in life, practice makes perfect.
Here are a few of my suggestions that helped set my listing apart from others and can help you not only get a higher satisfaction rating from your guests, but also charge slightly more and help generate extra passive income.
Get new linens
You don’t necessarily have to provide a mint on their pillow, or fancy animal towels, but supplying your soon-to-be guests with new linens sets the tone for the rest of their stay. Remember- you want to make your guests feel at home, but you don’t want them to feel neglected. Fresh new linens for the bedroom go a long way in their satisfaction.
Keep it tidy
Make a point of tidying up your space, or at least the space that your guests will be using. If you have a separate guest suite entirely in your house then make sure to do housework after every guest leaves and to provide them ample fresh towels. After I started to get quite a few bookings under my belt I outsourced this to a local cleaning company. The marginal cost was well worth it when factoring in my time.
Flower power
Fresh cut flowers are a subtle but welcome touch that any guest will appreciate. If you have a garden at home setting up an Airbnb flower garden can be a fun project to start with your kids. Live in a condo? Setup a little balcony herb garden and make a note for guests to help themselves. A small fresh local herb garden is a great touch when space is limited and takes next to little effort to maintain.
Local to-do book
Providing a book of local activities and sight seeing brochures/pamphlets is a great way to help guests get settled in a new city. Be sure to include any phone numbers they might need (the local pizza place is also a great addition to includeI also like to include a guest log so travelers can leave a small message of gratitude.
Stock the fridge
You don’t have to go all out with filling your fridge, but having a few staples on hand can really help out your guests and won’t break the bank either. Eggs, Milk, bread, and a bottle of wine are never bad ideas. In addition I would often carry local artisan goods such as cold brewed coffee from my pals over at Station Cold Brew, a bag of freshly roasted beans from the wizards at Propeller Coffee, and tea from Herbal Infusions or Sloane Fine Tea Merchants.
Hedge your risk
If you’re thinking ‘but Dan, what if they take something?’ and are concerned about guests that steal something there are a few things you can do to mitigate this risk.
- Only book with verified travelers with at least a few positive reviews under their belt. I never confirm bookings with new travelers that have not been on the site long.
- Make sure that whoever books are the guests that are staying at your place. If the reviews mention that the hosts never met the guests, or someone else showed up then I would steer clear.
- Take photos. I have had to rely on photo evidence a few times when small items were damaged and I wanted to file a claim with Airbnb. Photos make all the difference. I usually take photos prior to a guest staying and as I either pick up the keys or they check-out.
Want to get in on the Airbnb hosting game?
If you have been thinking about purchasing a condo or using this strategy as part of purchasing a home (for example to rent out a spare room or short term accommodations to utilize your basement living space) contact me so I can help work out your budget. I would be happy to suggest a few hot spots for looking into to help maximize your rental earning potential.