By The Hospitable Team
Planning to start a short-term rental business on Airbnb and looking for an Airbnb startup checklist? In this post, you’ll find an Airbnb host checklist of essential things you will need to invest in for the greatest experience for your guests.
Being an Airbnb host isn’t just about providing your guests with a place to sleep. You have to take the full guest experience into account and deliver high-quality service.
As a host, you are competing with millions of other Airbnb hosts, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Better experiences mean better reviews, and better reviews mean more bookings. The process is simple.
So what is the best way to ensure this? Creating a perfect customer experience for your Airbnb guests involves a lot of work. And a part of that successful formula is making sure that your Airbnb property is stacked with the essentials that will make your guests feel comfortable and at home.
We thought you might also be interested in learning about hosting at Booking.com. Our guide is a great place to start.
How Do I Prepare My Room for Airbnb?
Turning your home into Airbnb is a great way to make extra money, but it’s not that simple. There’s plenty to do before your first guest arrives to make sure your house is ready for the best Airbnb guest experience.
First of all, you should make sure your place is safe. So fix any exposed wires or loose steps, replace non-working smoke alarms, install CO2 detectors if you don’t already have them, etc. Repair and replace the appliances and equipment you have lived for years. Provide your guests with a first aid kit.
Nobody wants to stay in dirty lodging; that’s why you need to go the extra mile to make a good impression on your guests. Clean your house from top to bottom before taking pictures of your property.
You need to transform your space from personal to guest-friendly by decluttering it, removing old furniture, cleaning your house well.
There’s a bunch of factors that make an Airbnb apartment different from a personal one. You need to keep the balance between durability and comfort. With the right planning of your space and furniture, you will avoid excessive renovation costs. Download our free guide on setting your apartment the smart way.
You can consider getting a professional cleaner to give your house a deep clean. Although it’s an additional cost, you should think of it as an investment in your property. Keeping your place tidy in-between guests’ stays is probably even more important. You need to work with a team of reliable cleaners, capable of responding to short-notice requests.
You don’t need to rely on yourself to manage cleaners.
Besides, you should remove all your personal items and store them in another place. It’s important to leave your guests a clean, roomy space for them to spread out and relax. Finally, provide the necessary amenities to make your space welcoming.
Airbnb recommends all hosts provide the essential amenities to ensure that guests have what they need to be comfortable and have a good night’s rest. These basic amenities include soap, toilet paper, linen/sheets, towels, and pillows. Recommended quantities of each item depend on the number of guests and the length of their stay.
Inventory Checklist for Vacation Rental
Sometimes, having the right item in your Airbnb listing can make all the difference. Here’s the standard Airbnb host checklist that you can rely on to be the perfect host. Make sure you have these Airbnb essentials for your listing to make traveler’s stay more comfortable:
- Bath towels (2 per guest);
- Toilet paper;
- Feminine products;
- Toiletries (it’s better to buy them in bulk)—soap, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, body lotion, disposable toothbrush;
- Hairdryer;
- Garbage can;
- Bed linen and pillows;
- Hangers for clothing;
- Alarm clock;
- Wi-Fi access;
- Bedside lamp and table;
- Safe for valuables;
- Tea & coffee;
- Tea kettle;
- Sugar;
- Milk;
- Salt & pepper;
- Pots & pans;
- Dishes and cups;
- Butter;
- Cleaning supplies (all-purpose cleaner, dishwashing liquid, disinfectant, bleach, etc.);
- Pens and pencils;
- Full-length mirror;
- Books and magazines.
Your guests will appreciate it if you go the extra mile and stock your property with these things to ensure a personalized experience:
- Disposable slippers and bathrobes;
- Universal charger;
- Clothing rack or dryer;
- Clothing iron and ironing board;
- Adaptors;
- Smart TV;
- Netflix.
Don’t forget to provide your guests with a home guidebook that includes information about your house rules and a personalized welcome note. It’s important to send the guest a pre-prepared welcome pack in advance.
You don’t have to do all the writing!
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What Do Airbnb Hosts Provide?
We have provided you with a rental inventory checklist of basic amenities a host should have for Airbnb guests. But there’re also other items that can enhance the guest experience and make it special, depending on the type of traveler, for example, business or leisure.
What do Airbnb hosts provide to impress their guests and get higher ratings? Here are some options.
For Leisure Travelers
If the guests are staying for leisure, try to make an extra effort to make your place feel like a home away from home. Add some touches that will make their stay special. For example, have a well-stocked kitchen with an assumption that your guests would like to cook, provide luxuriously soft bedding and toys for the little ones.
For Business Travelers
Business guests have more convenience and efficiency-focused requirements. So consider providing smartphone chargers and setting a laptop-friendly workspace. If you want to get certified as “Business Travel Ready,” you need to meet strict criteria. To qualify, you must make sure to include the workspace, Wi-Fi, self-check-in, carbon monoxide and smoke detector, and certain other basic amenities.
Airbnb Toiletries
Spa-quality Airbnb toiletries are a fantastic way to transform your space into a truly special place and guarantee a great experience for guests. Adding natural shampoos, body wash, soaps, and conditioners to your bathroom will make a huge difference in how guests view your property.
Leave a Gift
A welcome gift is anything you can give to the guest upon check-in. It’s better not to advertise this item in your listing and make it a surprise and delightful feature. It can be a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, a box of chocolates or sweets, bread, cheese, or even fresh flowers—here’s your chance to get creative. Leave a signed greeting card with the gift and let them know you appreciate them choosing your Airbnb.
Conclusions
We hope you can use this Airbnb host checklist to guarantee your guests a positive travel experience. Start with the basics and think of what the guest really needs. But don’t forget to add a few extras to transform your Airbnb space into a welcoming home for your temporary guests.
Make sure to maintain the healthy balance between making your place comfy and durable. Download our free guide with actionable tips that will save you lots of money in the long run.
Create a wow factor to impress your guests much more. Remember that attention to detail is important if you want to be a successful Airbnb host.
Booking.com Host Guide for Beginners
Today, Booking.com is one of the largest accommodation booking platforms, with more than 28 million listings in 226 countries and territories across the globe. Planning to become the part of this crowd? Our guide will get you started.
Airbnb Messages: Communication that Builds Rapport
There are some very practical steps you can take to make sure your communication is on point.
So what can you do to build rapport more effectively and improve your chances of getting good communication reviews? Let’s find out, shall we?
Airbnb Automation: Is it Killing Authenticity?
As Airbnb gained traction and secured its foothold in the short-term rental market, and subsequently the hospitality business, it became clear that its users clearly valued the communication and experiences they gained from interacting directly with the property owner—not the landlord or manager, but host. How, on earth, then can the hosts stay sane and have a life? We’re about to tell you, read on.
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