Hospitable Hosts Workshops Compilation: The Best Hosting Tips from Your Fellow Short-Term Hosts

workshop compilation

By The Hospitable Team

There are always so many tips when it comes to navigating the ever-changing world of hosting.  From dealing with tricky guests to trying to find the perfect balance between business security and profitability. Worry no more. Together with your fellow hosts, we got your back!

Our special series of webinars, Hospitable Hosts Workshops, has already featured more than 15 Hospitable Superhosts – established and experienced members of our community. They’ve covered a wide range of topics, from scaling up to handling emotional support and service animal requests. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro looking to take your hosting game to the next level, there’s something for everyone in this series. 

And for those of you who missed any of the live Hospitable Hosts Workshops or want a handy reference guide, we’ve compiled a collection of the best hosting tips into one easy-to-read blog post.

So, grab yourself a hot beverage and make yourself comfortable as we bring you the best highlights below, or jump straight into our all-in-one playlist to watch the full recordings. 

Want to become a Superhost? Ask a Hospitable Host

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Our first Hospitable Hosts Workshop encouraged our users to achieve and maintain Superhost status! Our expert host educators, Culin Tate, David Hillar, Kami Myles, and Linda Hayes shared their personal stories and tips on how they earned their Superhost rank. They also discussed the benefits of being a Superhost and how it has positively impacted their business.

Workshop’s top quote:

We’re very purposeful when it comes to getting five-star reviews. We actually do a little bit of a psychological marketing game – we say “five-star review” in our messaging three times.

1. The very first time that they book it's like “This is our goal. This is what we're after.”
2. The morning after we're like, “We really hope that you're having a five-star experience.”
3. In the end, when we ask them for their review we say “You know, if you didn't have a five-star experience, please contact us immediately!”

So, we educate our guests along the way.

The discussion did not end on Superhost status details, as our host educators addressed some very specific questions from the audience. They shared suggestions on dealing with pets, tips on how to handle negative reviews, and took a closer look at various solutions for when hosts do not receive any support from Airbnb. 

Curious to learn more about our Superhosts? Watch our full Workshop here.

Pros and cons of listing on multiple channels

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In the next Hospitable Hosts Workshop, experienced hosts Tim Wade, Mack Owen, Eli Stoughton, and Bailey Kramer shared their knowledge and experience about listing properties on multiple channels. From the overview of numerous existing channels to the benefits of building your own direct bookings website, our Workshop provided insights into how to get the most out of your short-term rentals.

Workshop’s top quote:

If it wasn't for the fact that I had everything automated and syncing, it probably wouldn't even be worth it for me.

It works exactly because you have all that stuff in sync with Hospitable.com, your dynamic pricing, automated messages, and all that kind of stuff… Then you are only left to notice how Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo logos change in the app.

If you don’t automate it all, every tiny little thing adds up to one big inconvenience.

Our experts also answered questions from the audience on a variety of topics: Handling booking cancellations? Listing multiple rooms in one property? Advice on making the checkout process smoother? You can get it all. This Workshop’s deep dive into the aspects of direct bookings became a valuable experience for anyone looking to take their short-term rental hosting to the next level.

Curious to learn more about listing on multiple channels? Watch our full Workshop here

Scaling up: from 1 listing to 20

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This Hospitable Hosts Workshop focused on scaling up your short-term rental business. Our audience had the opportunity to learn from expert hosts Jon Bell, Andrew McMaster, Cristina Morales and Erica Mattia as they shared their personal stories and provided tips on how to grow your business from one listing to 20 and beyond.

Workshop’s top quote:

One of the things that I do now, before I say “we're open for business,” I go and sit down with the neighbors on each side of that property. “Mate, this is what I’m about to do. What do you think?”

You have to talk to your neighbors – the people that can destroy guest experience just by being cold or doing something silly. Talk to your neighbors. Get them on your side. Get them on the journey with you!

The pros and cons of scaling, the best time to start, common mistakes along the way and what you can do to avoid them – all of these issues were discussed in our Workshop. To top it off, the hosts also answered questions from the audience about automating your STR business, diversifying the listings, renovations and more. These are some tips you certainly don’t want to miss. 

Curious to learn more about scaling up? Watch our full Workshop here.  

Dealing with declines in inquiries and booking cancellations

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This time Teri Trifiletti, Jasper Ribbers, Lauren Havens, and Niyi Adewole shared their valuable insights. This amazing quartet discussed how to effectively deal with declines in inquiries and booking cancellations. Having faced these challenges in their own businesses, our experts described their personal ups and downs and provided tips on how to navigate through them.

Workshop’s top quote:

Maybe you have been a little bit too firm of a cancellation policy from the beginning. Try changing it and see if that helps boost your bookings.

If you're brand new, you want to have the most flexible cancellation policy just to get yourself started. If you're good with taking a booking the day before check-in and you can afford to do that, then, I'd say, start out like that. Then change it already a little bit further down the road.

Throughout the workshop, our hosts discussed the frequency of cancellations and the importance of having clear policies. They also shared how to efficiently communicate policies to guests and provided tips on avoiding cancellations. And if you do eventually happen to receive a cancellation, they offered advice on what to do next. So, watch and learn!

Curious to learn more about booking cancellations? Watch our full Workshop here

Handling emotional support and service animal requests

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Our most recent Hospitable Hosts Workshop zoomed in on Ikenna Unegbu’s extensive experience with handling emotional support and service animal requests. Ikenna covered a wide range of issues, from the difference between emotional support and service animals and pets to the special equipment you may need to accommodate such requirements.

Workshop’s top quote:

Service animals are not considered pets by The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulation. They’re really there to do work or do a task that they're specifically trained for in order to help the person with a disability.

And that is different from an emotional support animal because those provide comfort. So, an emotional support animal is not a service animal as per the ADA definition.

The caveat here is that in some states they also have inclusive laws, which will make you waive a pet fee for guests with an emotional support animal, too.

In addition to his insights on service animals, Ikenna also shared his tips on ensuring a safe and damage-free short-term rental property. He touched upon party prevention, dealing with toddlers and kids, and protecting your property through both insurance and policies. As a result, this workshop turned out to be a comprehensive guide to short-term rental hosting. 

Curious to learn more about pet policies? Watch our full Workshop here

More in 2023

Excited to learn more from fellow hosts this year? 

Hospitable Superhosts will keep on sharing the best tips live and on our YouTube channel

Want to become a super host yourself and generate even more additional income without sacrificing your free time and energy? 

Streamline your short-term rental business!

Hospitable is here to make short-term hosting a piece of cake.
masterclasses

Hospitable Masterclasses: STR Tips You Must Know in 2023

We know that being a short-term rental host can be like a game of Tetris… guests, bookings, and cleaning schedules are constantly falling from the sky and you have to fit them all together perfectly. To help our hosts slot everything into place, we organize Hospitable Masterclasses that are jam-packed with inspiration and insight.

property management books

Property Management Books You Should Add to Your List

Reading property management books can help you learn about the best practices and master the intricacies of the perfect hosting and property management.
If you are looking to expand your knowledge, we can help you make your search for a great book faster. We’ve made a list of the top books on property management and property investing.

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