Airbnb is a website where you can explore and rent unique accommodation all over the world.
It offers millions of travellers the opportunity to visit various countries and enjoy an economical stay at ordinary people’s houses.
In this way, they are able to immerse themselves in the local culture and gain unforgettable travel experiences.
"Main image: Airbnb Copenhagen flat in a 1880 building, with modern danish design"
source
Many articles have been written on what can really help you to successfully rent out your property through the Airbnb platform.
The parameter they all have in common has to do with achieving full occupancy rates for the rental property.
A very good occupancy rate on a short-term lease can generate much greater revenues than a conventional long-term lease.
However, if you don’t own the famous Atlanta treehouse which easily lands 300,000 hits on the platform every month, but would still like your property to be selected out of 4,500,000 entries worldwide, you should take into account the following advice in order to stand out and secure the much-coveted good reviews.
After all, as we very well know, ensuring full occupancy greatly depends both on clicks -that is, how your entry can attract attention, making prospective travellers want to visit it- and on the positive reviews posted after the end of their stay at your property.
Hit-attracting hints. In other words, how to make your listing stand out and secure more hits.
Invest in a professional photographer
The first positive impression can be created through attractive pictures, so go for a photographer who can bring forth the strong points of your rental accommodation.
Arrange the photoshoot on a sunny day. Bright natural light can accentuate colours, furniture and decorative elements as it adds space depth and a warm atmosphere to the property.
A good photoshoot will attach a sense of professionalism to your accommodation.
A lovely photograph definitely requires a lovely subject, though; so, I would advise you to dedicate a little time and a lot of love to your interior decoration.
Decorate the room with at least one statement piece of furniture or lighting.
There’s no need to purchase expensive furniture and lighting items, you just need to make sure they are tasteful and look good in photographs.
Don’t forget to include at least one piece that captivates attention, even if it isn’t made by a famous brand.
Design lovers are sure to appreciate it.
Alternatively, you can create an original lamp of your own.
For instance, bare lightbulbs are very much in fashion at the moment. Buy some with wonderful finishing, such as metal, marble, cement, and wrap the flexes around a large wood bar.
Hanging your handmade pendant over the table will make a huge impact on the photo!
Invest in a wall coated with various materials.
Catch everybody’s eye hanging an impressive wallpaper on your wall or adding a kind of decorative brick or beautiful synthetic stone.
An alternative idea would be for you to invest in a sizeable, impressive work of art.
However, do make sure that all other wall and furnishing colours are kept in neutral shades.
Choose eye-catching cushions for your sofa and beds.
Mix and match various fabric textures that will allow for a rich and three-dimensional aesthetic outcome.
Mount plain shelves on the walls.
Have them beautifully decorated with books and plants.
Pay attention to detail and hang them on straps.
They are certain to draw attention during future online searches.
Create skilfully decorated corners and take close-up photos.
Add your personal touch by putting together ravishing room corners.
A chair instead of a conventional bedside table, a wooden ladder leaning against the wall instead of a towel rack, a hanging chair with lively throws, all reinforce the feeling of personal care, warmth and hospitality.
Decorate using elements that allude to the traditional character of the city where the property is located.
Ethnic decoration, when in moderation and good taste, gives extra points during traveller searches.
In fact, travellers subconsciously seek to see beautiful house photos attuned with the broader surroundings of the city they are planning to visit.
Congratulations, your entry has been selected! Now, how can you obtain the much-coveted positive reviews?
According to Airbnb, what their customers require are comfort, all the essential equipment, proper maintenance and well-tended deco!
Hints for positive reviews- in other words, how to win positive reviews that will make your occupancy rate skyrocket.
First impressions clearly count!
Welcome your guests, offering them a small basket with traditional products or leave them a bottle of wine.
A sweet welcome note will also come as a pleasant surprise.
Make sure to provide them with a book containing all the useful information that can help them during their stay, such as: hospitals, pharmacies, emergency service phone numbers, public transport network, maps, must-go restaurants, entertainment facilities, local events.
Make sure your spaces are functional so that you can facilitate your guests’ stay at your house.
Be extra careful to have spacious corridors which will allow them to move their suitcases around without staining or damaging the walls.
Provide for spaces where they can easily unpack their luggage.
Install sufficient electrical sockets for their chargers and a fast WiFi connection.
Don’t forget to have your house smelling nice using air-fresheners or potpourri.
The house must definitely convey an overall sense of cleanliness everywhere.
Having said that, make sure that your bathroom is kept in excellent condition, replacing anything that may strike guests as old or dirty.
It goes without saying that worn floors and old windows must certainly be repaired or even replaced.
If the kitchen, wardrobes and interior doors look are old and you don’t intend to change them, refresh the colour and let the details do the trick!
Choose brassvintage knobs in the kitchen and modern or original door handles.
Mix and match furniture and trends from a variety of periods.
If you have old, distressed furniture, breathe new life into them by combining them with modern materials.
Using distressed-looking furniture paired with wood, metal and leather, you can’t go wrong in interior design.
An artful matching of various periods will offer vigour and freshness, guaranteeing durability against time and the ever-changing fashion trends.
Opt for a clever combination of your outdoor furniture with vintage elements and enjoy an unexpected, pleasant summery effect.
Hang mirrors at strategic points to add light and make the room appear bigger in size.
Choose spacious beds with comfortable mattresses and pillows.
Select sofa beds so that you can accommodate more people.
Choose beautiful fabrics for an extra touch of warmth and luxury.
Velvet has made a strong comeback!
Don’t hesitate to use it at the right spaces. Your guests are bound to appreciate it!
The bed making style is another important detail that can make a world of difference!
Watch a short Airbnb video below for some inspirational ideas:
For further information and clever hints of bed making, make sure you visit my blog next week to read my new article!
Empty the rooms from your personal photographs, items denoting your political or other convictions, personal hygiene products and objects of great sentimental or economic value.
Invest in a large smart TV.
Convert your house into a full-time, convenient entertainment centre.
This means that the television must be connected to the internet so that your guests can access Netflix films, cable TV programmes and films as well as music reproduction.
All this will give your reviews a huge boost!
Scroll down for another three useful Airbnb videos featuring interior design tips that can give you more ideas yet:
Adding personality
Making your home guest-friendly
Designing for durability
Would you like to go the extra mile? I’ve saved the catchiest Hints for last: they’re sure to help you stand out!
Install a projector screen for films in the garden or the veranda.
An August open-air cinema in Greece, all to themselves, is something that your guests won’t be able to forget for a long, long time.
In bigger countryside properties and winter tourism accommodation, invest in a small sauna.
It will allow your visitors to unwind after a day of skiing or hiking in the Greek mountains – it’s bound to fill them with a sense of well-being and smiles, and you with rave reviews.
Install a Lockitron type mechanism at the front door.
The Lockitron mechanism is a device that can lock or unlock doors through a smartphone https://lockitron.com. Using a WiFi connection, you can be aware at all times if someone is entering your property. Similarly, your visitors can access the application using a different password so that they can lock and unlock the house without the stress of losing the key.
It may be a low-cost investment, but it’s priceless!
Other electronic locks, such as the Yale Monoblock Smart Lock, can be unlocked using a keypad, so, again, there’s no need for you to give your guests keys; they can even let themselves in without requiring the host’s presence.
This particular lock is also wirelessly connected with the house’s electrical control board; as a result, when the tenant leaves, the air-conditioning units and all other electrical supply sources (besides the refrigerator) are turned off. In this way, you get both increased fire safety and energy efficiency.
All the hints above contribute to a cosy, beautifully-decorated and well-kept house. What about the equipment necessary?
Subscribe to hintsdeco for free and you will receive a private e-mail with a comprehensive list, detailing all the essential equipment you will be needing.
You will also receive the full prerequisites your property must meet if it is to be included in the Αirbnb plus entries once the service becomes available in your country.
What is Airbnb Plus; Good news for the homeowners offering extra services.
Airbnb has announced a new section on its website, called Airbnb plus, which will originally host 2,000 property entries in 13 cities, standing out from the rest and verified for their quality and comfort by Airbnb itself.
While these properties are not necessarily considered luxurious, they will be allowed to charge up to twice the standard rate of conventional Airbnb homes, since -according to the company’s CEO- 73% of Airbnb clients would be willing to pay extra to stay at verified-for-quality accommodation.
By the end of 2018, the company estimates that the properties on offer on Airbnb plus will amount to 75,000.
In order for a property to participate in the Airbnb Plus project, it must meet a number of prerequisites, including 4.8+ reviews, a minimum 95% acceptance rate of incoming visitors and no cancellations.
Finally, Airbnb will divide properties into categories, depending on whether they are better suited to business travellers, family holidays, honeymoons, etc., which will ultimately offer you even more opportunities to distinguish yourselves as hosts.
Have you checked off all of the above?
Then all you need is a bright smile and a touch of hospitality, and you’re on your way to success!
And don’t forget: Airbnb may be the most successful rental platform, but it is by no means the only one.
Other emerging and promising platforms include:
- homeaway https://www.homeaway.com, (particularly popular with American families)
- Flipkey https://www.flipkey.com by world famous tripadvisor
and, last but not least,
- tripping https://www.tripping.com which conducts metasearch in all the previous platforms, as well as many smaller ones.
They may not be able to offer you an equally large volume of visitors, but there is considerable less competition, which will help you boost your occupancy rates.
PS. The majority of photographs of this article are Airbnb properties.
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