Yes – but with an important caveat – if you are offering a new listing discount of your first three bookings, make sure and wait to implement the weekly and monthly discounts so your guests do not get a double discount!

Weekly discounts (typically 10-15%) and monthly discounts (20-30%) can:
– Fill your calendar during slow periods
– Attract longer-term guests (less turnover work for you)
– Provide more stable income

Just make sure your monthly discount still covers your costs and provides profit.

Calculate your actual costs per booking:
– Mortgage/rent (if applicable)
– Utilities
– Cleaning fees
– Supplies (toiletries, coffee, etc.)
– Platform fees (Airbnb takes 3% or 15.5% depending on your fee structure. Learn more here.)
– Maintenance and repairs- Insurance

– Don’t forget taxes!

Your nightly rate minus these costs = your profit per night.

Coffee: Absolutely yes. This is one of the most appreciated amenities and costs very little.

Breakfast items: Depends on your property type and budget. Consider:
– Small rentals (1-2 bedrooms): Coffee, tea, basic breakfast items like oatmeal or cereal
– Larger properties: Not expected, but welcomed

My approach: I always provide coffee, tea, and a few packaged breakfast items. Guests consistently mention this in reviews.

Mattresses: Every 5-7 years for short-term rental use (more frequent than personal use due to heavier rotation). Click here is a mattress recommendation.

Mattress protectors: Replace when they show wear or staining (usually 1-2 years). Click here for a mattress protector recommendation. 

Sheets and towels: Replace when they look worn, faded, or develop holes. Have 3-4 sets so you can rotate and extend lifespan. Click here for towels and here for sheets (these are highly rated and comfortable, but not wrinkle free). 

Pillows: Replace every 1-2 years (they flatten and lose support quickly). Click here for pillow reccomendations. (I recommend getting a variety of pillow densities so guest can switch them around if needed.)

Pillow Protectors: Extend the life of your pillows with pillow proctectors under your pillow cases. Click here for pillow cover recommendations. 

Focus on:
– Neutral, timeless style (trends date quickly)
– Durable materials (avoid white upholstery!)
– Good lighting (guests hate dark spaces)
– Personal touches that make it memorable

-It can be a lot of fun – and make your property memorable – to add a focal point like a wall with a mural or bold wallpaper. Just consider who your typical guest will be and decorate accordingly. 

Seasonal decorating: I decorate for major holidays like Christmas, and it consistently gets mentioned in reviews. Read my article: Should You Decorate Your Airbnb for Christmas?

Custom touches: Consider customized items like personalized ornaments, pillows, or welcome signs. These create memorable experiences and can double as guest gifts. Shop custom STR products at products.staysuccess.org

 Your welcome message (sent after booking confirms) should include:

1. Personal greeting with their name
2. Excitement about their stay
3. Check-in time and process
4. Where to find check-in info on the Airbnb app
5. Parking instructions if applicable
6. Your contact info for urgent issues
7. House rules reminder (brief)
8. Local recommendations (or link to your digital guidebook)

Pro tip: Add one sentence directing guests exactly where to find trip details in the Airbnb app. This dramatically reduces repetitive questions because you have told them where to look. I go over setting up scheduled quick replies in my course and I have some videos on the topic on my youtube channel. 

My viewpoint on this may be a little controversial for some hosts. I feel responsible for our guests from the moment they check in to the moment they check out. If they have an issue or need something, those responsibilities start earlier with early check in. So, I typically only allow early check in for guests who I have hosted in the past. 

Some hosts allow for early check in or late check out if the property is ready and it doesn’t interfere with other stays. Other hosts charge for early check in and late check out. You can learn more about how to do this and other things on the Airbnb App in my course. 

Before booking:
– Politely decline if you’re priced fairly
– Consider small discount (5-10%) for longer stays or last-minute bookings
– Never go below your costs

I keep my response to these requests brief and straightforward. We are competitively priced so we only offer longer stay discounts. 

Sample response: “Thanks for your interest! We are not currently offering discounts for stays less than [X] days. However, I do offer a [X%] discount for stays of [X] nights or longer if you ever need a longer stay.”

Do it yourself if:
– You have time and energy
– You only have one property
– You live very close to the property
– You’re trying to maximize profit early on

Hire a cleaner if:
– You have multiple properties
– You have a full-time job
– Back-to-back bookings make timing tight
– The stress isn’t worth the savings

I started cleaning myself and transitioned to hiring once bookings increased. The time savings was worth it.

Respond immediately – even if you can’t fix it right away, acknowledge the issue within 30 minutes.

Steps:
1. Apologize for the inconvenience
2. Ask clarifying questions if needed
3. Provide immediate workaround if possible
4. Give realistic timeline for fix
5. Send a repair person ASAP
6. Follow up after it’s resolved
7. Consider partial refund for major disruptions

If you live close by, you have the option of going to your property and dealing with the issue in person. We have done that on several occasions and the guests have always left a 5-star review despite the maintenance issue. 

Prevention is key: Do quarterly maintenance checks to catch issues before guests do.

Airbnb automatically processes refunds based on your cancellation policy.

What you should do:
1. Relist the dates immediately
2. Adjust pricing if it’s last-minute (lower price to rebook quickly)
3. Don’t take it personally – cancellations happen

PROS:
– Fills last-minute gaps in your calendar
– Can charge premium rates for urgency
– Maximizes revenue

CONS:
– Stressful if cleaning isn’t ready
– Less time to vet guest
– Potential for issues

My approach: I allow same-day if my property is clean and ready. My property is on ‘request to book’ and not ‘instant book’ so I always have the option of declining a same-day request if the property isn’t ready. 

Keep in mind, one bad review won’t ruin you if you have many good ones.

Then:
1. Read it objectively – is there truth to it?
2. Respond publicly (professional, not defensive)
3. Address the issue so it doesn’t happen again
4. Move forward – your next 10 great reviews will bury it

If the review is retaliatory, irrelevant, or fits the criteria for having it removed, you always have the option of submitting a review removal request. 

PREVENTION STRATEGIES:
– Screen guests (read profiles, require verified ID)
– State “No parties or events” clearly in house rules
– Leave your property set up on ‘request to book’ instead of ‘instant book’
– Set occupancy limits and enforce them

IF A PARTY HAPPENS:
– Contact guest immediately via Airbnb messaging
– Document everything (messages, photos of damage)
– Call Airbnb support
– File for Host Damage Protection if needed

Airbnb provides up to $3M in damage protection for eligible issues:
– Physical damage to your property
– Theft by guests
– Costs related to guest property damage claims

Important: You must document damage with photos and file a claim within 14 days of checkout or before next guest checks in.

Pro tip: Take photos of your property between every guest to document its condition. And, have your cleaning crew take timestamped pictures after each clean so you have a record of the condition of the property immediately before the guest arrives. 

Yes! Your standard homeowners insurance likely doesn’t cover short-term rental activity.

OPTIONS:
1. STR-specific insurance (companies like Proper, Safely)
2. Homeowners policy rider (some carriers offer STR add-ons)
3. Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance (included but may not be sufficient as standalone)

My recommendation: Get dedicated STR insurance. The cost is higher than typical homeowners insurance but it is worth it to have the propert type of protection.

DIY PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:
– Use natural light (shoot during daytime)
– Declutter completely
– Use wide-angle lens or pano mode
– Shoot from corners to show entire room
– Stage nicely (fresh flowers, pillows fluffed, etc.)
– Take 20-30 photos minimum

Or hire a professional (this is what I recommend)  – it pays for itself in increased bookings.

First photo is crucial: Make your best room or exterior shot the cover photo.