With the rapid growth of vacation rentals in the last decade, travelers have become savvier and more sophisticated about what they want during a stay. What particular amenities are they after? Do they expect an Airbnb welcome basket on every visit?
According to an Airbnb report, an overwhelming 97% of US travelers surveyed say amenities impact their travel experience. Airbnb amenities also affect their vacation quality ahead of shopping and dining, location, culture, and seeing family or friends.
As hosts, we want to get as many bookings as possible, so we try to provide the best Airbnb amenities our budgets can afford. It doesn’t matter whether we’re listing a $300-a-night beachfront villa or a $50-a-night downtown condo. Knowing what our markets demand and fulfilling their basic hospitality needs — with more besides — is crucial to being excellent hosts.
So are you fretting about the best Airbnb amenities you can offer your guests and additional Airbnb gift ideas to delight them with?
Needless to say, what may be absolute must-haves for some guests may not be as important for others. But as hosts, it’s our minimum goal to at least cover the essentials.
Here’s a list of the Airbnb amenities we at Short Term Sage feel you shouldn’t do without.
Travelers always look forward to a relaxing yet rejuvenating bath. Make sure your shower has good water pressure and that hand soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner are available. Many hosts go the extra mile by providing a single-use toothbrush and toothpaste, cotton tips and balls, body lotion, and even a pair of bathroom slippers.
Fresh, fluffy towels of varying sizes are a must, and a hairdryer is always helpful. No guest wants to carry around a hair appliance in their luggage, so you’ll want to ease their burden by providing that useful amenity.
We can’t emphasize this enough. A good night’s rest is something every guest (and everyone on the planet) needs. It’s a basic you cannot afford to scrimp on.
Make sure your bed frame is stable and the mattress is firm but comfortable.
Plush, premium bedding may be beyond your budget, but at least provide each bed with soft, white, clean cotton sheets. Many guests prefer a breathable fabric that won’t make them hot and sticky. Otherwise, a hybrid blend of cotton and polyester is the next best thing.
We recommend white because people want to make sure their sheets are clean — and they can do so if the sheets are all white.
If you can, provide a variety of pillows. You don’t exactly know what your guests would prefer, so try to offer them a combination of both soft and firm ones, as well as flat and fluffy ones. If you can afford it, you may even provide an assortment of polyester, feather, and down. That should leave any choosy guest no reason for feeling uncomfortable.
Often, good sleep eludes travelers because they have to adjust to new surroundings — a different bed, unfamiliar noises, bright lights. So try to use thick, black-out curtains or have disposable eye masks available by the bedside table. Single-use earplugs may come in handy, too.
Heaters and air-conditioning are two amenities guests often search for, with AC being one of the most popular right now. If you don’t have central HVAC or window air conditioning, consider getting portable AC units that are simpler and more affordable. They can also be stored away when the summer months are over.
There’s nothing worse than getting up in the morning and realizing there’s no coffee or tea in the kitchen. These days, more and more hosts are providing not just coffee but also coffee maker and filters. If your area is known for some particularly good blends, leave some on the counter for your guests to try.
A kitchen that comes with cooking pots and pans, utensils, dishes, silver and glassware will always be sought for. According to Airbnb, properties that have a kitchen earn 17% more than those that don’t.
Unless your property is in a remote location that you’re marketing as an off-the-grid, wilderness experience, you don’t want to deprive your guests of connectivity. WiFi is now essential in modern short-term rentals. Most guests expect it since many of them are working remotely.
In fact, not having high-speed internet will not only frustrate them, but it can also dissuade potential renters from booking your place.
Airbnb says wireless internet was the #4 top-searched amenity in 2021. And hosts who add a laptop-friendly workspace earn 14% more than those who don’t.
The faster the WiFi connection you can offer, the more likely your property will be considered.
Many guests still watch local news, weather reports and sporting events. So Cable TV is considered essential by many. But if you can provide cable service with a smart TV, guests will have the added benefit of using their own Netflix and Amazon Prime accounts to catch up on shows they’re following.
Many travelers now travel by road, and they’ll need a place to park their vehicles. If you don’t have any on your property, at least direct them to the nearest space where they can park.
“Pet-friendly” was Airbnb’s most searched-for amenity last year. Searches that were made with the “Allows Pets” filter increased by 65% in January compared to the same time in 2020.
Last November, the company announced numerous updates to their platform including an insurance plan to better protect hosts from damage. That includes pet-damage protection, which is their response to the massive spike in searches for pet-friendly properties.
Read our separate post on the advantages of allowing pets in your short-term rental here.
Not only are first-aid kits highly encouraged by Airbnb, but they’re also a must-have for guests – especially those with young children. You don’t want your guests panicking while scrambling around for basic treatments for a simple cut, burn, or insect sting.
You read that right — we think Airbnb welcome baskets aren’t essential. But they will please guests, and will likely help to earn you 5 stars. The occasional bottle of wine, an assortment of snacks and goodies, and a welcome note will always bring positive vibes. When thinking of Airbnb welcome basket ideas, try to come up with something local, unique and personalized.
But don’t break the bank trying to impress guests. Not all renters expect to get treats, and they’ll still appreciate all your effort to provide the above-mentioned basics.
Not all hosts can afford to provide an Airbnb welcome basket for each stay, anyway.
But do try to leave something in the kitchen to refresh guests upon arrival. Cold water in the fridge and a tray of seasonal fruits, some granola bars, or packs of roasted nuts will help hold them over till they can go out to grab something at a nearby store or restaurant.
While many of us can’t afford the best Airbnb amenities like a hot tub, a backyard or patio, or even a washer and drier, there’s no reason to fret. Often, it’s the little things that count. There are thoughtful details we can do that guests don’t normally expect, and these are the ones that sometimes end up getting rave reviews.
As hosts, our job is to cover the basic Airbnb amenities. And if we go beyond those, there will be a return on our investment. We reap 5-star reviews, get higher search rankings, and secure more bookings. Those will all amount to increased revenue!
Plus, we can be on our way to reach SuperHost status.
Take a few minutes to listen to this video where Jon and I discuss more tips on Airbnb welcome baskets and what kind of amenities you can provide your guests.
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