"Hosting a Room on Airbnb? Read this before you start!!"

Read This Before You Start!!

I've put together my top tips specifically for new hosts like you who are listing a Room on Airbnb.

Hosting a room is quite different from listing an entire home. When you rent out a full property, you often never meet your guests — but when you're sharing your space, you're opening your home to someone new. That can feel a little daunting at first!

But as you start hosting and welcoming people from all walks of life (and making great money)  you’ll likely find it a rewarding experience. Many hosts go on to form lasting friendships and discover just how enjoyable sharing their space can be.

Here are some of my tips that I share with potential new room hosts:

Think about how others might live — some guests may be messier, louder, or less mindful than you.

That’s why it’s important to identify your personal boundaries and include them clearly in your House Rules. Examples might include:

• No unapproved overnight guests

• Shared spaces must be kept clean and tidy

• No smoking on the property

Create a simple, plastic-covered house manual with your key rules and tips for a comfortable stay (as shown in the example pic below). This should include essentials like:

• Wi-Fi details

• Emergency contacts

• Nearest hospital or doctor

• Appliance instructions

While you can also upload a guest guide in the Airbnb app, not every guest will read it. Having a few clear, printed rules available in their bedroom helps set expectations — and creates a smoother experience for both you and your guests.

• Obvious common sense isn’t obvious to some foreign travelers who have different customs i.e.> -Clean up after yourself in all common areas.

·       Figure out your contact preference (this can be done in the Airbnb app) i.e. You’re renting the room out and prefer to keep to yourself and not have too much contact with your guests or you’re happy to share meals/drinks/watch T.V etc. There are guests who really enjoy the interaction and social aspect & they expect to get it so it’s best to put this in your description.

·       Don’t have “Instant Book” turned on in your settings. Let each request come through and then reach out and ask questions of each guest. Ie – what brings you to the area? It helps determine anyone who might not be a good fit. If you are a single female host, and are hosting Private Room rentals where you share living space with guests, you're allowed to have a women-only listing and this is where you can establish that. You can also write it in your description.

• When you get a booking - send each guest a little message to acknowledge thier booking - Here's the one I send:

• Hi [Guest's Name],

  Thanks so much for your booking — I'm really looking forward to hosting you!

  If you have any questions in the lead-up to your stay, feel free to reach out. I’ll also send through some helpful info closer to your check-in date, including directions, key details, and a few local tips to help you feel right at home.

  
  

  Looking forward to hosting you, [Your Name]

Kitchen Etiquette

•  Separate food so they have space in the fridge and cupboard for their own items. Have a dedicated area for shared items too like condiments -tea coffee, sugar etc so they visually know what they can and can’t use.

• Determine a guest count. One or two guests. It’s easy to change at any time on the App so you could always start off with one and expand to couples when you are more comfortable. Singles tend to keep to themselves more, whereas couples use the shared spaces more.

·       Have some washing machine rules in place. Some people want to use the washing machine every day. A consideration, if this impacts you. They may also expect their sheets towels to be washed after a week so set guidelines on washing/dryer responsibilities if you want them to wash their own linen.

·       You can also adjust your nightly minimum to what suits you – this could be 7, 5, 3, 2 or 1 night- Just be aware that if you have one night stays that you will need to clean the linen more frequently & tidy the room and prep for the next arrival.

·       Make sure you detail any pets that you have in your listing. Let guests know if they need to keep doors shut.

·       While it is not required by Airbnb, doing the following will help meet your guests’ expectations – which in turn can lead to better reviews and then more bookings!

o   Adding a lock to the bedroom door

o   Specifying whether the guest will have a shared or a private bathroom

·       Get your room ready!

You want to make your guest feel welcome, comfortable and cared for.  You can create a lovely space that leaves a lasting impression by focusing on the details that matter most to travellers.

o   Declutter and organise your guest room. Clear out personal items, leave allot of open space for luggage and ensure there’s enough storage like a dresser or a closet.

o   Decorate the guest room. A cute, stylish room will always attract more guests! Add nice bedding, ambient lighting, some throw pillows, plants, prints/paintings, pot plants etc.

If you are challenged in this area, feel free to contact me for a styling consultation.

o   Provide essential amenities – fresh linen and towels (at least two per guest) Basic toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash.

o   Set up a dedicated workspace – with the rise of remote work, many travellers appreciate a desk/table and a comfortable chair.

o   You could even consider adding a lockbox for your guest’s personal belongings, but this isn’t imperative.

Name your Listing – something unique that has personality. Your name is really important – no one needs to see “Spare bedroom in large home” – that’s what 99% of hosts write when they list their room! Stand out from the crowd and come up with something creative and unique.

Create a great Guidebook for your guests. This is underrated tool that not many hosts use to its full potential.

This can be done on the Airbnb App. It’s a great way to add places that you recommend in your local area – cafes, restaurants, shopping, attractions, markets, parks, wineries, bushwalks – whatever you think is worth recommending to your guests. I send my Guidebook out just after the guests have booked to get them excited about their upcoming trip.

Please consider that there’s a good probability (if you follow my tips) that you could be busy! If you get a guest arriving on Friday and checking out on Monday and another guest is booked in on Monday …………will you be able to comfortably clean the areas – bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. This means changing all the linen and towels and having the room (and any other shared areas) completely clean and tidy and guest-ready. If you don’t feel that you can do this in a short window (usually @ 4 hours) then consider updating your calendar so that you have a day to prepare between guest departures and book-ins.

Make sure your calendar is updated. Airbnb doesn't like hosts cancelling and they will penalize you for it. Consider if you are planning on travelling, if you want to have have family or friends staying over and using the room/s.

Consider if there are any Special events that will affect your pricing? Should you increase your nightly price during a major event, peak season etc?

Smoking Policy – You need to choose whether you allow guests to smoke. There are many smoking travelers who will choose a smoking Airbnb over a non-smoking Airbnb and visa-versa, so it's important to be very clear on your smoking policy. Should you consider having a smoking/vaping area outside?

Parking – Make guests aware of where they can park, BEFORE they arrive.