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Myth Buster #3: Your Airbnb Competition Looks Like You
The first time I encountered the concept of an Airbnb megahost, Jay and I weren’t traveling. I was just going over to a friend’s new
Nothing can set the tone for a successful Airbnb stay like a good night’s sleep. Whether you’re setting up your Airbnb bedroom for the first time or you’re a host just looking to spruce up your space, this post is for you. Ensure your guests end each day with a great night’s sleep and start the next day fully refreshed with this Airbnb Host’s Bedroom Essentials Checklist. We’ll start with the basics and end with the best kept secrets that will surprise and delight your guests.
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If this seems like an obvious place to start, good! Now let us ask you this: have you ever slept in your guest bed? If not, hop in and see if you find any surprises. Maybe it squeaks when you roll over. Maybe it’s lopsided, or smells a little funky, or has a bright blue light from the cable box blinding you all night. Or maybe your bed is just as fabulous as you think. If not, a comfy and surprisingly cheap foam mattress and beautiful wooden bed frame might be the next investment in your Airbnb.
This is something good hotels have down pat. High-quality, soft, and unquestionably clean sheets make all the difference. Make sure you have a full set, including a fitted sheet, a top sheet, and pillowcases. Consider buying a second set to rotate and avoid the stress of waiting for the dryer as check-in time approaches.
Loads of people sleep on two pillows, so for a bed advertised for two individuals, four pillows is the way to go. The extra mile? Make two on the softer side and two on the firmer side. Everyone’s neck is looking for something different after a long day of traveling. Also, keep in mind how long you’ve had your pillows. We’ve had many occasions where the pillow case slips back in the night to reveal pillows well passed their prime.
Another obvious item, but this is a great opportunity to showcase your style and set the bedroom’s vibe. Whether you decide on a fresh comforter or duvet cover, just make sure it is also clean when guests arrive.
Not only will this put guests at ease by keeping the mattress from acquiring funky smells or suspicious stains, it’s also a great way to protect the investment that is your mattress. Waterproof mattress covers are relatively inexpensive, super soft, and can often be thrown in the wash with the sheets.
There has to be at least one space where your guests can have complete privacy other than the bathroom, and the bedroom should be it. Curtains also help block out light for those guests who want to sleep in complete darkness and wake up later than sunrise. Ikea usually has the best price on curtains. Layering darker curtains over delicate lace panels like these create texture and depth in the room.
A simple armoire or book shelf will do. Perhaps you have a closet or a dresser. Whatever it might be, just be sure it’s uncluttered and ready for your guests to move on in. The moment we’ve unpacked, we start to feel more relaxed.
Along with a fire extinguisher, the smoke detector is a safety must. While you might have a few spread throughout your space, be sure that you’ve got one in the bedroom where your guests will sleep.
Take safety one step further and add a carbon monoxide detector to your space. Buy one that plugs right into the wall so you never have to worry about changing batteries.
If you’ve barely got enough room for a double bed in your tiny city suite, we get it. But if you’ve got a touch of room even on one side of the bed, add some small surface for your guests. Get creative. We’ve seen antique milk stools, cute tv trays, and dressers close enough to the bed to double as a nightstand.
This is a small touch we rarely see. An alarm clock in the bedroom is a thoughtful item to leave your guests. While many folks will use their phone as an alarm, some guests might be looking for a clock to set or even a back up alarm the night before a big day.
Like to read at night? We do too. A little low lamp light is a great way to ease into sleep. Look for soft, warm light. Avoid bulbs with blue light, which tells our brains to wake up and greet the day. Lamps are also a quintessential interior decorating opportunity. We’ve seen the gamut, from beautiful cloth shades to a tiny reading light clipped to the nightstand.
If you live in a highly populated area or have a large number of international travelers coming through your space, consider adding a safe. There may be passports to tuck away or a big chunk of cash brought along to avoid credit card exchange rate fees.
There are two reasons to consider a bench or an upright chair in the bedroom. The first is that it provides the immediate place to flop a duffle upon arrival other than the bed. The second reason is that a firm place to sit can help out the stiffer guest who might need a little extra support when getting ready in the morning.
If you don’t have central heating or air conditioning, the place to invest in temperature control is absolutely in the bedroom. We’ve been saved by a small, window air-conditioning unit during an atypical heat wave in Saskatoon. It also kept us from worrying since we knew there was at least one place in the house where our jet black pup could cool off. The same goes for space heaters in winter months. If you live somewhere cold, make sure your guests can keep warm while they sleep.
Allergies and colds are the worst, especially during travel. Don’t make your guests stumble to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Leave a small box of tissues in the bedroom, and perhaps a back-up box in a closet or under a sink.
The prevalence of candles in suites has been a welcome surprise in a number of Airbnbs. Romantic, calming, ambient. Who doesn’t need more lavender and chamomile in their life? LED candles are a great alternative to an open flame, and flicker with a surprisingly real imitation. If you do decide to go for the open flame, don’t forget to provide a way to light them and a fire extinguisher, just in case.
If you’ve got guests coming in for a special event, it’s likely they’ve got a few things they’d like to hang up when they arrive. Just add a set of hangers and put your guests at ease. Don’t have a closet? No problem. Add a few cute hooks to your wall and place one wooden hanger on each.
Those guests traveling for a special occasion will also appreciate finding an iron and ironing board after all of their clothes have spent three days smashed in a suitcase.
This is an easy addition, but it can make such a big difference. Grab that old quilt or that comforter your kid outgrew years ago. Tuck it in a drawer, a closet or a decorative basket in the corner of the room. This little just-in-case item shows off your thoughtfulness and is a godsend for those of us who can’t seem to get any decent circulation in our feet at night. It also doubles as couch blanket for movie night. Just remember to keep it clean as you tidy up in between guests.
Just a few small touches around the bedroom can go such a long way to making the space feel welcoming and unique. Hang some art, leave a few flowers in a vase, add some throw pillows to the bed, or put a favorite knick knack on the nightstand. Whatever makes the space feel happy to you.
Spills happen. Kids have accidents. For each bed in your space, tuck an extra set of bedding in the closet. Nine times out of ten, they won’t be needed, but that tenth guest will be incredibly grateful.
Many folks charge their phone at night and use it as their alarm clock. An outlet near the bed is a great convenience for your guests. If there’s not an outlet near by, grab a neat cube extension cord like this. Those are the sorts of thoughtful touches we’re so happy to find in the moment we need them.
We actually travel with a battery powered headlamp (ahem, thanks to the insistence of one camping fanatic). But most guests aren’t married to one of these people, and do not have a backup plan for the absence of electricity. Adding a tiny, battery-powered flashlight to a nightstand can be an excellent way to keep your guests from stumbling around in the unforeseen dark. Those LED candles we mentioned earlier would also do the trick.
Help guests find the bathroom in the middle of the night. Leave a nightlight unplugged on that nightstand for your guests to set up wherever they’d like or light the path in the hallway with simple string of LED lights.
If you live somewhere especially noisy, like a massive city, or have an Airbnb directly under the boisterous patter of your children’s early-rising footsteps, consider tucking a few individually wrapped ear plugs in the nightstand or toiletry basket. This brand has helped drown out roosters, nearby construction, and a husband’s snoring.
We always travel with a small drawstring bag for dirty laundry, and find ourselves happily surprised with the difference an actual laundry basket makes. This designated spot for dirty clothes helps establish an easy routine for keeping the space clean, and is super handy when there’s laundry on site during a longer stay. We’ve seen laundry baskets discreetly tucked under a bench in the bedroom or sleek wire baskets in corner of the bathroom. It also gives your guests an intuitive space to leave dirty towels and sheets, which lets you know what’s been used and what hasn’t after a guest leaves.
Ever gone through menopause? No? Ok, ever watched someone go through it? Fans are the unsung hero of temperature control and beautifully double as a white noise machines. This is one of the cheapest adjustments that can revolutionize a guest’s comfort during their stay.
Whether they’re off to a job interview, a special occasion, or a fancy vacation dinner, many guests would love the opportunity to double check their full outfit before they walk out the door. Adding a full length mirror in the bedroom will also open up the space.
Oh the bathrobes. Hear us out. Neither of us had used a bathrobe in, well, we don’t even know how long. But then on our honeymoon, there were these two luxurious, white robes waiting for us in this beautiful windmill, and oh. my. goodness. It’s a miracle we ever got dressed. The same goes for soft slippers, which are especially thoughtful if you have cold morning floors. These items are just as easy to wash as towels, but stick in our minds as absolutely the most decadent items any host has left for us in the bedroom. Although to date, no one has left chocolates on the pillows, so there’s an idea. Do both, and your guests won’t know why the heck they’re not paying you more!
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You’re an ambitious Airbnb host with a big heart. But on some days, hosting isn’t exactly what you had imagined. Maybe it’s overwhelming. Or isolating. Or just not making the kind of money you had envisioned. At Big Heart Hosting, we’re on a mission to help hosts like you thrive, not just get by. We create step-by-step resources that bring together the best hosting strategies from around the world. We’ll give you the knowledge and community you need to create the joyful, prosperous Airbnb you deserve.
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The first time I encountered the concept of an Airbnb megahost, Jay and I weren’t traveling. I was just going over to a friend’s new
You’ve thought about setting out a suggestion box in your Airbnb before, but each time you consider it, you get uneasy. You wonder: “Doesn’t that
At Big Heart Hosting, we’re on a mission to help hosts like you thrive, not just get by. We create step-by-step resources that bring together the best hosting strategies from around the world. We’ll give you the knowledge and community you need to create the joyful, prosperous Airbnb you deserve.
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