Airbnb Must Haves: The Amenities and Experiences Guests Want

Key Takeaways

Provide Essential Amenities and Exceed Expectations
Ensure your Airbnb offers comfortable bedding, clean towels, a well-equipped kitchen, and reliable Wi-Fi. Go the extra mile with toiletries, a welcome basket, and basic kitchen essentials.

Create a Visually Appealing and Inviting Space
Invest in modern decor, comfortable furniture, and high-quality visuals to attract potential guests. Offer competitive pricing and flexible booking options to maximize occupancy.

Deliver Personalized Touches and Unique Experiences
Impress guests with personalized touches like a welcome note or local treats. Consider hosting special events or partnering with local businesses to create unforgettable experiences.

Master Effective Property Management
Utilize advanced property management software to streamline operations. Stay updated on industry trends and maintain high standards of cleanliness and maintenance.

Providing high-quality guest experiences in any short-term rental unit, especially one as competitive as Airbnb, is essential for securing bookings and repeat guests. Plenty of rental options are available online, so making the extra effort and adding unique touches to your Airbnb rental unit will help it stand out among the many.

With 23 years of experience working in the short-term rental industry and a close partnership with Airbnb over the past 8 years, we want to share the Airbnb must-haves and new ideas that can boost your Airbnb listings. We will share all the necessities that you should include and help you with a checklist for all hosts to elevate your rental property and guarantee an excellent guest experience.

Contents

What items should an Airbnb have?

Including the basics in your Airbnb properties is necessary to ensure that guests have a comfortable stay. These items might seem obvious at first, but you’d be surprised by how many short-term rental units forget to include these Airbnb must-haves. Here is a short list of the basic essentials that you should always provide your guests:

Comfortable bedding and quality mattresses
Guests place a high value on getting a good night’s sleep, and providing comfortable bedding and a high-quality mattress is crucial. According to a TripAdvisor study, 55% of travellers state that a comfortable bed is the most important hotel/rental feature.

Invest in high-thread-count sheets, pillows and a supportive mattress to enhance your guest’s sleeping experience.

Clean towels and toiletries
Providing fresh, clean towels and a selection of basic toiletries will make your guests feel at home. Include bathroom essentials, like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, body lotion and a hair dryer.

If you’re looking for an added touch, you can offer makeup remover wipes, cotton swabs and a hair straightener.

Equipped kitchen with all the essentials
A well-stocked kitchen will allow guests to prepare their own meals. This is usually the deciding factor between a rental property and a hotel room, as it gives guests the freedom to cook what they want when they want. Make sure that your kitchen includes:

Pots and pans
Cutlery and utensils
Plates, bowls, and glasses
Coffee maker and kettle
Microwave, toaster, and blender

An extra added touch is to include basic cooking ingredients for your guests, like salt, pepper and cooking oil.

Reliable Wi-Fi and entertainment
Having reliable and high-speed Wi-Fi available for your guests is a necessity, not a luxury. As a variety of key trends are influencing why people travel, including “workcations”, a good Wi-Fi connection is essential to include in your rental property.

For an added touch, include a smart TV with the option of streaming services. Don’t forget to include old classics like board games, cards and books to keep your guests entertained in a pinch.

What do guests want most at an Airbnb?

When selecting an Airbnb, guests hold high expectations and standards for making their choice. If you understand what their top needs are, it will help you excel in your booking ratio and fast-track you to becoming an Airbnb Superhost in no time.

Consider these guest requirements to attract more bookings:

Cleanliness is regarded as the top priority for travelers, so making sure that not only the floors, bathroom and kitchen are spotless but also that towels, bedding and linens are stain-free is crucial.

Safety features also rank high on the list of Airbnb must-haves for guests. Installing a padlock, alarm system and working smoke detectors in your unit shows that you take your guest’s safety and security seriously. Including a safety deposit box is another added feature that will elevate your Airbnb rental. Don’t forget to include a well-stocked first-aid kit and a list of emergency contact numbers.

Providing guests with a hassle-free check-in/check-out process is another important factor on your Airbnb checklist. Guests value flexibility and convenience, so take advantage of self-check-in options like a lock box or smart lock with clear instructions. Communicating with your guests ahead of time and offering them a quick response to all of their needs will alleviate their stress and guarantee you a 5-star Airbnb guest review.

Pro Tip: You can add personalized touches, like a welcome note, snacks or bottle of wine to level up your guest’s experience. These small but thoughtful gestures show that you care as a host and will leave a memorable first impression.

How to make your Airbnb more attractive?

To attract more guests to your properties and ensure consistent bookings, you can improve the appeal of your property with Airbnb must haves.

Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but don’t forget that most travelers will click on a rental property from the images that they see. This means that stylish and modern decor is a must in order to elevate your rental’s look and feel.

Of course, guests want a clean and safe place to stay, but having a stylish property will only aid in attracting bookings, so keep a cohesive design and theme throughout the property to attract guests. You can use vibrant colors and local cultural touches but don’t go overboard with a specific theme as it can become outdated quickly.

Add comfortable but functional furniture pieces to your short-term rental units. Provide plenty of seating options in the living and dining areas, with cozy and comfortable beds and a workspace for business travelers. Invest in multi-purpose pieces that can double up as furniture and storage.

What about Airbnb’s competitive pricing and booking options?

Understandably, you don’t want to price the property so cheap that you aren’t covering your costs, but you don’t want to overprice either as this can lead to empty properties for multiple nights. A little of something is better than all of nothing. Research similar listings in your area, along with the amenities, and services that you are offering to help you set a price. Consider giving discounts for longer stays or last-minute bookings. These tips and tricks will help you have a higher occupancy rate and repeat guests.

Additionally, offering flexible check-ins, late check-out options and one-night stays (which isn’t liked by many property owners), can make your listing more appealing to a broader range of potential guests.

Top Amenities Impact

How do I impress a guest on Airbnb? A checklist for Airbnb hosts

Impressing your guests and leaving a lasting impression is the best way to secure repeat bookings and positive reviews on your property. You want to keep your guest’s expectations in mind and help to create a positive experience for them, making them feel welcomed and valued.

How do I create a unique experience on Airbnb?

Including the essential Airbnb must-haves in your properties is a sure way to keep your guests happy, but if you are looking to provide a unique experience, you can include other special items and features.

Host special events or workshops: Give your guests the unique opportunity to learn and participate in local experiences.
Partner with local businesses: Reach out to nearby restaurants, centers and other businesses to provide your guests with exclusive offers and discounts.
Offer personalized experiences: Organize tailor-made excursions based on the local culture and your guests’ preferences. Some examples can be tours of local vineyards, a cooking class or a surf lesson.

What to leave for your Airbnb guests?

If you want to add a special touch to truly enhance your guests’ experience then you can consider providing them with thoughtful items and amenities.

Welcome basket
Guest book
Extra blankets and pillows
Basic pantry and kitchen items – Stock essentials like salt, pepper, coffee, tea and napkins for convenience.

Airbnb must-haves for the best guest experience

As Airbnb continues to gain popularity and property management becomes more and more competitive, knowing what essentials to include in your Airbnb rental is vital to appealing to guests.

Providing comfortable bedding and reliable Wi-Fi to add small personalised touches for your guests will help to make your property more attractive and memorable.

It’s important to constantly maintain your property, making sure that it is clean, safe and up-to-date with all basic amenities.

Don’t forget to stay current on trends and also keep your management of properties clear and organized. Using advanced property software and tools to stay on top of your bookings, will only provide your guests with a smooth experience.