Best Products To Impress Guests In Your Short Term Rental Property
We have thought very hard about how to make our property appealing to guests. Both of us care a lot about the experience that guests have. I personally want to wow them because, at the end of the day, I want them to leave satisfied and leave that glowing review that will bring in more people to my humble abode.
Often I come up with solutions that would just be prohibitively expensive. Would I like my guests to have a fully stocked bar with wall to wall of the finest single malt? You bet! Would I like to have an Alexa in every room to give it that high tech silicon valley feel? I sure do! I want to do all of this and more for my guests. I’m constantly looking for new ways to add that personal touch.
But Steve, you may say, WTF I’m not made of money!
I hear you! So, I’ve been thinking of all the BEST things for a reasonable amount of money but make the guests feel like they are being treated to a luxurious experience. I’ve talked about most of these items in the blog before this. This is a collection of all those items.
What to look for?
Don’t look at expensive items. Things could get stolen or broken. These items are the kind that you should be prepared to lose or not work.
Prepare a budget. It is a matter of balancing what is essential and what is nice to have. It is recommended to spend money in chunks. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t afford everything at once. It is fine. Work your way up to the perfect Airbnb. It doesn’t have to happen tomorrow.
Try to achieve a minimum level of competence for your property by looking at other properties in the same price range and location. What can you do that is different but doesn’t cost too much? Look at your strengths and add features that add to those strengths. Does your Airbnb have a view? Then get a nice couch or table to put next to the window so the guest can enjoy the view while they relax or work.
Try to understand your guests’ demographic. Are they families? Traveling professionals? Backpackers? Different people have different needs. Have a general sense of who is coming into your property. Talk to them about their needs. You will get more information that way. If the items you bring in are not being used then you may feel like the investment was a waste.
Don’t get one-use items. You want something that can be used again and again.
Best Products To Impress Guests In Your Short Term Rental Property:
Make sure to read all the blog posts regarding the individual items where I go into a ton of details about each of them. This is just like an overview of the main points from those articles.
Microwaves: This may seem like an essential but it is surprising how many Airbnbs don’t have this simple appliance. The guests end up using the main kitchen or leave a bad review for lack of amenities. It is a simple investment that should take care of a guest’s food requirements.
Mini Fridge: While not essential, it is nice to have if you don’t want the guests to use your fridge to store their leftovers and alcohol. If you have one though, it elevates your Airbnb from a hostel-like experience to one like a hotel would offer. You have to plan for this though as it takes up space. You also can’t get a cheap one as it can potentially be a fire or electrical hazard.
Bluetooth Speaker: This is one addition that can be had for ultra-cheap and still offer great value. You can keep the guest in the mood by letting them play their music. Just make sure to not get something very loud. It also should be rechargeable and not running on batteries.
Smart Devices: Smart Locks, Amazon Echo, Wifi controllable smart plugs – all these fall in the umbrella of smart devices. You can turn your house into a high tech utopia by installing these. Connect them to the right gadgets and you can make the guest feel like Iron Man living in a futuristic home.
Streaming services: For as low as $8 a month you can provide the guests with something to watch on their downtime. They can relax at the end of the day in front of the TV and binge on their favorite shows. This is a highly recommended way of giving an impression of service while not spending a lot of money. If you get a premium subscription like HBO Go, you might even convince someone looking at Airbnbs on the website to pick yours over someone else just so that they can watch something they can’t afford.
Coffee Machine: Everybody enjoys a nice cup of coffee once in a while. If you are a coffee snob like me, then a coffee machine in your property is going to delight me to no end. They are also not very expensive. They don’t take up a lot of space. IMPORTANT!
Electric Oil Diffuser: Now this may seem fancy but I’m a big fan of these machines. They help set the mood with their amazing aromas. They look pretty stylish and also serve the function of lifting up the guest’s mood. The essential oils you need can be bought for not a lot of money. This makes sense if your property is in an urban area and you need something to let the guest forget about the noise and pollution outside.
Precautions to take:
The items that you get have to be child-safe and tamper-proof. You don’t want lawsuits from something that breaks or is hazardous for children.
It will be even better if they have attachments to secure them to a position so that they are harder to steal. It is a good idea to maintain a mental list of all the new additions. If something is missing then you can raise the alarm pretty quickly if you know what is missing.
Love,
Scooch and Steve
