Having a beautiful space to rent out is only half the battle when it comes to creating a delightful experience for your Airbnb guests. However, if you really want to earn five-star reviews and succeed on the platform, then you’ll need to go above and beyond. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to stand out from the crowd and ensure that your guests are thrilled with their stay.
In this article, we will go over ten of the best ways to guarantee your Airbnb guests will have a great experience so that you can earn that all-powerful five-star review every time.
The way that you interact with your guests can make all the difference in the world when it comes to creating a great experience. Even if your rental unit isn't the best, you can still generate non-stop five-star reviews just by the way you interact with your guests. Rather than just sending them a template text with check-in instructions, ask them questions about themselves, about their trip. Take an interest in your guests and let them see who you are as a person as well. Be a friend, and you'll notice that your rating is among the best on the site.
When your guests check in and look around the property for the first time, it should be spotless. It should look as though it was just built yesterday. There should be no indication that you just had a family of four check-out this morning. When guests arrive and notice that the place is dirty, it will make a lasting negative impression, and even if the rest of their stay is perfect, you had better believe that their review will mention that the place was dirty when they checked in. Don't ever let that happen.
It's important to interact with your guests throughout their stay, within reason, of course, but there are two times when it's essential that you communicate with them effectively. In most cases, you will only physically meet with your guests when they check-in and when they check out, and so it's crucial that you make a good impression.
The best way to make a great impression is by making the check-in and check-out process as easy as it can possibly be. You should be waiting to greet them when they arrive. You should show them around the place, answer any questions they might have, give them the keys and make sure that they feel at home immediately. Remember, they probably just had a long flight, and they're most likely tired. The last thing they want is to go through a bunch of paperwork or a long, complicated check-in process; that's the last thing you want as well.
Even though this might be your home, and you may very well have lived here your whole life, you should always remember that for your guests, everything is brand new. They don't know what's around the corner or down the street. They probably have no idea where they can get a great meal for a good price or where to find a grocery store. It's a great idea to have a map in the unit that will show your guests where they are and how to find everything they'll likely be looking for tomorrow. By helping them understand their surroundings, you’ll be making them feel more at home, which is what you need to do if you want to get great reviews consistently.
You might think that providing a roof, a bed, blankets, and Wi-Fi is enough to create a great experience for your guests but think again. Guests expect all of those things; not having them will certainly get you a bad review, but you aren't doing yourself any favours by simply providing the bare basics. Your guests are going to need things throughout their stay.
Now, that doesn't mean you should be buying their groceries, but you should certainly have everything they'll need to prepare their meals. Odds are that they will want to take a shower at some point, so make sure there is soap and shampoo. They'll probably need to use the toilet too; as such, there should definitely be toilet paper on hand. When you anticipate your guest's needs ahead of time, you can ensure that they will be happy throughout their entire stay, which is key to creating a great experience.
If you want to earn a great reputation and good reviews on Airbnb, you need to be responsive; it's as simple as that. If a guest is messaging you throughout their stay, it's either because they need something or because there is an emergency, and in either case, that should be important to you. Most of the time, your guests will have an inquiry of some sort. They could be wondering where to find something or how to use something.
In any event, if it's important enough to them that they are messaging you, then it should be important enough to you to respond to them in a reasonable time frame. That doesn't mean you need to be on-call all night, but you should try to get back to your guests within an hour or so of seeing their message; if you fail to do so, then there is a great chance your five-stars will become four or less.
If there is anything at all in your rental unit that isn't completely self-explanatory, then there should be a note indicating exactly how to use it, and that note should be in your guest's language. Maybe the TV needs to be on a certain channel to access the cable box, or the washing machine is a little quirky; whatever it happens to be, you should strive to make sure that your guests never have to think about how to do what they're trying to do.
Many Airbnb hosts are content with doing the bare minimum, and as such, they make the bare minimum. Guests notice the little things, and they appreciate quality. Remember, your Airbnb is an investment property, so invest in it. Rather than buying the cheapest towels you can find, buy the best ones, or at least pretty good ones. Spend the money for a great mattress; it's the number one thing guests will look for, and go for the 600 thread count sheets instead of the buy one get one free special.
Your guests will notice everything in your Airbnb that is better than average; they will also definitely notice if you've provided the cheapest of everything just to say that you provided it. By filling your space with quality furnishings, you will dramatically enhance the quality of your guest's experience, which will translate into many more great reviews, which is the name of the game when you want to elevate yourself above the other hosts in your city.
You never want to intrude on your guest's privacy once they have booked a stay at your Airbnb, but by leaving a little something extra that was unexpected throughout their stay, your guests will feel as though you think of them as more than just dollar signs. A fruit basket left on the porch, a loaf of freshly baked bread, little things like this that are unexpected can make a huge difference when it comes to creating a truly exceptional experience for your guests.
It doesn't even need to be a physical thing; just sending a message to your guest's mid-stay to ask if you can help them with anything or letting them know about a cool event that's going on in town tonight will make a bigger impact than you probably realize, and it's these little touches that make an otherwise good stay a great one. So, don't just check your guests in and then forget about them until check-out day. Let them know that you remember them throughout their stay, and they’ll remember you too when it comes time to leave their review.
No matter how much you do to prepare your space for your guests and ensure that everything goes off without a hitch, problems will inevitably arise from time to time. Oftentimes, these things will be out of your control, but nevertheless, your guests will expect you to fix them, as they should. If the power goes out, there's a plumbing issue, the Wi-Fi goes down, whatever the case may be, make sure that you do whatever it takes to correct these sorts of issues as quickly as possible. If it means offering a partial refund, then so be it; it's better to lose a few dollars than your whole business. A simple apology will suffice in most cases, but make sure you correct the problem and take responsibility.
By following the tips outlined in this article, you can ensure that your guests will have an unforgettable experience at your Airbnb, and your on your way to be a superhost and beyond :)
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