Airbnb Host Checklist (Amenities & Essentials)

So you’re finished weighing your Airbnb hosting pros and cons and you’re leaning more on the positive side, what is the next thing you can do? If you’re now ready to be the outstanding host you’re born to be, you need to have the right tools for it. Make a list of the things you need to prioritize before you officially start your operation.

 

Furnished Home with Basic Amenities & Inventory

Being an Airbnb host means that you need to have a furnished home you can rent out. Besides a home that you can be proud of though, you also need to prepare the essential supplies and basic amenities that your guests will definitely need during their stay. 

They should be available as much as possible and can even be non-negotiables for many types of quests, including the following:

Rental Essentials For Bath

• Toiletries

• • Soap
  • Shampoo
  • Toothpaste
  • Disposable Toothbrush
  • Body Wash
  • Body Lotion

• Toilet Paper

• Bath Towels (2 per guest)

• Feminine Products

• Hairdryer

• The appropriate types of mirrors for the bathroom

Rental Essentials For Bedroom

• Bed Linens and Pillows

• Bedside Lamp and Table

• Alarm Clock

• Hangers for Clothing

• Safe for Valuables

• Wi-Fi Access

• Pens & Pencils

• Books & Magazines

For Kitchen/Kitchenette

• Tea & Coffee

• Cooking Oil

• Salt & Pepper

• Knives and Forks

• Spatula & Oven Mitts

• Sugar

• Tea Kettle

• Pots & Pans

• Dishes & Cups

• Plates and Bowls

• Cutting Board

• Garbage Can

• Cleaning Supplies Including Dish Soap

Extra Amenities

Most of these items are important for the guests to stay comfortably in your place. But if you want to go out of your way and impress them to keep them coming back to your property, check out these add-ons to improve their personal experience.

• Smart TV + Netflix

• Clothing iron

• Universal charger and adaptors

• Bluetooth speakers

• Bathrobes

• Disposable slippers

• Bowl of fruits

• For kids: Board games & toys

• For pets: Toys, bowls, & treats

• For couples: a complimentary bottle of wine/champagne

These added amenities will be a nice touch to show you care and go out of your way to give more than expected of you. This can be a good thing especially when reviews start to roll out. A bowl of fruit and a bottle of wine or champagne can serve as your welcome gift for your guests. 

Necessary Local Government Permits

Now that your home is ready and all the amenities are set, you need to set up all the local government permits that will allow you to legally and seamlessly operate as an Airbnb host. 

Make sure to explore your local regulatory codes and laws about operating a vacation rental and arranging tax requirements. 

Writing An Attractive and Detailed Description (With High-quality Photos)

Once you’ve gotten all permits and prepared your home for guests, you will need to set up your property in the Airbnb system by uploading high-quality pictures of your home, with its best assets displayed for everyone to see and be enticed with.

Partner the high-quality photo with a well-written and detailed listing, complete with specifications and an enticing description of the place. 

Write the description in a way that will make guests want to come and make sure to include the amenities and landscapes that make your rental stand out. Some of the elements you can include in your listing are:

• Title of the rental/property

• Highlights of the best amenities and offers of the rental

• Enticing description of the rental and the landscape, including the living room dimensions and other important areas.

• Complete list of the rental’s features and amenities

• Your very own house rules

• Added amenities and who can benefit them

If you have a welcome gift, don’t put it in the listing. Treat it as the secret weapon you can wield by the time your guests come in and surprise them with this thoughtful gesture. Guests will definitely rave about it and give you positive reviews.

Get Vacation Rental Insurance

Besides all the legal requirements you need to prepare for a seamless operation, you may also want to consider getting vacation rental insurance. 

While Airbnb offers its own insurance, it can only cover at most $1 million and if your property costs way more than this, it can be a disaster. The insurance will cover a wide array of damages when difficult circumstances arise.  

Choose Software to Automate Several Aspects of the Airbnb Business

Another item you need to tick off your checklist as an Airbnb host is to choose a convenient and cost-effective software that can automate some aspects of the Airbnb business. Airbnb management software such as Hostyapp and Lodgify can help to streamline the process.

Here are some of the Airbnb management software functions that can help make the process easier:

Guest Communication

Communicating with your prospects and guests can be time-consuming and you can spend on other more important aspects of the business. Free up a lot of your time by using Airbnb’s automated messaging tool.

Choose and set one of the message templates offered in Host Tools and treat it as your own, customizing it based on what you need. 

Once set up, this message template can be automatically sent even when you’re away doing your personal errands. You can even add tags to personalize the message with relevant details about the booking!

Pricing

Pricing can be a real hassle to set and you might hesitate to put a number for your rental. Good news! Host Tools can help you set the price for your rental since it can be difficult to catch up with the dynamic and demanding market. 

When you automate the pricing of your rental, Airbnb will keep up with the adjustments and automatically increase or decrease your rental’s rates based on the following:

• Holidays
• Local events
• Low and high seasons

Pricing, along with the guest communication, is part of the Host Tools, helping you manage your rental and be a better Airbnb host. 

Check-ins And Check-outs

Host Tools also include automating your check-ins and check-outs, which means you are not required to physically meet your guests just to check them in. 

Along with Airbnb keyless entry solution and smart types of door locks, you can easily generate a unique access code that will allow guests entry to the rental. The Host tools notify guests by sending an automated message, along with the access code. 

Channel Management

The Airbnb Host Tools also offer channel management, which enables you to get your rental listed in other booking sites besides Airbnb. You can optimize your reach and be able to have more prospective guests from other booking sites.  

See more related content in our article about the best ways to add value to your home on this page.