What essentials do you appreciate in an airbnb

[Holidayscoming]

We got a place we rent as an airbnb. What sort of things you like to find when you get there. What make it a top review.

I do also think that people forget how Air bnb started; as people staying with hosts in a spare room. Clearly I charge accordingly, but effectively people staying in my house shouldn’t be expecting a hotel standard of furnishing. It’s my home, with all the quirks that entails. Obviously if someone is charging a hotel equivalent price then that’s different.

When I do let it out, I charge a very reasonable price. They get the whole house plus a garden, in a very nice location close to the tube, which would cost them double for a hotel room.

Working wifi, and a note/card with the network name, password, and who to call if problems. I know you probably send this via email, but it's also useful to have in printed out. Instructions for the TV (Netflix, etc.) and any other complex electronics or cookware also useful.

Good lighting - at least a decent desk lamp.

This might be niche, but I'm always grateful for an ice cube tray in the freezer.

Also perhaps weird, until you need it and it's missing - a toilet plunger.

Finally, make absolutely sure that everything you think it there in the property IS there, and is in its place - TV remotes, etc. You can have the cleaners do this with a checklist if you won't inspect the property between guests. I recently stayed in a place which was beautifully and carefully set up and there was a neat little sign on one drawer in the kitchen saying "key to the rubbish is inside". And inside, there was a hook with another little sign saying "key to the rubbish". But the key was gone.

But that’s not the norm anymore. Most properties are proper holiday lets.

If it’s a private home being let out then it’s need to be advertised clearly.

I personally wouldn’t stay in a private home

I think it's a shame Airbnb has morphed into effectively holiday lets only. I actively seek out rooms in a host's house, so the old bnb model. I like having a lovely breakfast included, and always choose that option, and check reviews carefully for breakfast mentions. It's a great way for me to interact with my host in their language.

The only info I need is the wifi code and what to do with the rubbish at the end of the stay. Your house quirks are not my concern. If the loo only flushes once on a Wednesday when you jiggle it three times, or the dishwasher only works if you press the start button while standing on one leg, it shouldn't be in your house. Have simple things that work.

Also, usb ports in the sockets are really useful. (It's actually amazing how many very modern hotels don't have these when it's such an easy install).

Oh - and I will leave it tidy of course, but I have also paid a whopping cleaning fee, so I am hoping the professional is going to do a better job than I can.

Oh and also - yes, generosity in terms of loo roll and an airing cupboard full of clean towels and sheets.

Oh and one more thing! A decent sofa or place to sit. Often you get the impression that the Airbnb is the repository for all the 'bad' furniture left over from someone's actual house.

I would hate that.

For a single person travelling - maybe, it wouldn't for me but ok. I would still prefer an old fashion B&B as it feels a bit more "business like" than a spare bedroom, even better a proper guest house.

But as a family? I want something decent, not host, no issues if my child is running around and where I can make meals as and when I want. And I obviously want more space and just one room.

It all depends what kind of host you are and what kind of people you want to attract for your listing.

A decent magnifying mirror for doing make up

Black out blinds or curtains

Extra bed blankets in case it’s chilly & pillows

A clean scale free kettle , we’ve stayed in a few air BnBs & couldn’t use the kettles due to them being thick with scale .

A Small welcome essentials pack is nice with things like milk and bread

Decent broadband. We have just moved out of a 6 month Airbnb having had had to move out of our house due to flood renovation and the broadband speed made it very difficult to work from home.

I’ve recently had experience of 2 different Air B&Bs and they were so different!

The first in the Cotswolds. Only one bedroom. Town centre so parking tricky but they were very honest about it, and gave lots of info as to where there was parking.
It looked wonderful!

Turned up. No teapot. No coffee pot. One sharp knife. Two mugs, 2 plates. One mucky frying pan and a very worn plastic chopping board.
… and a bed that squeaked so badly that at 3am on the third night, I resolved to spend my last night in the local Premier Inn. It squeaked as I breathed. Literally.

I’d paid £££ to do a course that week and was getting more and more tired every day. Couldn’t concentrate.

When I’d booked it months ago the reviews were excellent, but they’ve obviously replaced the bed or mattress as the most recent reviews mentioned it.

When I complained, they said that neither a tea and coffee pot was on their list of kitchen essentials 🤷🏼‍♀️🤬

Meanwhile I’m just back from staying at a 2 bed place (half the price of the first one) that lacked NOTHING! It was heaven.

Great welcome pack, welcome folder, spotless, full kitchen equipment, (teapot and French press in situ) fabulous beds and bedding, paperbacks on the shelves, a log burner laid with logs. Firelighters, matches, dishwasher tablets. She even messaged us about midday to say that the house was ready when we were.

Needless to say, we’re booked in to go again later this year.

Whatever you decide to provide make sure you leave enough cupboard space for guests to put away their own food. I have stayed in places where the fridge was tiny and practically filled with things we didn’t want and the cupboards were full of partially used packets of food so there was nowhere to put away our shopping.

Also no clutter and a dustpan and brush plus basic cleaning stuff. And if I am paying for cleaning don’t expect me to clean as well.

A clean toilet brush. Seriously, they’re not expensive to replace regularly.

Yes! Cupboards full of 39 mugs, 67 wine glasses and no space for my bag of pasta and tins of food. I swear some places are dumping grounds for the families unwanted clutter.

Of course some go to the other extreme and don't even provide a wooden spoon or baking tray...

I‘m keen to know where the second one was!

Don’t expect us to clean if you’re also charging a cleaning fee. Check out as late as you can make it while still keeping places clean.

Decent pillows, not pancake pillows.

A coffee machine/cafetière and nice biscuits/shortbread. Welcome packs are great.

Cosy throws in winter for relaxing on sofa. Sofa must be in good condition.

Enough space/shelves/storage in bathrooms for all my toiletries and makeup - I don’t want to balance my expensive items on the edge of the sink thanks.
And lots of hangers in wardrobes.

Recommendations of good local restaurants.

Lots of good feedback here so thought I’d share what I’ve found off putting in holiday lets we’ve been to in the past …

• uncleanliness
• cheap lumpy mattresses on the kids beds (really common in our experience)
• rubbish shower
• Slow wifi
• not enough kitchen equipment - blunt kitchen knives
• cupboards full of old herbs, oils and random food (others have mentioned this as a good thing but I always think it means the cupboards haven’t been cleaned between guests)
• not enough space to store our own food in the kitchen
• no full length mirror
• no socket near a mirror for hairdryer
• not being able to control the heating
• a list of cleaning we’re supposed to do before leaving - I don’t mind putting out rubbish and loading this dishwasher but that’s it because I’m on holiday!

Kitchen knives that are able to cut through more than just butter.
Kitchen utensil range - tongs, carving knife, whisk, measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons, spatula, serving spoons, pancake flipper, pasta claw, colander, salad spinner...
Baking pans - for cookies, brownies, oven roasted veg and meats, etc.
Pots, saucepans, lids - good quality and can go in dishwasher.
Food mixer.
Dishwasher tabs.
Bin bags for all bins.
Washer and dryer, detergent and dryer sheets.
Ironing board, iron in good working order.
Selection of teas and coffee pods.
Kerurig or similar.
Spare bedding.
Heat or AC that work.

Spotlessly clean, all bedding laundered and fresh smelling.

Nightlights along corridors/ landings so you don't break your neck looking for the loo in the dark.

Corkscrew and lamps

Things to make tea and coffee including some milk 😊 that way you can have a cuppa and not have to unpack everything to find a teaspoon 😂

So would I! May as well stay at a cheap hostel if you want to share with strangers 🙁

I have a box that we take with us to holiday cottages. It contains things like toilet paper, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, dishcloths and scourers, washing machine pods, sharp knives, extension lead, cling film and foil, liquid soap, salt and pepper, bin bags. It saves having to shop for essentials while we are away. It gets topped up when we get home and put away until next time. I don’t necessarily use everything in it when we are away, but it usually comes in handy.

Charging cables? Surely you take your own. The host would have to have so many variants to suit all the different phones, tablets etc and no doubt they’d all go missing!

You do realise @Holidayscomingthat we will all want to know where yours is so we can visit - it’s going to be the best kitted out Airbnb ever!

We use Airbnb a lot. For me it’s having the right amount of things to match the number of people ie if advertised for 4 people there should be at least four of everything- sunbeds, outdoor chairs, indoor sofa spaces, cutlery and glasses etc.
Plus dustpan and brush, tea towels, washing up sponges, half decent pans, cooking utensils.
The country we visit rarely has draining boards so we take our own, or a normal oven. it’s usually a combi oven and we find them pretty useless on the whole