24 Life Changing Airbnb Tips For New Hosts

I have been an Airbnb Superhost since 2019 and it has been a JOURNEY. Thinking back over the years I put together this list of Airbnb tips for new hosts based on what I’ve learned and what would have really helped me as a new host.

This post is all about Airbnb tips for new hosts.

Best Airbnb Tips for New Hosts

1. You’re running a hospitality company not a rental business

I wish I would have had a “service first” mentality and invested in extra amenities to make my guests feel super comfortable. I think this would have taken the experience to the next level and led to a much more profitable business!

2. Don’t discount just because you’re a new listing

If you’re anything like me, I was terrified no one would book and I needed to make $1,900 a month to hit my revenue goal. My husband and I were going to rent it out to a long term tenant for $1,500 so we set this arbitrary goal of $1,900 to make furnishing the house feel “worth it”. I was BLOWN away when we booked $3,500 in revenue our first month on Airbnb. I had no idea what I was doing and was still terrified of not continuing to hit my $1,900/mo revenue goal. Even though I had already blown that number out of the water!

3. Automate everything

This will ensure you are showing up professionally and consistently for your guests. Have a welcome message, set expectation from the beginning on communication and follow through with automatic messages.

4. Have the best cleaner in town and pay them well

Do not skimp on the cleaning team! You do not want your guests to find a hair on their sheets or an unwashed knife in the silverware drawer. Ask around for the best cleaning teams and when you’ve found them, keep them happy. Tip them when they get a 5 star review for cleaning and guests point out that it’s super clean in their review. Refer them business and always bonus them at the end of the year.

5. Remember you’re creating an experience

The service or experience you’re creating is the backdrop to the guests vacation, trip or travel experience. Do not forget that as you welcome your guests.

6. Do not check the door bell camera

I repeat, don’t check the door bell camera. It will stress you out and bug you that a guest checked in early without asking, or that there’s guests there they didn’t put on the reservation. You will save a lot of heart ache by just using it if you need too. It’s a tool not a detective device.

7. Have a smart lock

This is a must! Especially now that Airbnb can fully integrate with your smart lock and provide a check in code seamlessly for guests. This will make your check in experience 5 stars for guests and help you have a peace of mind that all keys are not going to be lost.

8. Have the fastest WiFi option your provider sells

Nothing worse than slow WiFi problems at your house and on vacation so make the investment now. You will end up upgrading in the long run anyways LOL so save yourself the headache! Especially if you have a larger property and have frequent business travelers. They will need the fast WiFi.

9. Don’t send too many messages

Leave your guests alone, they’re on vacation and don’t need to hear from you everyday of their trip. I am always SO overwhelmed as a guest when hosts send too many messages so please don’t do this.

10. Your guests are on vacation, don’t be too strict

Again, your guests are on vacation, if a house rule gets broken or something is more dirty than usual, move on.

11. Things will break, towels will get stained, don’t freak out

LOL, again, your guests are on vacation. Let them relax and live a little!

12. Start a social media account NOW

If you ever want to grow a large portfolio and not rely on an OTA for bookings

13. Never do 1 night stays

These are always the absolute worst guests. They belong at a hotel in my opinion. They always want a discount on the cleaning fee and promise not to use X,Y or Z amenity in exchange. But at the end of the day, if they do, you really have no recourse and lose so much to cleaning fees.

This is a rule that I, a 5+ year host, will break every now and then. And 9/10 I will majorly regret it!

14. Turn on instant book

You have to do it to rank on the first page of results for your area. If you’re not comfortable with it, just know that other people who have it on will rank higher in the results. You can check that the guests have to have a “Good Track Record” and

15. Allow guests with no reviews to book

Take a chance on new people and allow guests with no reviews to book. If you have the “Good Track Record” setting on, they will not be able to instant book so your safe to ask a few questions beforehand and get an idea of who they are before you accept the reservation.

16. Always review a guest

As a host, please take the time to review your guest. It’s the best way we can support each other as hosts. If your guest was not pleasant or dirty, appropriately rate them so they can be property evaluated by other hosts. It’s so important to be honest in your dealings with reviews.

17. Don’t be stingy on the TP

I only put this one in because I have been told I was “stingy” with the TP in past guest reviews and you know what? They’re right. It would be the absolute worst to have to buy toilet paper on my beach vacation so hosts, just leave your guests enough toilet paper.

18. Provide basic cooking necessities

I’m talking basics – olive oil, salt and pepper. More is great but less is not good. If you have a kitchen, your guests will most likely cook and they don’t want to buy an entire bottle of olive oil or PAM to cook with just for their 3 night stay and 1 home cooked meal. Just put it in the kitchen!

19. Have an emergency contact

If you’re not available at all times, make sure you have a go-to emergency contact near the property. This could look like a property manager, a handy man or a friend you have on call who you will pay $50 for every property visit (yes, I do this!). It’s going to give you peace of mind as a host and is a great way to be able to keep up the guest experience at your properties.

20. Don’t surprise your guest with weird things about the listing, be up front

I do not understand why hosts try to hide the bad things at their properties. It WILL reflect in your reviews if guests see something weird and you didn’t tell them. The listing description is the perfect place to tell guests all they need to know about a listing. Some things will come up later as you host more people so always be making tweaks to ensure your guests feel they understand everything about your property up front.

21. Mattresses, pillows, sheets and towels should be top quality

This is what matters, guests need to sleep well and feel comfortable with these items and make them as high quality as you can. High quality doesn’t mean $$$$. You can still get high quality at Costco and Target.

Check out this post for more Airbnb essentials you need as a host!

22. Do everything you can to become a Superhost

This will get you marked as a “Guest Favorite” on Airbnb and help you rank to the top of search results for your area! You need to maintain over a 4.8 star rating, have 10+ stays, less than 1% cancellation rate and a 90% response rate.

Make sure you read how to become a Superhost on the Airbnb website for the most up-to-date info!

23. Ask for feedback from your guests

This has to be the best tip I have ever implemented. It shows humility to your guests and empowers them to give you constructive feedback rather than just backlash that could end up in your review later. This will help you rectify it immediately or eventually when you have them checked out.

24. NEVER be defensive, the guest is always right

To be a successful host, you have to wear the persona of a front desk manager at the Ritz. I swear, it’s the best mental switch when you’re dealing with a guest. Do not take anything they say personally. That is hard to do as a small business owner but this is where the big dogs get it right. The customer is always right and you have to make them feel like the expert no matter the issue.

You don’t have to go to drastic measures to solve their problems or offer an entirely free stay. But you do need to listen, understand and respond.

What’s your best Airbnb tip for new hosts? Let me know in the comments below! I’m always learning myself!

This post was all about Airbnb tips for new hosts.