What Do Airbnbs Provide: Airbnb Essentials VS Airbnb Amenities

Airbnb’s are becoming increasingly more popular for guests to book and this is making many people curious about them. And you’re probably wondering what do Airbnbs provide that hotels don’t? Why do guests want to stay at an Airbnb versus a hotel and what is considered essential and what is an amenity.

I’ve been a Superhost on Airbnb since 2019 and have hosted hundreds of guests. I’ve had majority 5 star reviews and earned multiple 6 figures. I know a thing or two about what essentials versus what amenities your Airbnb listing should provide.

In this article, I’ll break that down for you and show you what you need to have for a 5 star guest experience every single time.

This post is all about what do Airbnbs provide.

What Do Airbnbs Provide

Airbnb Essentials

Airbnb does provide a basic list of 5 essentials that they would encourage every host to provide for their guests. You can find that list here but I’ve also detailed that list below.

1. Toilet paper

2. Soap for hands and body

3. One towel per guest

4. One pillow per guest

5. Linens for every bed

Click through for my Airbnb essentials guide and Airbnb kitchen essentials guide!

The list is so small, you need so little for Airbnb to call you a basic listing. But read through my other guides above. There are other things on these lists that I would consider an essentials that Airbnb does not.

The other way you need to think about it is most people who are using Airbnb for the first time are coming over from a hotel. They are going to automatically expect the essentials that hotels will provide. This can even be varied from hotel location and star rating, so just think through what an equivalent hotel would provide as an essential and not up charge for.

Most hotels these days are providing everything in that list above plus the following things below.

6. Shampoo and conditioner

I use these refillable bottles for my bathrooms. You can order directly on Amazon.

7. Extra set of towels

I provide at least 2 sets extra over the guest count. If the listing holds 6 guests, I provide 8 sets of towels.

8. Extra pillows

I provide 2 per guest so 4 pillows per bed that a guest could use.

9. Extra blankets

I provide 2 extra blankets per bed. These blankets are throw blanket size, not the size of the bed.

10. Bath mat

I always provide 1 bath mat per bathroom. Even if that bathroom doesn’t have a shower or tub.

11. Smart TV

I don’t provide log in information for my guests to streaming platforms. I used to do this but guests would always log themselves into their own accounts so I don’t provide this anymore. Hotels are similar where they just allow guests to log into their own accounts and don’t provide the streaming service for free.

12. Kitchen basics

I provide my guests kitchen basics like dish soap, sponge, drying rack, towels, cooking oil and salt and pepper.

13. Coffee pot and coffee

You do not have to provide coffee for your guests but hotels almost always provide coffee and tea in guest rooms. I’d definitely recommend having coffee at least available.

14. Iron or steamer

Every hotel room has a clothes iron and ironing board, you need to have this available in all your Airbnb listings.

Airbnb Amenities

Now the best way to get your Airbnb booked is to have the best Airbnb amenities. Amenities are extras that would be unique to your property like a fire pit, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, etc. The best way to see what amenities you should provide, would be to look at other listings that are like yours in that area and see what amenities they offer.

When doing this, you will want to filter on Airbnb to properties that you are directly in competition with from a location, guest count and bedroom count stand point. Look through their listings and make a spreadsheet on what amenities they provide their guests. Amenities are defined as any extras above what Airbnb lists as essentials (those 5 things up top). But note the big ones.

After making the list, go back through and read all the listing reviews. Make an extra note next to the ones that guests are repeatedly calling out in the listing reviews. This will give you a clue as to what guests traveling to that area are expecting the listings to have when they stay at an Airbnb in that location.

You will want to add as many of these amenities to you listing as you feasibly can, within the budget you are working with, to your listing. This will attract the guests the other listings are attracting and help you get bookings!

The truth about Airbnb amenities

Amenities are hard to list because they are so unique by location. What’s popular and expected in one area will not be in another.

For example, if you have a listing in Scottsdale, AZ for 10 people that doesn’t have a pool, you are not going to get booked like other listings that house 10 people that do have a pool. In a colder mountain climate, you could replace pool with hot tub and fire pit. The lists goes on and on.

This is why it’s important to do the research on your market and understand what your target guest wants when traveling to your area.

What other essentials and amenities are you going to provide? Let me know in the comments below!

This post was all about what do Airbnbs provide.