Looking to freshen up and tidy your Airbnb? Want to find that one thing that will really make your guests give rave reviews? I’ve gathered some inspiration from some of the best hotels to provide you with some neat little tips and tricks to set your Airbnb apart from all the rest!
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Make your bed like a hotel
You might not think a lot about what kind of thought goes into the presentation of the bed in your hotel room, but there are actually quite a few sneaky tips that hotels utilize to give you that nice, fresh feeling. First and foremost, think about the color scheme of the beds at your Airbnb. While of course there's room for deviation to match certain themes and styles, paring down your look to a matching set of neutral colors can really set your bed apart. You often see white linens being used in hotels. Not only do white fabrics really give a clean, crisp feeling, but they also are easy to match other items to (like blanket throws and accent pillows), and have the added benefit of being bleachable (which guarantees, in fact, that they are crisp and clean!). Speaking of throws and accent pillows, toss a few extra on your beds! Your guests may not use them, but they allow you to experiment with color and texture to give a lush and luxurious experience. Last but not least, try making your bed like they do in hotel rooms. Hotels don’t often use fitted sheets, they instead use two flat sheets (the bottom one being slightly larger is helpful) and give them the hospital fold. It’s much more simple than it sounds and prevents that untidy bunching that can happen with a fitted sheet. Here is a quick tutorial on Hospital Corner Folds.
Deck out your bathroom
Another fun tip out of the hotel handbook is to deck out your bathrooms. You don’t have to go all crazy and have two of every toiletry that can be found in stores, but even having a modest spread of the basics like extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner can be quite a considerate offering for your guests (I mean, who hasn’t forgotten their toothbrush on a trip before?). Try presenting them on matching trays on your countertop. I really like these Wood Bathroom Trays but you can really use any style or finish as long as they look neat, tidy, and matching. Another fun tip that might seem a little extra is folding the tissues and toilet paper in your bathroom into fun shapes. It’s not at all difficult and besides just being super cute helps your guest feel reassured that they are in a nice, clean space that hasn’t yet been used. Here’s a tutorial on two ways to fold toilet paper. (Tissues are even easier, just take out the first tissue and fold it like you were folding a fan in elementary school, fold that fan in half and tuck the bottom end back into the tissue box. You know you’ve got it right when it looks like a fan or little shell is sticking out the top!)
Provide extra linens and towels
Now, this is by no means a requirement if you are trying to cut down on laundry, or are worried about possibly having to frequently replace your linens, but it really does add something extra special as a guest to know that there are spare towels just in case. (Again, who hasn’t forgotten to bring a towel). You can’t go wrong with white, as you’ll be able to bleach them alongside your bed sheet for an extra deep clean and to keep them bright. Try storing your extra linens somewhere accessible and in nice baskets, these Wicker Storage Baskets are very inviting and keep things organized. As you can see, tidy presentation is the name of the game.
Scents
Is it just me, or does a freshly cleaned home just not feel the same without a fresh fragrance drifting through the air? Besides selecting a nice scent for your cleaning supplies (or requesting it from your cleaning service) consider getting a home fragrance to make your home smell inviting. You can really add an extra accent to the look of your home through smell. Going for a log cabin aesthetic? Try notes of pine or warming ‘holiday’ scents with cinnamon and vanilla. Have a seaside vacation home? You can’t go wrong with crisp scents like fresh linens and ‘breezy’ ocean ones. I would avoid any open flames like candles, but there are plenty of other options like scented beads, diffusers, and automatic sprayers. Just keep in mind, less is more with scents (Also, some people may be sensitive to strong perfumes, so it might be worth a mention on your listing!).
Offer a selection of treats
A complimentary selection of coffee, tea, and perhaps a selection of wrapped snacks displayed in your kitchen is a wonderful gesture to your guests that is sure to impress. I like to have a shelf, or one of those fun mug trees, nearby and an easy source of hot water, (you have so many options, a tea kettle, electric warmer, mini coffee pots, etc!) that way the guests feel comfortable helping themselves. Much like in the bathroom, presenting everything on trays and baskets give the impression of a well-put-together establishment.
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Not too bad, right? Next time you are staying at a hotel, try and see if you can recognize any of these tips and tricks being implemented in the wild. Adding one or two of these simple ideas to your Airbnb is certainly guaranteed to raise customer satisfaction and set your home apart. These are only guidelines of course and have lots of room to add your own spin, to keep things unique, just like your own Airbnb. Good Luck and Happy Tidying!
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