Here's a tick list to get good Airbnb reviews

So you’re an Auckland Airbnb host who’s trying their hardest but is yet to see the good reviews to roll on in? Well here’s some good news for you! It will be almost impossible not to get good reviews once you tick off everything on this list. 

So why do you need good reviews as an Airbnb owner? Good reviews are essential to your business because they allow you to improve your search ranking and get more bookings. So what are the things you need to do to blow your Airbnb guests socks off.

1. Make sure your listing is accurate

You may think that people wouldn’t want to stay at a noisy apartment downtown but instead of leaving this off the listing, make sure to include it. No one enjoys negative surprises, so make sure you include any details which may be important for guests to know. For example, good things to mention are if your spa breaks down before the guest arrives, or if you don’t have air conditioning. However, you don’t need to go crazy with this, you still want people to book!

Apart from including things you may see as flaws, be sure to include a charming and interesting description of the property. Capture their interest with the title and description and reel them in with the rest of the profile.

2. Make sure your listing photos are accurate

As well as the listing, make sure to include 20-30 photos of your listing that are accurate. This doesn’t mean taking photos before you have cleaned up, or with sub-par lighting. This means you should take photos with a clean rental (and keep it that way!) and nice lighting but you shouldn’t try to hide or cover any of the flaws that may be present in your rentals that guests will notice on their visit. The truth is that nobody likes a catfish (except maybe the creators of the show Catfish, I mean that’s their whole business). 

3. Open communication 

Part of being a good host is being a good communicator. So this means that you should always be contactable for guests and answer messages promptly and accurately. A great idea is to leave 2-3 contact details so guests can contact you if they have any questions or issues. For example, you can include 2 phone numbers and your email, or your Facebook messenger details.

4. House manual

A sure-fire way to impress your guests and make sure they are fully informed about the space is to include a house manual in your property. This house manual should include a welcome note about the property/owners, contact numbers, WIFI password, details such as the Netflix password, places to visit/eat in the area, and details about public transport and healthcare. For more information on what to include in your house manual check out this previous article.

5. The check-in/out message

A nice way to keep open communication with your guests is to send a check-in text with details on how to check-in, contact numbers, and a well-meaning message. Following this, a message to see how they are going could be sent a few days later to make sure they are having a great stay and don’t have any concerns. You should also message your guests the day before they check out, to remind them of any rules for them to follow and let them know that you hope they had a nice stay.

6. Amenities

I remember that when I used to stay in Airbnbs as I child I loved the free chocolates and little hot chocolate packets. Now with amenities, there’s a difference between things you need to supply and things that you could supply. For example, a place that provides Netflix or a pool would be more likely to get a good review than a place that doesn’t even have WIFI. However, even if you don’t have a pool you could still show your guests you care about them by leaving presents such as a vase of flowers, coffee, and tea, little chocolates on the bed, or reading/play equipment. For more information on how to impress your guests, check out this previous article.

7. Make sure your listing is priced correctly

No one likes to feel like they’ve been ripped off so make sure your Airbnb is priced correctly. To make sure your pricing is accurate, a good idea is to check out other Airbnb’s in your area and see what their price is and what they offer to guests. You should then be able to make an informed decision about what price you Airbnb should be. You don’t want to be too expensive, or too cheap, because either of these options can scare off guests faster than you can say ‘boo.’

8. Interior design

When it comes to furnishing your Airbnb property, stop and do some research first! It’s important to have a think about the type of audience you want to attract and what potential charm you can offer your guests. Some things to consider on this front are room colours, furnishings, op-shop finds, greenery, and contrasting textures. For more information on how to become an interior designing super-star, check out this article. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are so many ways to get great Airbnb reviews from guests but the main points to think about are being honest, keeping open communication, and putting in that bit of extra effort. So with a bit more effort on your part, you’ll see a much better result!

Written by Lauren Middleton