How Spending One Night in Your AIRBNB Is the Best Thing You Can Do For Future Guests and Your Bottom Line

While in some instances, hosts build their rentals from the ground up, it is somewhat common for short-term rentals to be inherited, especially in areas more prone to tourism. No matter the situation, it is imperative that you periodically stay in your rental as a true guest. 

Follow all the procedures a guest would follow from check-in to check-out. Bring what a guest would typically bring—no digging into your owner’s closet. It is only when hosts experience their property as a guest that they truly understand what their property has to offer and what may need to be addressed. Here at FIX , we have some basic guidelines to follow when you take your property for a spin. 

When visiting their own property, some hosts might choose to cancel their cleaning. It is important to let your cleaning crew come and prepare the property as they would for any guest. As the owner, you need to see what your guests walk into after the property has been fully prepped. Upon your arrival, make sure to do a quick walk-through of the whole property, just as any guest would. Make any notes of areas that were not addressed to your liking, or may have been overlooked in your cleaning instructions. 

If your property includes a kitchen, see how that space works in action. While preparing a meal did your kitchen include all the necessary tools? Were you able to access what you needed intuitively? Sometimes when owners set up their properties, they make choices for aesthetic purposes rather than for use. For example, that trashcan disguised as a cabinet looks great- but can be aggravating for new guests.

Try to use appliances to make sure they work as expected. Plate your meal and eat it where a guest would. Is the table positioned in a place that is welcoming and comfortable? If not, you may find yourself gravitating towards the couch. If you feel this way, your guests probably will as well. In many cases simple adjustments can be made to make your dining area more inviting and more prone to use, saving other areas of your property from food stains.

After your meal, how easy was it to clean up? Did your property provide you with everything you needed to return your space back to its original splendor? While some guests may not take full advantage of cleaning up the space, we certainly want to encourage those who are willing. It's important not to skimp on items such as dishwasher tabs and trashbags to enable guests to keep your property clean and functional. 

Take advantage of the entertainment options available in your property. This is a great time to test out the ease of use of any sort of audiovisual equipment. Is it easy to navigate between components such as a streaming stick, cable or DVD player? Are all the remotes working and found easily? If the batteries are low, would guests know where to find replacements? Make sure to consider that your property will attract a variety of ages who will have different comfort levels with technology. If you don’t already, consider adding visual instructions to your guest book if there are multiple steps to any system navigation. 

If your property includes a pool or hot tub, go ahead and take the plunge. Are the temperatures and chemical levels correct? Are towels available and in an accessible location? Other features like pool tables and games can also be assessed. This is a great time to identify items that are damaged or need to be replaced.

If your property has beach access and you provide items like beach chairs, umbrellas or a beach wagon, use them during your visit. This is the only true way to test their functionality. The corrosiveness of the ocean can wear these items out more quickly than expected. This is something that can go unnoticed as not every guest uses these during their stay.

As hosts, when we stay in our own properties, we tend to use the same bathroom, usually the one that adjoins the master bedroom. Take this opportunity to check out the other bathrooms your property has to offer. Are all bathrooms clean and well-equipped? Is the water pressure sufficient? Again, this is a great time to assess those guest towels. If towels start to fray, it's time to throw them away (or donate them to a well-deserving animal shelter). 

At the end of the day, retreat to your property’s bedroom. We might be biased, but this is one of the most important parts of your property test drive. Again, don’t limit yourself to the master bedroom. It is important that all bedrooms offer your guests comfort and a good night’s sleep. Is the mattress comfortable? What about the pillow factor? While some guests prefer a firm pillow, others may want one with more give. While you can’t please everyone, if you top beds with more than one pillow, why not include two types or store alternatives in the bedroom closet? 

Were there any lights or sounds that were disruptive at night? This is something that you may not have noticed while setting up a room. Did you sleep well? Consider what attributed to your good or bad night’s sleep. Did you have an extra blanket if you were cold? 

Was the bedding comfortable? Checking your sheets and duvet covers periodically is important to make sure there are no stains, rips or tears that might have occurred since your last visit. Even with our high-quality durable bedding, we at FIX  recommend replacement after 2 years. The bed can make or break your guests’ good night’s sleep as well as their overall stay. 

Follow the check-out procedures you provide to your guests exactly as they are written. This is a great way to find glaring omissions that may slow down your property's turnover. Remember, if you don’t include it in the check-out instructions, you can't expect your guests to do it.

Spending the night at your property a couple times a year is a way to check out the systems you have in place and identify problems that you might otherwise be unaware of. This is especially vital to your business if you are managing several properties or don’t live in close proximity. Don’t wait for bad reviews to correct issues; you are your STR’s best critic.