Tips for Airbnb Hosts: How to Make Your Airbnb Suck Less

I recently stayed in an Airbnb in a little seaside town in England. The price was right and so was the location. BUT I had a terrible night’s sleep and some difficulties getting ready the next morning. This, plus a previous stay at in Airbnb in the southwest of France, got me thinking about how to best to kit out an Airbnb so that it’s comfortable. Because if this Airbnb thing is going to work, it’s gotta be BETTER than a hotel for me. 

1. 1. Buy real beds. Futons suck. I am over the age of 40 and beyond the point of sleeping on a futon. But because these things are so cheap, a lot of Airbnbs have futons. Let me repeat: FUTONS SUCK. What I don’t think Airbnb owners realize is that you can get a crazy comfortable latex mattress for cheap too!
   2. Buy nice pillows. I have yet to stay in an Airbnb that has good pillows. They are all ridiculously thin and uncomfortable and OLD. Also, they very rarely have pillow protectors, which I find pretty gross. You can get really nice feather pillows on Amazon! And pillow protectors. Budget for two pillows per person.
   3. Put hooks in the bathrooms. How do people live without hooks in their bathrooms? I always need to hang up a robe or a towel or an item of clothing. Again, hooks are cheap. One hook goes a long way!
   4. Add mirrors in common areas.  For the one bedroom flat in England that we rented, I slept in the living room. The only mirror was in the bedroom, which made it difficult for both of us to get ready. A mirror in the living room helps both for the guest(s) sleeping the living room plus that last minute check for anyone before they leave the house.
   5. Add window treatments to all sleeping areas. I had a feeling this was going to be a problem in our place in England so I actually planned ahead and brought along a sleep mask. While the bedroom had curtains, the living room only had curtains on one wall. Again, you can get cheap window coverings anywhere! Even just a simple blind would have been great. By 6:30 am, the living area was very bright.
   6. Bathrooms need bath mats. In the place I stayed in France, not only were there no hooks in the bathroom, but there was no bath mat. I had noticed this from the photos and actually packed my own but no one should ever have to pack their own bath mat!
   7. Sugar, salt, and pepper: These are the things that are really annoying to buy if you are only staying a few nights. Every Airbnb should come with sugar, salt, and pepper.
   8. Buy a toilet plunger. I hope I don’t need to explain this one.
   9. Buy a luggage rack. In France, I had to climb over the bed to get to my suitcase on the floor. A simple luggage rack would have made things so much more convenient.
   10. Add a key hook. Especially when there is only one set of keys for multiple guests, having a key hook somewhere in the living area in a nice, visible place can be a godsend and help prevent the inevitable “Where are the keys?” I also recommend a nice big keychain — look for a local attraction or similar.
   11. There must be a carbon monoxide detector.

What do you think? What are your must-haves for a comfortable Airbnb stay?