Best Airbnb Amenities to Make Your Vacation Rental Stand Out

The pandemic has changed how we view most things and have reminded us how to appreciate the small (and finer) things in life again.

For short-term rental hosts, this means that they’ll need to pay extra attention to how they furnish their vacation rental properties moving forward.

Guest expectations have changed across the board and hosts – especially new ones –will need to take this into account when choosing which Airbnb amenities to prioritize while setting up their rental properties.

In a post-Covid world where everyone is more aware of personal space and taking extra precautions to sanitize, cleanliness has become even more important than ever before.

By shopping smartly for Airbnb amenities hosts can improve the overall guest experience and level of cleanliness at the same time.

For hosts with limited cash flow, here are the most important amenities to invest in and practical tips for how to impress your guests to make your Airbnb stand out.

Top Airbnb Amenities for 2023

A quick look at traveler trends reveals that the following amenities are expected to become increasingly more in demand in coming years:

Wi-Fi

In 2023 and beyond, high-speed, reliable internet will be a must-have feature. It has become an expectation among all types of travelers, not just business travelers and digital nomads. Some have even argued that access to the internet should be made a human right, but that hasn’t been written into law just yet.

Also, more and more travelers are booking longer stays as they can work remotely. However, you’ll only be able to leverage this travel trend if you provide high-speed Wi-Fi.

If you’re thinking about charging guests an extra fee, reconsider this approach. As mentioned, it’s become an expectation and travelers will be caught off guard if they’re charged an additional fee for this amenity.

Instead, when you work out your nightly rates, rather include this in your calculation, just like you would include other expenses such as insurance, electricity, etc.

Smart locks

Staying with the topic of technology, it’s better to opt for smart locks over traditional keys. After the pandemic, increasingly more travelers have grown familiar and comfortable with the self-check-in process. It leaves a lot less room for accidental contact and gives guests a greater sense of autonomy over the space.

Not only is it more convenient, but it’s also more secure. Guests can’t lose or misplace the key. Plus, you can also keep better track of who tries to access the property.

But, of course, in the event of a power outage or other emergency, many smart locks still work with a traditional key or have an override of some kind to still allow access.

A comfortable desk and chair

As mentioned earlier, increasingly more travelers are taking advantage of remote work policies. To make your property an attractive location for guests who have this level of flexibility, ensure that you have a dedicated workspace.

It doesn’t need to be big and a laptop-friendly workspace will do. Most travelers simply need a comfortable desk and chair (and, of course, Wi-Fi). Add plugs or outlets that allow them to charge their devices and make sure the setup is ergonomic enough for a longer period of work and it should be good. To make it feel more inviting, add a couple of indoor plants and it’s basically as good as the real deal.

A well-equipped kitchen

Entire home listings should ensure that the kitchen is properly stocked. After all, a fully stocked kitchen is one of the main reasons why guests opt for short-term rentals over hotels. If you’re going for the home-away-from-home feeling for your rental property, a great kitchen for your guests to cook their own meals in is a must.

To help guests find the item they’re looking for, ensure that it’s organized logically and intuitively. Otherwise, your guests will be quick to jump to the conclusion that your kitchen lacks the essentials. Plus, by taking the time to organize your kitchen, it will also be easier for guests (and your cleaners) to return the items to their correct places.

You can use this kitchen checklist to ensure that you have all the essentials:

• Fridge
• Coffee maker
• Microwave
• Oven
• Toaster
• Electric kettle
• Cookware
• Cutlery
• Mugs
• Glassware
• Cutting boards
• Food storage containers
• Wine opener
• Bottle opener
• Can opener
• Trash can
• Cleaning supplies
• Sharp knife
• Scissors
• A smoke detector and smoke alarm
• A fire extinguisher

A washing machine

Similarly to a fully stocked kitchen, a washing machine can also be the difference between a guest deciding to book your short-term rental or just checking themselves in at the local hotel.

It might come as a surprise, but some guests actually do washing while they’re on holiday. After all, if you’re booking a longer stay, how else are you going to have enough clean clothing?

Not only will investing in a washing machine help your guests, but it will also come in handy when you have a same-day check-in. Getting the linen ready for the next guests is a major headache if you continuously need to rely on third-party services. It will also work out more expensive in the long run.

Free Parking

Guests who travel don’t need to be worrying about where their vehicles are or how safe they are while they stay at your property, so if there is free parking available, be sure to state that.

If there isn’t free parking available, try to provide affordable alternatives.

A pet-friendly space

Longer stays are one of the top travel trends that are expected to remain popular in 2023 and beyond.

To help you make your listing more inviting to guests looking to book a weeklong stay or longer, consider opening your home to pets. It’s one of the easiest ways to set your rental apart from the competition as it’s a unique value proposition that few currently offer.

In addition to listing your property as pet-friendly, also ensure that you offer the following items:

• Bowls for water and food
• Furniture covers
• A pet bed
• A couple of pet toys (including a scratching post) and treats
• Designated pet towels
• A litter box
• Cleaning supplies

An outdoor area

If space allows it, it’s strongly recommended that you create some sort of outdoor space. Once again, it’s one of the key amenities that can help set your listing apart from the competition, especially hotel accommodation.

When creating an outdoor area, pay special attention to privacy. Not only do guests want to escape the gaze of onlookers, but also the sun. A pergola or awning can be an attractive addition that can also offer shade. Alternatively, you can simply settle on an umbrella.

Then, depending on the size of the outdoor area, you can also try to include an outdoor patio set where guests can enjoy al fresco dining and a BBQ grill. Alternatively, a hammock or lounger can add the final touch if it becomes too cramped.

A hot tub or splash pool

Depending on your location and budget, a pool or hot tub can also be an attractive amenity to include. Not only will it help to attract more bookings, but it will also allow you to increase your nightly rate.

What Do Airbnb Hosts Have to Provide?

Many of these Airbnb amenities ideas listed above are nice-to-have items. While a hot tub and a patio can elevate the guest experience, they aren’t essential amenities.

To ensure that your listing has everything your guests will expect, you can use this handy checklist of the basic amenities, along with the Airbnb kitchen essentials checklist shared earlier:

Living area essentials

• Couch
• Armchairs
• A coffee table
• Television
• Rugs
• Decor
• Indoor plants

Dining room essentials

• A dining table and chairs
• Adequate lighting (smart lighting can lend a modern touch)
• Artwork
• A high chair (if your target marketing is mostly families with young kids)

Bedroom essentials

• A bed and mattress
• Mattress cover
• Guest linens
• Sufficient pillows
• Matching pillowcases
• An extra blanket and extra pillows
• A wardrobe (and remember the coat hangers)
• Bedside tables
• Lamps
• An ironing board and iron
• A full-length mirror
• A hairdryer

Bathroom essentials

• High-quality towels
• Toilet paper (and remember to include extra toilet paper)
• A bath mat
• A mirror
• A toilet brush set
• A trash can
• A first-aid kit
• Body soap

How Do I Impress Guests on Airbnb?

While these Airbnb essentials and extra amenities can help to boost your occupancy rate and guarantee a comfortable stay, there are a number of other ways in which hosts can impress their guests. Small gestures, like a welcome basket and note, can show guests that you’re willing to go the extra mile for them.

At the end of the day, impressing guests is more about the experience that you offer than the amenities that you provide. Be attentive to their needs and ensure that your communication is professional and prompt.

Your Mastercard credit card might be able to buy you these five-star Airbnb amenities, but for everything else, there’s iGMS vacation rental software.

Being a host is a time-consuming task, but by investing in vacation rental software you can save many hours per week by streamlining your communication and other routine tasks. A software solution like iGMS can, for example, help with:

• Managing multiple accounts and units on the major vacation rental platforms
• Organizing your messages and email into a single feed and using automated templates and triggered messaging to improve guest communication
• Automating the process of guest reviews
• Managing direct bookings using a direct booking management toolkit
• Receiving payouts and creating invoices by connecting your Stripe account to iGMS
• Creating your own website in minutes
• Sharing daily schedules with your team and auto-assigning tasks.