If you rent a private room/bath with ABB, what was your ballpark startup costs as a host? What was your biggest expenses? I’m sure I’ll receiving a variety of answers, but just curious.
Are you starting with absolutely nothing, or do you already own some items ?
1 Like
Buying extra bedding & my time spent cleaning lol
1 Like
I have a bed, night stands, dresser. All furniture is pretty new and nice stuff. My linens are too nice for ABB, so I’ll have to buy new white towels and sheets.
Now, that isn’t a good way to think. I bought my most expensive sheets of my life to host on AirBNB and my reviews indicate that people feel pampered, which has allowed me to raise my rates.
Bed, at least one nightstand with lamp, dresser with available drawers, empty closet with hangers, double [at least] sets of sheets, extra pillow cases, at least double the number of towels you will offer for a group of your maximum number of guests, if shared bath, space in the bathroom to place their items or a caddy so they can carry their stuff to the bathroom each time easily, hair dryer, paper cups in the bath for swishing one’s mouth after brushing, a place to hang their wet towels so they don’t use your wood furniture, a desk if there is room, and I am sure I have forgotten something.
4 Likes
I use my nicest sheets and towels for my guests and I use the cheap stuff myself!!
In terms of your original question though; I had zero start up costs. I went with a very basic listing priced low and it was no problem. I didn’t even have hooks on the doors and yet people loved the listing. Oddly it is now much improved, but the reviews aren’t necessarily better.
My advice; consider your target audience as that will dictate startup costs. If you’re going for guests who will pay top dollar you may need to spend some cash.
3 Likes
We have a similar set up. A room with one bed and an ensuite. We already had a bed, bedside tables, built in wardrobe, kettle, mugs, reading lamps already fixed to the walls, duvet, pillows, mattress protector.
For initial setup we spent money on new of the following:
Sheet sets x 2
Duvet cover sets x 2
Towels (x 4 of bath towels, hand towels and face cloths) - they get a nice new set of towels each per stay (my maximum is 4 nights) and I leave a pile of older but still perfectly fine towels in the room if they want more.
Bath mat x2
(Note two sets of everything above so we don’t have to work too hard if there’s a tight turnaround! Also helpful to have spares in case anything gets stained)
Rubbish bin
Things we continually buy/ top up:
Liquid soap
Shampoo/conditioner (big bottles)
Tea/coffee/sugar/little uht milk portions
Little snacks sometimes when I find things on special
2 Likes
Oh and we bought a hairdryer too
1 Like
This is the best way of looking at it - especially because when you first start hosting, you’re dependent on good reviews and these won’t happen if hosts cut corners and are determined to do things on the cheap.
We have great quality linens and towels, wood hangers (I hate plastic ones), and good quality goods throughout. We have three of everything that needs laundering so that we can accommodate same day turnovers and still have a spare set if, for example, the guests report that they have stained the sheets and the previous guest laundry hasn’t been done yet.
We have a whole apartment rental but if we were offering just a room, I’d include a hairdryer , coffee maker and electric kettle. If you’re not allowing guests access to your kitchen (and most hosts here would advise against it) then I’d include a cheap, small microwave and a mini fridge. Plus cups, plates, cutlery etc.
My own rule of thumb - not shared by everyone here, I know - is that the rental should be equipped and set up as though you’re expecting your in-laws. 
5 Likes
It seems like it would depend on the rental. At $40-50 a night and mostly one nighters it’s hard to justify buying expensive sheets. (although people differ on what is “expensive” or even “good quality.” My room gets glowing reviews with my $35 sheets. My guests feel pampered my my shower. Little things like a bottle of water or a chocolate can also make guests feel pampered.
3 Likes
@KKC. I think I should have said, for my market, having high quality sheets is important. There is a lot of competition and due to my location (and hence costs) I am in a position to charge more per night.
There is a downside to buying nice sheets for the AirBNB rooms. I was told that WE deserved nice ones too.
5 Likes
How do you measure this? I’ve read various things about thread counts. I’ve bought cheap sheets I thought were great and some that were more expensive and they weren’t as comfy.
1 Like
To me, a high quality sheet feels tightly woven, has no sheen, is 100% cotton, and doesn’t depend on a “slimy” finish to look good. It is truly a case of, when I feel it, I know it. I love Egyptian cottons which I first encountered in France at the age of 11. Thread count is not always an indicator, and I have no idea why.
edited to add: and price is NOT a good indicator either.
2 Likes
so the search continues…
1 Like
I can tell you what I purchased…
After 60 cleanings, they look and feel the same as the day they were purchased [after washing.] What few stains we have had have come out with a bit of pre-treating. And now I see they are on sale, I might go buy another set. I have a 20% coupon in my inbox.
3 Likes
And now I am thinking sheets. For my second bed I bought cheaper sheets by a company called HygroSoft. They were “wicking” which I thought would be good for a room without A/C and for sleeping on a futon mattress which is warmer. After about 35 washings, they are limp and wrinkle easily. They are more worn and look more aged. I will be replacing these way before the Wamsutta, and they will be replaced with the Wamsutta. Sometimes better quality also lasts longer.
2 Likes
I will say the sheets I have tossed had holes in them. One looked liked the guest had done something to it, maybe a piece on their luggage gouged it? I like the idea of buying bottom and top sheets separately so a whole set doesn’t have to be replaced. But my separate bottom I got doesn’t match the good top sheet as well as I’d like. Sigh. I was happy with my $35 set which lasted at least 100 washings. But they weren’t perfect. So I’m still searching. These Wamsutta sheets are only $60 in the full size I need for the guest room so I might consider trying them out.
In my experience, better quality stuff, as long as it doesn’t get stolen or broken, is almost always a good investment. This is particularly true of things like electronics, but it’s true of lots of other things as well.
1 Like
@KKC. If you sign up for the BB&B email list, you will get 20% coupons on a regular basis. Add the free shipping if you have an order of over $50.00 and you have saved yourself time and money. Bonus is, if you don’t like the sheets you can return to a brick and mortar store so you don’t pay return shipping.
I agree. I wish I could buy these sheets separately, but that doesn’t seem to be the way sheets are sold in this price range anymore. How many drop clothes does one family need?
Once upon a time the Kirkland sheets were great and dirt cheap. We bought a replacement set about 6 years after the first set and were sorely disappointed in the change of quality. Same thread count etc, they just were not as nice! Maybe thread thickness is part of the perceived quality factor? If the strands are thick and it is a 300 count, you will get a different texture than if the threads are thin. [conjecture!]
1 Like
With sheets it’s about the weave. Percale lasts much longer than sateen, feels crisp and sleeps cool in the summer. It’s hard to find good percale sheets these days, but I’ve been using these so far. They go on sale for a really good price quite frequently. http://m.macys.com/shop/product/martha-stewart-collection-sheet-sets-360-thread-count-cotton-percale?ID=1280533&CategoryID=9915
1 Like