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Great list Em! I’m going to adopt the mail one, have had guests do that too many times.
In case you are tempted, just to be nice to your guests, consider this story… then practice saying, “really officer, I know it was mailed c/o me, but I swear I don’t know nuthin about no drugs! 
And here is where I think Airbnb is going to begin to reach a bubble. I believe they are waiting for the bubble to reach fever pitch before announcing their IPO, and possibly a sell off to Expedia or someone like that.
And then there’s this…
https://quartzy.qz.com/1132556/how-i-fell-out-of-love-with-airbnb/
Well actually we rather discourage this… as there is a thread on the forum specifically for sharing our listings.
We’ve had a few new members abuse this and post their links endlessly and obnoxiously.
I would definitely raise your rates. On many threads you’ll see that seasoned Airbnb’ers do not use the smart pricing.
The wording on your listing indicates that you are available to help wherever needed - if you don’t want to be bothered I’d change that wording, maybe “I am a friendly but busy person”.
Set hours that you don’t mind the kitchen being used. As is, it sounds as though it’s available 24/7. This will be a benefit to guests who might be concerned about excess noise in a shared home.
Remove pictures of food from your listing so people don’t expect you’ll be sharing meals with them. The kitchen is enough to let them know it is available for them.
Mark off sections in your fridge and cupboards for guest food so they are aware that they are not to help themselves to yours (or other peoples’) food.
If you want to make some extra money (and if you don’t mind doing it) charge for the use of your laundry - a little higher than the local laundromat for the convenience of using yours. Try charging $1 per sheet for the printing, then maybe you won’t mind so much. But I’d start a tab… if someone wants to use your extra services, collect $20 up front (or whatever) and give them the balance when they depart.
Your bathroom and kitchen DO look high end - very nice.
Suggestions for pictures: retake the pic of your living room, moving the white cord dangling in front of the tv and removing some of the extra items on the table - straighten the pillows on the couch, centre the white cube and remove the crocheted blanket from the picture. (You can put them back after the pic is taken if you want.)
Kitchen picture: close the door in the background to reduce the appearance of clutter, and remove any extra items from the counters.
The guest bedroom appears to have lesser-quality items in it. This is the guests personal space, so that is likely what they will most connect with. You listing states that you have a “king single bed”. That is confusing… a king bed is for 2 and a single is for one… which one is it?
I leave a time table of the local transit for guests… anyone using transit appreciates it.
In the end, you will find there are guests who just ask LOTS of questions regardless of how much information is in your guest book. With one guest (this was by email) I started delaying my replies after about 30 back n’ forth (you wouldn’t believe the questions being asked… from Australia BTW) and after a couple of days I apologized and said that I had been very busy and then gave the answer to the question. I did that so they would realize that I am a busy person, not Google, and all of the email tips were at a personal time cost.
I hope these are helpful tips!
Doesn’t seem right. I’ve stayed in city centre places, and you open the door, and you’re in the city…no need to get in a car. Perhaps it could be phrased as “10 minute drive to the city”? If you’re suggesting your place is in the thick of it, they shouldn’t need to get a cab home.
My house is 10 minutes drive from Brighton, but I would never say it was city centre, if it costs £15 in a taxi. My listing, however, is unquestionably a funky city pad.
Well I do. I have a particular guest target profile I am interested in and have designed my listing to attract these sort of visitors as they work best for me and for the area I live in. They are namely.
Young weekenders - like to be out most of the time and don’t use much in the way of cooking facilities. (known in marketing terms as DINKIES (double income no kids)
Repeat single business visitors - out all day, normally quite self sufficient, - 1-3 night stays
Longer term holiday makers - all ages. Use Bristol as a base to various visitor attractions in the area - tend to be up earlier so early to bed
Hosts often complain about the sort of visitors they attract - so I think it’s worth having a clear idea about who you want to attract and how to set your listing up to attract them.
Especially challenging if you then say their name was Jim Bob according to their selfie and you have no idea about their real name, real email, DOB or address because Airbnb won’t give it to you. I don’t fancy spending my pay check on a lawyer who’s never used Airbnb
What exactly do you? How do you set up your listing that it attracts mentioned categories?
I talk in my description about the sort of guests my listing is most suitable for and provide facilities that these sort of guests are likely to want/need.
I don’t think they will do that. Rentals may be peaking but that is why Airbnb is expanding into “experiences” and other aspects of travel like airlines and restaurants.
One never knows what companies will do when beholden to shareholders!