Is it a private room or an entire place?

21

I would recommend listing this as a Private Space > Guest Suite > Studio (0 rooms). I used to list as a private room before AirBnB gave us more options. Back then you had to pick ENTIRE HOUSE or PRIVATE ROOM or SHARED SPACE, so I thought private room was most accurate. Now they give us the choice of guest suite, which is more suitable for in-law apartments and attached studios.

You can say in your ad copy that there is no kitchen. I don’t have one in my guest suite, and after maybe 200 groups I haven’t had anyone tell me they were surprised there was no kitchen.

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22

I’m going to give the entire space thing a try. I like that my place is described as a “guest suite.” It says no kitchen in the description and none is pictured so hopefully there won’t be issues.

If anyone thinks I’m making a mistake please alert me.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2835502?

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23

I too am going to stick with entire place. After reading the responses I think the vote here would be “private room” but I re-read Airbnb’s description of “guest suite” and it qualifies. The lack of kitchen is not my place’s “defect”, it’s the location I get dinged on. Can’t change that, nor can I control who my neighbors are.

24

I’m curious since your place sounds a lot like mine, have you had problems with people thinking your listing is something it’s not? Do you get booked as often as you would like? In other words, what prompted you to make this post?

25

I think switching to Entire Space will be a good move for you, though I believe 1 bedroom implies there is a bedroom and living space. I believe your place is a studio?

26

Yes but in my mind it’s a bedroom with an ensuite. I think of a studio as having a kitchen.

27

I usually get enough bookings. I had a couple from Finland who were expecting a kitchen and gave me 4 stars for accuracy (and4 stars on location). That is what Made me question. Accuracy is not something I normally get dinged on. For the most part people are happy and consider it a good value. I’m still new (2 years) and learning. https://abnb.me/Pvr07woQvU

28

I wonder if this is a language or cultural issue. The only people (only two bookings since I remodeled) I’ve had who expected a kitchen were foreigners as well.

Your set up is identical to mine. Private entrance in the front with ensuite and no kitchen.

I’m going with entire place for now but the first time someone insinuates they expected a kitchen I’m switching it back.

29

Hmmm, I do rely on that kitchenette to help justify the entire place/apt category. Funny thing is, half my guests are business travelers and all they do is use the coffee maker and maybe eat some granola bars. I think there is a population out there that prioritizes entire place but doesn’t care about kitchens. There’s your sweet spot. And, dammit, the word “kitchenette” uses up an enormous amount of letters. I used to have it in my title to ensure that no one would be expecting a full kitchen and be disappointed, but it just took up too much valuable descriptive real estate.

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30

If you live on the premises and share the same roof with them it’s a private place. Entire place is when you live elsewhere.

31

This is what the Airbnb help center has. It says “usually” includes a kitchen, not helpful for me.

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Did you make that up or see that somewhere?

32

I made it up. It makes sense that if you live on the premises they won’t have the entire place for themselves, would they?

33

Maybe you’re being sarcastic? It’s as if you didn’t read the thread. In any case neither Airbnb nor most hosts here define “entire place” as “host doesn’t live on premises.” There are hundreds of thousands of listings where the host lives under the same roof yet offers an “entire place” listing.

34

I wonder if Air never updated the copy since they started giving us have more options for listing (entire guest suite, entire studio, etc.) a couple of years ago.

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35

Since I switched to “entire place” a couple of weeks ago I’ve gotten two inquiries that didn’t book and I don’t think I’d get if I just listed as a private room. The latest came at 3 am my time and asked if I had a coffeemaker and chair or sofa to lounge on. Neither is listed, pictured or described in my description (of course.) So I’m switching back to private room. It’s worked for me for over 3 years, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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36

I appreciate the update. I’ve had guests confused about amenities either way I listed. When I listed as a private room, I had guests asking to come into my space to use the kitchen. I’ve been listing as a separate guest suite for about a year, and my current guests asked upon check-in if they’d rented the entire 4-bedroom house.

1 Like