New at hosting, question about TV in main living area

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Hello all, I just joined and we are closing on a villa home in FL. The home is a 2 bedroom + Den. We will also use it for vacations, and know that for our use we would have a TV in the Den & Masterbedroom… so would guests expect the main living room to have a TV as well? Would it be odd not to have a TV in the main living area?

Thanks in advance - I have MUCH to learn!

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Guests can expect to have whatever the host says they have in the listing description and as portrayed in the photo gallery. If they expect anything other than that, that’s their problem, not yours.

If there is ample seating in the den for the number of guests you will be hosting, it seems like a non-issue to me.

I haven’t watched TV in 50 years and have never had one in my home. I wouldn’t even turn any of yours on:-)

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I would put a TV in the main living area because I’m assuming that’s bigger than the den. If it’s a two bedroom than you would have four or more guests. Would the den accommodate 4 to 5 people? Do you have a sofa and love seat in the den? Also which room is closer to the kitchen? Folks like eating and drinking while watching TV.

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Smart TVs are cheap compared to even a few years ago.

Consider putting TVs in the larger living area & master BR.

Be open to adding an additional TV later. Guests will let you know if another is needed.

I originally had 2 TVs (living area & MB) in a 2br condo. It wasn’t long until a guest mentioned with adults using the two bedrooms, having TVs in each would be good.

Similar but different: with the work from home renters, I had a request for a second desk.

I now have a work desk & dining table in the living area plus a vanity table with chair in the bedroom. The vanity can do double duty as a laptop desk.

They wanted a desk in a room with a door on it (bedroom) for meetings & conference calls.

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Thanks so much. I do watch TV, there Den is small… so I will use them main living room for them TV!

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Some people watch little or no TV. It is my opinion that those that are TV watchers prefer a TV in each room.

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My ex-husband loved TV. We had a tv in the: kitchen, great room, every bedroom, & on the sunroom porch. He had “his” seat in the dining area so he could see the living area tv.

In my 3 Br home I have 1 TV and most of my watching is streaming Netflix & Amazon…differences in people

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First thing is put a bed in the Den. The more you can sleep, generally = more revenue. The Den will not earn anything - but BRs do. Put a TV in the LR and not in BR (discourages eating in BRs).
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Before you list it, READ HERE - a LOT, especially prior to March 2020. New hosts get a visibility boost. Figure out house rules, if you need cameras, etc etc. Be very prepared before you post your listing - and you will be successful. Treat it like a business - don’t just jump into it and possibly learn the hard way.

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Small TVs are cheap, but we saved even more for keeping a look out for local used smart TVs.

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To each their own and to each rental the number of TVs that seem appropriate. I stayed in a multimillion $ historic property in a Boston suburb that had one TV at the far end of the home in a sunroom.

I’m one of the dwindling number of people who lament TV’s in every room with people gathering to stare at them. That includes me. Every Sunday friends gathered at my home where I had two TVs on the patio where we watched the NFL. Thank goodness when we vacay we sometimes stay in Airbnbs where the TV isn’t constantly on. When we stay in hotels the TV is on constantly.

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Not always a good idea - more guests = more cleaning and more potential problems. We have a 4 BR house and decided to use only 2 BRs…so we get $120 a night instead of $180, but it’s rented constantly with less cleaning and issues…
Just my .02

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Woody, I 100% agree. My intention is not to fill the unit, but to have just the two bedrooms. I don’t even plan to rent, but a few months seasonally…

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3 BR allows for all sorts of potential guest bookings that a 2 BR does not (some families, couples plus kids, etc), and for more money.
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You choose to make less by only using 2 BR out of 4 - and that is your choice. @Dwood622 is asking for advice - so if he wants to maximize the investment and revenue then more beds are needed.

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I’d never put a tv in the bedroom cause guests would soil the bedding and my carpet

I would expect a tv in the living first, before a tv in the bedroom

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Welcome to Florida and Hosting! This forum is a terrific font on knowledge and opinions.

I’d put a TV in the living room and possibly 2 smaller ones in each bedroom. The den can have a sofa bed if you’d like the extra head in a bed (or 2) depending upon the size of the villa home. Otherwise, make it a cute WFH spot with a desk, etc.

Good luck and read everything here on all subjects. There are several FL hosts on this forum from all over - I’m outside of Tampa and have a private room/bath in my shared home listing. I’ve met wonderful people and made new friends in the neighborhood as people move here.

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Squirrel moment. I had to read this twice. I know Florida has some unique houses. My first thought was,”What is a vanilla home? All white inside & out? Has a special tile?”

Then I realized VILLA! Opps

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I hear you. I used to host 2br 2 ba sleeps 6; king, queen, & sofa sleeper. I’ve now locked off one bed/one bath & rent as a 1 Br/1ba, king & sofa sleeper; max 2 guests

However I like the flexibility of having more guests when I’m sharing with friends (my use) and/or option to switch back to offering max 6 guests.

Actually I like having the 3 beds. Group of 3 friends. Pups & me on sofa sleeper. Friends get private bedrooms.

Just thinking-if the den has a door, put a bed in there & lock it off. That gives you the flexibility of having 6 guests either for income or personal use.

Or when you are furnishing the home, perhaps put a sofa sleeper in there. Don’t list the sofa sleeper as available for sleeping.

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In the past we have had “what is a villa?” as a topic here. It didn’t quite rise to the level of kettles and duvets but it was spirited. In the US a 2 BR home isn’t a villa, it’s a cottage. Villas are grand estates, usually in Italy. The poster who inspired the debate hosted small properties in Australia but insisted that such a property was called a villa down there.

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I hear you, the community calls the units “Villa’s” they are actually a townhome/condo unit.

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lol… I don’t know why the community calls them Villa’s - probably because the town is “Venice”.