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I am Kostas from Greece. I live in Stockholm, but the studio i have listed in in the beautiful Kalamata (like the olives!) in Messinia - Greece. I finally got into AirBnB in July 2016 and my first guests arrived on the 9th of August. I am fully booked from 9-19 and 24-26 which is a decent start. I would like you as you are more experienced to let me know what you think about my listing, pricing and maybe what could be improved.
I have hand-built everything in the apartment myself as well as decorated it too. Kitchen is brand new, bathroom as well. There is no Wifi but i will fix that. No aircondition either but there is a large fan and the room is really cool even in the summer due to the breeze and the mountain.
I have started low with around 21 euros per night, now up to 27 since it is still high season. From what i see the competition is not offering something amazing compared to mine and it is also very close to the airport, which is one of my marketing points. Beach and town center are also within 10 minutes reach.
My only issue has been guests not finding the place easily sometimes (traditional greek village = no street names).
Other than that i just had a guy arrive at 2 am, i picked him up from the airport and drove him around the next day for a lot of things, even made him lunch, poor guy was starving. I went the extra mile as i always try to do with guests, i believe this will pay off later on. What do you all think? I have also developed good relations with all of them and they have even asked me out on a drink (i politely refused) or said that i am welcome in their own country.
Compared to competition what do you think i should price my listing at? How will it affect business?
Kalamata is a very touristic place, it is a god damn mythical destination if you are into quiet, beautiful landscapes, beaches and architecture or history. Hundreds of thousands visit here every year.
Very nice. Love the kitchen. Move the photo with the mountain view to #1 because that will grab attention. If possible reshoot the outdoor photo of the table on the terrace. Itâs very âhotâ; it doesnât look appealing to me, just bare, hot, and bright. Can you add a potted plant of flowers? Even borrow some? Put a bright table cloth on the table, a vase of flowers, even a bottle of wine and glasses? Set the stage.
Going the extra mile may pay off, but it may exhaust you. Make sure you keep limits. Have boundaries. If someone asks for something, or your tempted to do something you donât really want to do, donât do it. Let them take care of themselves and be their own adult. ; ) âPoor guy was starvingâ well, itâs his nickle, his trip. Do it only if you really want to - or youâll burn out. Some guests will be awesome and appreciative, some will just take more. You have to be reservation clerk, reception desk, maid, and most importantly, security guard.
Thanks a lot for the quick response! I will take it into consideration! You are also right about the terrace photograph. I have a very good idea for that one! Good thing is everyone has been super satisfied so far and said it is very clean and very cool up there.
Regarding that guy, i actually wanted to do it so it is alright. He had a really rough day and was not his choice. I also just started up so i thought i would push a bit more in the beginning month as it has been appreciated so far.
Nice place. But how do you live in Stockholm and host in Greece? The price looks low to me, but check your competitors. But at that price, Iâm tempted to jump on a plane and come and stay with you. Iâve always wanted to visit Greece.
Oh, yeah, I totally get you. I pick guests up from metro at times, give them food if they arrive late and the market is closed. I love it - I love my guests! Just keep an âeyeâ on things so you remember to say ânoâ when you need to.
@jaquo thanks! I just started so i thought initially it can help me get some traffic and calibrate from there. The competition is starting to rise as well. My grandmother has a traditional house with 10 rooms, i am thinking of investing a bit and turning it into an airbnb place for families and groups as well.
You are always welcome! In the summer months i am here for vacations or work so i end up personally taking care of everything. The other time my mother, father an sister take care of the basic necessities. It can be a bit stressful but i think i can deal with it. I speak 6 languages as well so it makes it easier for me.
Your place is beautiful. It looks so clean and uncluttered. I can see why your guests are so happy. The only thing I would do if I were you is add in the description that you donât have air conditioning or WiFi. Many guests donât click on the amenities to see them all. Also, on your listing the amenities are written in Greek. Good luck.
The listing title says âmodern studioâ which, to me, implies that itâs a small self-contained place and I will be living there alone. But itâs categorised as âprivate roomâ which means that others live there too. Itâs a bit confusing.
The main photo is not the most appealing. Also, itâs a single bed and the listing says 2 guests? (by they way, thatâs Harry Potter on the table, isnât it? Great choice!)
Everything looks so very clean and new - nice! I do find it hard to get a sense of the entire space, though. I would get some more photos done, if you can.
Your profile info is nice and friendly but needs some editing, there are some random things in there, eg. RatingsPage.aspx That could be be due to me using google to translate the page but you should check it.
It is in the same building but it is on a completely different floor on its own. I will revise that!
I already had some suggestions about the picture and i will take advantage of the landscape. The bed is 1.5 size and airbnb has no listing between 1 and 2 (hah yes itâs harry potter!).
Thanks! I will definitely add a few more professional looking pictures and probably the whole apartment block as well.
Hmmm I havenât seen anything like RatingsPage.aspx unless i did not understand something. I will take a look!
No worries Yes, you really need to change it to âentire propertyâ otherwise it wonât appear in the search for those looking for their own space.
I looked again at your place under .co.uk and your profile looks all good. It was only because I clicked on the link you gave (.gr) and then used translate. Itâs not an issue, I think.
Lumos Maximus
If dogs and cats live on the property, you should probably click that icon with the amenities so people are more likely to see it. Many guests will not read the details of the listing. There are people who are allergic to or afraid of animals.
It sounds like you are trying to be very hospitable, which is a great thing, but are you sure you and your parents want to be available 24/7 for anything ?
Some guests will take that literally and be calling at all hours for minor issues or expect you to be like a conceriege in a major hotel.
You donât have many rules:
Are guests allowed to smoke?
Bring friends over?
Hey! The house has no pets, but it is stated as pet friendly if they have any. It also is there in the description, which i am getting the increased assumption that many do not bother to read as guests!
I think you are right and that i should rephrase my 24/7 statement. It is who we are and how greek people behave but maybe someone will take it literally. Though i am sure i want to go the extra mile in my first months as a new host for obvious reasons.
Regarding the rules:
Well i have written that you are allowed to smoke and that no parties are allowed. I usually go through everything when i meet them or on our first messages, but i should probably give it a second look.
Smoking is allowed only on the terrace, not inside the room. I will add it to my description. Thank you.
@Garden1Gnome It is a coffee machine and a toaster. Duly noted! I also thought that i have mentioned that there is a strong fan availableâŚhmm i will check it all!
