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Hi guys, I made a post on the AirBnB community forums but haven’t had any real response.
I live in a house with two spare rooms; I’ve been letting these out on AirBnB. Currently, each room has its own listing, one single, one double.
I’m considering unlisting the single and then open up the other listing to include the kitchen, living room, and as one thread suggested, have an additional room available for groups of three (and charge per additional person).
I’m concerned I may lose out on bookings however, as the rooms were fairly equally popular, and I’ve obviously had plenty of people travelling by themselves.
I’m not sure what the pros and cons are. If I’m emphasising that it’s room plus kitchen and living room with good TV, I hope that this will mean I can charge more and it’ll attract groups of three, and one way or another it’ll make up for the potential loss of income from the single room that so far has been listed by itself.
For reference, I live in Cumbria, England, not far from Hadrian’s Wall and the Lake District. My place is on the cheap end at around £25 per night for the single and £30 for the double, but I’m gathering more reviews to help me ramp up the price a bit (open to suggestions; I charge £5 cleaning fee at the moment too).
You live in one of my favourite places in the world! I adore the Lake District and surrounding area.
Because you’re doing well with your current configuration, I’d be inclined to add to your two listings something like ‘other configurations are available including kitchen and living room at extra cost. Please enquire’. Nothing too lengthy, just to whet their appetites.
However, that’s just my opinion - get ready to receive more!
And yes, although I havent seen your listing and exact location - you’re too cheap!
I’ve just had another look at the rates in my city (Carlisle) and prices are as low as £16 per night with no cleaning fee, and some even include breakfast with that.
I’d like to have the simplest solution that can cater to larger groups without deterring single guests. Having seen the prices again, I’m concerned about the competition.
I’m amazed. Can they really do that? In their accounts they have to factor in the cleaning costs, laundry costs, breakfast - supplies and the making of, cleaning materials, tea & coffee, wear and tear, their own time answering queries etc., toiletries (even if it’s just loo paper), utility bills, hot water … so much! I honestly can’t believe that they are making money even if they’re offering a single bedroom with bathroom access. That’s before we start with mortgages, taxes, insurance and what have you.
We have an apartment directly below our main rental that goes for $20 less per night. We have rooms in the very next building that are on offer for one third of our nightly rate. It’s a bee that I often get in my bonnet that people don’t always buy on price alone. But we get more bookings than they do.
I think that our rentals, though not the cheapest by any means, offer plenty of extras and great value for money. We don’t try to compete pricewise.
I have 2 bedrooms and advertise them with kitchenette, bathroom living room as a self contained flat. Most of the time I get a single or couple staying and they pay the price for 2 people. Extra people are $25 pppn often their children or a parent or two. But 90% of the time it is just 2 people. I thought of doing them separately but most decent BnBs these days have ensuite bathrooms and the space seems too small for 2 groups of strangers to share with the tv right outside the bedrooms as well. Maybe that’s just me. How do people share these things without getting on each other’s toes?
Anyway I think I get as much or more as I would if I just let out the bedrooms separately. I know this because most ABB places near me are “private bedrooms” with shared facilities and they have low occupancy rates (<25%), probably because they charge about 75% of what I charge. My occupancy rate is about 75% so I think I make more.
I’m in the UK, near Dover, with two listings in our home, and probably share some of the tourist market that you do in Cumbria. One is a suite of two doubles with Jack and Jill bathroom, the other a double with own shower room. I refer to the double room in the bigger listing, which helps attract larger groups, particularly people travelling with parents or adult offspring. If your single is bringing you a reasonable level of bookings, I wouldn’t de-list it but like Mike says, put up a third listing for both rooms x 3 pax. Just keep a taut eye on your calendar though!
But like Jaquo, I’m stunned by your low charges. No way could I operate on that level without incurring a loss. Turning the double x 2 pax room over for one night (few people catching ferries to France want more than one night, and this is a busy ferry period…) costs me a total of £18 in laundry/cleaning/utilities etc etc. The suite costs £22. I’ve fiddled with reducing the cleaning costs and adding them onto the room rate backwards and forwards to see what effect that has but have noticed little difference over the year I’ve been operating,
It would be really interesting to see your listing to see what you offer, and to gain some sense of value I suppose. My experience of guests is that they are either stopping off to/from France, on a tourist road trip around Kent or hiking in the area. I don’t offer use of the kitchen facilities, nor our own sitting room. Guests do have a separate dining room with facilities such as mini-fridge, kettle etc, and I provide a continental breakfast. I could not contemplate opening up further space or use of the kitchen; it would drive me nuts! I’ve cut my max stay to 5 days, after we had a mother and daughter sit in their room for a week in odd fashion, and encourage folk to get out and about being tourists. The country pub next door does help massively.
Keep the single. If it’s £25 and the double £30 it’s a no brainer. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Yes the rates are low. Airbnb keeps on and on trying to get people to lower their rates and it gets to the point where it’s not economic. It’s ridiculous for people to get a private room for the price of a bed in a youth hostel, or less! Switch to travelling and search for places in your area and keep your prices as high as you can. Don’t listen to Airbnbs price tips or statements like other listings are cheaper in your area. Most of the time the comparisons have been in neighbiuring areas where property is 30% cheaper!
Still, you make a good point. I’d like to charge more to be able to provide a better experience and pay for things like a monthly professional clean, a gardener, some new furniture etc.
That was one of my concerns as well with different parties in the same house. It’s mentioned on the listing but unless guests are particularly sociable, I think they might like to have their own space and not feel like they have to live around someone else (I already live there myself, though I won’t be using the living room really).
It feels like sharing unfinished poetry or something, but here goes!
The single: rooms/24125493
And the double: rooms/23826465
I have to update the photos with the new decor (going for whites/creams/browns plus fake plant greens where possible) when ready and want to have another go at some of the descriptions when I decide what to do, but happy to hear suggestions!
Thanks Max. I’m sure more than I will have a look!
With regard to different groups of guests, particularly in a tourist area, I’ve found they do actually like meeting over breakfast (it’s a communal table for max 8) to share where they’ve been etc, and quite often go out to the pub together next door at day’s end. They have their own space in the bedrooms to toddle off to, if they are not sociable or are having a romantic w/e away together. I don’t think you need to worry about this, given the lovely area people are up to visit.
They’re a big selling point! I’ve had a fair few people who’ve said it was what won my place over the competition. Can dial it down to one or two photos though.
Good shout; I think we initially aimed for a degree of anonymity re our location, as it’s just a residential neighbourhood. I have a few photos of my own of the region so I could add those! Plus will definitely be adding photos of the common areas.
“But I can’t find it” she wails… Thought I had but his name was Ryan. I certainly didn’t spot anywhere so cheap either. Should I narrow my search to Carlysle?
Love the kittens and lovely pics of the trio, but I agree with Barns, more photos of the surrounding area, bathroom (v important to an old tart like me…), places to see etc. I think we pulled a lot of freebies off Stock Shutter’s website of the White Cliffs, Dover and Walmer Castles, various beaches locally.
