Unsolved mystery

This is definitely the direction I would head, I mean if you want a short term fix though? Switch out the bedding, Get it in neutral creamy colours, some nice prints for the walls, take the TV out of the room (maybe?) and head to a second hand store for some white wicker furniture. (Not sure if you’re up for that) To me the bachelor pad looks heavy because it’s so dark. When I think Miami I think golden girls style, late 80’s early 90’s or play up the bachelor pad lifestyle for that listing.

@melmo, Melissa, thank you so much for your insight and generous feedback. I’m a bit averse to spending money but I will see how to get the biggest bang for my buck…

Late to the thread also. Raquel, if you were a potential guest and have a choice between the two, which one would you pick? Besides the decor, A is fresher and the angle of the photography is different between the two for starters, in A is at eye level (or lower), in B is as if the view is like from a high security camera (yuk). The amount of photographs between the two is also different, in A is almost as if you are quite proud of it, in B is as if trying to show as little as possible. Just first impressions. :slight_smile:

Once you’ve redone the decor get the airbnb photographer to shoot apartment B.
Believe me it’s totally worth it.

If you’re talking about what is currently 6/12 in apt B, with the caption

Rather stay in instead of trying one of the many restaurants in the area? No problem, you can use the kitchen to prepare a nice meal or just a cup of tea or coffee. A fully equipped kitchen for your use.

then yes, I agree. That’s actually kind of an awful photo, sorry. And this is coming from someone who is not sensitive about such things. Part of it is the viewing angle from the top. Try a different angle and see if it looks better.

In general I agree that the pictures of Apt A make it look more attractive, though most of the pictures of Apt B are quite Ok too, 6/12 is the standout. Maybe bring the swimming pool picture forward, and try a different shot of the pool? Maybe also try a different shot of 2/12 (" Come stay at my privately owned suite at the Mutiny, just across the street from Biscayne Bay. Please note that this is not a photo taken from the apartment.")? I think that could look more attractive. Maybe an outward looking shot? 2/12 is dominated by greenery and buildings. Maybe more water in there? Everyone likes water.

@MissMiami, good decor and good photos get you more bookings at a higher nightly rate and 5-stars reviews. It really is worth any money you may be able to invest , guests just love a fresh, location-specific decor and up-to-date gadgets. It’s not spending, it’s an investment.

I was very surprised to read that A has its original decor while B was remodeled. I thought that A was remodeled somewhere around 2000 and that B had its original decor :smile:.

I am an interior designer :sunglasses: and agree with all other posters that you should create a coastal/tropical vibe in your B apartment, and that you won’t be able to do so without repainting walls in more neutral/current colors.

That is odd. Speaking as a snowbird, the pool (or beach) is the first thing I look at when I want to escape the dark, cold winter. I want to see summer!

And yes…all of you Florida hosts are on my radar :wink:

@Mearns Fred, thank you for your feedback. In response to your question, I would pick B because of the terrace and because it looks more spacious. However, I’m considering all of the feedback, and I’m even thinking about using the photographer who shot apartment A to do photos of apartment B after I change a few things. As for the amount of photos, I was told a week ago that I had too many photos, so I removed several from the B collection because I was told folks use the app and get tired of seeing too many photos. Your thoughts are always welcome and helpful, thank you.

@Barthelemy, thank you for your insight and valuable suggestions. I will have to wait until apartment B is vacant to do a few things, and I will certainly consider painting.
Indeed, apartment A is exactly as it was delivered in the late 1980’s to the first owner, down to the tissue holder and Mikasa dining set, although I did replace the stove and microwave but only because of technical problems. Even the shower curtain was, until recently, the original shower curtain (it was washed regularly, naturally!).
I asked my last guests before the current one in apartment B who stayed for 3 weeks to give me feedback on the walls’ colors, and asked if I should eliminate the different colors and the response was “don’t change the walls’ colors”.

Yes, I would have hesitated a lot between the two, because although I do find A more attractive for all the above reasons, it’s very important to us when we travel to have some outside space, so I always look for places with a terrace or courtyard.

I’m surprised, actually, why Air don’t list this as an amenity - I would like to search by this feature but it’s not possible.

2 Likes

I too love the terrace also; add a cloth with breakfast on it and cafe, showing the view (at eye level) and B would be my pick.

Raquel, today I got this e-mail about photography (The Red Awning Perfect Places Network) and their recommendations about photography went as follows. Some suggestions surprised me, overall I found it educational.
------------------
HOW TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION.

It’s worth your while to hire a professional photographer, but no matter
who will be shooting, here’s your checklist for taking the highest
converting images.

Exterior. Kitchen. Dining room. Living room. Bedrooms. Bathrooms. Unique Amenities. Pool/Dock/Hot tub. Views.

Your images should always include these elements:

Perfectly made beds. Fully set dining room tables. Spotlessly clean bathrooms with neatly hung towels. Wide-shots of layout in lounges and bedrooms. Many angles, especially of master bedroom. Outdoor furniture fully set up with cushions Sunny skies or if in a good ski-year, LOTS of snow.Sparkling pool Whirlpool with jets on. The garden at its best Views without people, cars, construction.

Your images should never include:
People. Open garages, cupboards. Open lids toilets (lids should always be down). Cars in driveways. Any kind of clutter, especially personal clutter. Dirty dishes. Rumpled beds. Closed curtains in living room. Grey clouds or rain. Wires, cables, plugs. Garbage cans, waste-paper baskets. Any kind of construction.

If any of your images are any of these, you should consider re-taking and replacing as soon as possible:

Dark (all interior rooms should look bright and sunny). Blurry (images should be sharp and clear). Showing Cloudy Skies (unless artistic, sunset or snowing – no storm clouds or obvious wind). Limited amount (only one angle, under 10 images)
--------------
The no-people one I really had no clue on.

2 Likes

Fred, thank you for sharing this interesting piece. I suppose the no-people rule is because guests want to envision themselves in the space and not some stranger…makes sense, no?
On an unrelated note: last year, when I thought about becoming a host, I looked at some listings in my area just to get an idea. One listing, in a modest nearby area, was named “the library”, it was a room in someone’s house that was surrounded by bookshelves full of books. I thought, who would want to stay in someone’s home, in a room full of dusty old books? Guess what? Apparently the library is one of the hottest listings, with guests waiting months to stay there; I think it’s in the top 10 airbnb listings…go figure.

How interesting about that library listing. Yes the light already went on about NOT having people in photos, it makes total sense.

You need better pictures. A well lit place will get easier booking than a darker one. Put more colors. Colored towels in kitchen or flowers. Same goes for the living room. The dark sofa makes everybthing looks ever darker. So maybe use some decorative pillows with some popping colors. Put fruits on the balcony table. A little touch of personal taste can do you no wrong. Good luck!

@koedeigh, thank you for your feedback, I will be considering different options based on the wonderful ideas I have received in this forum!

@koedeigh, I thought the dark sofa made sense when I have so many families in and out of the apartment…I can’t imagine a lovely pastel-colored sofa would last very long…maybe I’m wrong, however, will work on getting bright pillows!

Excellent idea on the dark sofa actually. But the photos makes the living room look even darker. That’s why I suggested colors for decoration. I made the mistake of getting a beige armchair before. It’s now brown! No good call on darker colors.

Oh my, I have hundreds of books, maybe I should put them in the guest room. LOL.

This library thing is an exciting idea. I have noticed in the island that I have the ‘Sports Hut’ (10ftx12ft separate room) full of hanging fishing rods, snorkeling gear, spear gun, nets, shelves filled with lures, fishing pictures, etc. Everyone loves to sit and talk in the ‘Sports Hut’.