Erica Ooh
- Jul 12, 2022
- 3 min read

6 Low-Cost Improvements to Give More Value to your STR Guests

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Value is 1 of the ratings metrics guests give hosts. Your short-term rental listing may have a lot going for it, but you may have cheapened out on some MAJOR areas. You're leaving money on the table.

Give more value, get better reviews, and charge more with these tips:

Value-Add #1 - Don't Buy Cheap Toilet Paper

Bottom line, nobody likes it. It’s the ultimate sign of trying to cut cost. Unless you're providing a bidet or similar alternative in your listing it's worth spending a few extra dollars. You want to look out for toilet paper that's:

Comfortable - Feels cushy on the tushy.
Lint-free - Many toilet papers leave crumbles and dust on bottoms and bathroom floors—yuck.
Sturdy - Maintaining its composition during wiping is critical: No one likes rips.
Easily Available - If a toilet paper brand is hard to find, that can become a nightmare for something that needs to be restocked constantly

Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Extra Soft & Strong Bath Tissue is affordable, made with 100% recycled materials and meets all the requirements.

Value-Add #2 - Optimize your Towel Count...with Good Quality Towels

Have enough towels set out for your guest count. Especially if your STR listing is by the beach or has a pool. You don't want your guests to have the washing machine running their entire stay.

A good rule of thumb is 2 bath towels per guest for less than 7-day stay. 3 bath towels per guest for more than that.

For beach/pool towels you want to have 1 towel per guest plus 2-3 extra. The more the merrier!

My favorite towels right now are the Amazon Brand – Pinzon Organic Cotton Bathroom Towels. Fluffy, thick and absorbent. They hold up well after wash and offer a good bang for your buck!

Value-Add #3 - Provide COMFORTABLE sleeping options

Sleeping has to be comfortable for everyone you say you accommodate. If your listing says it can sleep 4, then there should be 4 comfortable beds.

An air mattress, does not count as a bed. IF space is an issue, opt for convertible sleeping arrangements like a futon or sleeper sofa.

Make sure you get a mattress topper and appropriate bedding. You don't want it to feel like an afterthought with a thin mattress, flimsy pillow & tiny blanket.

3-Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Value-Add #4 - Splurge on Good Quality Pillows

Say No to flat, yellow, and old. Decent pillows aren’t expensive. Don't worry about stuffing your car. Get these quality pillows shipped directly to your listing in vacuum sealed packaging. Unwrap and offer your guests a 5-star sleeping experience.

Basic Beyond King Size Bed Pillow - 2 Pack Hotel Collection

Coolzon Down Alternative Queen Pillows - 2 Pack

Value-Add #5 - Ditch keys for smart locks

Repeat after me, "USE A SMART LOCK, NOT KEYS". Picture this, group of guests go out for drinks, someone looses the keys and now you're getting a call at 2am to get them back in. Avoid the locked-out guest scenario.

With a smart lock, everyone knows the code and no one gets locked out.

It connects to most booking platforms to automatically generate new codes for each guest.

Value-Add #6 - Smart TVs, Always!

Smart TVs are great value. They are affordable, good picture, and allow guests to use their Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc.

If you can't squeeze a smart TV into your setup budget, make any TV a smart TV with a Roku stick.

TCL is a great affordable brand and my go-to for most Airbnb installs unless it's high-end and then we'll go with Samsung or LG.

See, pretty low-cost improvements rights?

You can easily increase your nightly rate at least $200 just by improving these 6 things. Want to know how I help Airbnb investors make more money and stand out from the competition? Click Here, and schedule a free call with me!