4 ways to prepare your Airbnb for a summer booking boom

The peak holiday season is only a couple of months away and this year’s is set to be a big one! Travel agents have reported record summer holiday bookings with Brits rushing to lock in the best prices amid the cost of living crisis. So, as an Airbnb owner, will you be ready to welcome them?

Getting organised now will help you manage the busy summer months ahead and make it more likely that your happy customers will return next year. Here are four ways to prepare.

  1. Stock up on essentials

During the peak holiday season, you’ll probably get through your usual supplies quicker than expected, so make sure you have enough on standby. For example, you may want to buy extra towels and bedding in case you end up running low while you’re washing a batch, and it’s sensible to have extra toiletries if you provide these to your guests.

Also think about everyday goods your guests may want or need like cleaning products, toilet paper, and basic foods and drinks (like tea and coffee). It’s wise to have spare glasses and crockery on hand too in case there are any breakages during the stays.

  2. Speed up your turnover time

In quieter periods you may not need to prepare for guests arriving the same day others are leaving, but this is much more likely to be the case in the summer. Getting old guests out and new guests in as quickly as possible will allow you to make more profit, but you need to give yourself enough time to do this. Most hosts will set check-out at 11 am and check-in from 3 pm and then accommodate late check-out or early check-in requests wherever possible (but don’t feel the pressure to do this if you’re run off your feet with back-to-back bookings).

Planning in advance will help with this process, but you might also want to consider recruiting some assistance. That could be family or friends, or a professional Airbnb property management company. If you choose the latter option, make sure to factor costs into your budget. For example, Frank Porter, a property maintenance service based in Dubai, states that cleaning is paid for by guests and maintenance is paid for by the Airbnb owner.

  3. Consider raising your prices

Holidaymakers will be expecting summer bookings to come at a premium compared to other seasons, so you may want to consider raising your prices. However, you need to be fair – not greedy. You could end up losing a lot of business if you overinflate your prices.

Taking a look at similar listings in the area will give you a baseline but then you could increase your price if your property offers extra features, whether that’s a room with a sea view or free parking. Check out these tips on Airbnb pricing strategies if you need help.  However, if you are going to adjust your prices, don’t leave it too late as you’ll miss out on extra profits if the majority of your bookings come in beforehand.

  4. Do a deep clean

We’re sure you thrive to keep your Airbnb clean and sparkling all year long, but peak season is when you’ll need to up your game as you’ll have even more guests to keep happy. In addition to the standard cleaning you’ll do between guest check-outs and check-ins, a deep clean just before peak season is a good idea.

Make a checklist of everything you need to do and make sure you dedicate at least one full day to this (you won’t do a thorough job in a mere few hours). Or for the highest standards, you could hire a professional cleaner to do this for you.