Five Bedroom Essentials for Your Airbnb

As someone who relies solely on Airbnb when I travel, I have come to appreciate the small things, like an extra roll of toilet paper or an apartment with a lift to the 10th floor.

Humour aside, transforming your vacation rental into a memorable (for the right reasons) retreat really starts in one room—the bedroom.

More than just a place for guests to sleep, the bedroom acts as a haven that should provide multiple functions, from storing belongings to providing a space that encourages relaxation.   

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1. Top five Airbnb bedroom essentials

Below, I've listed 5 fundamental items you need to have in the bedroom to ensure the most enjoyable and seamless experience for your guests.

Quality beddings

Your bedding should include a quality mattress, 2 pillows (hypoallergenic is always a plus), a medium-weight duvet, and new linen - with no stains! 

The mattress

Have you ever slept in your own guest bed? Maybe it squeaks when you roll over. Maybe it’s lopsided, smells funky, or has a stain that you’d rather not know about. Testing out the mattress yourself will help determine the level of comfort you can expect your guests to experience. With any short-term stay, a good night's sleep is one of the most important features to get right, so don't skimp on the basics!

The pillows

Consider offering both firm and soft pillows (also called thin, medium or thick loft) to give your vacation rental guests choices. Guests love choices.

The linen

A warm duvet or comforter provides the ultimate luxurious night’s sleep. I suggest keeping a spare clean duvet or comforter in your closet for those extra cool nights. When it comes to sheets, opt for higher thread counts for bedding that will last longer and provide max comfort. White sheets are also easiest to bleach during every wash. As a rule of thumb, have 2-3 sheet sets per bed and look to replace linens at least every 6-12 months - nothing says 1-star review like old bedding. 

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2. HVAC System 

If you don’t have central heating or air conditioning in the rest of your Airbnb, the place to invest in an HVAC system is absolutely in the bedroom. On average, most of Australia's climate gets moderately hot in summer and moderately cold in winter, so having one place to cool off and warm up is key for a comfortable stay. 

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3. Nightstand

As someone who tends to unpack her entire life on her bedside table, having a nightstand makes a huge difference to my ability to settle when I travel. A typical guest will want somewhere to place their phone, book, and a glass of water next to where they sleep. If you’ve barely got enough room for a double bed in your tiny bedroom, look at floating shelves to ensure guests have at least one surface to place their possessions on at night.

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4. Clothes Storage

In my experience, one of the quickest ways to feel at home in a new place is when I unpack and organise my belongings and can finally pack my luggage away. This means having storage options to both hang and fold my clothes. If your bedroom has a closet, provide a set of hangers to hang up any special items or coats. If you don’t have a closet, add a few hooks on your wall and buy an affordable clothing organiser - ideally something that offers at least 4 drawers so that two people in the bedroom can use the space.

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5. Window covers

Other than the bathroom, the bedroom is the one place your guests can have complete privacy. Curtains, blinds, or roller shades - whatever options you prefer, ensure the bedroom has sufficient coverage that blocks out light for guests who prefer to sleep in complete darkness and wake up after sunrise. It also makes things less awkward when your neighbour can see into your bedroom…

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In conclusion, I suggest you treat the bedroom like the heartbeat of your Airbnb. Your guests’ perception of comfort and cleanliness will play a big role in your host rating and repeat business, so stay on top of the game with these 5 essentials and take your Airbnb management to the next level.

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Loren is our content writer here at Hometime and recently moved from South Africa to London. Need more tips and tricks to set up your Airbnb for success? Get in touch with someone from the Hometime team - we love to chat!

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