How to get your Airbnb ready for the holiday season

We are fast approaching a very busy time of year for vacation rentals which makes it a good time to remind you to make a few changes to your property listing. Before you start putting up the tinsel and Christmas decorations, have a think about ways to increase your occupancy and ensure your Airbnb is the top choice for holidaymakers.

High season rates

Most hotels and resorts raise their prices astronomically over Christmas and New Year as occupancy increases due to families travelling to all corners of the globe to be reunited with loved ones. We advise you to also increase your rates during this period. If you know there’s limited accommodation in your area at this time of year – don’t be afraid to charge a considerably higher rate to capitalise on demand – but make sure you check out the pricing for similar Airbnbs in your neighbourhood so that you can stay competitive.

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Change your headline and description

Do you live right near a Christmas market? Is your apartment located somewhere with amazing views of the fireworks on New Year’s Eve? Is your Airbnb close to a grocery store that is open 24/7 during the holiday season while other supermarkets are closed for business? All of these things are selling points that can be added to either your listing headline or description to attract the attention of potential guests.

Alternatively, your selling point may be that your Airbnb is located in a peaceful place – far away from all of the Christmas shopping chaos and holiday season hustle. If you know that your home would be attractive to people wanting to escape the madness of the silly season – then make sure you mention it.

Here are some ideas for holiday season themed headlines:

– Modern apartment close to Christmas Market
– Escape Christmas chaos in quaint countryside cottage
– Apartment with spectacular views of NYE fireworks
– 6 bedroom home ideal for Xmas family reunion
– Cosy Christmas cottage with open fire and Xmas tree

Get into the spirit

Depending on where your Airbnb is located and whether Christmas is celebrated in your neck of the woods, we recommend adding a few little touches to make guests feel like you have gone to some effort to spread cheer. If you’re trying to attract families, you may want to consider providing a Christmas tree for them to decorate ahead of the big day (be sure to mention this in your description!) or at least a little map showing them where they can buy a tree.

This, of course, depends on the style of your Airbnb and the guests you are trying to secure. If your pitch is to business travellers and you describe your space as “a studio with minimalist design features”, it’s probably best you don’t go to town with green and red decorations.

Christmas decoration ideas:

• A wreath on the front door
• Christmas themed napkins on the table
• Fairy lights
• Pine cones dipped in silver or gold paint, hung from red ribbon
• A Christmas themed table decoration (like a mini tree or decorative star)
• Stockings hung over the fireplace or by the staircase

Make sure you take some photos of your Christmas-themed Airbnb and use them for your listing.

Holiday-themed treats

It’s always nice to change your Airbnb welcome package so that it reflects the season. Consider adding some candy canes for the kids and a little Christmas pudding or two. Perhaps you could leave out a basket of fresh cherries or other fruit that is in season where you live.

Other welcome basket ideas:

• Mulled wine spices kit
• Box of Christmas tea
• Santa chocolates
• Home baked star-shaped cookies
• A few little souvenirs wrapped up as gifts for guests
• Gingerbread men

If you’re trying to attract guests for New Year’s Eve – consider adding a bottle of champagne, gourmet nibbles and some party poppers.

Santa’s little helper

The problem with this time of year is that most people are very busy…which is why we consider GuestReady as somewhat of a ‘Santa’s little helper’ service for Airbnb hosts. Whether you need someone to help decorate your apartment, create a seasonally-inspired welcome pack for guests or update your property description – our team is here to help!