How to Have a 5 Star Vacation Rental

Are you a vacation rental owner (AirBnB, VRBO, etc.) in Maui looking to ensure a 5 star rating? Please read below for the tips that have worked for our properties.

Add more guests and earn 5-star ratings with these suggestions:

1. Create a Fantastic Website

Create content that people are really interested in reading. Make sure your website is accessible from any phone, with engaging professional images and easy-to-read information about your place. Most people view the internet from their phones (you probably are right now), so make it look great on a phone (even if you design it on a laptop).

2. Tell Your Story on Social Media

Don't sell on social media. Share about your life and what you have to offer. Post regularly.

3. Have the Best Hospitality in Your Market

Respond questions within 5 minutes. You can use property management software to semi-automate this. You still need to be involved, though because AI still gets it wrong and can sound fake. Hospitality includes cleanliness. By being hotel level clean, you are already ahead of 80% of the competition. Ask yourself, "Do my guests rave at the cleanliness of our place?"

4. Best Pictures and Best Prices

Hire a professional real estate photographer. I even add slight contrast and vignette to their photos (make sure you get permission to alter their photos if you are this fussy like me). You own a business. Don't price on emotion. Look at a 100 listings and put them on a spreadsheet. Compare your property to similar ones and price yourself a little bit below them. The AirBnB algorithm biases primarily to these two factors.

5. Make Friends with Other Local Businesses

Again, don't try to sell them on collaborations, coupons at their business, etc. (at lease not right away). Offer them something with no intention for receiving anything in return. Do this 20 times.

We can help you with any of the above, feel free to ask.