Our guest ready standard is simple but important: your home should be prepared for guests to enter without a hitch and immediately be comfortable. That starts with providing accurate codes for keyless entry, and checking for any access issues before guest arrival.
While no two properties are exactly alike, there are additional best practices for guest readiness every owner should keep in mind. To help you earn high marks, we’re walking through those essential to-dos below.
We’ve also developed helpful checklist templates you can use to guarantee five-star success in each category. Print these checklists for you, service providers, or your Guest Contact — you can even customize some of them to include all the details that make your home exceptional.
Here are the most important basics of being guest ready:
Stocking and Inventory
Guests should have every staple at their fingertips from the moment they set foot on your property, and shouldn’t miss out on convenience or comfort. Take stock of what you have, what basics you might be running low on, and what you need to buy or replace. Reviewing an inventory checklist before each new check-in will help you proactively stay on top of the details.
Use Our Inventory Checklist
Cleaning and Conducting Checks
According to our data, cleanliness is the most important thing to guests when they stay in a vacation rental. On the flip side, a dirty home is the number one complaint seen in poor reviews, followed closely by issues with entry, appliances, and amenities. A detailed cleaning checklist plus pre- and post-stay walkthroughs can help you guarantee everything is fresh and functional before your next guests arrive.
Use Our Cleaning, Pre-Stay, and Post-Stay Checklists (also available in Spanish!)
Staging
Whether you're prepping for your very first guest or maintaining a good reputation, your home should never look like someone else lives there. That means removing or locking away all clutter and personal items (photos included), neatly organizing each room, and making sure outdoor spaces are well-kept and accessible. A staging guide can help you get it right every time.
Use Our Staging Guide
Remember: achieving the guest ready standard is important for earning great guest reviews and boosting your home's overall performance. We hope these insights and resources pave the way to consistently hitting all the right notes.
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