FEATURE FRIDAY: Seabreeze Cabana | How to Become an Airbnb Super-Host
In November, Brett and I took a trip to Florida for about a week for some rest and relaxation! While we were there, we stayed at his aunt and uncles amazing poolside cabana that they rent out on Airbnb! The moment we stepped in the door, you can tell that Connie puts her heart and soul in creating a comfortable, convenient, and clean place to stay. Because of how amazing the experience was, we wanted to have Connie tell us a little about how she creates such an amazing experience and how anyone that owns a rental property could do the same.
Hello, my name is Connie Lampinen and I am a 3 year veteran AirBNB host of Seabreeze Cabana in Lake Worth, FL. It’s been an enjoyable experience meeting interesting folks from all over the country and world; becoming a pleasant hobby while at the same time, generating a great income! As I tend towards a more private, intimate life circling around my family, you may rightly question how I could have fallen into such an extroverted outreach to people that I have never even met before, inviting them to stay in our Cabana? Fair question!
I have traveled frequently, both for business and pleasure, with and without my family members depending on the situation. Although hotels offer a reliable experience, I was burned too many times. No one wants to walk in to a dark and dreary space, fear of bed bugs, old carpet or mildewed shower curtain. Over time, I decided to give AirBNB a chance…and after meeting my lovely hosts and enjoying a cost-efficient stay with cozy, well-thought out amenities and conveniences and an excellent commute to my intended meeting destination, I was officially hooked!
This was the genesis of my own AirBNB: The Seabreeze Cabana. The Cabana is a cozy little pool-side oasis, nested in the cool, private backyard of our Lake Worth, FL home. After guests park and walk along the private access way, they will find a quiet, secluded entrance to their own little home away from home. Many guests have raved over the breezy Key West décor, the myriad snacks, fully stocked coffee bar, refrigerator stocked with cold crisp water, and Finnish sauna experience. These can all be enjoyed after a dip in the pool under a warm waterfall, dropping from the poolside spa/hot tub.
Having attained Airbnb SUPER-HOST status, I have a few valuable tips to pass on to other potential hosts!
The most important aspect to hosting is to set up a very descriptive, informative, accurate listing with great pictures. I highly recommend hiring Bryana to take your pictures! When you look at our listing, you will see why! Once you go live and begin getting inquiries and bookings, communication is vital! I communicate to each potential guest exactly what our listing offers and confirm the number of guests in their party. So many times, the booking indicates 1 guest, when in fact there are more. People often miss the option that indicates how many are in their party when booking and you need to know exactly who and how many there will be so you can have your listing prepped properly for their stay. Once I had an inquiry for 1 guest and in their message, they used the pronoun “we” which prompted me to inquire how many were in their party. She responded, 7! I told her the max there could be was 4 adults and that would be too many. She asked if they could bring air mattresses! I promptly declined her request! They loved the amenities, but our accommodations clearly did not fit their needs. As you can see, communication is VITAL! Seabreeze Cabana accommodates 3 adults very well or a couple with two young children and possibly an infant as I have a Pack-n-Play available. We have had 4 adults book with us, but I require that they acknowledge that our accommodations of a queen bed and a futon that opens to a full-size bed will be adequate for their stay. This is vitally important as you do not want guests to have unrealistic expectations and be disappointed upon arriving. When you look at our listing, you will see that we have 112 5-Star reviews because our guests know exactly what to expect and when they arrive, they typically tell us that it is much nicer than they expected!
When I embarked on my hosting journey, I asked each guest for suggestions to improve our Cabana. Even though I had really thought out all aspects of the guests’ stay, we have added a few additional touches such as anti-slip treads on the tile in our shower. I’ve also learned to “trust my gut” and on very rare occasion, I have reached out to Airbnb and received excellent advice to avoid interaction with guests who did not meet appropriate criteria for a successful stay in the Cabana. If for any reason you might feel uncomfortable about a guest, take heed, trust your instincts and decline the booking request.
I highly recommend welcoming each guest with a personalized greeting on a very visible clipboard and Welcome Letter detailing vital information to ensure a great stay. I can’t tell you how many guests have mentioned how they appreciated being acknowledged personally. If I know that a guest is celebrating a special event, I will incorporate that into my “welcome sign” and add a balloon or flowers, if appropriate. We had a guest from France who was celebrating her son’s 18th birthday with a trip to FL and NYC. She had tears in her eyes thanking me for having a birthday balloon, card and birthday hat waiting for their arrival. These little touches mean so much and are so rewarding as a host when you know you have blessed your guest’s day 😉 I also provide a binder with local information for beaches, attractions, restaurants, shopping, laundromats, grocery stores, pharmacy, walk-in clinic, etc.
According to financial experts, financial success is all about multiple streams of income. Being an Airbnb host is a great way to generate a very lucrative income stream. That being said, to be successful, you need to enjoy hosting as your guests will feel your passion and their entire experience at your Airbnb will be influenced positively, generating 5-Star reviews which is vital as you build your business.
If you are interested to pursue being an AirBnB host, contact me (connie.lampinen@yahoo.com) as I would love to answer your questions and help you set up your listing. Here is the link to Seabreeze Cabana: Airbnb Listing. Take a minute to check it out, especially the pictures as Bryana did such a great job for us! Thank you, Bryana! We’d sure appreciate it if you shared our link with anyone you might know who is looking for a warm, quiet, relaxing place to stay in our area!
