Anyone seen a bump in their STR returns by improving curb appeal?

[Jon Martin]

Assuming that your interior, furnishings, amenities, location, management, etc are dialed in and high quality, but the exterior is average in appearance, boring and dated.  

Have you seen a bump in bookings  with cosmetic exterior upgrades like updated siding, decorative lumber to front porch rails/bannisters, nice front door etc that would allow you to feature that photo in your listing? 

[Chase Hoover]

While I think it would be difficult to quantify exact ROI, I think any exterior updates would obviously make your listing more attractive (depending on your market) and therefore would therefore justify higher occupanacy and ADR.

If you're in a super competitive market with lots of cabins, small touches can make the difference between someone booking one place over another.  If you're in a less competitve market, you may not have to do as much.  

There are many inexpensive upgrades you can do like paint the front door, ditch the wood railings and do a modern cable railing system, landscaping, etc.  Exterior paint goes a long way if you have the budget- "moody hues" are definitely in style these days and will be more attractive than a standard stained wood cabin.

Remember, the wives/girlfriends are the ones doing the booking.  They want to book a place that looks welcoming inside & out!