All Forum Posts by: Matt Ayoub

i hope this guys is going to be ok

https://twitter.com/weeaboo/st...

I’m down about 20k in cancellations over spring break period so far. I decided to offer full refunds given the circumstances anyway (hopefully these guest will appreciate the gesture and book with us in the future. While my cash cushion from the last 2-3 years will help me weather the storm, I am worried about people like my maid who depend on this income to put food on the table. And only has work when guests are in town.

I would go with a fixed in place sound bar over a portable Bluetooth speaker. I have had several “disappear” and it’s tricky to accuse guests (in our case larger groups) of taking it.

Congratulations. I would be happy with this investment and performance. For those saying you priced too low, I disagree. The first year or so is about over-delivering on guest expectations and clocking those 5* reviews. More 5* reviews = more credibility. More credibility = higher rates and repeat business. I fully believe in penetration pricing in the early stages of a STR journey. Just make sure you have a reliable cleaner and handyman to get you through the inevitable emergencies and deliver that 5* experience.

Hi All - I have a ten person maximum vacation rental in Mexico. Groups range from smaller 4-5 person families to groups of up to 10. I charge everyone the same although clearly larger groups consume more water, gas, electric, result in greater wear and tear, and require more effort to turn the property. I am curious if most hosts flex their pricing up to account for larger group sizes and if so how they think about optimizing this model. Thanks!

Bucket of Coronitas on ice and a fine bottle of artisanal mezcal.
https://airbnb.com/rooms/16947...

I market my STR as having meditation / organic gardens. We have figs, mangoes, papayas, pomegranate, avocado, Guanabana and a range of citrus trees. It definitely does attract insects and birds and is more effort than a desert landscape, but we envision possibly retiring their in the future and my wife is a total organic nut and I love the idea of free produce.

We have a 4 bed. Two king suites, 1 casita with 2 full sized beds, and 1 suite with 2 full sized bunk beds (4 beds total in the bunk room which has proved a hit with families or groups with kids of similar ages. Given they are full size they also sleep adults perfectly. What I like about having a combination of full and king size is only having to worry about 2 sizes of sheets.

I am not saying I’ve been particularly successful but one idea is to leverage your personal networks or social media to entice some family and friend referrals or bookings. When I meet people I always tell them about my hacienda in los Cabos, flip through the photos on my phone, and it has yielded at least a few bookings. I also give a ten percent commission to family members for referrals. 

I believe in all white sheets and towels. In my opinion it’s a cleaner more upscale look. And blue and white stripe cabana towels for the beach. I typically go for a larger more luxurious towel on Amazon. I assess inventory regularly and donate / replace as needed given the importance to guest experience.