34 amenities for your Airbnb that go the extra mile & that your guests will love

Ever wondered what amenities get your guests’ heart racing, that go the extra mile and earn you a huge response for? We’ve trawled through guest responses, feedback, ratings and spoken to a good bunch of them to get the run down for you so you can see how you can win the hearts of your guests more often.

You’ll notice a theme running through the list. Call it hospitality or being hospitable. The idea is to provide your guests with comfort, perhaps some pampering. It’s about providing your guests with the comforts of home, or if you’re shooting for a higher level, more comforts than they have at home. It’s about making things easy for your guests, helping them to take a load off their minds, providing them with amenities that take cares away and doing the work for them so they don’t have to worry.

I recently wrote an article about what the essential must have amenities are for launching on Airbnb. If you haven’t read it, read it here. This article goes the next step and looks at the amenities which impress and delight guests and consistently win Airbnb hosts rave reviews and 5 star ratings.

Kitchen

Let’s start in the kitchen. Remember that the second B in BNB is for breakfast, and the kitchen is the heart of the home, so it’s pretty important and a great place to kick off our list.

1. Coffee Machine

Does anyone even remember life before coffee? For many guests, it is a life sustaining substance. For others, the ability to make their own represents a splash of luxury while others will be used to the routine from their own homes. Your choice of coffee machine will depend on your target market, your budget and your available space. Whether you choose a drip coffee machine, pump coffee machine, coffee capsule (eg Nespresso) machine or a humble plunger be sure to leave detailed instructions on how to use it for your guests in your House Manual.

2. Coffee

Unless you’re a type of sadist prone to the torture of innocents, you’d never provide a coffee machine without the accompanying coffee (eg ground, capsules etc) with which it works its magic. Give some thought to your budget as to how much coffee you provide to your guests. Be as reasonable as you can afford to be, without going over the top and without skimping so much as to offend your guests with your miserliness.

3. Tea Pot and Loose Leaf Tea

For many, a pot of loose leaf tea can — and does — solve the world’s problems (or maybe just their own). A small piece of heaven can easily be provided to your guests and for those who partake, it will be an amenity about which they will recall and recount an innumerable amount of times. To everyone who’ll listen, and to many who won’t. They love it that much. Believe me.

4. Dishwasher

There will come a time perhaps when a dishwasher will be considered an essential staple. But, while we have two hands, detergent and a sink we have a cheaper alternative. Naughty children being taught the error of their ways are also an alternative. But then again, dishwashers simply make a droll task easier. Cleaner. Faster. And they don’t talk back or complain about having to do the dishes. What’s not to like about that?

5. Dishwasher tablets

Again, sadists are best to put this list down and walk away. Be sure to leave your guests enough dishwashing tablets to make the dishwasher usable. As a general rule, the more guests and for the more nights they stay, leave them with more dishwasher tablets. As a guide, think about two per day your guests are staying, but maybe add more if your Airbnb accommodates more than 4 adults.

6. Bottled Water or Mineral Water

People that love mineral water really love mineral water. If your Airbnb has a filtered water system running through the kitchen plumbing we’d recommend a jug of chilled water in the fridge along with a bottle of the fizzy stuff. Water that is, fizzy water. The guests that are into it will bless you, and the guests that aren’t will leave it alone. It’s also a nice way of saying “our normal water is filtered, because if it wasn’t we would have left a bottle of Mount Franklin”. If your water isn’t filtered, we recommend leaving a bottle of Mount Franklin instead of the mineral water. Guests love it.

7. Kitchen Air Tight Containers

I was going to say Tupperware containers, but you know what I mean right? A few air tight containers in your pantry will be a blessing for those foods that your guests haven’t finished yet and want to have at a later time. It’s a true comfort of home thing and is missing from most Airbnb’s. We have them in our Airbnb and our guests LOVE them. Small expense, big impact. Give them a try in your Airbnb.

8. Cling Wrap, Baking Paper, Alfoil

Muscle memory being what it is, I guarantee even a part time master chef cooking up a storm in your Airbnb will reach for the third draw down in your Airbnb’s kitchen to reach for one of the three wraps: cling, alfoil or baking paper. Imagine their delight when they’re greeted by all three?

9. Mixing Bowls

If you have a reasonably sized kitchen in your Airbnb, or even a small one, the chances are your guests will be whipping up a culinary delight or two during their stay. Delighting them with a couple of mixing bowls will earn you serious points by making the chef’s job no harder than it would be in their own kitchen.

10. Serving Trays/Platters

Imagine cooking up a storm and coming time to present your delights and realising there are no serving trays. The sadists out there are smiling right now, but your guests won’t be. A couple of serving trays or platters will go down a treat and please your guests no end by making life in your Airbnb as easy as it is in their own homes.

11. Sandwich Press

The joys of a cheese toasty on a cold day cannot be underestimated, and so a sandwich press will delight your guests seeking some classic comfort food with which they enjoy your Airbnb.

12. Pots and Pans

I’ve written before how a pot capable of boiling a baby’s bottle and a medium sized frying pan are BNB essentials. Going the extra mile for your guests in this regard would be to provide a couple of sauce pans and frying pans. We’d recommend 2–3 saucepans (small, medium and a large or pasta pan) and 3 frying pans (small, medium and large) for your guests — all with lids preferably. Your guests who choose to cook will be delighted and your five star reviews all but guaranteed.

13. Food Provisions

Guests love a surprise. Who doesn’t? Maybe those sadists I mentioned before don’t but I bet you love a surprise. Food provisions delight guests — when they’re not expecting it, and when the quality and thoughtfulness is there. In our BNB our guests adore the food provisions that we provide and we are constantly receiving feedback about how much they enjoy them and appreciate them. And let’s be honest, isn’t that what hospitality is all about? Now let’s give a little disclaimer here before we go on: firstly there are council regulations and laws governing how food can be provided so make sure you’re complying with them. Secondly, look at these ideas as a smorgasboard and take from it what feels right for your BNB, your target market and your budget. How much should you spend per guest? The general rule is up to 10% of the revenue from a minimum stay. So, if you charge $300 per night and have a two night minimum, you’re taking $600 so you can think about a budget of up to $60 on amenities and consumables. From there, you can allocate some money to the food provisions that appeal to you.

So let’s get into it. Guests a love a bottle of wine. Sure, some don’t drink it or they may not be into the style you’ve chosen but in general it’s a big winner. In our BNB we provide a bottle of local red wine during the cooler months and white wine in the warmer (we are right next to one of Australia’s premier wine districts). We also provide a cheese plate with one cheese, dried fruit bowl and dip along with crackers for them to have with the wine. We have a litre of fresh milk in the fridge, fresh butter in individual serves and a selection of jams and conserves to go with a loaf of fresh sourdough. We have a selection of muesli’s and granola in the pantry and a tub of fresh yoghurt to round out a pretty comprehensive continental breakfast selection. We also provide chocolate chip cookies that our guests go nuts over and a fruit bowl with an assortment of fruit which is really popular. From time to time we’ll throw extra’s in when we know why guests are staying, like blocks of chocolate for a girls weekend catch up or a bottle of champagne for a romantic weekend or celebration.

Entertainment

It’s getting a little easier to go the extra mile with entertainment amenities that guests love. While you could keep things to a minimum and rely on your guests using their phones or iPads to stream video using their own mobile data plans, it’s easy and not that expensive to provide them with a great experience that they’ll love, tell their friends about and rate you highly for. Let’s look at how….

14. Smart TV With Streaming

Watching a movie or your favourite show on a TV still beats a tiny mobile phone screen. If that’s combined with a comfy couch, beautifully designed space and a glass of wine then so much the better! Your guests will love a smart TV with all the streaming options available in one place: Foxtel Go, Netflix, Stan and Amazon Prime. Thankfully these days you won’t have to pay too much to get such a solution and guests love it.

15. Fast WiFi

It’s true that these days your guests probably have unlimited data allowances on their mobile phones, and those phones are capable of hot spotting and sharing their data. But if you’re providing a smart TV with streaming capability you must provide a fast WiFi facility so they can enjoy what you’ve provided. Unless you’re a sadist. Can you imagine providing a smart TV but not the connectivity to engage the smarts? Be sure that the internet you choose can handle your guests streaming (SD, HD, 4k — the works) or you risk poor experiences that your guests won’t enjoy and may (actually, probably will) rate you poorly for.

16. Bluetooth speaker

A bluetooth speaker for your guests to stream their music through is a nice touch and they love it. Sure they can play music through their phones’ speakers, but it drains the battery and doesn’t sound great, so think about this option for your guests.

17. Games, Books, Magazines

One of the reasons guests choose to stay in Airbnb’s is because they can escape distraction that exists in their every day lives, allowing them to do non every day things. Like read a book. Play a game. Read a magazine. You’d be amazed — and they absolutely love it. Enabling your guests with the ability to change gears opens up their ability to have experiences which transcend their every day lives. Those experiences become memories — really good memories and your BNB will have made that happen. Sounds like a great recipe for a 5 star review in my book.

18. Beach Towels, Toys, Bikes, Canoes etc

Depending on your location, and the space you have available, activity amenities are VERY popular with guests and they absolutely love them. If you’re near the water, beach towels are a great touch for your guests because they probably forgot to bring them, and providing them can mean the difference to them getting out and about or not and so becomes the difference between a great experience and a memorable one. Kids toys, bikes, canoes if you’re near a lake or a river work in exactly the same way.

Bathroom and Laundry

A quick way to your guests’ hearts is providing amenities they love in the bathroom and laundry. Great 5 star reviews and guest experiences can be made here, so give these strong consideration….

19. Hair Dryer

Like an oasis in the desert is a hair dryer to someone who forgot to pack theirs, or didn’t because they couldn’t fit it in their bags. They’re not expensive, but they have a big impact on your guests and they’ll love to see it in your Airbnb.

20. Bathrobes

Whether it’s the fluffy, oversized and indulgent kind or the waffly, loose and breathy kind the presence of good quality bathrobes in your BNB makes a statement that your guests will love.

21. Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, body lotion

Perhaps we’re conditioned from years of staying in hotels and motels from childhood but there’s a certain expectation that shampoos, conditioners, soaps and lotions will be present in our out of home accommodation. Sure, you can let guests know if you don’t provide them but really, honestly, isn’t it worth going the extra mile and providing these amenities for your guests? They’ll love you for it, and are often the subject on which word of mouth referrals are initiated.

22. Lint Roller

Here’s a random one you might be thinking. Don’t think that way — guests go nuts over it. And they use it too, which is fantastic and the whole point. Guests have told us “you even had a lint roller” which is usually followed by “you’ve thought of everything”. Whether we have or haven’t, the fact that guests have that perception is fantastic and creates the very impression that we are seeking for our Airbnb.

23. Iron and Ironing Board

Making your guests life easy while they are staying at your Airbnb is one of the jobs that we have as hosts. Providing an iron and ironing board is key to that end. And when I say iron, I mean a decent one. That doesn’t leak. That doesn’t leave marks on white shirts. That works as it should. Just make it easy, non complicated and don’t let your guests worry about the small stuff — like what they’ll do if their shirt needs ironing and there’s no iron in your Airbnb. I bet the sadists are smiling at the thought…

24. Toothpaste and toothbrushes

A nice touch that’s inexpensive but has high impact is providing toothpastes and toothbrushes. The little travel kinds, the disposable single use kind that you can get when you visit the dentist. Pop some of these in your bathroom cabinet for your guests. They cost next to nothing, but are life saviours for the guest who forgot to pack theirs.

25. Washing Machine and Dryer

My advice if you have the space in your Airbnb is to provide a washing machine and dryer. Research confirms that having a washing machine and dryer in Airbnb’s is a big reason why guests book instead of staying in a hotel. It’s becoming increasingly attractive for corporate and business guests too, so definitely do it if you can.

26. Laundry Detergent

What are the sadists thinking right about now? Yep, provide a washing machine and dryer but no laundry detergent. Or maybe the closet sadists would provide not enough laundry detergent… Why on earth would you do that? Make it easy on your guests, and if they want to use the washing machine enable that by providing sufficient laundry detergent. Guests love it when things are easy. Especially the things that are meant to be easy.

27. Sewing Kit

No one ever plans a wardrobe malfunction, but they happen. When you least expect it and want it least, boom! A sewing kit can be a lifesaver to get a button back on a shirt, to fix a hem line that’s dropped or to perform some other urgent surgery to clothing that, if it weren’t for the sewing kit, would render the wearer house bound. Once again, making life easy for your guests is king, and they love you for it.

28. Sunscreen

Don’t forget the sunscreen. But we mostly do, right? The consequences can be punishing in Australia, or at worst dire. Having some sunscreen in your Airbnb takes some of the stress off your guests, and once again, makes life easy and takes away the small stuff which, by you going the extra mile for them, makes them love what you’ve done with your Airbnb all the more.

Around your BNB

Finishing off our list are the amenities you can go the extra mile to provide and that your guests will love around your Airbnb.

29. Umbrellas

Rain can dampen the spirits of your guests a little less if you provide some umbrellas in your Airbnb for them to use…on a rainy day. It’s simple, thoughtful and inexpensive but once again, when needed by your guests is like a godsend and they will at that time, if not already, adore you.

30. Guest Book

It’s a little old school, but there’s something very cool about it. A guest book where previous guests have written about their experiences. In their own handwriting. And it’s right there in the Airbnb with your new guests. Not online, in an app that isn’t open or web browser that’s been closed. Right there in the real world where people can touch and feel and read.

31. Portacot and High Chair

If you’ve had kids and travelled with them and hauled a portacot and high chair with you, you’ll know what a special kind of misery and painful experience it can be. It’s awful. Truly horrid. Short of providing a nanny for your guests, this is probably the single best thing you can do for guests travelling with little ones. Well, actually no it probably comes second to the bottle of wine — but it IS huge for that segment of guest and they WILL love you for eternity if you can take the pain and misery of having to travel with their own portacot and high chair away from them.

32. Extra Blankets and Pillows

Recurring themes running through this list have been that making it easy for guests, and providing choices and options can mean going the extra mile for you, but in turn provide reasons for your guests to love your BNB. Providing extra pillows and blankets for your guests does exactly this. You guests will love that you’ve gone this extra mile when it’s cold, or when they simply decide that more layers are required and like magic when they open a cupboard you’ve provided them with the means to make it happen.

33. Key Pad Front Door Entry

Being away from home, out of routine and in a different place to the one you’re used to can be a recipe for forgetting or losing front door keys. Can you imagine anything worse than being locked out of your Airbnb? Inconvenient, embarrassing, costly are some of the descriptions that spring to mind. You can go the extra mile for your guests by dispensing with keys for your front door and installing a key pad. It makes check ins all the easier, and makes your guest stays stress free for not having to worry about who has the keys, or where they are. What’s not to love in that?

34. Local Handicrafts and Pieces

One of the advantages that we Airbnb hosts have over our hotel/motel friends is that we can decorate our Airbnb’s with locally sourced art and decorator pieces. Supporting and showcasing local talent is great for the community, provides opportunities for promotion and connects guests with the local environment in a simple and easy way that generates better experiences for them, and better outcomes for the local community.

So there you have it. 34 amenities that go the extra mile and that your guests will love. A good mixture of pampering, luxury, providing choice and making it easy for your guests which in turn, make them happy, delighted, super comforted and less stressed giving rise to love and adoration for not just your BNB, but the time they have spent and for the experiences they have had while staying there.

About the author: Allan Evans is the Co-Founder of The BNB Works, and Founder and CEO of The Solution Engine, a leading consulting and advisory firm based in Sydney and Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Allan writes regularly on Medium.com about a range of issues from leadership and business to a myriad of BNB and short term rental topics. Allan also operates the highly successful and popular Brunswick Mews BNB in Newcastle with his partner Julie.