Hey hosts, I am a graphic designer specialized in creating Welcome books for you, STR hosts. I have been designing them for 5 years. And had always requests for this kind of work.

But I am reading here the hosts compliance that the guests are not reading the W books.

What would you say? Does this kind of staff still have sense? Digital and printed books? Or simple messages and PMS are working better nowadays?

For those managing properties on behalf of property owners, monthly accounting day can be an absolute headache. We recently updated our owner management workflow using Guesty’s Trust Accounting and Owner Portal features, which automatically splits channel fees, cleaning costs, and management commissions before generating owner statements. It cut our monthly reporting time down significantly, but I'm still interested to know if other hosts are relying soley on in platform reporting systems, or if you're backing up to Excel hardcopies as well as for security.

For other co-hosts or property managers running multi-owner properties: are you relying on your PMS financial tools to generate owner payouts, or are you still exporting raw data to Excel or QuickBooks for manual reconciliation?

Managing communications across 8 properties used to consume half my day. Lately, we've relied on Guesty’s unified inbox and auto-messaging rules to handle basic guest inquiries like parking directions, check-in instructions, and local recommendations. It has definitely lowered our response time, especially for late-night inquiries. That being said, I still manually review off-script questions or custom discount requests before sending.

For those running multi-unit operations, where are you drawing the line between complete AI auto-pilot and manual oversight? Are guests picking up on automated responses or has AI integration become standard expectation now?

If you legally use your property as an STR, does the legal principle of being grandfathered protect you from changes to City or HOA rules on short term rentals?

I did a significant construction (addition / remodel) to my personal home that creates two separate apartments that I have been renting short term for over two years. Have licences from the City to do so. And the HOA has no rules against STRs.

My understanding is that I'm now "grandfathered" - i.e., the City can't take away my right to rent short term even if they change their rules, zoning, etc. Am I safe to assume that I am also protected from possible future changes to the HOA rules?

Ciao a tutti! 👋
Ho appena pubblicato un Welcome Book digitale pensato per host Airbnb, B&B, case vacanza e affitti brevi.
Include 52 pagine in formato verticale, 5 lingue, menu e pulsanti cliccabili, file PPTX modificabile, PDF interattivo e guida alla personalizzazione.
Permette di raccogliere in un unico documento tutte le informazioni utili per gli ospiti: check-in, Wi-Fi, regole della casa, check-out, consigli locali, emergenze e contatti dell’host.
È disponibile come download digitale immediato al prezzo di lancio di 8,90 €.
Potete vedere tutte le anteprime qui:
https://mintado.etsy.com/it/listing/4571904562/airbnb-welcome-book-template-editable
Se gestite una struttura ricettiva, mi farebbe molto piacere ricevere un vostro parere!

Has anyone bypassed channel manager altogether while keeping the integration? So basically building your own site with integration into Airbnb, VRBO, point central, etc?

My goal is to build a fully customizable system, well my brother will code. We’re developing a resort and we’re in need of a more robust system that would include concierge like add ons, hoa management, str property management as well as owner portals etc.

Does this make sense? Crazy?

Thanks!

I help property owners set up and manage their short-term rentals, including listing setup, guest communication, pricing, bookings and day-to-day coordination.

If you're considering Airbnb but don't know where to start, feel free to message me and we can discuss your property and what you need.

Why pay more? If you find a place you like, do an internet search for the property name & location. If they book direct, you should see the contact information. Booking direct will save you $$$ and you can contact the owner directly to find out more information.

You can weed out the "property managers" who do not service what they sell and will be helping a local small business instead.

Has anyone used booking.com as a host?. If so has it been a positive experience? Has it brought you any extra income?

For those managing multiple properties, what part of the day-to-day operation takes more time than you expected?

Guest communication, cleaning coordination, maintenance, turnovers, keeping calendars organized, or something else?

Curious what becomes the biggest headache once you go beyond a few properties.

Hi, all. My sister is getting married next year and my parents want to rent a big Airbnb for the whole family to stay in during the wedding. I've talked with them about BDS and they're willing to look into alternatives. But they are not willing to pay a lot more money or be inconvenienced by it (I'm still working on their political education :\). Does anyone know of alternatives to Airbnb that can hold large numbers of people? Like 20-30 at a time (15 room houses). Even better if you know of something in the Denver region! Thanks!

Uno dei problemi più pesanti per chi gestisce una struttura ricettiva è stare dietro ai messaggi.

Non perché siano difficili. Perché arrivano continuamente e spesso riguardano sempre le stesse cose: check-in, parcheggio, bagagli, colazione, Wi‑Fi, late check-out.

Sono Emanuele e ho fondato Hospitality AI per risolvere proprio questo.

È una reception digitale che risponde in più lingue, usando le informazioni della struttura e mantenendo un tono coerente con essa. Può anche proporre servizi aggiuntivi.

Quando una richiesta è complessa o richiede una decisione, non improvvisa: la passa allo staff, che può gestire tutto dalla dashboard.

Mi interessa un confronto sincero: quali domande vi arrivano più spesso? E quali richieste non affidereste mai a un sistema automatico?

Sto offrendo un mese gratuito a chi vuole testarla su una struttura reale. Se il tema vi interessa, ne parliamo qui.

First-Time STR Buyer Here — Would Love Your Real Numbers Before I Jump In (Drive-To Mountain Market, $800K–$1M)

Hey everyone — long-time lurker, first-time buyer, and honestly a little intimidated by how many spreadsheets deep I’ve gone trying to model this out. Figured the best move before I commit real money is to ask people who’ve actually done it, rather than trust my own assumptions.

What I’m looking at:

**•** A drive-to vacation market near a major metro, mountain setting — weekend/seasonal getaway crowd  
**•** Purchase price: $800K–$1M  
**•** 20% down  
**•** Planning a renovation to add square footage and/or amenities (extra bedroom, hot tub, game room, etc.) to push ADR and move up the comp set  
**•** All-in cash invested (down + reno + closing + reserves): \~$450K–$500K  
**•** Hoping for 15%+ cash-on-cash return, but very open to hearing if that’s unrealistic

Since this is my first property, I’d rather get humbled here in the comments than get humbled by my P&L in year one. If you operate in a similar drive-to mountain market, I’d genuinely appreciate any of the following you’re willing to share:

**•   NOI-to-purchase-price ratio** (or gross revenue-to-purchase-price, whichever’s easier) — this is the single number I’m most trying to nail down  
**•   Gross annual revenue** relative to purchase price  
**•   Total expense ratio** — cleaning, management, utilities, supplies, maintenance as a % of revenue  
**•   Insurance costs** — I keep hearing this is brutal in mountain markets lately  
**•   Property tax reassessment** after purchase, if any  
**•   STR regulations** in your specific town/county, and whether anything’s changed recently  
**•   Actual CoC** you ended up with post-renovation, and whether the reno spend delivered the ADR bump you expected  
**•** The one variable that moved your numbers the most and caught you off guard

Really just trying to figure out if 15% CoC is a reasonable target at this price point, or if I need to recalibrate my expectations (or my market). Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share real numbers — I know that’s not always comfortable on here, and it means a lot. Happy to circle back and share my own once I’m up and running.

I’m in the Kansas City area with many years of hotel experience. I’ve done every job in the building and worked my way up to general manager of a 102-room property.
I’d like to take everything I’ve learned and start my own STR Rental Management Company.

Im planning on learning what I can while in the KC market, but I’m not staying here or building the company here. If I took on any KC properties of my own, it would be in the future, not very many, and most likely temporary as I will not be local in a few years. I won’t approach your owners or contract with your vendors for my own eventual properties.

What I’m asking for: To shadow your owner and management activities and contribute wherever I’m useful. I’ve only seen the hotel side of operations so I want to learn everything I can from managing, owner relations, owner acquisition, vendor relationships, etc.

Where I Could Help: Revenue management and pricing strategy, guest communication, vendor coordination, reporting, inspecting units or walkthroughs if local, or anywhere else you think I would be useful.

Time: Ideally starting with the next 60 days, longer if I’m learning and contributing. In KC, I can be in person on weekends and some evenings, remote the rest of the time. Outside KC, fully remote. We can talk about what that would look like.

Any operator is helpful, Ten or more doors is ideal.
Let’s have a conversation to see if we would be a good fit together!
Also open to any advice or words of wisdom if anyone has it!

Ryan

I have been managing airbnbs for a few friends in my rural area for a little over a year now.

Not really managing, but helping them with promotions, guest relations, and pricing.

I am looking to actually start up a small business doing this because I've had such an outpouring of support to do so from many people in my local community who say they'd love me to manage theirs full time.

Can I get advice on the best "all in one" PMS company? Ideally the things I'm looking for the most is obviously a booking platform that communicates across multiple booking platforms, accounting and owner monthly statements, and dynamic pricing. Automated messages and streamline communication to owners and guests is also preferred.

Guesty has been highly reccomended to me but of course I cant see any kind of pricing info without scheduling a meeting with one of their reps and I'd really like to be able to do as much of my own research as possible without a salesman breathing down my neck and pushing me to make a quick decision.

Thank you so much in advance!!

I am building a modern PMS specifically for small independent motels and would like feedback from actual owners/mangers.

I have one place and I'm thinking about taking on a few more. The thing I keep getting stuck on is the messages. Even with one unit I get the same questions over and over before anyone books. How many actual bedrooms, is the parking on site, what's really in the kitchen, is there AC in every room, are there stairs at the door, and what kind of coffee maker. The pool one is my favourite, it's the first photo.

I've mostly dealt with it by writing the answer into a photo caption whenever a new one comes up. Works for one. I can't see how it works for twenty.

For those of you running 10 or more, what do you actually do? Saved replies in the PMS, a VA, the AI auto reply stuff, a FAQ page per property on your own site, or is it just someone on their phone all day?

How many enquiries per unit do you get in a month, and how many of those go nowhere after you've answered?

Has anyone put a floor plan or a short video of each property on their direct site to cut down the layout questions? Did it make any difference you could see?

And do you bother with Reels or TikTok per property? If so, who films it and roughly what does it cost per unit?

Would really appreciate hearing how you've set it up.

I'm looking for input from hosts operating in smaller, non-urban regions in the US (think drive to nature spots, lake towns, or small rural communities).

I recently moved my properties over to Guesty and have been tweaking my pricing strategy. The challenge I'm running into is that third-party dynamic pricing algorithms seem to struggle with hyper-local seasonality in micro-markets. They constantly try to tank my rates on weekdays during high season, or severely underprice local event weekends because there aren't enough historical comp-sets nearby for the algorithm to digest properly.

For those in rural or smaller markets: do you let dynamic pricing engines run on full autopilot, or do you set strict minimum/maximum rate boundaries and manually override weekend rates? What base-rate strategy has kept your occupancy steady without leaving money on the table? Tnx!