When planning a vacation (or even a stay-cation) hotels aren’t the only popular choice for lodging and accommodations. Travelers are often choosing short term vacation rentals (think Airbnb & VRBO) for their stays. Often times vacation rentals can offer desired amenities that a hotel just can’t… full kitchen, multiple bedrooms, space & privacy to name a few. Vacation rentals, when done well, bring all the comforts of home with the fun of a new space, where some of the best memories can be made.

At LGD we created The Greenfield with that goal in mind… beautiful spaces and room to make memories!

It’s so important to us to not only offer a clean, comfortable stay for our guests, but to create an experience and make a connection with them without ever meeting!

The Greenfield is our charming and cozy property in Gilbert, AZ on 1 acre of trees and green grass (Green-field ;) ) that sleeps 12 guests! It is complete with a pool for those hot summer days, a hot tub for the colder nights, and a spacious backyard with lush grass and mature trees for kids to enjoy. It’s saltillo tile floors and stucco fireplace separate this Airbnb from the others (and we must admit, it makes for great photos too)!

Today––for our fellow vacation rental hosts––we’re sharing a few tips on how to create a memorable Airbnb experience! It’s all about taking it a step further, ensuring your guests feel relaxed, and every detail is taken care of. If you’re interested in booking The Greenfield for your next stay in Gilbert, AZ, click here, we would love to host you! Get more information about this property at thegreenfieldaz.com.

Greet your guests with something sweet!

First impressions mean everything, right? When our guests first arrive at The Greenfield, extra large cinnamon rolls from a local bakery, Rise Up Bakery, greet them on the dining table, along with a bag of our favorite coffee beans, Peixoto Coffee. This simple gesture achieves a couple of things with your guests: 1) it offers an element of surprise that is exciting, who doesn't love a sweet treat? 2) it gives them breakfast and coffee for the next few days, and 3) it exposes them to a local shop nearby that they can frequent every time they are back in town!

Set fresh pretty flowers in a vase where they are visible along with a welcome letter.

Before guests arrive we grab some flowers and greens from our nearest grocery store, typically Trader Joes because we love the variety that they offer at an affordable price! The florals bring life to the space and the extra touch is always appreciated. The live florals show our attention and care of the home and for their experience during their stay. In the winter months we add a bowl of fresh citrus from the yard’s fruit trees. Lastly we include a simple personalized welcome letter, reiterating how happy we are to host them and to please reach out if they need anything.

Create a thorough welcome book, offering guests property expectations as well as “things to do” around town!

We place this book on the front entry table so that it is the first thing our guests see when they walk in the door. It includes: information about the house, phone numbers for every situation, special codes and passwords, a little info about the area, and a list of our favorite places to eat and things to do in the area. We also include the check-out instructions for easy reference. We try to cover all the details so that our guests don’t have to do anything, making it a true vacation.

One of the biggest obstacles for travelers is finding the “non-touristy” things to do, along with how and where they will spend their time. If you know us, we are very passionate about the city and state we live in and love sharing our favorite local places with those visiting! At The Greenfield, we have a long list of recommendations such as: places to eat, local unique shops, outdoor hikes, day trips, activities, local events and more. We take it a step further by offering a couple of bikes for our guests to enjoy the Arizona sun along with reusable produce bags to take with them to the nearby Downtown Gilbert Farmers Market!

Have an “In Case You Forgot” canvas tote bags in each bathroom.

This is a small gesture that goes a LONG way. There is nothing more frustrating then when you arrive to your vacation destination only to realize you forgot your toothbrush or deodorant. We stock these bags full of all the travel size hygiene essentials you need and don’t worry, we keep extras in our storage closet to replace any products that were used.

Use accurate photos and be specific in your listing

One of the most common complaints hosts hear is, “it wasn’t what I expected”. Before guests book your property, you want to ensure it is a fit for them and that they are a fit for you. This is why it’s important to get very detailed with the amenities and expectations for the listing. It goes without saying that the images should be accurate and detailed to avoid giving potential guests misleading information. People are happiest when they know what to expect. If your pool doesn’t have a heater, list that!

Decorate the space with charming, but affordable decor

One tricky part about being the host of a vacation rental while decorating the space, is accounting for things that could break during a guest’s stay. Because there is much more traffic going through an Airbnb, you want to choose your decor wisely and avoid placing breakable items in spaces that are used the most. Our favorites places to shop for decor that is affordable but still beautiful are Target, World Market, The Lifestyled Co and Heritage and Home.

Keep your space clean and anticipate downtime for guests in the Airbnb.

It goes without saying that your Airbnb needs to be clean and tidy! That’s what that cleaning fee is for! And this is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of hosting a vacation rental. Guests can’t relax without peace of mind that where they are relaxing isn’t just tidy, but CLEAN too. We are very passionate about this, so much so that a cleaning crew actual fired us as clients because our expectations and standards were too high!! Take the time, find the right cleaning team, and rest easy knowing your guests are safe and enjoying the beautiful and CLEAN spaces. Store extra clean linens and blankets in the cabinets for guests to use as they need. Avoid any clutter throughout the space as well. At The Greenfield, we have an array of board games to play and books to read in the living room for the downtime they do spend in the home.

Encourage your guests to leave a review.

Reviews are very important to a successful short term rental and give an inside look into what other guests can expect when staying at your property; the more positive reviews you have, the more likely interested guests are to book the property and want that same experience too. After our guests check-out, we quickly send a message thanking them for staying at our property, asking if they would leave a positive review and send over any suggestions they may have that could’ve made their stay better. This is an excellent way for hosts to gain feedback on what they’re doing right and what they can improve on. No matter what, hosts should always attempt to make things right and to strive for the best experience possible!

Shop some of our favorite items that we keep at The Greenfield below! If you are interested in learning more about The Greenfield, visit us on Instagram @thegreenfieldaz or head straight to the Airbnb listing. We hope to host you soon!