As a short-term rental management company, we’re often asked which online rental platform is best. Well, that depends on your particular property and hosting situation. If you are renting individual rooms in a hosted property, Airbnb is your best option as a primary rental platform. If you are renting out your entire house un-hosted, both Airbnb and Vrbo are good options. But are they both the same? There are key differences between the two top
The year 2020 saw changes for the travel industry and travelers worldwide. As a worldwide pandemic and mandatory lockdowns closed borders and cities, new rules and regulations changed the way we travel. And the most significant change can in where we stay when we travel. Lobbies, crowded elevators, shared dining spaces – few hotel aspects lend themselves to a global pandemic. Throughout 2020, alternative accommodations gained a significant leg up on traditional lodging. Mid-city apartments
(HostWell CEO and Founder Keith Freedman shares his thoughts on the state's recent suspension of the CDC's Covid 19 restrictions.) California has officially reopened so, what does this mean for hosts? There are still Covid related health orders in effect for the state, and many cities have additional precautions that continue. The cities serviced by HostWell in California are all open for business. Before June 15th, "hosted" short-term rentals, hosting in a part of the
Short-term Rentals, Present and Future Even though 2020 is winding down, COVID-19 hasn’t taken a break. The entire travel industry is still reeling from the pandemic. And the month of October began with airlines laying off thousands of employees. However, travel is a resilient industry and recovery will happen in time. Recently TSA clocked one million passengers in a single day of flying. That’s the most people flying since the start of the pandemic. Leisure
Does Your Homeowners Policy Cover Your Airbnb? In this article, you’ll learn from a leading insurance industry expert about the overall structure of the insurance market for short-term rentals We’ll also clear up some common misconceptions, and provide some tips for how to find a solution for your situation. Here’s what you need to know about insurance when it comes to short-term rentals. There are many different ways that hosts conduct their rental activities. And
Is Airbnb the Party Pooper? With bars and nightclubs shuttered in the Pandemic, some young folks are holding house parties. Perhaps in your house or an Airbnb new you. The “Party House” isn’t a new phenomenon, but the problem has gotten worse in the past six months. Following through on a pledge to ban parties in its short-term rental listings, Airbnb announced recently that it has so far suspended or removed hundreds of properties worldwide
Since our founding, HostWell has been committed to doing things right. We help our guests figure out door locks at 3am. We use higher quality sheets than most 5 star hotels. We even clean the bottle caps lost under the stove. This commitment of excellence extends well beyond our core services. Anything HostWell does, we strive to do right. We took the initiative to become the only management company in San Francisco authorized to collect
2 Jun 2020What you need to know about insurance when it comes to short-term rentals. Navigating the insurance landscape can be a challenging endeavor. There are many different ways that hosts conduct their rental activities. And this impacts what types of risks they are exposed to, and what type of insurance coverage may be available for those risks. In this article, I’ll describe the overall structure of the insurance market for short-term rentals, clear up some common
1 Jun 2020Summer 2020 is here! Instead of a flood of guests filling our booking calendars, our hearts are filled with a certain amount of dread, and our heads brim with questions about what this summer will mean for our small businesses. A worldwide pandemic has taken a giant bite out of our summer dreams and brought the entire travel industry to its knees. Airbnb has delayed its much-anticipated IPO and laid off 25,000 employees worldwide. In
1 Jun 2020Sharing your home with guests. These hosts truly put the “share” in home-sharing, but they are the most vulnerable of the short-term rental industry. Airbnb hosts who share space in a home they also occupy face many tough questions as they reopen in the wake of the pandemic. This sector of the short-term rental market has been particularly hard hit by Covid-19. Keith Freedman is the owner and founder of HostWell and an Airbnb superhost