Updated : Apr 11, 2025
With over 5 million hosts on Airbnb, standing out in the competitive vacation rental market will be tricky. The good news is that Statista reported 1.5 billion guest check-ins in 2024. To bank on this demand, short-term rental upsells are the answer.
Another Statista study shows that over 492 million guests booked nights and experiences through Airbnb. It’s a clear sign that hosts must experiment with add-on services and amenities to attract more bookings for their vacation rentals.
Let’s learn all about vacation rental upselling.
What is Short-term Rental Upselling?
Upselling encourages your target guests to buy an add-on or better version of a service to enhance their vacation rental stay and make it more enjoyable. Simply put, it’s a sales technique that promotes the best Airbnb amenities, experiences, and services at a slightly higher price.
However, you must consider an upsell as something that will benefit your target guests rather than selling a service.
“Guests don’t just want a place to sleep; they want an experience. Upsells, partnerships, and curated stays will separate top hosts from the rest.”
Mathew Mantilla (Founder, TilahStay) via LinkedIn
Upselling vs Cross-selling: Know the Difference
Short-term rental upsells and cross-sells may sound similar, but both differ to an extent. In upselling, you’ll offer customers a premium version of the service during their initial transaction. On the other hand, cross-selling is a complementary service or amenity provided to guests post-purchase.
12 Airbnb Upselling Ideas To Improve Guest Experience
You can promote STR upsell services and experiences to your guests at three different stages of their booking.
Pre-Arrival Upsells
The best time to suggest various add-on services to upcoming guests is before they check in to your STR home. Here’s what you can offer.
1. Room Upgrades
Offering room upgrades is one of the premium short-term rental upsell services you can provide to your target guests and let them feel pampered.
During reservation, you can offer 10-20% pre-booking discounts for upgrades to larger rooms with amenities like a jacuzzi or private pools. You can also send a message to booked guests with last-minute offers like “Upgrade to a premium room with an ocean view for only $50/night extra.”
Vacation rental seasonality upgrades are other attractive upsell ideas to impress guests. For example, send an upgrade offer to cozy cabins with fireplaces to guests booking your vacation rental home during winter.
2. Early Check-in/ Late Checkout
Nothing is more satisfying than offering guests early check-in and late check-out options. It’s one of the most popular short-term rental upsells for a reason.
Relaxed timings for guests with tight travel schedules or early flights give them the flexibility to arrive earlier or leave later. In such situations, they will often be willing to pay extra. You can advertise this service in your booking process or send a message before the guest arrives to persuade them to purchase this upsell.
3. Stock Grocery & Essentials
Since guests arrive tired and hungry, make their stay convenient by re-stocking essential foods before they arrive at your STR property. A fully stocked pantry and refrigerator will save them from the hassle of rushing to the store to buy food items before settling in.
So, pre-stocking a kitchen pantry includes basics such as tea, coffee, milk, bread, and eggs, a few snacks, and bottles of soda or drinks in the fridge. You can charge them based on the items they utilize.
Go a step further by asking about food preferences from your soon-to-arrive guests in advance to offer them predetermined favorites. Guests feel appreciated when you offer personalized packages based on their dietary restrictions. Offering grocery delivery service is also a great option, especially if you’re hosting digital nomads or guests longer.
4. Welcome Basket
If you want to make your visitors feel at home, add a welcome basket with fruit, vegetables, and homemade bread from a local baker. To make it extra special, you can also upsell an upgraded premium basket with an Airbnb welcome letter and specialty meats, salmon, artisan cheeses, olives, and keepsake items.
For more exclusive ideas, offer a chef’s basket with local favorite recipes, spices, and wines. Or include a self-care basket with locally made soaps, lotions, teas, facials, bath bombs, and chocolates.
Upselling local tours and experiences to your guests will provide added value. These add-ons will not only improve your STR’s occupancy and revenue potential but also provide an unforgettable Airbnb experience for the guests.
5. Experience Bookings
Using your expert knowledge of the region, you can offer visitors local upsell experiences, such as off-the-beaten-path exploration, guided hikes, tea tasting, cultural walks, walking food tours, sunset cruises, and private dinners. You can also collaborate with local guides and vendors for commission-based sightseeing deals.
Consider adding vouchers for the finest spas in town for business travelers who want to rejuvenate after a hectic day. Organizing workshops, such as cooking, pottery, or surf classes, is a great upsell idea.
You can share these exclusive add-ons through pre-arrival emails with booking links.
6. Luggage Storage
Sometimes, guests have extra time before their departure flight. In such scenarios, they need baggage storage for a few hours so they can use their free time to eat at a restaurant or explore a nearby shopping market after check-out.
However, finding luggage storage services is challenging in many locations. You can take advantage of this guest requirement by offering a safe luggage storage facility hourly for a small fee.
7. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance makes sense as a pre-arrival offer because it gives guests peace of mind. You can partner with trusted providers like World Nomads, SafetyWing, Travel Guard, or Airbnb’s insurance options to offer coverage for trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.
Mid-Stay Upsells
Once your guests enter your vacation rental, you still have upselling opportunities. Let’s explore them.
1. On-demand Mid-stay Cleaning
Guests who book a vacation rental for longer will need mid-stay housekeeping services. So, promote extra mid-stay cleaning services to attract visitors who value a well-maintained living space.
Moreover, a clean home will free the guests from the hassle of cleaning while providing you with an extra income opportunity. A mid-stay vacation rental cleaning process will also protect your property from more costly deep cleanings later.
Make sure to set the cleaning fee based on the size of your STR property and cleaning requirements.
2. Themed Add-ons
Has the family booked your vacation rental? Or is it a couple celebrating an anniversary? Offer theme-based upselling services to curate unforgettable experiences for your guests. Personalized touches make guests feel special and increase your property’s value.
Remember, you must ask your upcoming guests beforehand about their trip expectations to personalize the themed Airbnb add-on services accordingly.
Ben Levy, co-founder of Localbird, also emphasized in the HCH podcast, “The most important questions that you need to ask your guests is what the reason for your travel is, who you are staying with, and who you are traveling with.”
Once you collect enough data, customize the upsell packages and share with them the list through email or the OTA channel. Some interesting themed add-ons are
- Arrange dinner on the beach for the couples.
- Offer a honeymoon package for newlyweds, including champagne upon arrival, rose petals in the bathtub, elegant robes, and luxury chocolates.
- Board games and snacks bundle for families visiting for New Year’s Eve or summer break.
- If you manage luxury short-term rentals, provide private chef upsell service.
- Wellness kits for health freaks featuring yoga mats and meditation guides.
- If hosting a group of friends, promote a party package or nearby adventure experience.
- Set up a dedicated workspace for business travelers and remote workers.
3. Equipment Rentals
Whether your STR property is in the mountains, lakeside, sea-facing, or downtown area, travelers will love to explore the location during their stay. Offering all-inclusive equipment rentals to guests will improve the guest experience and your bottom line.
For example,
- You can provide ski gear during the winter season if your vacation rental is in the mountains.
- For countryside locations, consider providing a rental bike or e-bike so guests can move around hassle-free and enjoy the stay to the fullest.
- If your property is near scenic beaches, offer water sports gear like kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and canoes.
4. Post-Stay Upsells
You can also promote additional experiences after the guests check out from your property so they won’t just remember you but also consider rebooking you for their next trip. Here are some post-stay upsell options.
5. Loyalty Discounts
By rewarding repeat guests, you’ll build a community of loyal travelers who prioritize your property over competitors. So, send a thoughtful post-stay email with a personalized loyalty discount.
For instance, “We loved hosting you! Enjoy 15% off your next stay when you book within 6 months.”
6. Review Incentives
When you sweeten the deal for guests, it encourages them to add a review for your STR on Google or your social handle.
So, send a friendly reminder that if they post feedback for your vacation rental, they’ll receive a small incentive as a token of gratitude, such as “20% off or free airport transfer service on your next booking with us.” Another way is asking them to tag you on Instagram posts to win a local gift hamper.
7. Affiliate Partnerships
Partner with third-party vendors and businesses to offer exclusive post-stay deals. For example: “Enjoy 20% off on flight booking via ABC platform.” Or “15% discount voucher on XYZ restaurant.“
You can embed the affiliate offer links in a “Thank You” or a follow-up email. With affiliate partnerships, you’ll earn commissions on every deal claimed by the guests while positioning yourself as their go-to host for future trips.
Why Short-Term Rental Upsells Matter for Your Vacation Rental?
Vacation rental upsell strategies are a must for every property manager:
1. To Boost Bookings
Your chances of getting booked are higher when you offer services that your Airbnb competition doesn’t, such as airport transfers or mid-stay cleaning. More reservations means better business.
2. To Get 5 Star Ratings & Positive Reviews
Unique and personalized upsell add-ons enhance the overall guest experience. Happy guests lead to more positive reviews, repeat bookings, and word-of-mouth references for your STR.
3. To Stay Competitive & Profitable
You’ll draw in more guests by offering upselling services catered to guests’ preferences. Moreover, you can improve your occupancy rate and profit margins without reducing your nightly rates during the peak seasonal demand. Thus, you’ll get a competitive edge in your local vacation rental market by including upsell offers in your Airbnb business plan.
How to Plan Upselling Strategies Effectively?
Short-term rental upsells can be an effective way to scale your STR portfolio. However, managing and promoting these upsell services, experiences, and amenities is time-consuming and challenging.
Check out key tips and strategies to upsell without annoying guests.
Look for the Most In-demand Amenities
First, analyze current demands and booking patterns in your local area with PriceLab’s Market Dashboard. You can promote the most common and desired upsell services by analyzing similar listings using Pricelabs Neighborhood data reports.
For example, if there’s an upcoming music event in your area, upsell concert tickets to guests booking your place during that period.
Offer Guest-Centric Add-On Services
Next, find out which upsells will resonate with your target demographic.
For example, spa services, gourmet pantry stock, and premium welcome hampers will cater to luxury STR villas. Baby cots or sightseeing trips will be ideal add-ons to family-friendly vacation rentals. Besides, friends will love to rent sports gear, such as a kayak, fishing rod, ski gear, or bicycle.
Timing Matters
Promote upsell services at the wrong time, and you’ll lose earning opportunities. Thus, timing and presentation are key to effective upselling. For instance, introduce room upgrades before arrival and equipment rental once guests are settled.
Market On Your Direct Booking Site
Consider adding a storefront on your direct booking website for short-term rental showing available upsell services and amenities. Include a detailed description and pictures for add-on packages to make your offerings more attractive. Ensure to include them in your booking engine to make it easier for potential guests to buy an add-on.co
“An area where OTAs tend to fall short is the possibility of integrating upsells or at least ones which will benefit an accommodation provider. A worthwhile benefit to driving traffic direct to your website.”
Be Transparent About Extra Costs
Not being clear about the upsell costs will create dissatisfaction among your guests. That said, transparency in pricing structure with detailed information about upsell services will build trust among your potential customers and reputation in the market.
Send Personalized Upsell Messages
Generic, mass-messaged offers often get ignored, but tailored suggestions make guests feel seen and valued. Always keep the messaging tone warm and authentic so your upsell service doesn’t sound robotic and salesy.
Alternatively, you can use tools like Guesty, Hostfully, and Airbnb’s messaging system to automate personalized templates.
Use Upsell Tools & Automation
Manually promoting and managing upsell strategies is prone to errors. Instead, use Property Management Software (PMS) like Hostaway and Guesty to curate and schedule upsell services based on different guest categories. So your guests can find and buy the relevant upsell add-ons at the right time.
Moreover, PMS solutions usually have a performance dashboard, which lets you track which upsells are working and which aren’t. What’s more? You can automate payments and review collections using the PMS.
Further, integrate PriceLabs Dynamic Pricing software to analyze historical data, the latest trends, and comp rates in your local area so you can price your upsells accordingly. Plus, this tool works seamlessly with various OTA channels and over 150 PMS.
You can also use LG’s Pro: Centric to elevate guest experience by displaying upsells to guests post-arrival. On the STRz Webinar, Kathryn Raimer (Senior Account Manager STR/VR for LG Electronics) talked about how this smart hospitality TV lets you create upsell pages to promote late checkouts, mid-stay cleanings, luggage storage, or pool heating service directly through the TV. You can also advertise local services by running sponsored content to earn commissions if a guest books any upsell experience directly from TV.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What adds the most value to an Airbnb?
Offering exclusive Airbnb upsell experiences adds the most value to your short-term rental business while enhancing overall guest satisfaction.
2. How can Airbnb’s upselling services be promoted?
You can promote upsell services from the time of reservation and on arrival to the end of the stay. After booking, send a quick upgrade room message, post local packages on the social media page, or send special ‘loyalty’ emails after the guests check out.
Conclusion – Boost Your Per Booking Revenue with Airbnb Upsell
Whether you offer basic options like pantry pre-stocking or premium experiences, upselling can pay off in big ways. Upgrades and extra amenities provide added comfort or exclusivity to guests, making them feel valued during their stay.
So, turn exclusive experiences into revenue with short-term rental upsells. Just make sure your upsells sound like enhancements, not the sales pitches and pushy.
