How to Convert a Bedroom into an AIRBNB

Well guys in case you missed it, we turned our home into an AIRBNB that we officially started renting on May 1st! And guest what?! AIRBNB has already awarded us Superhost status! To be a super host you have to have ten perfect 5 Star reviews! My husband and I worked really hard to learn what it would take to make our place perfect for our guests by reading books and listening to endless podcasts. Thank goodness all the work paid off because the reviews speak for themselves! In this post, I’m sharing with you how to convert a bedroom into an AIRBNB space worthy of 5 star reviews, in 5 easy steps!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Brick. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.

#1 Cover the Basics in Style

We can all guess the basics on how to convert a bedroom into an an AIRBNB right: a queen bed, bedside tables, lamps, and a rug. Yup got it. But, my job was to make sure that the basics were also stylish because style is a huge part of what we’re offering at Main & Leslie and what people want in a place to stay. We want guests to be able to easily take photos in any of our spaces whether just a quick instagram snap or with a photographer that they have hired for their wedding. Here are some ideas to amp up the style while covering the basics.

Upholstered Headboard

I think having an upholstered headboard is a really cost effective way to get a higher end custom feel for less! Upholstered beds are available in so many heights that I was able to find one to perfectly meet the slope of the ceiling and it feels like I had it made! Such a win! (This could have been a space that people might not have had a headboard at all, which would have felt so wrong!) This is the Reid Queen bed from the Brick. I love the modern, tailored feel of this bed, and you will not believe the price…it’s quickly becoming my fav new headboard style!

Bedside Tables and Lamps

Your guests need a place to set their phone down to charge and empty their pockets or place their earrings, so tables on both sides is essential! These are the Alana accent tables from The Brick.

No matter how small your space is, if you take measurements and do a little hunting, you can find bedside tables and lamps to fit your space I swear!

In case you missed it, I just did a new bedroom reveal with tips and tricks to pack style into a small bedroom and you can read that post, here!

Rug

I love having a rug for guests to step on when they get out of bed. I found a rug that matched the pillows perfectly. I have Momeni rugs in all my spaces because they are super stain resistant and the faded colours in their Isabella collection match our home perfectly…I love that all the rooms in our home are decorated differently but the muted colour palette makes things feel cohesive. This rug is the pink colour way.

#2 Ensure Guest Comfort

You can have the prettiest room, but if your guest lays down to take a nap before dinner and they feel like they are sleeping on plywood then they aren’t happy and they definitely aren’t coming back. Even though we have only been open just over two months we already have repeat customers AND customers who extend their stay once at our place -neither of which would happen without super comfy mattresses and pillows!

Pillows

Our pillows are by Bedgear. I love this company! You would not believe the quality. These pillows are so high tech it’s wild. You can choose if you’re a back sleeper, side sleeper, or stomach sleeper and get the perfect pillow for you. They are also two sided, so one side really cradles the type of sleeper purchased and the opposite side can adapt to any sleeper, so they are perfect for an airbnb with guests who have diverse sleep styles. AND, Bedgear pillows come with a protector, but I’ll get into the importance of that in step #4!

Mattress

We really went all out on the mattress and made a long term investment in a Tempur-Pedic Specialty Foam mattress when we decided to convert the bedroom into an airbnb room. Tempur technology’s precision engineered cellular structure precisely adapts to your weight, shape and temperature. Your body heat causes the material to soften, allowing it to adapt to your shape while you sleep…this means that no matter who the guest is, the mattress will perfectly adjust to their unique pressure points and guarantee an amazing sleep…yassss! Guess comfort check!

#3 Sound Sleep

More than just a comfortable mattress, you need to go further and trouble shoot anything that could stop your guests from having a sound sleep. We provide eyemasks, earplugs, a black out roman shade over the window, and a fan. There are so many types of people and issues that might pop-up in the middle of the night and these are easy ways to help make sure guests have a sound sleep.

#4 Protect Your Investment – So Important!!!

Protecting your investment is so important. You have a great mattress and pillow and you need to protect them with a mattress protector, pillow protectors, make up wipes, and a luggage rack.

I have a pillow protector on every pillow and a mattress protector on every mattress. This gives us a lot of peace of mind with guests staying at our place.

I found the best mattress protector ever at The Brick by Bedgear. The material is amazing quality and so different from any I have owned in the past. Seriously, you won’t believe it unless you try it. Normal protectors are like this cheap white fabric that often isn’t even fully waterproof. This material is made from Dri-Tec and feels like yoga clothes. The material literally stretches over the mattress to create a super secure seal at the edges that you cannot feel at all when laying on the bed.

Like I mentioned above, our pillows are also by Bedgear. One of their awesome features is that they come with a pillow protector that can be removed and washed and completely protects the pillow from moisture without sacrificing on comfort.

Don’t forget to provide make up wipes by the bed to help protect your sheets from makeup, and a luggage rack helps to protect your bedding too because guests don’t have to put their dirty suitcases on top of the bed.

# 5 Helps Your Guests Get Ready

Mirrors are so important. Guests are staying at your place for a reason and so often it’s because they have somewhere to be near by and need to look good! I have a large mirror in every space, so guests can see their outfits and more than one mirror is an awesome idea, so two guests can get ready at the same time.

I love the round mirror on the wall in this bedroom. It fits perfectly into the sloped space and has such a stylish and simple feel with the simple brass frame. Round mirrors are gorgeous and can go anywhere in your home. This is the Oryx mirror from The Brick.

I had a small sliver of space left in the room and I found a slim console table to set up a getting ready space within the room by tucking a chair into it and hanging another statement mirror above it. Now this small corner of the room allows for someone to do their hair or makeup easily.

Featured in this space are the Sparta mirror, Acampo Console Table, and the Manhattan Dining chair, from The Brick.

The chair I used in from the dining table set that I used as a desk in our office. I put one of the chairs in all of the bedrooms for an extra place to sit, lay out clothes, etc. I wrote a blog post about why I love using a dining table as a desk and you can read that post, here.

I hope this post helps you to think through how to convert a bedroom into an AIRBNB ready space that will have your guests totally satisfied, leaving you a 5-Star Review, and checking your calendar for availability on the drive home!!

To Book Your Stay at our Vacation Rental, Click here.