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This week, Sarah and Annette break down a simple but powerful strategy every host should be using to stay competitive: analyzing your comp set the same way professional revenue managers do—without spending thousands on data tools.

Inside the episode, they walk you through a three-step workflow for using ChatGPT to read, synthesize, and analyze your competitors’ guest reviews so you can understand what travelers actually value, what’s frustrating them, and where you can immediately stand out.

But before the AI magic, they start by defining what a comp set really is—and why most hosts get this part wrong. If you feel like your property has “no competitors,” this episode will challenge that thinking in a way that makes your marketing sharper and your operations more profitable.

They also highlight one listener property, Snow Place Like Home, and walk through their smart paid marketing strategy using regional travel publications.

Inside the episode you’ll learn:

• What a competitive set actually is (and why 90 percent of hosts build it incorrectly)

• How OTAs decide which listings you compete with

• Why relying on intuition instead of data limits your revenue potential

• A step-by-step workflow to extract and analyze 50–100 competitor reviews using ChatGPT

• How to identify what guests consistently love, dislike, or wish was different

• How to use review language to improve your listing copy and boost conversions

• How to prioritize amenity upgrades based on real demand

• How to refine your brand positioning using insights from your comp set

• Why this AI-powered review analysis is like getting a free market research report

• How to use your own reviews to stay ahead of guest expectations

This is a practical, repeatable workflow you can implement today—and revisit every quarter—to stay sharp in your market without expensive consultants, tools, or guesswork.

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In this Hosting Hotline episode, Sarah and Annette answer a question from Susie, a host who’s leveling up her short-term rental and wants to know: should you provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in every bathroom?

It seems simple, but this small decision says a lot about your professionalism, your brand standards, and the overall guest experience. The answer is yes—and Sarah and Annette dive into why this baseline amenity matters more than hosts often realize.

Inside the episode, they cover:

• The Nashville stay that proved why missing basics can sink an otherwise great property

• How guest expectations have drastically evolved going into 2025 and beyond

• Why amenities are less about luxury and more about clarity, consistency, and professionalism

• How missing basics show up in reviews (and how providing them quietly prevents friction)

• Why standardized bathroom setups reduce mental load and improve operations

• The role of comp-set research when choosing what to provide

• How to anticipate guest needs using hotel-level hospitality thinking

• An inside perspective from Taylor at Minoan on why amenities directly impact five-star reviews

Whether you’re a new host or scaling a professional operation, this episode is a reminder that thoughtful basics are never optional. They are the foundation of a frictionless stay.

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In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down their data-backed predictions for the 2026 short-term rental market. After a recalibration year in 2025—marked by softened bookings, rising standards, and increased competition—they’re sharing the six major trends every host needs to prepare for.

They cover what a “flat but stable” market really means, why guest expectations continue to climb, how regulations will tighten nationwide, the growing dominance of drive-to markets, shrinking traveler loyalty, and the economic factors shaping demand.

Whether you’re navigating new permitting rules, rethinking your guest experience, or finally committing to a revenue management plan, this episode will help you build a smarter, more resilient hosting strategy for the year ahead.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why 2025 was a recalibration year and what that means going into 2026
• What “flat is the new normal” means for hosts
• Why guest standards continue to rise everywhere
• How tightening regulations will impact your business
• The continued dominance of drive-to destinations and 3–4 night stays
• Why traveler loyalty is fading and trust now drives bookings
• What economic factors may shape demand
• How to audit your 2025 data and plan intentionally for the new year
• Why 2026 is the “professional era” for hosts

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This week on the Hosting Hotline, Sarah and Annette answer a thoughtful question from Emily in Australia, who’s deciding between two strong guest avatars for her soon-to-launch short-term rental: a family-friendly, non-toxic stay or a high-demand wedding-guest retreat located just steps from one of the area’s most popular venues.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re choosing the right avatar—or worried you might be leading with emotion rather than strategy—this episode breaks down exactly how to assess your market, understand your demand drivers, and choose an avatar that aligns with your goals.

Sarah and Annette walk through the realities of both niches, how ADR and booking windows change based on guest type, and why “when you confuse, you lose” is one of the most important truths in STR marketing.

Whether you're defining your avatar for the first time or rethinking your current strategy, this conversation gives you the clarity and confidence you need to position your property for success.

In this episode we cover:

• How to evaluate whether your chosen guest avatar aligns with your market
• The difference between a family-friendly stay and a wedding/event traveler
• Why appealing to everyone leads to confusion and fewer bookings (“confuse and lose”)
• How to define what success looks like before choosing your niche (profitability vs. alignment)
• Key differences in ADR, booking windows, and seasonality across both avatars
• How proximity to a major wedding venue impacts demand and pricing strategy
• Why clarity in marketing, photography, and copy directly boosts conversions
• When (and how) to pivot if your current avatar isn’t performing

Mentioned in this episode:

Airbnb’s new 24-hour free cancellation policy is officially live—and if you’re not prepared, this change could mean a bumpy ride ahead. In this week’s episode, Sarah and Annette break down exactly what’s new, what’s going away, and how these updates impact hosts of every size.

From understanding the shift toward guest-friendly policies, to forecasting cancellations as a standard cost of doing business, to tightening up your communication strategies—this conversation gives you the mindset, tactics, and next steps you’ll need to stay profitable and confident.

Whether you’re managing a luxury cabin, an urban apartment, or an entire portfolio, this episode will help you adapt quickly and strategically to Airbnb’s platform-wide changes.

What we cover in this episode:

• What Airbnb’s new 24-hour free cancellation policy includes
• Why strict cancellation policies are being phased out for new listings
• What existing hosts can expect moving forward
• How to forecast cancellations as a normal cost of business
• The importance of proactive guest communication
• How to reduce cancellations through relationship-building
• What these changes mean for larger or luxury properties
• Steps to stay prepared, not reactive, as the platform evolves

Key takeaway:

You can’t control Airbnb’s policy decisions, but you can control how prepared you are. Anticipating cancellations, knowing your numbers, and communicating intentionally are now essential pillars of running a resilient STR business.

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