“Not every great Airbnb is a great Airbnb for business travelers, but every great Airbnb for business travelers is a great Airbnb!”
^ This is the thought that struck me when I checked into my Airbnb style hotel in Athens, Greece. Even though I was traveling for leisure, this particular place was perfect for a business traveler. It even helped me get in the right mindset to catch up a bit on work and transition out of vacation mode.
Decorating your Airbnb to cater to business travelers can be a shrewd business decision. Not only do business travelers make for a lucrative and reliable clientele, their high standards also ensure that your place will most likely appeal to leisure travelers as well. This can help your place stand out and rank higher in a crowded vacation rental market.
Nowadays, business travelers aren’t limited to generic chain hotels: more and more companies are offering their employees the option to stay at vacation rentals for work, for increased flexibility, comfort and cost effectiveness (especially for longer term stays). So much so that Airbnb has even designed a special work platform just to cater to the professional clientele.
Business travelers have distinct needs and expectations though that hosts must be prepared to satisfy before trying to attract them. Don’t worry though – it doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming to design your Airbnb for business travelers.
With a little extra thought, you can design your Airbnb to impress even the most exacting business travelers, earning loyal repeat customers (and 5 star reviews!). Read on to find out how!
12 Tips on How to Decorate Perfect Airbnb for Business Travelers:
- Stick to a classic, elevated interior design style.
- Choose a classic color scheme.
- Provide standard hotel essentials.
- Don’t skimp on self care essentials.
- Provide all the kitchen basics a hotel would.
- Stock the bathroom thoughtfully.
- Provide a functional workspace.
- Include a lounge area (even if small).
- Offer entertainment options for relaxation.
- Prioritize temperature comfort.
- Guarantee a good night’s sleep.
- Keep wall art simple and sophisticated
1. Stick to a classic, elevated interior design style.
Business travelers have different needs from leisure travelers: they need a place that is relaxed and comfortable, yet sophisticated. This doesn’t mean you need to go for the most boring, minimalist, greige interior design – you can still inject your own sense of style in a way that feels timeless and elevated.
Avoid bold, opinionated, experimental design, and opt instead for elements that would be found in a classic 4 or 5 star hotel. Think natural materials like wood and leather, crisp linens, clean and elegant lines, and minimal clutter.
Some interior design styles that would work well in Airbnbs for business travelers include:
- Organic Modern – 1 hotel is the best example of a high-end hotel executing the organic modern aesthetic to perfection.
- Mid Century Modern – The mid century modern, retro aesthetic works exceptionally well for Ace Hotel.
- Modern Classic – This is the interior design style most standard chain hotels like Marriott and Hyatt go for in their rooms, and it’s a classic for good reason! Inoffensive, comfortable, yet undeniably luxe.
2. Choose a classic color scheme.
Opt for a cohesive, classic color scheme that isn’t too loud. This doesn’t mean you have to go for that all greige, neutral look (although this can work well too).
Just choose a few colors that work well together, and repeat them throughout your space for a sense of continuity and calm. Fill out the rest of the space with neutrals like beige, black, white, and brown hues.
Pro tip: choose light pastel hues (like the blues depicted in the picture above) for a more modern feel, or dark, rich colors (like maroon, navy blue, indigo) for a more traditional, classically sophisticated look (like in the second picture below).
3. Provide standard hotel essentials.
Business travelers expect hotel-grade convenience, so make sure you don’t forget these essentials:
- A safe for valuables. A sense of security and peace of mind is essential.
- A luggage rack for easy packing and unpacking.
- High quality hangers and closet space
- A printed guide to your Airbnb, with essential details like wifi password, check in and check out instructions, thermostat and entertainment (TV, speaker) instructions, and a brief guide to the local area.
4. Don’t skimp on self care essentials.
Your guests have to look sharp for their business meetings, so make sure to provide the same level of self-care amenities any standard hotel would (and even more if you want to go above and beyond!).
These include:
- Iron and ironing board
- Hairdryer
- Full Length Mirror
- 2 bathrobes
- Slippers
- If you have a washing machine, provide detergent and a drying rack
- Optional: lint roller, Tide pen for stain removal.
5. Provide all the kitchen basics a hotel would.
One of the advantages of booking an Airbnb over a hotel is that Airbnbs are more likely to have fully functional kitchens, or even kitchenettes. This is ideal for longer term stays, and business travelers who may need to eat at irregular hours.
Provide all the kitchen essentials your guests may need, such as:
- Coffee and tea station. A Nespresso machine with coffee pods can be a nice added luxury.
- A fridge and microwave
- Electric Kettle
- Plates, bowls, cutlery, mugs and wine glasses
- Cooking essentials if you have a full kitchen area
- Bonus: grab and go snacks like nutrition bars would add an immensely thoughtful touch!
6. Stock the bathroom thoughtfully.
Hotel bathrooms designed for business travel are usually thoroughly well stocked. Guests have the added bonus of being able to ask the front desk for any amenities they might be missing.
Since your Airbnb won’t have a front desk, stock your bathroom well and err on the side of being over-prepared. A great bathroom can really make or break a travel accommodation, in my experience.
Cover your bases with:
- Refillable shampoo, conditioner and body wash
- Hand wash and hand lotion
- At least 2 towels and a hand towel for each guest
- Extra toilet paper and facial tissues
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss.
- 2 glass cups in the bathroom
- Q-tips and cotton balls
- Well lit full length mirrors
7. Provide a functional workspace.
Your guests will most likely need to do work in their rooms during their trip, so provide a comfortable workspace that won’t make them miss their home office too much.
You don’t have to go over the top, just including the essentials will set you above most generic Airbnbs:
- A laptop friendly desk
- A comfortable, supportive chair (not a stool, bench, or dining chair)
- Sufficient desk lighting
- Strong and secure wifi throughout the property
- Accessible power outlets, and ideally a multi-purpose adapter too for international guests
- A small notepad and some pens (that guests can keep). Most hotels offer these, and they can come in handy for business meetings.
8. Include a lounge area (even if small).
The nice part about an Airbnb is you probably have a bit more space than the standard hotel room. Take advantage of whatever space you have by providing your guests with a cozy spot to relax after work, or even host a guest or two.
Some setups that can work well for a lounge area depending on the amount of space you have:
- Large space: regular living room couch, coffee table, and media console setup
- Medium space: chaise or two armchairs facing with each other, and a small side table.
- Small space: seating at the foot of the bed (can be as compact as a bench). Or an armchair and side table in the corner.
For more compact living room setup ideas (without any couches or sofas), check out this recent Room Salad post.
9. Offer entertainment options for relaxation.
Even though most of your guests will probably get entertainment from their own devices, it’s still nice to offer the same entertainment amenities they might have at home such as:
- A smart TV with access to Netflix, Amazon Prime or Apple TV
- A bluetooth speaker
- Optional: books for leisure reading
10. Prioritize temperature comfort.
Business travelers can’t afford to sweat through a Zoom meeting or get sick overnight from freezing temperatures.
Ensure your Airbnb guests experience a comfortable temperature by providing:
- Reliable air conditioning and heating. Ideally, guests should be able to set the thermostat to their liking.
- Clear instructions on how to change the temperature
- An extra blanket or duvet
- A small portable fan if you’re in an extra hot location (in case of emergencies like the AC going out)
11. Guarantee a good night’s sleep.
One of the most important jobs of a good hotel is providing their guests with a good night’s sleep, and an Airbnb for business travelers is no different. Quality sleep is especially essential for travelers on business trips, because they need to stay sharp and well-rested for their business meetings.
To ensure your guests get the best sleep possible, provide the following:
- Blackout curtains.
- Comfortable, clean bedding. To get that white cloud-like hotel bed vibe, opt for all white cotton bedding and choose fluffy pillows and duvets. Check out this helpful guide for how to DIY that 5 star hotel bed.
- Reading lights. Many people have a night time reading routine that gets them sleepy, so conveniently located reading lights are essential.
- Optional: ear plugs, white noise machine and sleeping masks. If your Airbnb is located in a noisy area however (eg: construction is ongoing nearby), the ear plugs are NOT optional. They can make a huge difference in getting shut-eye, which is why most planes provide them for long haul flights!
12. Keep wall art simple and sophisticated.
Art always elevates a space, so don’t skip it just because it’s an Airbnb designed for business travelers. However, avoid overly controversial, personal or experimental pieces.
Instead, choose pieces that contribute to a soothing, sophisticated atmosphere. Any of the following options would work well:
- A large abstract piece with a simple composition (think: washes of color, layered paint splashes, or a color gradient piece). Check out this Room Salad post on how to DIY your own abstract art piece for inspiration!
- A photograph depicting a scene from the city your Airbnb is located in
- Black and white or neutral framed graphite or charcoal drawing
- Artworks inspired by nature or plants
That’s it! Good luck with decorating your Airbnb for business travelers. Let us know if we’ve missed any additional decor ideas for business travel Airbnbs in the comments!
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