This post shares the best beach Airbnb decor ideas that will get you 5 star reviews from guests.
I went to a magical wedding in Santorini last year, and stayed at the most PERFECT family run beach Airbnb. Technically, it is a hotel, but it is family run and resembles an Airbnb more due to its abundance of extra amenities. And honestly, it might be the best beach Airbnb I’ve ever stayed at. Don’t take my word for it – this place literally has 96 perfect 5 star Google reviews at the time of writing this.
If you’re currently in the process of furnishing a beach Airbnb, you can replicate their success through the 16 beach Airbnb decor ideas I’ve distilled into this post. You don’t have to spend a fortune or make it ultra luxurious – you just have to be thoughtful and pay attention to the details. They truly make all the difference in hospitality.
From choosing a color palette, to creating the right vibe in the bathroom, to adding beach-friendly touches with outsized value for your guests, this post has got you covered. By the end of it, you should have a good idea about how to elevate your Airbnb into the 5-star league with strategic yet budget friendly touches.
16 Beach Airbnb Decor Ideas for 5 Star Reviews:
- Choose a soothing color palette with neutrals and pastels.
- Add plants to bring the outside in.
- Incorporate accent lighting for evening mood lighting.
- Incorporate natural materials.
- Add comfortable, durable furniture.
- Create a cozy outdoor space.
- Choose an airy, open concept layout.
- Invest in high quality, comfortable bedding.
- Incorporate wall art and decor with beach vibes.
- Stock the kitchen well and provide a welcome food plate.
- Design a spa-like bathroom.
- Add a functional workspace for digital nomads and people who need to work.
- Provide thoughtful entertainment amenities.
- Add thoughtful touches for beach days.
- Keep it low maintenance and easy to clean.
- Highlight local artists & craftsmen.
1. Choose a soothing color palette with neutrals and pastels.
Your guests likely came to the beach to unwind, so choose colors that promote relaxation. Soft neutrals like beige and sand create a calming base, while pastel accents add a pop of vibrancy without overwhelming the space.
While classic coastal hues like ocean blues, whites, and sandy yellows are always a win, you can get creative too — like the refreshing pastel greens in this living room vignette below. The key is to keep it simple: stick to 2-3 main colors for a cohesive, serene look.
2. Add plants to bring the outside in.
Incorporate plants into your beach Airbnb to add life and make the space feel more connected to the outdoors. Not only do plants purify the air, they can also have a calming effect — perfect for guests looking to unwind.
Opt for low-maintenance plants like succulents, snake plants, or even a small palm tree for that tropical feel. You can place them in woven baskets or sleek planters that complement your color palette.
3. Incorporate accent lighting for evening mood lighting.
Evenings on a beachside vacation can be made magical with the right mood lighting. Eliminate the harsh overhead light, and add various soft accent lamps with warm light throughout the Airbnb. Think sconces, table and floor lamps featuring natural materials like rattan, linen, clay, bamboo or even seashell and coral. If you want guidance on what specific lamps to buy, check out this Room Salad post on cool lamps!
Check out this super cool coral lamp that was in our Santorini Airbnb! Epic little mermaid under the sea vibes.
4. Incorporate natural materials.
The Organic Modern interior design aesthetic works perfectly for a beach Airbnb, and a cornerstone of that design style is the heavy use of natural materials. Think rattan, jute, linen, natural woven fabrics, “live” or naturally imperfect wood, and even elements from the sea like seashell.
Some easy ways to incorporate natural materials into your Airbnb include:
- These lovely 100% jute woven storage baskets
- Natural wood bordered mirror
- Natural jute area rug
- Cute natural rattan bedside lamps
5. Use comfortable, durable furniture.
Choose furniture pieces that are cozy, inviting, and built to last. Think comfy yet functional sofas, sturdy dining tables, and weather-resistant outdoor chairs.
Opt for easy-to-clean fabrics like linen or performance blends, especially for spaces where guests might come in straight from the beach. Durable, high-quality furniture withstands heavy use and helps keep your space looking fresh for every guest.
6. Create a cozy outdoor space.
If your Airbnb has any kind of outdoors area, it would make all the difference to invest in some cute, cozy furniture. Your guests can eat breakfast while enjoying the fresh air, or hangout in the evenings. This is a sought after amenity especially for beach Airbnbs.
Consider adding any of the following:
- Weather-resistant lounge chairs
- A small table for morning coffee
- A cute beach style woven hammock
- Outdoor cushions, throw blankets, and a jute or outdoor rug
- String fairy lights or lanterns for the evening.
7. Choose an airy, open concept layout.
An open, airy layout instantly gives your beach Airbnb a light, spacious feel — perfect for that relaxed, coastal vibe. Arrange your furniture to maximize flow and avoid clutter, and choose smaller furniture pieces when appropriate to maximize the walkable space around it.
Use light, breezy curtains and minimal, functional decor to enhance the sense of openness. Mirrors can help reflect natural light and make smaller spaces feel bigger.
creating a sense of openness even thought the space is small.
8. Invest in high quality, comfortable bedding.
Arguably the most important part of any hotel room or Airbnb is the BED! Your guests will FEEL the difference (like the Princess and the pea haha).
The 2 decorative accent pillows really doing some heavy lifting here in terms of visual impact.
It is worth investing in a solid mattress (nothing too crazy, just firm and comfy) and some cushy, hotel level bedding. Check out Sophia Lee’s guide on how to make your bed feel like it came straight out of a 5 star hotel for detailed instructions.
The formula I like to stick with: 2 regular pillows + 1 decorative colorful accent pillow on each side of the bed, plus a super plush, thick and comfy duvet. I think erring on the side of a thicker duvet is better, because your guests can always turn up the Air Conditioning. Being too cold and getting sick after staying in a hotel is the worst!
9. Incorporate wall art and decor with beach vibes.
A great piece of beach-y wall art can double as a headboard for your bed. You can opt for a classic option like ocean paintings, or a cool indie photograph like the black and white photo below depicting a woman diving deep underwater. This image is from the boutique hotel “The Slow” in Bali – one of my favorite hotels of all time with such a cool, artsy tropical brutalist design.
10. Stock the kitchen well and provide a welcome food plate.
Honestly, probably the BEST part about the beach Airbnb I stayed at was the FOOD they provided! Don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t anything exorbitant. Our host gave us some bread, cheese, jam, butter, digestives, coffee, wine, and bottled water. But in a new place where we didn’t even know how to get to the nearest grocery, this was literally a LIFESAVER! We woke up to a solid breakfast instead of hangrily scrounging for food.
This is something that won’t cost you very much (20 to 30$ should do) but will make a HUGE difference for your guests.
Where our host truly went the extra mile though was the delicious Greek CHEESE BREAD she baked and left for us upon arrival! It felt like a literal Godsend coming off a long haul flight followed by a treacherous 1 hour bus ride.
If baking is not really your thing, you could buy some chocolates, fruit or pre-made baked goods for your guests and I promise you it will make all the difference when they write their reviews.
11. Design a spa-like bathroom.
A zen bathroom that feels almost spa-like can be especially heavenly in the context of a beach Airbnb, where guests will presumably be spending a lot of time getting rid of the dirt and sand from time outdoors.
Try to elevate the ambience of your bathroom with plush towels, tasteful accent lighting, and nice bath products and hand soaps. You can buy locally produced bath products, or use one of the classic bougie handsoap brands (Le Labo, Aesop, or my personal favorite, Malin + Goetz – This is THE BEST smelling hand soap of all time in my honest opinion).
If you want to take it up a notch, you can add:
- A stone cut sink
- A marble bath tray
- Pebbled flooring in the shower
- Woven baskets for extra storage
- Or paint the bathroom walls a nice calming color or add some colorful tiles.
12. Add a functional workspace where your guests can actually work.
With more people working remotely, a comfortable and functional workspace can be a HUGE draw for guests. Provide a well-lit desk, a comfortable chair, and enough space to actualy work. It doesn’t have to be fancy – but the bare minimum needed to work will go sooo far!
If you want to go above and beyond, consider adding charging stations (with adapters), paper and pen, and maybe even a monitor and keyboard.
13. Provide thoughtful entertainment amenities.
Your guests will probably want to chill with each other during downtime away from the beach. Stock your Airbnb with a selection of board games, books, and local guides. A smart TV with streaming services or a waterproof Bluetooth speaker can elevate the guest experience.
Making your Airbnb feel a little more like home for your guests can make the difference between 5 stars and 4 stars.
14. Add thoughtful touches for beach days.
When I was a kid, I used to HATE going to the beach because of the sand that would get EVERYWHERE afterwards – in my hair, on my feet, and worst of all, in my BED.
Then, I went to this amazing resort in Malaysia that ingeniously placed these buckets of water outside the hotel entrance from the beach, so guests could splash the sand off their feet before going home. THIS SMALL DETAIL WAS LITERALLY LIFE CHANGING. I loved the beach after that moment.
A small amenity like this can cost virtually nothing, but make a huge difference for your guests. Consider adding a small basket of beach necessities like sunblock and beach towels to go above and beyond.
15. Keep it low maintenance and easy to clean.
Prioritize practicality and easy maintenance when choosing furniture and decor for your beach Airbnb, and your guests, cleaners and future self will THANK YOU. Your guests want to relax and shut off their brain during vacation – not think about how to avoid getting sand stuck everywhere.
Some furniture choices that can help with keeping things easy and breezy include:
- Water resistant slipcovers for furniture
- Machine washable, breathable rugs (choose weather resistant materials like rattan, and avoid wool or other high maintenance materials you need to vacuum)
- Sturdy, water resistant furniture surfaces that won’t be destroyed by the elements (think metal, or solid wood)
16. Highlight the work of local artists and craftsmen.
Add some unique local flair to your Airbnb by incorporating ceramics, paintings or textiles produced by your location’s artisans and craftsmen. It might seem small, but these accents can make a HUGE difference in the impression it leaves on your guests (and the reviews they leave after!)
I LOVED these colorful, vibrant watercolor paintings in our Santorini Airbnb with distinctly Grecian imagery. They gave the Airbnb an artsy, homey vibe that felt unique and special to the location we were lucky enough to visit.
Hope these ideas help you design a successful beach Airbnb that delights your guests. If you feel like it, drop a link to your listing in the comments!
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