Shared pools -- owners and their guests.

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Daniel9844
Level 1
Austin, TX

Shared pools -- owners and their guests.

Our primary home has two detached guest suites.  We're thinking about adding a pool primarily for our enjoyment but also to increase revenue.   Curious what the challenges might be of having a shared pool.  Also if guests would use this amenity much or just be attracted by the prospect of a pool?  Any real world experience or words of caution?  Maintaining space and autonomy with guests is of value.   

 

Thanks!

1 Best Answer

@Daniel9844   Hosts who advertise pools in their listings usually say that the majority of their guests use them (at least when it's weather-appropriate). As an amenity, it definitely adds value and attracts more potential bookings, as Airbnb pushes it a lot harder in Search. If it's not a common feature in your area, that's a big competitive advantage.

 

Whether it attracts the guests and the type of bookings you actually want is another thing to consider. You'd have more safety hazards, more potentially disruptive party people, and a vector for conflicts between guests who wouldn't have otherwise been sharing amenities. As a massive drain on energy, a pool's operating costs today could easily outpace the added value once rising utility prices are taken into account. They present an ethical problem in drought-prone areas, which could be a turn-off to sustainability-minded guests. And one frequent cause of negative/mixed reviews is guests' disappointment of something related to the pool - you'd be adding a lot of extra work to your hosting routine to prevent that.

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4 Replies 4
Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

I would imagine how much guests would use it would depend on a) how in demand pools are in your area b)how much availability there is of pools in your area c) the weather  d) who the target market is for your listing - if you do some market research it will help you understand what demand might be like

 

You also need to look at the set up, ongoing costs and insurance to identify costs and whether/how long it will take you to recoup your investment through increased pricing.

 

I don't have a pool so can't answer your other questions.

 

@Daniel9844 

@Daniel9844   Hosts who advertise pools in their listings usually say that the majority of their guests use them (at least when it's weather-appropriate). As an amenity, it definitely adds value and attracts more potential bookings, as Airbnb pushes it a lot harder in Search. If it's not a common feature in your area, that's a big competitive advantage.

 

Whether it attracts the guests and the type of bookings you actually want is another thing to consider. You'd have more safety hazards, more potentially disruptive party people, and a vector for conflicts between guests who wouldn't have otherwise been sharing amenities. As a massive drain on energy, a pool's operating costs today could easily outpace the added value once rising utility prices are taken into account. They present an ethical problem in drought-prone areas, which could be a turn-off to sustainability-minded guests. And one frequent cause of negative/mixed reviews is guests' disappointment of something related to the pool - you'd be adding a lot of extra work to your hosting routine to prevent that.

"A vector for conflicts"  -- profound insight.  Thanks for the thoughtful response.  Hosting right now is easy and seamless.  Perhaps best to keep it that way and not roll the dice.  Thank you.

@Daniel9844 keeping it simple would be my choice too. If it ain't broke,...