The 2026 Airbnb Amenities Checklist: What Guests Actually Want

Amenities do more than make guests comfortable — they directly impact your search ranking, conversion rate, and nightly price. Research shows that 97% of travelers say amenities significantly impact their experience, and specific amenities like hot tubs can boost your average daily rate by 14% or more.

But not all amenities are created equal. This guide organizes amenities into a three-tier framework based on their actual impact on bookings and revenue, then breaks them down by property type.

Why Amenities Matter More Than You Think

For search ranking:

Guests filter by amenities. If you have a pool but haven’t checked the box, you’re invisible to every guest who filters for “pool.” Airbnb’s algorithm also uses amenity coverage as a listing quality signal — more complete amenity profiles rank higher.

For conversion:

Once a guest clicks your listing, your amenity list helps close the deal. Guests scan amenities to answer: “Does this place have what I need?” Missing amenities create doubt. Complete amenity lists build confidence.

For pricing:

Certain amenities justify premium pricing. A listing with a hot tub, EV charger, and dedicated workspace can command significantly more than an identical property without them.

The Three-Tier Amenity Framework

Tier 1: Non-Negotiable (Table Stakes)

These are the amenities guests expect by default. Missing any of them is a competitive disadvantage — not a differentiator.

Essentials:

• WiFi — include speed in your description (50+ Mbps for “fast,” 100+ for “high-speed”)
• Air conditioning and/or heating — climate control is non-negotiable
• Hot water — seems obvious, but check the box
• Clean towels and bed linens — white, hotel-quality preferred
• Basic kitchen supplies — plates, utensils, pots, pans, cooking oil, salt, pepper
• Coffee maker — a proper drip coffee maker or Keurig, not just an electric kettle
• Refrigerator and microwave
• Hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board
• Smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Hangers — at least 10 per closet
• Extra pillows and blankets

Technology:

• TV with streaming — Smart TV with Netflix, Disney+, or similar
• Self check-in — keypad, smart lock, or lockbox (90%+ of guests prefer this)
• Power strips and USB charging by every bed and workspace

Cleaning:

• Washer and dryer — in-unit is a major advantage over shared
• Cleaning supplies — for extended stays (dish soap, sponge, paper towels, trash bags)
• Vacuum or broom — guests staying 3+ nights want to tidy up

Tier 2: Competitive Edge (Booking Drivers)

These amenities won’t be expected by every guest, but having them pushes hesitant bookers over the edge and justifies higher pricing.

Comfort upgrades:

• Dedicated workspace — desk, ergonomic chair, good lighting, and an outlet nearby
• Blackout curtains — a must for bedrooms, surprisingly often missing
• Quality mattress — invest in the best mattress you can afford; it shows up in reviews
• Sound machine or white noise machine — especially for urban or roadside properties
• Robes and slippers — boutique hotel touch that guests love

Kitchen upgrades:

• Dishwasher — saves guests significant time on longer stays
• Full spice rack and cooking essentials — olive oil, butter, basic spices
• Quality cookware — non-stick pans, sharp knives, cutting board
• Blender — popular for smoothies and cocktails
• Wine glasses and bottle opener — small touch, big impact

Outdoor & recreation:

• Free parking — critical in areas where parking is scarce
• Outdoor dining area — patio table and chairs
• Grill or BBQ — a significant booking driver for vacation properties
• Bikes — especially near trails or in bike-friendly areas
• Board games, cards, and books — rainy day entertainment

Family-friendly:

• Pack 'n Play or crib — opens your listing to a huge market of traveling families
• High chair — inexpensive to provide, eliminates a major packing headache for parents
• Baby gates (available on request)
• Child-safe outlet covers
• Kids’ dishware and utensils

Tier 3: Luxury & Premium (Revenue Maximizers)

These amenities command premium pricing and create “wow” moments that lead to 5-star reviews and social media shares.

High-impact luxury:

• Hot tub — associated with 14% higher average daily rate. One of the highest-ROI amenity investments
• Pool — a top search filter and major booking driver for vacation properties
• Sauna or steam shower
• Home theater / projector — an experience amenity that guests love to mention in reviews
• EV charger — rapidly growing demand, still rare in most markets. First-mover advantage is significant

Experience amenities:

• Outdoor fire pit — creates an experience, not just a feature
• Kayaks, paddleboards, or fishing gear — for waterfront properties
• Telescope — for properties with clear night skies
• Record player with vinyl collection — unique conversation starter
• Professional espresso machine — the morning ritual upgrade

Tech-forward:

• Video doorbell — security and convenience
• Smart home controls — lighting, thermostat, and music via voice or app
• High-end Bluetooth speaker — better than built-in TV speakers
• Starlink — for rural properties where traditional internet is slow
• Video tours — not a physical amenity, but listings with video walkthroughs see up to 40% more bookings

Amenities by Property Type

Urban Apartment

Priority amenities:

• Fast WiFi (100+ Mbps)
• Dedicated workspace with ergonomic chair
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Blackout curtains
• Sound machine (city noise)
• Coffee station with quality beans
• Local restaurant guide or curated recommendations

Skip: Outdoor grill, bikes (unless bike storage available), pool

Suburban Home

Priority amenities:

• Free parking (including driveway or garage)
• Full kitchen with quality cookware
• Washer/dryer
• Backyard space with seating
• Grill or BBQ
• Board games and entertainment
• Pack 'n Play and high chair (families are your market)
• EV charger (increasingly expected in suburbs)

Skip: Robes/slippers (less expected), high-end espresso (drip coffee is fine)

Beach / Vacation Property

Priority amenities:

• Hot tub or pool
• Outdoor shower
• Beach gear (chairs, umbrella, cooler, towels)
• Grill and outdoor dining
• Kayaks or paddleboards
• Outdoor fire pit
• Multiple streaming TVs (rainy days)
• Large refrigerator with ice maker

Skip: Dedicated workspace (guests aren’t working), formal dining setup

Luxury / High-End

Priority amenities:

• Hot tub and/or pool with quality maintenance
• Sauna or steam shower
• Professional espresso machine
• Premium linens (Egyptian cotton, 400+ thread count)
• Robes, slippers, and luxury toiletries
• Home theater or projector
• EV charger
• Concierge touches (pre-stocked fridge, local experience recommendations)
• Smart home throughout

Skip: Nothing — at premium price points, guests expect everything

The Amenity Audit Process

Step 1: Check every box

Go through Airbnb’s amenity list field by field. Many hosts miss amenities they actually have because they didn’t see the checkbox. Common misses:

• Long-term stay essentials (dishes, cleaning supplies)
• Safety features (smoke detector, CO detector, first aid kit)
• Outdoor space details (patio, garden, parking type)

Step 2: Compare against competitors

Look at the top 5 listings in your area with similar property types:

• What amenities do they offer that you don’t?
• Which amenities do they highlight in their descriptions?
• What do their guests mention in reviews?

Step 3: Prioritize by ROI

Not every amenity is worth the investment. Prioritize based on:

• Cost vs. impact — a $20 white noise machine can prevent noise complaints. A $10,000 hot tub needs to generate measurable revenue increase
• Market demand — check what guests in your area search for
• Maintenance burden — a pool is great, but only if you’ll maintain it properly

Step 4: Highlight in your description

Having the amenity isn’t enough — guests need to see it:

• Feature top amenities in your title where space allows
• Dedicate a bullet point section in your description to standout amenities
• Show amenities in your photos — the coffee station, the workspace setup, the hot tub at sunset

Common Amenity Mistakes

1. Having it but not listing it — if you don’t check the box, it doesn’t exist to filtering guests
2. Listing it but not maintaining it — a broken Keurig is worse than no coffee maker at all
3. Over-investing in the wrong tier — don’t buy a hot tub before you have quality linens and fast WiFi
4. Ignoring what guests actually use — read your reviews for mentions of specific amenities
5. Not photographing amenities — an EV charger you can’t see in photos is an EV charger guests don’t know about

Let AI Audit Your Amenities

Manually comparing your amenity list against top competitors is time-consuming. Rank STR’s AI analysis automatically identifies amenity gaps by comparing your listing to top-performing properties in your area. It tells you exactly which amenities to add and which to highlight more prominently.

Try it free — paste your Airbnb URL and see what you’re missing in under 30 seconds.