When you’re hosting on Airbnb, you want to do everything possible to sell guests on your property. Fabulous, eye-catching photos help, and plenty of five-star reviews are even better! However, you can’t be lazy in the description section either.

To create suitable descriptions for Airbnb listings, hosts should add as much detail and as many descriptive words as possible. The descriptions should speak directly to the most likely guests renting the property, and they shouldn’t have many generic, filler adjectives like “nice” and “pretty.”

In this article, we’ll provide you with some of the best tips and tricks on writing great descriptions for all your listings. We’ll let you know what you should add and what you shouldn’t. Finally, we’ll give you several examples you can use and adjust to suit your listings.

Tips and Tricks for Writing Airbnb Descriptions

When guests are looking through listings on Airbnb, the first things that usually catch their attention are the photos. Humans are visually oriented; we like to see things. In other words, if your images aren’t captivating or interesting, most guests will never look down at your description.

However, once you’ve caught a potential guest with alluring photos, you have to sell them on the property with your description. It’s part of the greater ecosystem of marketing.

Many people, though, aren’t great writers, so how do they come up with captivating, seal-the-deal descriptions?

Some of them reach out to others to write this section for them. They turn to friends or relatives; sometimes, they even hire professional copywriters!

You don’t have to do that.

With these tips on writing descriptions, you should have no trouble coming up with something that will make people take a second look at your listings.

And if you want learn how to create your own copy that sells, we highly recommend Copywriting Secrets by Jim Edwards (Amazon).

Start With an Engaging Title

Your description doesn’t actually start with your description. It begins with the title. Airbnb allows you 50 characters for a title; make sure you use them to give potential guests a good idea of what your property is like. Use abbreviations and forego spaces when necessary to save room, and pack in as much information as possible into those 50 characters.

For example, “Idyllic Fairytale Cottage 1BR/1BA; 2per.Tub w/jets” is perfectly understandable, uses exactly 50 characters, and tells prospective guests that this is a romantic getaway spot for two. Plus, it sounds much more exciting and enchanting than “1 Bedroom Home in Woods.”

Speak Directly to the Most Likely Guests

The romantic title in the section above leads us directly into our next point: Know your target audience. Some listings are naturally going to appeal to certain types of people. The imaginary listing above speaks to couples, honeymooners, or long-married couples wanting a weekend away.

Maybe your property is more modern and filled with technological conveniences and lots of large, open areas perfect for hosting business meetings. If that’s the case, then write your title and description with business people in mind. Highlight the features that would be convenient to their jobs and daily tasks.

Perhaps you have a pretty standard house, but it’s within walking distance of Six Flags, a Dave and Busters, two movie theaters, and a mini-golf range. If that’s the case, touch on the house itself, but spend more time talking up the location instead. That speaks directly to families with children.

Avoid Filler Language

There are two sections for descriptions – a short description at the top and a more detailed description further down the page. For the short description, which is the one that most people will see and read, Airbnb limits you to 500 characters. That means you need to be brief and to the point. Don’t use a lot of filler words, such as generic adjectives or needless adverbs.

Here are some words to avoid:

• Very
• Pretty
• Nice
• Great
• Awesome
• Extremely
• Neat

Be unique and descriptive. Instead of saying your house is “pretty,” describe its best features. Instead of saying something is “very nice,” use a more descriptive term, such as “idyllic” or “picturesque.” However, it’s best to keep even these kinds of words to a minimum. You can use them, but don’t overuse them.

Structure the In-Depth Description

The internet is great; it provides convenience and instant access to knowledge. However, it’s also spoiled us in some ways. We like things fast and short. We don’t want to read long, solid blocks of text. With that in mind, the way you structure your longer, in-depth description is important.

Start with an overview, then break it down into its different rooms. The summary and each room description should have separate paragraphs, with noticeable breaks between them. That makes it easier for people to skim.

This Youtube video has some good info on how to make your description more skimmable:

List any notable amenities that set your property apart from others – a pool, hot tub, five minutes from downtown, proximity to certain attractions, etc. Put all the most exciting facts near the top of the description. Catch the guest with those facts, and they might even read the whole thing. If you don’t catch them in the first few sentences, you likely won’t keep them.

Be Specific, but Be Honest

You want to add in as much unique, descriptive detail as possible, but don’t lie. As far as your star ratings go, it’s always better to undersell than oversell. You want people to be excited about staying at your property, but you don’t want their expectations to be so high that they leave you a negative review when the property doesn’t live up to what they had pictured in their minds.

On the other hand, if you give guests the idea that staying at your property will be nice, and then they get there, and it completely blows their minds, they’ll probably reward you with five-star ratings.

20 Airbnb Copywriting & Description Examples

Now let’s jump into the examples. These will give you an idea of how to get started with the short descriptions for your listings. You can use them for inspiration or use them as-is. Just be sure to remove the generic terms and add in your own.

Here are some of the generic terms we’ve used that you should change before using these:

• PROPERTY- Your property’s name
• CITY – The city where your property is located
• STATE – The state where your property is located
• HOST – Your (or the host if it’s not you) name
• LANDMARK – Generic term for a notable landmark such as “French Quarter” or “Grand Canyon”
• YEAR – A specific year (the year a property was built, the number of years it’s been there, etc.)

Here we go!

1. There’s no better way to experience the beauty of CITY than by sleeping right in the heart of it. PROPERTY is situated right in the middle of all of CITY’s best vintage shops, local boutiques, and charming cafes. This modern, two-bedroom loft has a great high-rise view of the bustling streets and activities, and it’s the perfect place to relax after a long, fun-filled day.
2. With a 12-person conference table in the dining room, high-speed WiFi, and a fully stocked home office, PROPERTY is the perfect place to host meetings and get your work done away from home. Take your pick of one of the house’s four bedrooms, and unwind after a productive day in the upstairs bathroom’s deep clawfoot tub. The kitchen also has everything you need to make yourself a drink.
3. This charming, single-bedroom cottage in the woods is the closest thing to fairytale life you can find in CITY, STATE. Set back from the road and surrounded by towering pines, the cottage has modern heating and air and a cozy bathroom with a shower. Everything else about it seems to come from a fantasy novel. If you’re looking for a quiet, romantic place to get away for the weekend, PROPERTY is the place for you.
4. PROPERTY is five minutes away from LANDMARK and ten minutes away from downtown CITY. It was built in YEAR and reflects the unique architectural style of the period. HOST lives only two houses down and is always ready to show you around her homeplace. If you’re looking for the best coffee in CITY or want to visit a quirky vintage clothing shop, give her a call during your stay.
5. Take a step back in time in this YEAR-year-old plantation-style home in the middle of STATE’s picturesque countryside. You’ll get to enjoy the quiet, comfort, and beauty of rural CITY, but you’ll have all the modern convenience of Keurig machines, hot tubs, and complimentary WiFi. It’s the best of both worlds.
6. This cozy, one-bedroom bungalow is an artist’s dream. It features comfy indoor hammock chairs, silk draperies, and a soft feather bed. The backyard has a gorgeous view of LANDMARK, and there are easels, paint trays, and brushes in the closet in case the sight stirs your more creative side.
7. Looking for an inexpensive, safe place to stay in CITY? HOST’s garage apartment is clean, comfortable, and includes a 50-inch television with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. There’s a small toilet-and-sink-only bathroom in the garage proper, so there’s no need to go inside the main house unless you want to do so. HOST offers a complimentary breakfast and full access to the in-house bathroom for morning or evening showers.
8. Fix a meal in PROPERTY’s fully stocked, modern chef’s kitchen, and then move the family into the theater room for a movie night using the PROPERTY’s home theater system or a rousing game of Mario Kart on the Switch.
   
   If you’re looking for a more low-key evening, the den closet contains several card and board games, or you can walk downtown to the local milkshake bar or Dave and Busters. PROPERTY is only a ten-minute walk from all of downtown CITY, and the LANDMARK is only a half-hour drive.
9. Overlooking the scenic CITY mountains and river, this yurt has everything you need to enjoy a weekend glamping trip. The kitchen area includes a sink, small stove, coffee maker, and griddle, and the three large bunk beds are enough to accommodate the whole family. There’s an indoor bathroom and a modern HVAC system. It’s camping, but better.
10. If you’re looking to be right in the middle of the CITY action, this third-floor studio apartment in the heart of LANDMARK/CITY is the place to be. The single bedroom contains a sumptuous king-sized bed, and the kitchen includes a wine locker, in which HOST will leave you a complimentary bottle of wine.
    
    Have brunch at the art deco table on the balcony overlooking the city, or lean over the rail and throw beads to the passersby. It’s an authentic CITY experience.
11. If you’re looking for something unique that’s off the beaten path, come to PROPERTY – the most famous treehouse in CITY. Whether it’s the soft feather mattress, the elegant clawfoot tub, the outdoor hammocks, or the twinkling fairy lights on the treehouse’s porch, we promise you’ll find something to love about PROPERTY. You may even love it so much that you’ll never want to leave.
12. Sometimes, you just want to live like a local! Come stay in HOST’s downstairs bedroom, and that’s precisely what you’ll do! HOST is happy to show you around CITY and point out all the local landmarks and interesting spots. You’ll have access to a fully stocked shared kitchen and a private bedroom and full bath. Best of all, HOST’s home is pet-friendly, so bring your furry best friend along for the ride!
13. Get back to basics by staying in CITY’s tiniest tiny house located just 15 minutes from the downtown area. It’s small, but it has everything you need, and the nightly rental rate is just as small as the house. It’s the best way to travel on a budget.
14. This modern, two-bedroom apartment is perfect for music lovers. In the apartment’s second bedroom, you’ll find a selection of acoustic and electric guitars, and there’s a vintage record player with about 250 records in the living room. If you’re looking for a private place to stay and enjoy some old-school jazz and blues, PROPERTY is it.
15. We’re all mad here! Step into your own private Wonderland in this Alice-inspired camper in exciting CITY, STATE. Rest your head on Cheshire cat pillows, and enjoy any of HOST’s exotic teas using her porcelain tea set. If it’s pretty outside, you can even drag out the mallets and play a game of croquet in the backyard.
16. Traveling for work? PROPERTY has high-speed WiFi and a home office, complete with a PC, printer, fax machine, and landline. Top-of-the-line Keurig and espresso machines also provide much-needed caffeine. It’s located about 10 minutes away from the heart of CITY, and it’s a prime spot for DoorDash deliveries and Uber drivers.
17. Bring along the kids and the pets to our four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in CITY. There’s a huge playroom for the kids, complete with video game systems and a mini trampoline, and two large crates for crating your four-legged pals when you’re out exploring the city. There’s a grill, fire pit, and volleyball net in the backyard, and you can feel safe letting your kids play outside.
18. Covered in wall-to-wall carpeting and decorated with plenty of modern art, this CITY loft is the perfect place to unwind and refresh yourself after your days exploring the big city. There’s a small balcony you can use to have a glass of wine or share an intimate dinner for two. Streetside parking is also available.
19. Tired of staying in the same old boring rooms? Visit PROPERTY and stay in a converted barn instead! It features all the original hardwood from when the barn was built in YEAR, but it’s had plenty of modern upgrades, too.
    
    Take a bath in the former horse’s stall; fix dinner in the hay storage area, and sleep in the barn loft. It’s a unique experience like no other, and if you want, you can even walk across the pasture to visit the farm animals in HOST’s new barn.
20. Take a chance on love by staying in this romantic, single-bedroom seaside cabin. Have a romantic, candlelit dinner for two on the deck. Share a cozy evening in the outdoor jacuzzi, or snuggle up under the down comforter on the queen-size canopy bed.
    
    Best of all, it’s a five-minute walk down to the beach, so you and your partner can wade in the surf, lie in the sand, and gather shells or gaze at the stars. PROPERTY is a true lover’s paradise, complete with a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Final Thoughts

Coming up with a detailed, attention-catching description for your Airbnb listing isn’t hard. Just highlight the things that make your property special and present them in a way that’s brief and doesn’t oversell them.

You can always go into a ton of detail on all the different amenities and nearby attractions once you get down to the lengthy descriptions.

However, you first have to catch guests with the photos, title, and short description of your property. You can do that by speaking directly to your most likely guests and painting a picture of your property with honest, descriptive words.

If you want to go deeper in the rabbit hole of marketing and understand how all of the systems work together, check out our 5-Step Marketing Blueprint For Airbnb.