Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights

Hosted by James Varley | Host Planet

Business

Website RSS feed

Episodes

340

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Host Planet: Expert Insights for Short-Term Rentals is the go-to podcast for short-term rental hosts, property managers, and vacation rental operators. Hosted by James Varley, each episode shares practical strategies on Airbnb hosting, holiday let management, direct bookings, revenue management, guest experience, and listing optimisation. If you run an STR or want to grow a smarter hosting business, Host Planet gives you actionable insights from leading voices in the industry.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 27, 202628 min

The Biggest Mistakes New Airbnb Hosts Make (And How To Avoid Them)

New Airbnb host? Katie Bessant from The Holiday Hive shares the most common mistakes new hosts make – and exactly how to fix them before they cost you bookings, reviews, and ranking. In this episode of The Independent Host, powered by Lodgify, Katie breaks down where most new hosts go wrong across pricing, photos, house rules, and cleaning – plus the quiet mistake that could be hurting your Airbnb ranking and what people keep getting wrong about the algorithm. The Independent Host is sponsored by Lodgify. Use code HOSTPLANET60 to get 60% off Lodgify. Offer valid until 31 August 2026: https://www.lodgify.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet ⏱️ Timestamps: 1:12 Katie's journey in the world of short-term rentals 3:44 The most common mistakes new hosts make 7:02 How not to price your rental 12:27 The importance of photography 14:28 Check out Lodgify: https://www.lodgify.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet 15:11 How Lodgify has helped Katie's hosting journey 16:40 What hosts get wrong when creating house rules 17:50 A mistake which might be quietly killing your ranking 19:40 What people get wrong about the Airbnb algorithm 21:26 What to do during a crisis 25:03 Is the damage reversible? 26:31 The importance of getting cleaning right 27:43 Get in touch with Katie 🔗 Connect with Katie: The Holiday Hive website: https://theholidayhive.com/ The Holiday Hive Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theholidayhive/?kuid=ca9c0158-8acf-43b0-afa1-edb9b676331a-1787338585&kref=https%3A%2F%2Ftheholidayhive.com%2F Subscribe to Host Planet for practical advice on building a smarter, more successful and sustainable short-term rental business. Join thousands of hosts and property managers across the globe by subscribing to our free weekly newsletter: https://www.hostplanet.club/

August 25, 202629 min

How to Get Direct Bookings for Your Vacation Rental

Direct bookings are the highest-margin channel most hosts still ignore – no OTA commission, full control of the guest relationship, and a booking engine you actually own. In this episode of Build for Growth, we sit down with Roger Gould, Director of Business Development at Hostfully, to break down exactly how to start, scale, and win with direct bookings. IN THIS EPISODE: ▶ Why direct bookings matter (and what they're worth to your bottom line) ▶ Where to start: building a direct booking website you control ▶ How to turn lookers into bookers ▶ How to gather guest data you actually own ▶ Using a Hostfully digital guidebook to boost conversions ▶ Guest verification and insurance for direct bookings ▶ Payment processing that protects you ▶ Getting your direct booking rates right ▶ The complete direct booking strategy, step by step CHAPTERS: 1:50 Get free PMS onboarding and 30% off digital guidebooks for life with Hostfully: https://www.hostfully.com/host_planet 2:54 Why direct bookings matter 4:16 Where to start: You need a direct booking website 5:28 Don't be intimidated by technology 7:03 How to turn lookers into bookers 10:25 How to gather guest data 12:08 How to utilise a Hostfully digital guidebook effectively 18:22 The digital guidebooks are mobile-friendly 19:46 Guest verification and insurance for direct bookings 20:54 Payment processing for direct bookings 22:16 Getting the rates right on your direct booking website 24:21 The direct booking strategy 28:11 Get in touch with Roger: roger@hostfully.com 🎁 Hostfully is offering Build for Growth listeners FREE PMS onboarding + 30% off digital guidebooks for life. Find out more: https://www.hostfully.com/host_planet 📧 Email: roger@hostfully.com 📅 Book a Hostfully demo with Frank Bosi: https://cal.mixmax.com/frankbosi/demo?re=IiY1x2YuQXZuFGbwR3cvhGQzVWbhpmI&rn=ISelxmchZFIzVWbhpkI&messageId=UjWJnyJQ1a9zxhP2C This episode is part of the Build for Growth series from Host Planet, in partnership with Hostfully. #DirectBookings #VacationRental #AirbnbHost #ShortTermRental #Hostfully #BuildForGrowth

August 24, 202638 min

How to Frame Revenue at Risk to Management

Revenue managers don't lose the room because their data is wrong – they lose it because they can't explain it. Dr Zak Ali (President, ISTRM) joins STR Pricing Pulse to walk through Beyond's Revenue Meeting Guide: lead with the answer, back it up with the numbers, and end with a decision senior management can act on. Download Beyond's Revenue Meeting Guide: https://go.beyondpricing.com/revenue-meeting-guide-3q26 In this episode: - Why "growth feels like success" can be dangerously misleading - How to frame revenue at risk without losing the room - Why good automation (and AI) should increase your control – not reduce it - The most common mistake revenue managers make in the room STR Pricing Pulse is brought to you by Host Planet and Beyond. Discover more about Beyond's world-leading revenue management software for short-term rentals: https://beyondpricing.info/launchbase ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Episode starts 1:53 The importance of communicating with management 5:02 Why people struggle to explain things to management 9:09 Lead with the answer, back up with numbers, end with the decision 12:30 Growth naturally feels like success (but it could be misleading) 16:17 Beyond's Revenue Meeting Guide: https://go.beyondpricing.com/revenue-meeting-guide-3q26 17:45 How to build and deliver better-than-expected results 21:54 How to frame revenue at risk to management 25:57 Good automation should increase control 29:51 The most common mistake revenue managers make in the room 32:56 Zak's advice for revenue managers heading into the room 35:40 Join us at Revenue Management Intelligence in Leeds, 25 September Use code LEEDS for 50% off tickets for Revenue Management Intelligence: https://istrm.org/events #RevenueManagement #Airbnb #ShortTermRental #VacationRental #HotelRevenueManagement #DynamicPricing #Beyond #HostPlanet

August 20, 202633 min

Is STR Regulation Finally Coming? STAA CEO Janet Uttley Explains

Registration schemes on hold. A tourism levy fight nobody's sure we can win. Business rates squeezing operators. Janet Uttley, Chief Executive of the Short Term Accommodation Association, joins Host Planet – powered by Lodgify – to break down exactly where STR regulation stands right now, and what a good registration scheme would actually look like. We also get into the STAA's first 12 months of targets, how they're working alongside PASC UK and the ASSC, and whether the new government (and Andy Burnham) will move the needle for hosts. This episode is powered by Lodgify — get 20% off with code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.lodgify.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet Timestamps: 1:05 Get 20% off Lodgify with code HOSTPLANET20 1:52 Janet's first few months at the STAA 2:58 The make-up of the STAA 4:05 STAA targets for the next 12 months 5:48 Collaborating with other industry bodies like PASC UK and the ASSC 7:07 What the STAA does and why operators should be interested 9:13 The registration scheme is on hold 11:21 What does a good registration scheme look like? 13:48 Tourism levy update… a battle we won't win? 18:13 Business rates 20:34 The impact of the new government on short-term rentals. Will Andy Burnham help us? 21:55 Collaborating with destination marketing organisations 24:38 Short Stay Summit 28:13 Supporting the Host Planet Roadshow 30:39 Find out more about the STAA and the Short Stay Summit Contact Janet Uttley: janet.uttley@ukstaa.org Host Planet Roadshow: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-roadshow The Host Planet Podcast is powered by Lodgify — get 20% off with code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.lodgify.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet #ShortTermRentals #Airbnb #STAA #Lodgify #HostPlanetPodcast

August 19, 202632 min

OTA vs Direct Booking: What Actually Wins in 2026?

Christin Schmidt spent 20 years working inside Booking.com – and in this episode of Built to Book, she reveals exactly what most hosts get wrong about their OTA ranking, why reviews matter differently on Airbnb vs Booking.com, and how to build an OTA vs direct booking strategy that doesn't leave money on the table. Built to Book is a six-part series from Host Planet and Smoobu, built to help hosts optimise revenue, ranking, and guest experience across every channel. ⏱️ Timestamps 1:18 What hosts misunderstand about their ranking on Booking.com 3:26 If you want to boost your ranking tomorrow, this is what you should do 4:18 Do all the OTAs rank properties the same way? 5:58 Are reviews more important on Airbnb than on Booking.com? 6:38 Should hosts think about OTA commission differently? 9:07 How the OTA algorithms actually work 13:17 Preferred Partner and Genius… worth it? 16:38 Don't just put your rates up if you join a programme! 18:04 The most counterintuitive thing to do to boost your ranking 19:59 How to convert an OTA guest to a direct booker 21:08 Get 20% off Smoobu: https://www.smoobu.com/en/hostplanet/?utm_source=hostplanet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=podcast_2 21:57 The early signals a listing is starting to struggle 24:35 What should your rates be on OTAs vs your direct booking website? 27:07 Should your direct booking website always be a bit cheaper than the OTAs? 28:10 If you're auditing a listing with bookings, where to start? 29:38 The OTA change nobody has adapted to 🎧 Built to Book is brought to you by Smoobu – get 20% off your subscription: https://www.smoobu.com/en/hostplanet/?utm_source=hostplanet&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=podcast_2 👉 Subscribe to Host Planet for more short-term rental strategy, OTA optimisation and channel manager advice: https://www.hostplanet.club/ #BuiltToBook #Smoobu #BookingComTags

August 17, 202621 min

Turno's Isa Bortolossi on Fixing Airbnb Cleaning Chaos | Turnover Tactics

Turnover management is one of the toughest parts of running a short-term rental – and it only gets harder as you scale. In this episode of Turnover Tactics, brought to you by Host Planet and Turno, we sit down with Isa Bortolossi from Turno to unpack what's really going wrong behind the scenes of most cleaning operations – and how to fix it before it costs you a booking. Isa shares the craziest turnover story she's seen, breaks down the recurring problems her team spots across thousands of support tickets, and explains why anticipating issues beats firefighting them. We also get into the numbers: over 40% of Turno's projects last year were same-day turnovers, and Isa reveals the Turno Cleaner Guarantee and the hand-rating system hosts actually trust. If you're heading into peak season and want your cleaning operation to hold up under pressure, this one's for you. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 1:26 Check out Turno: https://turno.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=host_planet 2:17 There's always a new challenge with turnovers 3:31 Isa's craziest story 4:57 Anticipating problems is better than solving them on the fly 6:07 Isa's team and the problems she sees again and again 9:53 What support tickets show about problem operations 11:33 The hand rating trusted by a Turno user 13:00 More than 40% of Turno projects last year were same-day turnovers 15:20 The Turno Cleaner Guarantee 17:57 Isa's top tip for hosts approaching peak season 20:17 Reach Isa and Turno 🔗 Connect with Isa Bortolossi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isadora-bortolossi/ 🔗 Learn more about Turno: https://turno.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=host_planet Turnover Tactics is a Host Planet series in partnership with Turno, helping short-term rental hosts build smarter, more sustainable operations. 🎙️ Subscribe to Host Planet for more short-term rental strategy, automation tips, and host interviews every week: https://www.hostplanet.club/

August 13, 202623 min

The Direct Booking Strategy Every Host Needs in 2026 | Becky Ward

Direct bookings are more valuable than ever in 2026 – and Becky Ward, CEO of Simply Owners, breaks down exactly how hosts and property managers can win more of them without relying on the OTAs. In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – Becky shares the Simply Owners story, why accessible properties are converting more direct guests, how SEO and GEO strategy plays into visibility, and the biggest mistakes hosts make when they try to "go direct" without a real plan. We also cover the upcoming Host Planet Roadshow in Nottinghamshire, where Simply Owners is the Event Partner – including what attendees can expect, the roundtable sessions, and how to grab your ticket. 🎟️ Grab your ticket for the Host Planet Roadshow Nottinghamshire: https://www.hostplanet.club/hp-roadshow-nottingham 💰 Get 20% off Lodgify with code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.lodgify.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet 🔗 Learn more about Simply Owners: https://www.simplyowners.net/ TIMESTAMPS: 1:00 Grab your ticket for the Host Planet Roadshow 1:27 Get 20% off Lodgify with code HOSTPLANET20 2:13 The story of Simply Owners 3:18 How Simply Owners helps people get direct bookings 4:20 How the business is developing 5:59 Accessible properties can achieve more direct bookings 7:59 Focus on SEO and GEO 9:18 Why direct bookings matter so much in 2026 12:20 Where hosts go wrong when they try to go direct 13:54 Host Planet Roadshow Nottinghamshire: taking education to the regions 15:45 What attendees can expect at the Notts event 17:44 The roundtable competitions at Host Planet Roadshow events 19:41 Becky Ward and Lisa Roads on stage 21:18 What people should do to get more direct bookings Host Planet is the home of everything short-term rental – helping hosts and property managers build smarter, more profitable, more sustainable STR businesses. Subscribe for weekly episodes, guest interviews, and actionable strategy. #HostPlanetPodcast #DirectBookings #ShortTermRentals

August 11, 202635 min

Choosing a PMS? The Mistake Most Hosts Make (ft. Hostfully's Frank Bosi)

What's the best property management system... for YOU? 🏠 In this episode of Build for Growth, James Varley sits down with Frank Bosi from Hostfully to break down how short-term rental hosts should actually evaluate a PMS – and the biggest mistake operators make when choosing one. We cover researching PMS options on YouTube, where ChatGPT/Claude recommendations can lead you astray, the must-have features every host needs, and how to pressure-test a system before committing. 🎁 Hostfully is offering Build for Growth listeners FREE PMS onboarding + 30% off digital guidebooks for life. Find out more: https://www.hostfully.com/host_planet 📧 Email Frank: frank@hostfully.com 📅 Book a Hostfully demo with Frank: https://cal.mixmax.com/frankbosi/demo?re=IiY1x2YuQXZuFGbwR3cvhGQzVWbhpmI&rn=ISelxmchZFIzVWbhpkI&messageId=UjWJnyJQ1a9zxhP2C TIMESTAMPS 2:49 Free PMS onboarding + 30% off guidebooks with Hostfully 3:59 What's the best PMS… for me? 6:32 The biggest mistake operators make when choosing a PMS 10:05 How to research PMS options on YouTube 12:50 Where to be careful with ChatGPT/Claude recommendations 17:52 Features every host needs from a PMS 21:22 Why now is the right time to start using a PMS 24:28 How to pressure-test a PMS 27:19 AI that saves time vs. AI that's just a buzzword 29:09 How to choose the right PMS first time 32:53 Frank's elevator pitch for Hostfully 33:52 Connect with Frank + check out Hostfully #Airbnb #ShortTermRental #PropertyManagementSystem #Hostfully #VacationRental #AirbnbHost #STR

August 10, 202637 min

The Holiday Let Market Right Now: Shorter Breaks, Solo Travellers, and AI

Shorter breaks. Last-minute bookings. Solo travellers. Group getaways. And a 1,389% spike in traffic from AI tools. The UK holiday let market is shifting – and if you're still managing your property the same way you were two years ago, you're probably leaving bookings on the table. In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, James Varley is joined by Owen Burt, SEO Manager at Sykes Holiday Cottages, for a data-driven breakdown of exactly where the UK staycation market stands right now – and what savvy owners are doing to stay ahead of it. 🕐 Episode Chapters: 00:00 Episode starts 1:45 Staycations in the UK remain very popular 4:35 Guests are booking shorter breaks at short notice 9:25 The most popular UK locations – and what to do if you're in a quieter area 14:59 The peak booking periods you need to plan around 19:51 How Sykes Holiday Cottages can help you manage your holiday let 20:40 The huge impact of solo travellers on the market 25:33 The growth of group travel 30:36 1,389% jump in traffic from AI tools – what it means for your listings 34:41 The one thing owners should do after listening to this episode 🔑 Key insights from this episode: • Why the UK staycation market is still growing – and which guest segments are driving it • How last-minute, shorter-break bookings are reshaping how owners price and manage availability • What to do if your property isn't in one of the UK's most popular holiday let locations • Solo and group travel: the two booking trends that are quietly changing occupancy patterns • The 1,389% traffic surge from AI search tools – and what it means for holiday let visibility • The single most important thing owners should act on right now Holiday Let Insider is a series from Host Planet, powered in partnership with Sykes Holiday Cottages. Blog – How Different Holiday Let Guests are Booking in 2026: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/letyourcottage/advice/article/holiday-let-guest-types The Sykes Staycation Index 2026: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/sykes-staycation-index-2026/ July 2026 Holiday Letting Pulse Report: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/letyourcottage/advice/article/holiday-letting-pulse-report Let your property with Sykes: https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/letyourcottage/ Subscribe to Host Planet for weekly insights on holiday let management, Airbnb growth, vacation rental marketing, and automation strategies that scale: https://www.hostplanet.club/ #HolidayLetInsider #HolidayLet #UKStaycation #ShortTermRental #SykesHolidayCottages

August 6, 202636 min

Revenue Management Just Got Smarter – Here's How

Dynamic pricing used to be a tool. Now it's a full revenue management system – and (in some cases) AI is running it. Julie Brinkman, CEO of Beyond, joins James Varley on the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – to break down how the platform has evolved far beyond pricing, why so few hosts actually use dynamic pricing (and what's stopping them), and what the revenue manager's job looks like in an AI-powered world. 🕒 Chapters: 0:00 Episode starts 1:26 Get 20% off Lodgify: https://www.lodgify.com/hostplanet/?utm_source=landing-page&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet 2:08 Beyond's evolution from dynamic pricing tool to much more 4:59 The problems Beyond is solving for STR hosts & PMs 10:10 AI can run your revenue management through Beyond 12:41 How useful an AI agent could be to property managers 17:41 How many hosts use dynamic pricing (and why isn't it higher?) 24:25 What does the revenue manager's job look like in future? 28:10 How to ensure humans stay informed in an AI world 32:34 How to get ahead & what's next on the Beyond roadmap 34:56 Contact Julie & find out more about Beyond 📌 Resources mentioned: 🔹 Beyond: https://beyondpricing.com/products/why-beyond?utm_medium=seo&utm_source=partner-2024&utm_campaign=holiday_cottage_handbook_2024 🔹 Julie Brinkman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrbrinkman/ 🔹 Beyond's Listing Lens: https://beyondpricing.com/products/listing-lens 🔹 Host Planet Roadshow: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-roadshow 🏠 This episode is powered by Lodgify – the all-in-one vacation rental software for hosts who want to take control of their bookings. Get 20% off Lodgify with code HOSTPLANET20: https://www.lodgify.com/hostplanet/?utm_source=landing-page&utm_medium=creator-collab&utm_campaign=host-planet 🎙️ The Host Planet Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts. Join thousands of STR hosts and property managers across the world by subscribing to our newsletter: https://www.hostplanet.club/ #AirbnbHost #DynamicPricing #ShortTermRental