Do you want a negative Airbnb review from your guest? Well, if you decide to save on expenses and not provide cable TV or at least Netflix, you may be ruining the guest experience. In this post, you will learn why providing cable TV and Netflix is worth it for your airbnb (5 minute read).
Do I need to provide cable TV or Netflix to my Airbnb guests?
The short answer is, yes. Without hesitation, I would sign up with a proper cable service and Netflix or a similar streaming service. Essentially, if you do not understand the guest experience, you are not going to be able to deliver the best experience for the guests. Your competition in your market is providing cable and Netflix, meaning most guests are expecting this.
To illustrate, if it rains during a guest stay they will be inside. If you have nothing to watch on TV but local TV, they will feel boredom. Next, the guest receives a request for review from Airbnb. In response, they will write what they felt on that rainy day, boredom. They felt bored and they will write about it on the review.
Is providing cable TV or Netflix to guests worth the cost though? It is expensive.
Once again, absolutely. I surveyed 124 host, and of these 124 hosts, 88% responded to my Mailchimp survey with “yes, I supply cable and / or Netflix to guests”
Cable TV on average, costs an extra $64.41 a month, according to the most recent report from FCC. A negative review due to no cable can damage your listing permanently.
Fortunately, Netflix is less expensive and if you have a WiFi connection, you do not need to pay cable if you are really cost conscious. Netflix currently offers a 30 day trial. Subscriptions can be had for as low as $8.99 after.
Best streaming services for Airbnb guests: Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, Amazon Prime
First, know that you have tons of options. An inexpensive option is to offer a streaming stick and let the guests login to their own accounts. Only cost is one-time upfront buying the Roku sticks or similar devices. Here is a post on the Airbnb host community discussing options. My favorite devices for hosts are the Roku and Amazon Fire Stick.
However, a Superhost would provide Netflix already setup on each TV, saving the guest time and headaches. Think, if you were the guest would you want to be provided with entertainment? Put the guest experience first, the bookings, higher payouts, and 5-star reviews will follow.
