Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights
James Varley | Host Planet 350 episodes Nov 11, 2026
Host Planet is a podcast for short-term rental hosts, property managers, and vacation rental operators. Hosted by James Varley, it offers practical advice on Airbnb hosting, holiday lets, direct bookings, revenue management, guest experience, and listing optimisation. Episodes feature industry voices and actionable strategies for running a smarter and more profitable hosting business.
Episodes
AI Won't Save Your Hosting Business (Do This First) | Built to Book with Smoobu
Welcome to Built to Book, the podcast series from Host Planet and Smoobu, where we dig into the operational side of short-term rentals.Is AI the answer to every problem in your hosting business? Jannik Abraham, Managing Director of Smoobu, joins us to cut through the hype and explain how hosts and property managers can use AI properly, starting with strong foundations.We cover why AI won't sav
Airbnb's New Rules Hit On 20 November, Are You Ready?
From 20 November, Airbnb is changing what hosts can ask of their guests. Rental agreements, ID copies, guest contact details, gated Wi-Fi, and guidebooks are all affected.In this Build for Growth episode, Host Planet sits down with Margot Schmorak, CEO and Co-Founder of Hostfully, to answer the big question: after 20 November, who owns the guest – you, or Airbnb?Margot explains how property manage
Couples, Last-Minute Bookings and 7-Night Stays: The 2026 Holiday Let Trends
Who's booking UK holiday lets, when are they booking, and how long do they stay? In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, Owen Burt, SEO Manager at Sykes Holiday Cottages, shares the 2026 booking trends every holiday let owner needs to know, and how to use them to get more bookings this winter and into 2027.Owen explains why couples are now driving more demand than families, what families still
Airbnb Shut Down and Lost $1M? Here's the Pivot That Saved Him
At some point, working harder stops working. Jason Baxter, Founder of Marketics and former leader of a large property management operation, shares the systems, team structure, and KPIs that take you from heroics to a business that runs without you solving every problem.Welcome to Episode 7 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from Host Planet and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in
Holiday Let Owners: Claim Capital Allowances Before 31 January 2027
Own a holiday let? You could be sitting on thousands of pounds in unclaimed tax relief, and the clock is ticking.In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, James Varley is joined by Matt Jeffery from Zeal Tax to explain capital allowances: what they are, what qualifies, and why a large share of holiday let owners have never claimed them.Matt walks through how Zeal Tax put together a claim for one
Why Tech Alone Won't Save Your Short-Term Rental Business
Running properties and running a hospitality business are not the same thing. The difference will decide which short-term rental managers thrive and which fall behind.In this episode of AI-Powered Hosting – from Host Planet and BOOM – we talk to Richard Vaughton from Yes Consulting about building a tech-led operation, and why technology on its own isn't enough to move the short-term rental ind
The Stage Where Most Airbnb Hosts Lose Control of Their Business
Every five properties, something needs to change. Wendy Doris from Mostess shares the exact tech, hiring, and pricing decisions that separate hosts who scale from hosts who burn out.Welcome to Episode 6 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from Host Planet and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in short-term rentals — from setting up your first rental all the way through to selling yo
How to Get 5-Star Reviews on Airbnb (and Avoid the 4-Stars) | Mercedes Sanchez, MBX Homes
Is one 4-star review dragging your Airbnb rating down? Mercedes Sanchez of MBX Homes shares how independent hosts can win more 5-star reviews and protect their ranking.In this episode of The Independent Host – a series from Host Planet and Lodgify – Mercedes explains why an accurate listing is the secret to a 5-star rating, how to avoid 3- and 4-star reviews, and why some guests simply don't u
How to Make More Money From Every Booking With Upsells | Build for Growth
Most hosts are sitting on extra revenue they never collect. Upsells are one of the easiest ways to earn more from every booking, yet they're still massively underused.In this Build for Growth episode, Host Planet sits down with Frank Bosi from Hostfully to break down the upsells every host should be offering, from early check-in and late check-out to local partnerships with private chefs.You&#
How to Plan Your 2027 Short-Term Rental Revenue (Do This Before Christmas)
Next year's revenue is decided by what you do in the next few weeks. Zak Ali, President of the ISTRM, joins STR Pricing Pulse to show you how to plan 2027 revenue for your short-term rental or holiday let business.We cover how to set goals that are ambitious but realistic, how to manage owner expectations, what to check in your revenue management system, how to grow ancillary revenue, and the
Team vs Freelancers: What Professionalising Your Airbnb Really Means
Welcome to Episode 5 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from the Host Planet Podcast and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in short-term rentals – from setting up your first rental all the way through to selling your property management business. Our goal: help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable hosting business.Stage 5 is all about professionalising your bu
AI Buildathon: Build an AI Agent for Your STR Business | Mark Simpson
What if you could walk into a room with zero AI knowledge – and walk out with your own AI agent built for your short-term rental business?That's exactly what's happening at the AI Buildathon, from Host Planet and Boostly, in Leeds on 27th November. In this episode, Mark Simpson from Boostly joins James Varley to explain what you'll build on the day, why it's for complete beginners
How to Find, Hire and Keep Great STR Cleaners | Brooks Sparks, Turno
Finding a great cleaner can make or break your short-term rental – and losing one at the wrong moment can wreck a five-star streak.In this episode of Turnover Tactics – from Host Planet and Turno – Brooks Sparks joins James Varley to walk through the full process of finding, hiring, and keeping great cleaners. From writing a cleaner brief that attracts the right people, to trial cleans, giving fee
How to Scale as an Airbnb Co-Host Without Losing Guest Experience | STR Growth Curve Ep 4
Taking on other people's properties is where hosting becomes a real business.In Episode 4 of the STR Growth Curve, Tom Beerley breaks down the operator stage of your short term rental business – the mindset shift from host to operator, the systems to get right, and how to scale as an Airbnb co-host without losing consistency.Tom shares his guest messaging strategy, how he keeps the guest exper
From London to Global: Building a Short-Term Rental Cleaning Empire
How do you turn a London cleaning start-up into a global property operations business?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – Georgi Georgiev from Fantastic Services shares how trust, quality, and systems helped scale from first customers in London to a global operation, and what hosts need to know to start and scale a short-term rental cleaning business that lasts.We cov
Automate Your Airbnb: What to Systemise vs What to Keep Human
Welcome to Built to Book, the podcast series from Host Planet and Smoobu, where we dig into the operational side of short-term rentals.How much of your hosting business should be automated – and what should stay human? Jannik Abraham, Managing Director of Smoobu, joins us to break down short-term rental automation done right for hosts and property managers.We cover where Airbnb automation actually
How to Avoid Double Bookings and Price Across Channels Like a Pro
Relying only on Airbnb is putting your short-term rental business at risk. Hosts can get suspended – and that means massive business disruption overnight.In this episode of Build for Growth, Brise Carpenter, Vice President of Customer Success at Hostfully, breaks down how to grow a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable business by listing on multiple channels the right way.You'll lear
How to Get Your Holiday Let Found on AI Search
How guests find and book holiday lets has changed massively. In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, Owen Burt, SEO Manager at Sykes Holiday Cottages, explains how AI search works, why people are clicking less, and what hosts can do to build businesses that get found online.Owen breaks down how his SEO role has evolved, what makes a listing easy for AI to read and recommend, why consistent details
The First STR Software to Pay For (and What to Avoid)
Welcome to Episode 3 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from the Host Planet Podcast and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in short-term rentals – from setting up your first rental all the way through to selling your property management business. Our goal: help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable hosting business.Stage 3 is all about when hosting stops being
How to Get Cited by ChatGPT to Get More Direct Bookings
Travellers are now booking stays directly from ChatGPT – but is your business getting cited?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – we’re joined by Jason Cincotta from Kismet to break down how AI search really works for short-term rentals, and how you can get found, cited, and booked.If you want to build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable property management
No More Dashboards: How Agentic AI Runs 650 Rentals
Agentic AI is becoming the Chief Action Officer for short-term rental hosts. Here's how to use it to save time, make money, and scale.In this episode of AI-Powered Hosting – from Host Planet and BOOM – we talk to Sab Mulligan about agentic AI for short-term rental hosts and property managers, and what it takes to build smarter, more successful, and more sustainable businesses with AI.Sab shares ho
Why Your Airbnb Isn't Getting Booked? Photos, Reviews & Automation with Sandy Lee
Welcome to Episode 2 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from the Host Planet Podcast and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in short-term rentals – from setting up your first rental all the way through to selling your property management business.Our goal: help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable hosting business.Stage 2 is all about optimising your first list
Best Upsells to Level Up Guest Experience | Host Planet Podcast with Enso Connect
How can AI help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable short-term rental business? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – we sit down with Francois Gouelo, Co-Founder of Enso Connect, to rethink guest experience, automation, upsells, and AI.Francois shares the story of Enso Connect, what great guest experience really means, what most hosts get wrong,
How to Automate Airbnb Guest Messages with AI | Build for Growth with Jay Ullrich
Slow replies are costing you bookings. Learn how to automate guest communication with AI without losing the personal touch.In this episode of Build for Growth – from Host Planet and Hostfully – James Varley is joined by Jay Ullrich from HostBuddy AI to share a clear, practical plan to help you build a smarter, more successful and more sustainable short-term rental business with AI-powered messagin
Is Airbnb's 6% Affiliate Link a Win for Hosts? Dr Zak Ali Reacts
Is Airbnb's 6% direct booking link actually a win for hosts?On STR Pricing Pulse – powered by Host Planet and Beyond – Dr Zak Ali, President of the ISTRM, breaks down Airbnb's in-the-news test to cut fees to 6% when you bring your own guest. Is it right to call it an affiliate link? Why is Airbnb doing this now? And how should you price direct vs OTAs?Zak covers the industry response, why
How to Launch an Airbnb in 2026 (Without the Mistakes)
Setting up your first Airbnb? Stage 1 of the STR Growth Curve shows you exactly how to launch right – pricing, cleaning, reviews, and essential tech.Welcome to Episode 1 of the STR Growth Curve, a 12-part series from Host Planet and Hospitable mapping the 12 stages of growth in short-term rentals – from setting up your first rental all the way through to selling your property management business.
The Biggest Social Media Mistakes Airbnb Hosts Make
Struggling to turn followers into bookings? Vanessa Aguirre shares the social media strategy independent hosts need for 2026.In this episode of The Independent Host – a series from Host Planet and Lodgify – Vanessa breaks down knowing your target audience, updating a themed rental, which platforms to bother with in 2026, and how to win when we're all at the mercy of the algorithms.You'll l
From 1 Host to 100s of Doors: Scaling Vacation Rental Turnovers
How do you design cleaning operations software that hosts and cleaners actually use when they're not at a desk?Gabi Celemin from Turno joins Turnover Tactics to share how customer support informs product development, what customers asked for versus what was actually built, and how to design for everyone from new hosts to managers with hundreds of doors. Plus: product localisation and the impac
Wales 182-Day Rule Explained: What Every Holiday Let Owner Must Do Now
Wales' 182-day rule is pushing self-catering owners to the brink – and there's a narrow window to change it. Almost a third of holiday letting businesses in Wales have already collapsed under 'hideous' council tax bills, and 26% are running at a loss. But there may finally be light at the end of the tunnel.In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – James Varl
Why Guests Don't Book Direct (And How to Fix It) | Jonas Baum, Smoobu
Why don't guests book direct – and how do you fix it?In this episode of Built to Book, Jonas Baum, Head of CX at Smoobu, breaks down how to build a direct booking website that converts. Learn the trust signals, AI workflows, and booking flow fixes to help you build a smarter, more successful, and more sustainable short-term rental business.If you're getting traffic but no bookings, this is
Is Your Holiday Let Winter Ready? Expert Tips to Avoid 1-Star Reviews
Is your holiday let truly winter ready..? Because a cold property is a 1-star review waiting to happen.In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, from Host Planet and Sykes Holiday Cottages, Rachel Brennan shares exactly how smart hosts protect their property, price correctly, and deliver a 5-star guest experience when temperatures drop – helping you build a smarter, more successful and more sustaina
Bath Roadshow Preview: Luxury Short-Term Rentals, Fire Rules & Escobar Plane Airbnb
Luxury hosting is getting harder – fire regulations, guest expectations, and running a UK business from abroad. Here's how top operators stay ahead.In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, sponsored by Lodgify, James Cornwell joins us ahead of the Host Planet Roadshow in Bath, where his business, Curated Property, is Event Partner. We talk bringing the STR community together, collaborating with
Mid Term Rentals: The Perfect Storm Every Host Should Cash In On | Build for Growth
Mid-term rentals are having a moment — a perfect storm of supply shifts, rising nightly-rate competition, and a flood of 30–90 day demand.In this Build for Growth episode, Host Planet sits down with Frank Bosi from Hostfully to break down the mathematics of mid-term stays: how to price them, how to rework your listing to attract longer bookings, and which distribution channels actually deliver the
From Information to Action: Will You Trust Agentic AI to Run Your Rentals?
Is agentic AI about to take real work off your plate – not just give you more information?In this episode of AI-Powered Hosting, from Host Planet and BOOM, Moran Goldboim unpacks where the short-term rental industry really is with AI, why trust and lack of experience are the biggest blockers, and the next leap: from information to action.Learn what day-to-day tasks AI can already handle, how to th
How to Make VRMA International Work for You: Anne Gardner's Playbook
Planning to attend a major short-term rental conference this year – but not sure how to actually get value out of it?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – Anne Gardner, Executive Director of the VRMA, breaks down everything you need to know about VRMA International 2026, heading to Nashville from 4-6 October.Host Planet is proud to be a Media Partner for this year's
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
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
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.co
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 mont
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 ho
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
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 visibi
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
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 Cotta
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
The End of Traditional PMS? Agentic AI and the Future of STR Management
Is your property management software already holding you back? Shahar Goldboim, CEO and Co-Founder of BOOM, makes the case for agentic AI – and why property managers who don't adapt risk being left behind.In Episode 1 of AI-Powered Hosting – the new series from Host Planet and BOOM – Shahar breaks down exactly why the traditional PMS can no longer support a modern portfolio, and what the shift
How to Start an Airbnb in 2026: Pricing, Photography & Your First Booking | Lydia Patel
Starting an Airbnb? Lydia Patel shares the practical lessons she wishes she knew before welcoming her first guests – from pricing and photography to direct bookings, Instant Book, and getting your first reservation.This is Episode 1 of The Independent Host, a new monthly series from Host Planet and Lodgify for short-term rental hosts and property managers running their first 1–5 properties.Lydia t
Why Is My Airbnb Not Booking? 7 Fixes That Work | Ikram Mohamed, Hostfully
Why is your Airbnb not booking – even when the property looks great?In this episode of Build for Growth, a new Host Planet and Hostfully series, Ikram Mohamed explains the most common reasons Airbnb listings underperform and the practical fixes that can turn bookings around.We cover how Airbnb search ranking works, which host behaviours can push a listing down the results, and what smart dynamic p
What STR Revenue Managers Get Wrong About Owner Communication | Zak Ali, ISTRM
Most revenue managers don't lose owners over bad rates – they lose them over bad communication.In this episode of STR Pricing Pulse, powered by Beyond, Zak Ali, President of the International Society of Short-Term Rental Management (ISTRM), unpacks why the same owner questions keep catching revenue managers off guard – and how to stop it for good.We break down Beyond's Owner Confidence Checklist:
Selling a Holiday Let Business: Valuation, Exit & Staying Involved
What does it take to build, value, and sell a successful holiday let business in a location with a highly defined peak season?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, powered by Lodgify, John Keggin from Island Escapes shares the story of building a holiday rental business in the Isle of Man, managing demand during the TT Races, and hosting Brad Pitt and Channing Tatum while a Hollywood movie w
Stop Buying Tech to Fix the Wrong Problem | Jannik Abraham, Smoobu
What does professional hosting really look like when you’re trying to build a short-term rental business that lasts?In episode one of Built to Book, Host Planet sits down with Jannik Abraham, Managing Director of Smoobu, to explore the difference between simply operating a holiday let and building a professional, sustainable business.Jannik explains why professionalism starts with the guest experi
Are US Vacation Rental Companies Getting Europe Wrong? | Armand de Juniac, Turno | Turnover Tactics
Host Planet Founder James Varley sits down with Armand de Juniac, General Manager for Europe at Turno, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a cleaning marketplace across borders — and why so many US short-term rental companies are making avoidable mistakes when they expand into Europe.From marketplace discipline and building supply first, to why your cleaner is your single most import
What Staying at Your Own Airbnb Actually Reveals | Ari Eryorulmaz, Extenteam
Most hosts never stay at their own property – and that blind spot is costing them guests they don't even know they're losing.In this episode, James Varley sits down with Ari Eryorulmaz, Founder at Extenteam, to unpack the quiet gaps in the short-term rental guest experience: where tech creates more friction than it solves, why hand-offs between tools are silently hurting your reviews, and
Is AI Overhyped in Short-Term Rentals? Hostfully's CEO Tells the Truth
AI is changing short-term rentals – but is it actually solving problems for hosts, or just adding more noise?In this episode of Build for Growth, Margot Schmorak, CEO and Co-Founder of Hostfully, cuts through the hype and breaks down what AI is genuinely automating right now, what is still more promise than reality, and what hosts risk losing if they don't build the right tech stack.Key questions
61% of Holiday Let Owners Are Already Using AI — Are You Getting Left Behind?
61% of Sykes' holiday let owners are already using AI — but how, and what does it actually mean for your listing, your guests, and your future?In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, James Varley sits down with Laura McKellar, Head of Digital Transformation & Optimisation at Sykes Holiday Cottages, to unpack the findings from their latest AI survey and what it means for hosts in 2026.They
STR Regulation, London's 90-Day Rule & The Future of Short-Term Rentals UK ft. Merilee Karr
Is UK short-term rental regulation finally working in hosts' favour?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, Merilee Karr – CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group and former Chair of the Short Term Accommodation Association – breaks down exactly what's coming and what it means for your STR business.We cover UnderTheDoormat's acquisition of One Fine Stay's London and Paris portfolios, Lond
AI, Direct Bookings & the Future of Short-Term Rentals ft. Amirali Mohajer
ChatGPT is changing how guests search for properties – and most short-term rental hosts are completely unprepared for what's coming. Here's how to get ahead of it.In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – Amirali Mohajer, Founder of hostAI (gethostai.com), breaks down how LLM search is reshaping vacation rental discovery and what it means for your direct booking str
The tool that tells Airbnb hosts when to raise their prices
Most Airbnb hosts are leaving money on the table on event nights — not because they don't want to raise their prices, but because they never knew the event was happening.HostAlert is the tool that fixes that. Co-Founder Andy Crosby joins the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – to explain how it works, why it's different from dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs and Beyond, and which
The Airbnb Pricing Strategy Most Hosts Get Wrong | Dr Zak Ali, ISTRM
Are you leaving money on the table with your Airbnb pricing strategy?In this episode of STR Pricing Pulse, we sit down with Dr Zak Ali – President of the International Society of Short Term Rental Management (ISTRM) – to break down the revenue management decisions costing hosts and property managers real money.This episode is powered by exclusive data from Beyond. Download The Automation Playbook
Winning the World Cup: STR Market Analysis with PriceLabs
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway – and if you have a short-term rental in or near a host city, the next few weeks could make or break your season.Kyle Driskell from PriceLabs joins James Varley on the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – to break down exactly what the live data is showing: which markets are flying, which aren't, and the smart pricing moves hosts are making right now.W
How to Handle Back-to-Back Airbnb Turnovers During Peak Season
The Wimbledon fortnight is one of the biggest revenue opportunities for London Airbnb hosts – but one wrong move during a back-to-back turnover and your reviews pay the price.Chris Rule joins us on Turnover Tactics, the short-term rental cleaning and maintenance podcast from Host Planet and Turno.In this episode:– What separates hosts who are prepared from hosts who just hope for the best– What br
The Guest Messaging AI That Saves Hosts 20 Hours a Week
AI is already handling 70% of guest messages for the most efficient short-term rental operators. The question is: are you one of them?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Lodgify – Ruben Verplancke, Co-Founder & COO of Guestway, breaks down how to automate Airbnb guest messaging without losing the human touch.From saving 20 hours a week to cutting your energy bills through a
Holiday Letting in 2026: Pets Earn 16% More Revenue & the UK's Best Locations
The Sykes Holiday Cottages Holiday Letting Outlook Report 2026 is here – and it's full of data every UK host needs to see.In this episode of Holiday Let Insider, Rachel Brennan from Sykes Holiday Cottages breaks down the key findings: how much owners are actually earning, which UK regions are performing best, and the property features that make the biggest difference to bookings and revenue.Th
Is Too Much Tech Hurting Your Airbnb? Smoobu's Managing Director Explains
Are you adding more tools to your vacation rental business but feeling more overwhelmed than ever? Jannik Abraham, Managing Director of Smoobu, joins the Host Planet Podcast, powered by Hostfully, to reveal why simplicity is the future of short-term rentals – and how stripping back your tech stack might be the smartest move you make this year.If you're an Airbnb host or vacation rental manager
Is Your STR Data Garbage? Why AI Needs Clean Inputs to Work
Most short-term rental hosts have more data than ever – and less clarity on what to do with it.In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, powered by Hostfully, Melanie Brown from Key Data breaks down how AI is closing the gap between data overload and fast, prioritised decisions – and why the shift from reactive reporting to proactive operations is the biggest competitive edge in STR right now.But t
The Real Reason Your Airbnb Isn't Booking (It's Not Your Price)
Most hosts treat Airbnb pricing strategy as a numbers game. Amber Knight says that's exactly why they keep discounting themselves into trouble.Amber joined the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – to break down a real Airbnb pricing strategy: why discounting is a symptom of a deeper problem, how much you should actually rely on OTAs, what it looks like to own your demand before a guest
Selling Your Airbnb Management Business? Do These Things First
Thinking about selling your Airbnb or short-term rental management business?Before you list it, there are steps that could dramatically increase the sale price – and mistakes that could cost you thousands.In this episode, we're joined by Simon Tolson – a twice-exited property management business owner and active industry consultant – who shares exactly what he did to maximise the value of his
Is High Occupancy Hiding Weak Revenue? What STR Hosts Miss
Your occupancy looks great. Your calendar is filling up. But are you actually leaving money on the table?In this episode of STR Pricing Pulse, we're joined by revenue management expert Dr. Zak Ali to break down the five numbers every short-term rental operator should be watching every single week – and what happens when you look at them together instead of in isolation.What you'll learn:-
You Can't Afford to Be a Casual Airbnb Host Anymore
Shaun Shirazian, CEO of Lodgify, joins James Varley on the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – to explain why the era of the casual short-term rental host is over, and what professional hosts and property managers need to do to stand out in 2026.We cover how AI is reshaping the guest journey, why direct bookings matter (and why 100% direct can be risky), what the right tech stack actually
Airbnb Tips for New Hosts: 5 Things Guests Expect in 2026
Discover the top Airbnb tips for new hosts and experienced hosts alike – in this episode, Joseph Cox from Hostfully reveals what guests genuinely care about in 2026, including why an Airbnb digital guidebook could be your most powerful hosting tool this year.In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, Joseph breaks down five things guests actually want right now, plus the practical upgrades that sepa
Most Airbnb Hosts Get Turnover Wrong (Here's the Fix)
Most Airbnb hosts don't lose money on bad bookings. They lose it on bad operations – delayed maintenance, unreliable cleaners, and putting out fires instead of running a system.In this episode of Turnover Tactics, Host Planet's James Varley sits down with Taylor Smith – short-term rental host, property manager, and Turno expert – to break down why vacation rental cleaning and maintenance i
Under-Promise, Over-Deliver: The STR Strategy Behind Serenbe's 5-Star Reputation
Micah Adler joins the Host Planet Playbook series, powered by property management software, Hospitable, to share how Serenbe – a unique wellness community near Atlanta, Georgia – has built one of the most distinctive short-term rental operations in the US.Micah breaks down the real challenges of running STRs in a rural setting, why over-communicating with guests is central to the Serenbe experienc
Why Some UK Holiday Cabins Only Last 5 Years – with Architect Peter Markos
How long should a holiday cabin or glamping pod actually last? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – architect Peter Markos explains why too many UK cabins are showing serious wear after only five years, and what it takes to build cabins that last decades, not seasons.James Varley sits down with Peter to walk through the design, materials, and maintenance decisions th
Reviews Are Your Currency – Here's Why Most Hosts Get It Wrong
What does it really take to deliver a 5-star guest experience?In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, powered by Hostfully, Suzy Turnbull – author of 5-Star Hosting Made Simple – shares five essential lessons every short-term rental host needs to know.In this episode, you’ll learn:- Why hosting is first and foremost a hospitality business- How to build systems and processes that scale- Why review
Your Rental's Biggest Money Mistake? Not Allowing Pets
What's actually booking in the UK holiday let market in 2026?In this episode of Holiday Let Insider – powered by Host Planet and Sykes Holiday Cottages – James Varley sits down with Owen Burt to walk through the market signals UK operators need to know – including the finding that pet-friendly properties earn 8% more bookings and 16% more revenue than equivalent non-pet-friendly listings.Owen
Inside Cosmic Vacations: How Ryan Moyer Built a Disney-Themed Rental Business
How do you build a vacation rental business around themed properties – and turn it into a marketing engine that drives direct bookings?In this episode of the Host Planet Playbook – powered by property management software, Hospitable – James Varley sits down with Ryan Moyer, Founder of Cosmic Vacations, the operator behind one of the most distinctive themed rental portfolios in Florida and Utah.Rya
Hosts Missing This AI Trend Will Fall Behind
AI is reshaping how guests search, discover, and book short-term rentals — are you ready?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, Gil Chan from CraftedStays explains how AI is changing direct bookings — and what hosts and property managers need to do now to stay ahead.In this episode, you’ll learn:– Whether AI is a threat or opportunity for direct bookings– Why reliance on OTAs like Airbnb and
Most Holiday Let Owners Haven't Claimed This Tax Relief
Matt Jeffery, from Zeal Tax, joins Host Planet Bitesize – powered by Hostfully – to walk UK holiday let owners through the four tax topics that need to be on every operator's radar this year: Making Tax Digital, capital allowances, business rates, and why filing your tax return early matters more than usual in 2026.Most holiday let owners have never claimed capital allowances — and the window
Full-Time Job Doesn't Mean You Can't Build Short-Term Rentals
Can you build a successful short-term rental business while working full-time?In this episode of Host Planet Playbook, Brendan McNeal from NoMI Stays shares his journey into short-term rentals – from getting started to building and co-hosting a growing portfolio in Michigan.In this episode, you’ll learn:- How Brendan got started in short-term rentals- The risks of over-researching before investing
Free PMS for Airbnb Hosts | Game Changer?
What if your property management software was… free?In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, Pierre-Camille Hamana from Hospitable explains why his company has launched a “less than free” PMS — and what it means for the future of the short-term rental industry.But this conversation goes much deeper than pricing.In this episode, you’ll learn:- Why the traditional STR software pricing model may b
