How to Prepare Your Apartment for Airbnb and Booking: Checklist
What does an apartment need before its first guests arrive? A practical checklist, from hotel-quality linen and contactless check-in to cleaning and maintenance, with a printable version.
- BeLiving
- Published
- 12 min read
Planning to rent out your place short term and wondering how to prepare your apartment for Airbnb and Booking.com so guests feel at home and you skip the unnecessary headaches? Good news: it isn’t rocket science. Most of what guests appreciate—or mention in a review—can be checked off in advance with a simple list.
This checklist comes straight from our day-to-day work. At BeLiving, we’ve been in short-term rentals for more than two years and look after 15 apartments in Prague, Karlovy Vary and Bratislava, from small studios to spacious apartments. We’ll walk through furnishing a short-term rental room by room, then safety, guest arrivals, cleaning, your listing and day-to-day operations. At the end, you’ll find a printable summary.
Note: This article focuses on furnishing and operations. Legal duties—from trade licensing to the tourist tax (poplatek z pobytu) and reporting foreign guests (Ubyport)—are covered in our separate guide to short-term rental host obligations in the Czech Republic.
How to prepare your apartment for Airbnb: three principles to start with
Before you start shopping, settle on a few principles. They make every later decision easier.
- Think like a guest. Picture arriving for the first time, late at night, with a suitcase. What do you need first—and can you find it without searching?
- Equip for full occupancy. If the apartment sleeps four, it needs four bath towels, four mugs and enough seating for everyone, ideally with a little to spare.
- Choose durable, easy-to-replace items. Matching white linen and dishware from a widely available line are simple to restock when something breaks or goes missing.
Above all: whatever your listing promises, the apartment has to deliver.
Bedroom and hotel-quality linen
Good sleep is the foundation, and the bed is where guests are most demanding.
- A comfortable mattress with a waterproof, machine-washable protector.
- Pillows and a duvet for every guest, plus a spare pillow and blanket in the closet.
- Hotel-quality bed linen—ideally white cotton (percale or sateen). It looks crisp, handles hot washes, and every piece matches every other.
- Spare linen sets. Plan on at least three sets per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash and one in reserve in case something gets delayed or damaged.
- Blackout curtains or blinds that actually block the light. Guests often arrive from other time zones.
- A bedside lamp and outlet, ideally with a USB charger.
- Space for clothes and luggage: hangers, a few empty shelves, a spot for suitcases and a mirror.
Tip: Buy linen and towels from a single line in a single color. Turnovers go faster, and any missing piece is easy to replace.
Bathroom: towels and basic toiletries
- Towels: a bath towel and a hand towel per guest, plus a bath mat. Spare sets pay off here, too.
- A hair dryer—guests simply expect one.
- Basic toiletries: hand soap, shower gel and shampoo (wall-mounted dispensers look tidy and cut down on packaging), plus toilet paper with backups.
- Small extras guests love: cotton swabs, cotton pads, sanitary bags.
- A lidded trash can, a toilet brush, a non-slip mat and plenty of hooks.
Kitchen: the essentials
The kitchen doesn’t need to be restaurant-grade, but guests should be able to make breakfast and a simple dinner.
| Area | What to stock |
|---|---|
| Cooking | pots in several sizes, a frying pan, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a wooden spoon, a spatula, a colander |
| Tableware | dinner plates and bowls, cutlery, glasses, mugs—enough for maximum occupancy plus a few extra |
| Appliances | fridge, cooktop, electric kettle, coffee maker, microwave; space permitting, an oven and a dishwasher |
| Small items | bottle and can opener, corkscrew, scissors, dish towels, oven mitt |
| Pantry and cleaning | salt, pepper, oil, sugar, coffee, tea; dish soap, sponges, bags for sorted waste |
Tip: Capsule coffee machines are convenient, but guests end up hunting for capsules. Leave a few as a welcome and mention the capsule type in your listing.
Wi-Fi and a place to work
Fast, reliable internet is a given these days—and when it fails, guests notice right away.
- Make sure the signal reaches every room, especially the bedroom. In a larger apartment, consider an extender or a mesh system.
- Put the network name and password on a card by the door and in your arrival instructions. A QR code saves guests the typing.
- For remote workers, provide a desk, a comfortable chair, good lighting and an outlet within reach.
- Many guests come from abroad, so a universal plug adapter is a small touch that goes a long way.
Safety: smoke detector, first-aid kit and emergency contacts
Guests don’t notice safety at first glance, but it’s the last thing you want to underestimate.
Smoke detector
In the Czech Republic, Decree No. 23/2008 Coll. on technical conditions of fire protection of buildings (vyhláška č. 23/2008 Sb.) requires every apartment in a residential building to have an autonomous detection and alarm device—in other words, a smoke detector. It belongs in the part of the apartment that leads to the escape route, and apartments over 150 m² and maisonettes need an additional one. However, the requirement applies to newer buildings (roughly, those whose siting was approved after July 1, 2008) and to alterations of buildings—not across the board to every older apartment.
Whether or not the rule applies to you, we recommend a smoke detector in every apartment. Choose an autonomous detector that meets EN 14604 (ČSN EN 14604 in Czechia), install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and check the battery during regular maintenance.
Other recommended equipment
The following isn’t a legal list—it’s equipment we recommend from experience:
- A first-aid kit with bandages, gauze, disinfectant and a thermometer.
- A fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the kitchen.
- A carbon monoxide detector if the apartment has a gas boiler, water heater or stove.
- Emergency contacts in a visible spot: the European emergency number 112, contact details for you or your property manager, and the full address of the apartment, including floor and unit number, so guests can read it out quickly in an emergency.
- A labeled main water shut-off and breaker panel, so anyone can find them fast when needed.
Check-in: keys, a key box or a smart lock
Arrival is a guest’s first real contact with your apartment. Guests turn up at all hours and are often delayed, so contactless check-in makes operations much smoother.
| Method | Pros | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-person handover | a personal welcome; you can show how everything works | time-consuming; late arrivals |
| Key box (lockbox) | simple and inexpensive to set up | secure placement, regular code changes, a spare key |
| Smart lock | a unique code for each stay, no key handovers | batteries, a backup way in, compatibility with your door |
Whichever you choose, prepare clear arrival instructions: a photo of the building entrance, the name on the buzzer, the floor and unit number, directions from the train station or airport, and parking information. Send them ahead of time and in a language the guest understands—at least English.
Important: Check with the homeowners’ association (SVJ) or building manager before mounting a key box in shared areas. And even with contactless check-in, you still need to meet your guest-registration duties—see host obligations.
House rules guests will actually read
House rules protect the apartment, the neighbors and you. Keep them short, friendly and identical in the listing and in the apartment. Cover the essentials:
- Quiet hours and consideration for neighbors
- Smoking and pets
- Parties, visitors and maximum occupancy
- Check-in and check-out times
- Waste sorting—where it goes and what goes where
- What to do before leaving (dishes, trash, windows, keys)
Set the rules directly in your listing so guests see them before they book. In the apartment, repeat them in a short welcome guide along with appliance instructions and local tips.
Cleaning between stays: one consistent standard
Cleanliness is where guests are least forgiving. The key is cleaning the same way every time, no matter who does it.
- A written cleaning checklist for each room, including easy-to-miss spots: under the bed, inside the microwave, the dishwasher filter, drains.
- Fresh bed linen and towels after every stay, even if they look unused.
- “Reference” photos showing how the made bed should look, where the kettle sits and how many mugs belong in the cupboard. Your cleaning team uses them to reset the apartment the same way every time.
- Restocking supplies: toilet paper, toiletries, coffee, tea, trash bags.
- A condition check: damaged items, forgotten belongings, burnt-out bulbs. Photograph any issues right away.
- Regular deep cleaning of windows, oven, fridge, upholstery and mattresses.
Tip: Leave enough buffer in your calendar between check-out and check-in so cleaning never has to be rushed.
Professional photos and listing copy
Your listing is your apartment’s shop window. Photos decide whether guests click; the text decides whether they book.
Photos
- Hire a professional photographer, ideally one with interior experience.
- Shoot in daylight, in a tidy apartment, with personal items put away.
- Capture every room plus the details: the made bed, towels, the coffee maker, the workspace, the view.
- Choose your cover photo carefully—it’s the first thing guests see.
- Photos must match reality. Wide-angle, yes; distorted space, no.
Listing copy
- Lead the title with your main selling point: location, view, quiet or parking.
- Be specific in the description: bed layout, floor and elevator, public transit access, what’s nearby.
- Fill in the full amenities list—guests filter their searches by it.
- Be upfront about limitations, such as stairs without an elevator or a busier street. You’ll avoid disappointment and weaker reviews.
Calendar and pricing basics
- Sync your calendars. If you list on both Airbnb and Booking.com, connect the calendars (for example via iCal) or use a channel manager. Otherwise, you risk double bookings.
- Set booking rules: minimum stay, allowed arrival days and how far ahead guests can book.
- Block dates for personal use, maintenance or deep cleaning.
- Adjust prices to demand: season, day of the week, local events and how far out the date is. Compare your rates regularly with similar apartments nearby.
For a rough idea of what your apartment could earn, try our revenue calculator.
Guest communication templates
Most guest messages are repetitive. Ready-made templates save time and make sure nothing slips through the cracks:
- Booking confirmation—a thank-you, a summary of the dates and what happens next.
- Arrival instructions—address, directions, key pickup, Wi-Fi and contact.
- Welcome message—a short note asking whether everything is OK.
- Check-out reminder—check-out time and what to do with the keys and trash.
- Post-stay thank-you—with a request for a review.
Sample message: “Hi Anna, we’re looking forward to having you! You’ll find the keys in the key box by the entrance, and we’ll send you the code on your arrival day. The Wi-Fi details are on the card in the hallway. If you need anything at all, just message us here.”
Always personalize templates with the guest’s name and stay details, and keep them in at least English and Czech.
Maintenance: a regular routine
| When | What to check |
|---|---|
| After every stay | appliances, light bulbs, dripping faucets, furniture and dishware |
| Monthly | smoke detector and lock batteries, drains, range hood filter, silicone seals |
| Seasonally | boiler and AC servicing, windows and seals, flipping mattresses, inventory review |
Keep contacts for a reliable plumber, electrician and locksmith on hand. A small fault fixed right away costs far less stress than an unhappy guest.
Printable Airbnb checklist
Bedroom and bathroom
Kitchen
Tech and safety
Operations
How we can help
Working through the checklist is one thing; following it after every single stay is another. If you’d rather not handle it yourself, BeLiving takes care of apartments from A to Z: listing preparation and management, guest communication, check-ins and check-outs (including contactless), cleaning, linen changes and maintenance coordination. Our guests rate their stays 4.89 out of 5 on average.
We offer two cooperation models. With turnkey management, we take over the agreed tasks while the apartment stays in your operation. With lease and operate, we lease the apartment and run it ourselves under an individually tailored lease model. We compare the two in our article on turnkey management vs. leasing to a manager and on the cooperation models page. For a full overview of what we do, see our services.
We take on apartments anywhere in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and we always agree on terms individually. If you’d like to talk through what would suit your apartment, get in touch—we’ll gladly set up a no-obligation consultation.
