Host Planet: Expert Insights for Short-Term Rentals

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 r...

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. Owe...

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. R...

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...

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...

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 inves...

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 m...

AI is already transforming the short-term rental industry – the question is, are you using it? In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, powered by Hostfully, Christopher Dillon from Guesty shares five practical ways AI can help you increase revenue, improve guest experience, and drive more 5-star reviews. We cover: - How AI can automate upsells and upgrades for your guests - Using AI to improve gu...

Are you actually measuring your short-term rental performance correctly? In this episode of STR Pricing Pulse, powered by Beyond, revenue management expert Zak Ali breaks down how to read your booking data properly – and why many hosts and property managers are making costly mistakes. In this episode, you’ll learn: - The key metrics every host and property manager should track - What your revenue...

What does it take to build a successful short-term rental business in one of the most competitive markets in the US? In this Host Planet Playbook feature, sponsored by Hospitable, Todd Parker from Overlook Cabin Rentals shares the lessons he’s learned running high-performing cabins in the Smoky Mountains. From setting the right guest expectations to finding reliable cleaners and delivering consist...

Why are so many farmers and rural landowners turning to holiday letting? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast, powered by Hostfully, Emily Richardson breaks down the growing trend of farm diversification — and what you need to know before starting a holiday let business. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why farmers are diversifying into short-term rentals - The key planning and permitted dev...

Rising interest rates are changing the game for holiday let owners. So how should you approach your mortgage in 2026? In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize – powered by Hostfully – Joe Stallard from House and Holiday Home Mortgages shares five essential tips to help short-term rental investors navigate today’s volatile mortgage market. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why you should start the mo...

What’s the one thing that can make or break your guest experience? Cleaning. In this episode of Turnover Tactics – powered by Turno – Chris Rule breaks down why cleaning and turnovers are the most critical part of any short-term rental business, and the costly mistakes that are quietly damaging your reviews. We cover: - What guests notice the moment they walk through the door - The common cleaning...

What does it really take to run a successful holiday let business in a rural location like Anglesey? In this Host Planet Playbook feature, powered by Hospitable, Jamie Miles from Anglesey Holiday Lettings shares his journey from the Royal Marines to building a growing property management business – and the lessons he’s learned along the way. We cover: - Why dynamic pricing doesn’t always work in r...

Are short-term rental events actually helping hosts… or missing the mark? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – James Varley is joined by Heidie Henriksen from VRNation to discuss: - Why many high-ticket STR events feel out of touch - The rise of boutique, regional events for hosts - Why most hosts feel disconnected from the industry - How events can help you grow you...

Want more direct bookings from your website? Your SEO strategy is the difference. In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize – powered by Hostfully – Craig Webb from Webb Marketing shares five practical SEO tips to help short-term rental property managers attract more traffic and convert it into bookings. You’ll learn: - Why your website should act like a sales funnel - How user experience impacts bo...

Can you really run a hands-off holiday let – and still make it profitable? In this episode of Holiday Let Insider – powered by Sykes Holiday Cottages – Rhodri Taylor shares how he built a low-touch furnished holiday let in Cornwall, why he chose a hands-off approach, and what every investor needs to get right from day one. We cover: - Why going hands-off can save you time, stress, and costly mista...

In this Host Planet Playbook feature – powered by property management software, Hospitable – Sara Sokol shares how she built a unique short-term rental business in Maine, achieving 95% direct bookings while creating an exceptional experience for guests and their dogs. You’ll learn: - How to stand out with a dog-friendly rental - Why most hosts treat pets as an afterthought (and how to fix it) - Ho...

FREE DOWNLOAD: Inside the FIFA World Cup: Demand, Pricing & Host Strategy: https://www.hostplanet.club/inside-the-2026-fifa-world-cup How should you price your short-term rental for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – James Varley is joined by Kyle Driskell from PriceLabs to break down the real pricing strat...

Want more bookings from Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo? It starts with your listing. In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize – powered by Hostfully – Kyle Geri from Orange Rentals shares five simple but powerful ways to optimise your OTA listing and improve visibility, clicks, and conversions. You’ll learn: - How to write a high-performing listing title - Why your first photos matter more than you...

How do you scale from one property to 100+ short-term rentals? In this Host Planet Playbook feature – sponsored by property management software, Hospitable – Freddie Blunt from Red Kite shares how he built and scaled a thriving STR business in the Cotswolds. You’ll learn: - How to stand out in a competitive market - Why hiring the cheapest cleaner can damage your business - Tips to deliver a five-...

Are direct bookings really the holy grail for short-term rental hosts? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – David Scott shares a refreshingly honest take on: - Why direct bookings are often overhyped - The real cost of driving your own traffic - Why criticism of Airbnb and OTAs can be misleading - When direct bookings actually make sense - How to balance OTAs for dem...

Think you can’t run an Airbnb while working full-time? Think again. In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize, Colter Robinson from Hostfully shares five practical tips to help you build and scale a short-term rental business – even with a 9-5. You’ll learn: - Why automation is essential from day one - How to build a reliable cleaning & turnover team - How to use your salary to grow your portfol...

How do you build a holiday let business where 97% of bookings come direct? In this Host Planet Playbook feature – powered by Hospitable – Andy Easton from Beach Retreats shares the story behind one of the UK’s most successful holiday let brands. Managing 240 short-term rental properties in Cornwall, Beach Retreats has built a reputation for exceptional guest experiences and a powerful direct booki...

Regulation is coming to the UK short-term rental industry. But what does it actually mean for hosts and property managers? In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – James Varley is joined by Andy Fenner, Chief Executive of the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), to break down: - What UK short-term rental regulation will look like - Why statutory registration coul...