The Journal

Field-tested notes on hosting well: what moves ratings, what moves revenue, and the small touches guests remember. Written from two homes Jillian hosts herself.

A custom-built library wall holding more than 1,000 books, with a leather sofa in front

Airbnb5 min read

How to Earn Airbnb's Guest Favorite Badge (and Keep It)

What the Airbnb Guest Favorite badge really measures, the published criteria, and the six habits that earned it for a Massachusetts luxury home.

A dark-wood chalet at dusk with glowing windows and a lit fire pit in front

Airbnb5 min read

Airbnb Co-Host vs Property Manager: An Honest Comparison

Airbnb co-host, property manager, or do it yourself? A fair look at all three, how Airbnb's Co-Host Network works, and questions to ask before you hire.

Two cups of coffee on a deck table at sunrise

Airbnb5 min read

Airbnb Response Time: Why I Keep a One-Hour Rule

How Airbnb response rate and response time really work, what they affect, and the simple system of saved replies, alerts and coverage behind fast answers.

A large house at twilight seen from the garden patio, with its windows glowing

Airbnb5 min read

Airbnb Rating: Why 4.9 Is the Real Line for Revenue

On Airbnb, more than 4 in 5 reviews are five stars. What that means for your Airbnb rating, your revenue, and how to answer a tough review with grace.

A dark-wood villa under a pink twilight sky

Airbnb5 min read

Airbnb Listing Description: How to Write One That Books

A PR-trained approach to your Airbnb listing description, title, first five photos and captions, with Airbnb's own guidance and real examples.

The Southborough house at twilight seen from the garden patio, with its windows glowing

Revenue5 min read

Dynamic Pricing for Short-Term Rentals: Tools Plus Judgment

A hands-on short-term rental pricing strategy: what dynamic pricing tools do well, what the data says, and where local human judgment adds the most.

The executive workspace in the Southborough home, with two desks

Revenue5 min read

Short-Term Rental Metrics That Matter (and How to Read Them)

The short-term rental metrics worth tracking: occupancy rate, ADR, RevPAR, lead time, conversion, reviews and repeat guests, read together.

Aerial view of Villa Foresta tucked into the forest

Revenue5 min read

Beyond Airbnb: Listing on Vrbo, Booking.com and Direct

Why list on Vrbo and Airbnb, add Booking.com and a direct booking website, and how a channel manager like Lodgify keeps calendars free of double bookings.

A hand holding a Villa Foresta branded mug with a green orchard in the background

Revenue5 min read

Low-Cost Vacation Rental Upgrades Guests Remember

Vacation rental upgrades that cost little and mean a lot: how to choose Airbnb amenities guests remember, with real examples from two homes I manage.

The Southborough patio at dusk, lit by string lights and lanterns

Revenue5 min read

How to Fill Midweek and Off-Season Nights in Your Rental

Practical ways to increase occupancy in a vacation rental during the Airbnb off season: retreats, day events, remote-work stays and seasonal storytelling.

Lush landscaped garden beside the Southborough house

Hospitality5 min read

Omotenashi: Japanese Hospitality for Short-Term Rentals

What omotenashi, the Japanese art of wholehearted hospitality, can teach Airbnb hosts about anticipating guests and designing a memorable stay.

Coffee and tea station set up under a window at Villa Foresta

Hospitality5 min read

The Airbnb House Manual Guests Actually Want to Read

How to write an Airbnb house manual that explains your home and shows guests how to enjoy it: structure, tone, digital vs printed, and bilingual tips.

Welcome board with local charcuterie, a baguette and wine glasses beside a Villa Foresta sign and plants

Hospitality5 min read

Airbnb Guest Communication: Before, During and After

An Airbnb guest communication plan for every stage of the stay: what to send before arrival, during the visit and after checkout, and why it matters.

Warm wood chef's kitchen in Southborough with a pull-out spice rack

Hospitality5 min read

Airbnb Hosting Tips: The Spice Rack Theory of Detail

Airbnb hosting tips on attention to detail: why small touches add up to 5-star stays, plus a room-by-room walk-through audit you can run this week.

Glass plant conservatory in Southborough with boulders and hanging plants

Hospitality5 min read

Wellness Retreat Rental: Designing a Home for Serenity

How to turn a vacation home into a wellness retreat rental: six design moves for serenity, the market data behind wellness travel, and honest marketing.

Handmade octagonal dining table under a chandelier in the Southborough home

Hospitality5 min read

Hosting Large Groups in a Whole-Home Rental: A Playbook

How to set up a whole-home rental for large groups of 12 to 14: sleeping plans, one big table, a crowd-ready kitchen and rooms for every mood.

Fluffy dog running through the meadow at sunset with Villa Foresta and the mountain behind

Hospitality5 min read

Dog-Friendly Luxury Vacation Rental: Welcoming Pets Well

How to run a dog friendly vacation rental without sacrificing a luxury home: the welcome, the rules, pet fees, protection and what the demand data says.

Villa Foresta at dusk with the fire pit lit and warm light glowing in the windows

Marketing5 min read

Airbnb Photography Tips: Twilight, Emotion and the First Five

Airbnb photography tips that sell the feeling: twilight exteriors, night skies, cozy moments, a shot list and what the research says about pro photos.

Aerial view of Villa Foresta tucked into the forest

Marketing5 min read

Vacation Rental Video Marketing: Short Videos That Book

Vacation rental video marketing from a former on-camera brand ambassador: the hook, one feeling per video, where to post and how to measure honestly.

Picnic backpack on the grass at Lac Lyster with the mountain across the water

Marketing5 min read

Signature Experiences: Make Your Vacation Rental Unforgettable

Unique Airbnb experiences start with the property itself. A six-step method for finding your vacation rental's signature experiences, with examples.

A dark-wood villa at the end of a gravel drive, surrounded by trees in fall colours

Local guides5 min read

Airbnb Hosting in the Eastern Townships: An Owner's Guide

An owner's guide to Airbnb hosting in the Eastern Townships: CITQ registration, municipal zoning, the lodging tax and what four-season guests want.

A picnic backpack on the grass at Lac Lyster, with a mountain across the water

Local guides5 min read

Short-Term Rental in Coaticook and Lac Lyster: A Host's Guide

Hosting a short-term rental near Coaticook and Lac Lyster: the gorge, Foresta Lumina, Mont Pinacle, ice cream and cheese, and how to position a chalet.

Morning mist over a meadow, seen from the deck of a country villa

Local guides5 min read

Airbnb Co-Host in Greater Montréal: Rules and Real Options

Looking for an Airbnb co-host in Greater Montréal? Here are the city's short-term rental rules, CITQ registration, and where a co-host helps the most.

The exterior of a large Massachusetts home in daylight, framed by trees

Local guides5 min read

Airbnb Property Management in Greater Boston: Owner's Guide

Airbnb property management in Greater Boston: state registration and room occupancy excise, Boston's ordinance, town-by-town rules and what drives demand.

Sunset over a reservoir in Southborough, seen through the trees

Local guides5 min read

Short-Term Rental in MetroWest, Massachusetts: A Host's Guide

Hosting a short-term rental in MetroWest: marathon weekend in Hopkinton, the I-495 and Route 9 corridor, state parks, group stays and local bylaws.