This checklist works in any country. Rules differ by city and region, so step 1 always means asking your local authority. In India, read our India-specific guide.
1. Check the rules where you are
- Permission to let rooms: a licence, registration or tourism scheme, and any limit on rooms or nights per year.
- Tax: whether you charge VAT, GST or a tourist tax, and how you report rental income.
- Guest registration: many countries require guests to be recorded or reported to the police, often within 24 hours. See guest registration by country.
- Insurance and safety: fire safety, smoke alarms and cover for guests.
2. Decide what you're selling
Rooms in your home, a whole house, or both? If guests can book the whole place or single rooms, plan for that from the start: one whole-house booking must close every room, and any room booking must close the whole house. Write down who your guests are (families, couples, backpackers, business travellers) and what they need.
3. Get the rooms ready
Clean bedding, good lighting, hot water, fast Wi-Fi, a lock for each room, and a short welcome note. Photograph each room in daylight; photos sell rooms more than descriptions do.
4. Write your house rules and policies
Check-in and check-out times, smoking, pets, visitors, quiet hours, the deposit or advance, and cancellation. Copy and adapt our house rules and cancellation policy templates.
5. Set your prices
Start from what similar places nearby charge for the same dates, then set seasons, weekend prices and a minimum stay for busy periods. Read how to price your rooms.
6. List on two or three booking sites
Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda and Vrbo each bring different guests. Fees differ: see Airbnb vs Booking.com fees. Start with two, learn how each extranet works, then add more.
7. Keep every booking on one calendar from day one
The first double booking usually happens in the first busy month, when a phone booking and a booking-site reservation land on the same night. Connect each site to one calendar with calendar sync and lock each room night by night. See how to avoid double bookings.
8. Make it easy to book you directly
A Google Business Profile, a WhatsApp number, an Instagram page and a booking page with live prices let past guests and locals book without commission. See how to get more direct bookings.
9. Plan check-in, cleaning and payments
Who meets guests, checks ID and hands over keys? Who cleans between stays, and how do they know which rooms to do? How do guests pay the advance and the balance? Write each step down so anyone on your team can follow it, in a language they read.
10. Track your numbers
Occupancy, average room rate and revenue per available room tell you whether prices are right. See occupancy, ADR and RevPAR.
Your opening-week checklist
- Licence or registration done, and tax set up
- Rooms photographed, house rules and cancellation policy written
- Prices and seasons set
- Listed on two booking sites, both synced to one calendar
- Google Business Profile, WhatsApp and booking page live
- Check-in, ID and cleaning routine written down
Questions people ask
What do I need to start a guesthouse?
Permission under your local rules, rooms ready for guests, house rules and a cancellation policy, prices by season, listings on booking sites, a way to take direct bookings, and one calendar to keep every booking in order.
How many rooms do I need to start a homestay?
Many homestays start with one to three rooms. Some regions cap homestays at a number of rooms or beds, so check your local scheme.
Should I list on Airbnb or Booking.com first?
It depends on your guests: Airbnb suits whole homes and longer stays, Booking.com and Agoda suit rooms and international travellers. Many hosts use two sites from the start.
Do I need software for a small guesthouse?
Not on day one, but a shared calendar saves you from double bookings as soon as bookings come from more than one place. InnRow is free for up to 2 rooms.