7 Hacks for Airbnb with No Kitchen
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Beginners in the Airbnb hosting space ask, “Can I host with no kitchen facilities?” and “Is investing in an Airbnb kitchenette worth it?” While a good kitchen with the essentials is a plus for your hosting reputation, hosting guests without a dedicated kitchen can still work.
Not all guests care for cooking and food preparation space, especially if they stay over for a short period or there are affordable food and beverage joints near your house. However, if you want to provide a kitchen experience to your guests without the headache of building a kitchen or letting them into your central kitchen. Below are seven hacks for an Airbnb with no kitchen.
1. Invest in Small Kitchen Appliances and Equipment
If your rental property does not have a dedicated kitchen for the guests, it is likely is ideal for small groups such as couples, two to three friends, or individuals on a solo trip. You can give your guests a similar experience for most essential purposes of a kitchen, such as coffee and tea making, blending some fruits, frying an egg, etc. A guest will rarely need to bake a cake or cook a turkey in an Airbnb.
Some must-have kitchen appliances to give your guests a home-kitchen feel include a coffee maker, electric kettle, blender, french press, small microwave, toaster, mini-fridge, tabletop double burner hot plate, small pots, and a pan. For instance, you can buy this Ovente double burner that heats up in seconds, easily regulates the temperature, and is easy to clean.
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Additionally, invest in classic utensils that are hard to break, such as spatulas, spoons, whisks, serving spoons, knives, cutting boards, and bowls.
2. Play with Architectural Designs to Maximize Space
With the proper planning and design, you can convert any limited space into a kitchenette with the essential food preparation and cooking items. Whether it’s a space between the bedroom and the living room or a corridor from the main entrance to the living room, play with several design ideas to creatively fit a kitchenette in the space.
You can choose slim cabinets, bar sinks, hanging shelves, hooks, and other minimalist kitchen equipment to make your kitchenette look well-furnished. For instance, you may couple this iAnomla bar sink with this simple faucet from ESOW for a minimalist yet useful function in food preparation. The bar sink acts as a worktop and a drop-in sink. How cool is that?
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3. Skip the Bulky Cabinets for Shelves and Rails
The length of a guest’s stay dictates the supplies they need. Guests who plan to stay longer in a rental will probably choose one with a real kitchen because eating out or minimalist food preparation might not work for them.
On the contrary, a guest looking for a short-term rental may not need a kitchen, or if they do, it’s for simple meal preparations. The utensils, seasoning, and ingredients they need can fit on a shelf above the bar sink. Another option is hanging hooked utensils on a rail, like this Wallniture Gourmet kitchen rail with ten hooks to hold your pans, whisks, spoons, mugs, pots, etc.
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4. Let the Kitchenette Blend in with the Room
Compact spaces don’t have to look messy. With the right arrangement and choice of decor, you can create an attractive kitchenette that will make food and snack preparation seamless for guests. The choice of paint, wall hangings, cabinet designs, shelves, and equipment will depend on the rest of the room.
For instance, choose cabinets and other appliances with related color schemes. A stainless steel electric kettle or coffee maker will blend with a beige cabinet or worktop, giving the kitchen area a harmonious and less-crowded look. This Cuisinart coffee maker is compact, blends well with most kitchenette color schemes, and has a four-cup capacity.
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5. Utilize Every Inch of Space
You can create a self-sustaining kitchenette with all necessary supplies, even in the smallest spaces. The secret lies in using every available space to fit the functionality of the food preparation area. Whether placing a mini-fridge under a bar sink or inserting a cornered work table in the limited space behind a door, you can find a good use for any space in your small Airbnb.
Utilizing small spaces demands small appliances because the standard ones may not fit. For instance, this microwave from Comfee is compact to fit on a small tabletop. It is stylish with a bright digital display that is easy to use.
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6. Personalize the Kitchenette
If you want your kitchenette to look appealing, make the food preparation and cooking space friendly. A guest may not mind the compactness of an area if it makes them feel warm, relaxed, or inspired. Rustic board art, beautiful antique utensils, and handmade floor mats help to personalize the area.
Be creative by mixing and matching designs of some of the best kitchenettes in other Airbnbs and your personal preference. For instance, you can integrate humor and kitchen rules to tell your guests what is expected of them using wooden decor with humorous text like this funny canvas print from Pinetree Art.
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7. Take Inspiration From Other Small Space Kitchenettes
As a beginner host, you will learn a lot from other super hosts on designing and utilizing spaces in your rental. Explore some of the top-rated kitchenette designs on Airbnb and look at the equipment, color schemes, decor, and other architectural aspects.
This tiny kitchenette is an excellent example of how minimalist strategies can give your guests a luxurious kitchen experience from a small kitchenette. Notice how the super host has used overhead shelves to store kitchen essentials like ingredients, spices, and utensils. You can achieve the same look with these Lehom floating shelves.
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Bottom Line
Most Airbnb guests appreciate a dedicated food preparation and cooking area. If you don’t have a kitchen or don’t want guests to share your central kitchen, you can create a kitchenette in your rental space. The above hacks will help you create a befitting kitchenette for your guests.
About the Author Rachel Jones
Rachel Jones is an award-winning writer and editor from Oklahoma City, OK. Her work has been published on influential sites, including Entrepreneur and International Business Times. She spent several years in property management and leasing, handling short-term rentals, student housing, and community rentals. Rachel is also experienced in staging and real estate photography. With a B.A. in English in her back pocket, Rachel combines her passion for property management with her storytelling ability to offer Airbnb hosts helpful advice as they monetize their homes.