After nearly 10 years of renting our lake house, we’ve learned that repairs rarely happen at a convenient time. From broken appliances and emergency service calls to a major exterior renovation, here’s how we handle repairs when guests are staying or already booked—while keeping communication and the guest experience at the centre of it.

Can a family lake house really work as both a cherished family retreat and a successful Airbnb? After nearly ten years of welcoming guests into the place we love most, I've learned that operating a vacation rental isn't about creating a perfect property—it's about creating a home people genuinely love spending time in.

Listing our lake house on both Airbnb and Vrbo has given us more visibility, more booking opportunities, and a better sense of which platform performs best for our property. Here’s my honest experience managing both platforms, avoiding double bookings and why I’d still choose to be on both.

When people think about what makes an Airbnb special, they usually think about decor, amenities, or location. But for us, the one thing that matters most happens behind the scenes — and it has shaped the guest experience at our lake house more than almost anything else.

Practical lessons learned from hosting a short-term rental for nearly a decade, including how to prepare an Airbnb and/or VRBO guests love — from cleanliness and communication to thoughtful design details and everyday essentials that elevate the experience.