Airbnb Games: Which Games Should You Have In Your Rental?

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If you are an Airbnb host like me, I am sure you are always thinking about ways to upgrade your Airbnb guest experience! So, today, I want to talk about one short-term rental extra that is often either overlooked or done wrong – Airbnb games!

Like in most of my Airbnb posts, I am here to share with you a little extra perspective to help you make the best decisions and invest your money wisely. I am a regular Mom and owner of four condos that I rent on Airbnb. And I self-manage our rentals. Over the last 5 years, I have earned a 4.98 overall rating from thousands of guests. I want to help you achieve the same!

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Airbnb Games

Whether you own a cozy cabin or a sunny beachfront retreat, you’ll always have guests who spend a lot of time inside. Maybe the weather isn’t cooperating, or perhaps they just want to relax and enjoy each other’s company, but regardless, it’s nice to have some indoor activities available to them.

So, what types of activities can you provide for them?

Should You Have Games In Your Airbnb?

Absolutely! You don’t have to go overboard, but including a few games and even a gaming console can go a long way. But you have to do it right. Because the only thing worse than no games, is a guest getting out a game and not being able to play it. Maybe it’s missing key pieces, maybe it’s damaged, but it opens up a pain point that you can easily avoid. The best Airbnb is an Airbnb with games that work!

What To Look For In Airbnb Games

Basically, you want to look for games that are easy to keep clean and that you can still play with some missing pieces. For example, Monopoly is a terrible game to include in a rental property. As soon as some of the location cards go missing, you can’t properly play the game without having to rely on Google to see property values. This is true of most board games and why I don’t recommend many board games for Airbnb rentals.

On the other hand, something like Jenga is a great option. If some of the pieces walk away, it’s no big deal! Do you see what I am getting at?

In this Airbnb games blog post, I will primarily discuss games for grade school kids and families. However, if your rental is for young children, you should also include some books (themed to your rental) and some easy toddler puzzles.

READ: How To Create A Baby-Friendly Airbnb

Top Airbnb Games For Your Rental

Here are some Airbnb games and a few activities that are worth buying for your short-term rental!

#1 Catchphrase

Catchphrase is what I consider one of the best games for Airbnb rentals because there is literally one piece! Plus, it’s inexpensive and fun for all ages.

#2 Apples To Apples

Apples to Apples is great because there are so many cards, and they don’t depend on one another like a regular deck of playing cards or a game like Uno. Plus, most people are familiar with how to play this game!

#3 Magformers / Magnatiles

These aren’t technically a game, but my guests constantly thank me for having these magnetic building blocks in our one-bedroom condo on 30A. Either brand is fine, but just pick one and stick with it. In my opinion, the Picasso Tiles are going to be the best value!

Here are a few great starter sets:

#4 Jenga

You can buy the regular Jenga for tabletop play or a fun oversized Jenga set for outdoor use or inside a game room!

#5 Pictionary

Pictionary is a great game for all ages and perfect for rainy-day family fun! Just make sure to replace the drawing paper and have fresh pencils on hand for your guests to use! They sell a version that has them, but you can also get a set of whiteboards and a dry-erase marker.

#6 Guess Who?

It’s always a classic! Guess Who allows two players to take turns guessing traits until they figure out which character the other person has. And if some of the main character cards walk away, it’s not a big deal!

#7 Charades

If you have a lot of open space, consider buying a Charades game for your Airbnb. Plus, it’s a great way to keep the kids active and excited on rainy days!

#8 Bop It

Just like Catch Phrase, Bop It is a single-piece electronic game that all ages can play!

#9 Rubix Cube

Even if you choose not to have a lot of games on hand, a Rubix Cube is a fun little extra. They are basically indestructible and easy to clean between guests.

#10 Super Nintendo Classic Edition

Ok, another item that’s not technically a game. But we have this little Super Nintendo Retro Console at home, and it’s really fun! What I like about this is that the games are included in it, and it doesn’t rely on streaming, unique accounts, and other bells and whistles.

I just have one quick note. If you don’t plan on always having it hooked up, make sure it’s in a room or near a TV where it’s easy for guests to plug it in via the HDMI cable. For example, if you have a small space with a TV mounted flush against the wall, it may be difficult and risky to try to access the inputs.

#11 Connect Four

I think Connect Four is a great option, but if too many pieces go missing, you may have to replace them. However, unlike some other games, it’s not dependent on each piece.

#12 Lincoln Logs

A tin of Lincoln Logs is always a good idea, especially in a cabin-like setting! These are fun for almost all ages and easy to clean up and store.

#13 Tic Tac Toe

I love using an upscale-themed Tic-Tac-Toe game as a statement piece in my rentals. Here, you can see that it is coastal-themed and goes along with our decor! I think this is a great upscale farmhouse Tic Tac Toe game that would be great for rentals!

Click here to browse upscale Tic-Tac-Toe games!

What About The Other Games?

So, what about checkers, chess, and all of the favorites? Well, they are great games, just not for rental properties! If a piece goes missing, which it will, then your guests can no longer play the game. And, as I mentioned above, that’s usually when they are setting it up and excited to play. This opens you up to a negative paint point. In that case, you would have been better off not providing those games! Does that make sense?

The same line of thought applies to Scrabble, Uno, and other probably not-so-good Airbnb board games.

I didn’t include regular playing cards because I do have a love-hate relationship with them. They are nice to include, but often, one missing card ruins the whole deck. And for some reason, people never put these back into the box nicely. Most of the time when I am at our places, I open my TV console to find them just thrown in there loosely.

Click here to view my list of Airbnb games!

And if you have any game recommendations that you think are great for Airbnbs, leave me a comment on this blog post. I will add them!

Tips For Managing The Games At Your Airbnb

Maintaining your Airbnb games requires a little extra effort. Many times, if pieces are missing or lost, guests will put them back and hope you don’t notice. Your cleaners can’t possibly inventory game pieces on every turn. So, you will need to get your games out and make sure they are good to know each time to visit. Wipe them down and discard any trash (scratch paper). If they are missing pieces, you’ll likely just need to replace them.

Likewise, I actually do not recommend advertising specific games in your listing because you would hate to upset someone expecting to play Pictionary only to find it missing. Just have a nice assortment and replace them as needed.

Additionally, if you have battery-operated games, keep a small zip-lock bag of replacement batteries somewhere safe. I keep mine in the cabinet above the refrigerator so that they are only accessible when needed.

More Tips For Airbnb Hosts

Airbnb hosting is a lot of work, but it is such a unique way to make money! If you are looking to maximize your profits, and steamline workflows, you landed in the right place! Here at Our Little Lifestyle, I have countless informative blog posts about Airbnb hosting.

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