Preparing Your Home for Short-Term Rentals: The Complete Guide

Whether you’re renting out your apartment for the first time or looking to improve your performance on Airbnb or Booking, the same rules apply. Clear standards. Nothing insurmountable.

Note: This article discusses what sets apart a forgettable rental from a highly rated one. It does not address the minimum legal requirements for classifying a property as furnished, a separate topic covered in our article on short-term rental regulations in Toulon.

What travelers really want

Travelers aren't looking for a hotel. If they wanted a hotel, they would have booked one.

They’re looking for a place that feels just like home—only better. Reliable Wi-Fi, a fully equipped kitchen, and comfortable bedding: these three elements come up in over 80% of negative reviews when they fall short. Everything else is secondary.

In Toulon, the mix of travelers is diverse: families passing through, business travelers, and tourists exploring the French Riviera. This fact shifts some priorities. Parking or easy access to public transportation is just as important as a nice terrace.

What they don't expect, but what makes all the difference: a clear welcome guide, genuine local recommendations (not a list copied from Google), and a place that smells clean the moment they walk in.

Essential equipment

Here are the non-negotiable requirements.

Kitchen

• Functional cooktops
• Microwave
• Coffee maker (filter or capsules—it doesn't matter; you don't need both)
• Oil, salt, pepper, sugar: travelers don't buy condiments for a three-night stay
• Sponge, dish soap, clean dish towels

Bathroom

• Shower gel and shampoo in single-use bottles or small sizes
• At least 2 towels per person
• Hair dryer. Always.

Bedroom and living room

• Pillows that are firm AND soft, if possible
• Washable mattress protector
• Blackout shades or blinds. A bright bedroom at 6 a.m. means one less star.
• USB ports within reach of the bed

Air conditioning: a must-have in Toulon

In July and August, temperatures in Toulon regularly exceed 38°C. A rental without air conditioning during peak season means restless nights, mixed reviews, and lost bookings to competing listings. Air conditioning isn’t just a nice-to-have here—it’s a must-have. A reversible system has the advantage of also covering the few cool evenings at the end of the season. Be sure to leave the operating instructions clearly displayed—the air conditioning remote control is the item travelers lose the fastest.

Convenience

• Wi-Fi with a wired connection (internet router): A French traveler can activate their hotspot at no extra cost. This is not the case for a German couple, a Japanese family, or an American business traveler: data roaming charges can be prohibitively expensive depending on their carrier and country of origin. A fixed internet modem is the only guarantee of universal, stable access without any unpleasant surprises. The password must be clearly displayed at the entrance.
• Iron and ironing board
• Washing machine (or directions to the nearest laundromat)
• First aid kit

A rental property without these features can still be rented out. But it will rent for less, be rented out less often, and receive less favorable reviews.

The presentation: what you can no longer see, they can

You know your home like the back of your hand. That’s exactly the problem.

Your eyes get used to it. That faucet that’s been dripping for six months, that stubborn shutter, that slightly tarnished mirror in the entryway—you don’t even notice them anymore. A traveler, on the other hand, notices them within the first ten minutes and mentions them in their review.

Before posting your listing, have someone who isn't familiar with your apartment inspect it. Ideally, someone with high standards.

Photos are worth the investment. A professional photographer charges between €80 and €200 for a standard apartment. Over the course of a season in Toulon, this cost pays for itself in just one or two extra nights generated by photos that attract bookings. Natural light, tidy rooms, and no distorting "fisheye" effect: that’s all you need.

The listing description should address potential questions before they’re even asked. Parking, whether pets are allowed, noise policies, and accessibility for people with disabilities, if applicable. The less ambiguity there is, the fewer unpleasant surprises there will be.

Mistakes That Cost Stars

Don't clutter the space. An apartment filled with knick-knacks, family photos, and antique furniture might be charming to live in. But in a short-term listing, it becomes visual clutter. Travelers want to picture themselves there, not navigate through your memories. Declutter.

Neglecting cleaning details. A clean kitchen with a black shower seal is a 3-star rating. The areas people notice: the sofa (odors), bathroom tiles, the inside of the microwave, and door handles. A rigorous cleaning protocol between each stay is not optional.

Leaving personal belongings behind. A "off-limits" closet or a locked cupboard immediately creates tension. If the entire property cannot be made available, short-term rentals are not suitable.

Setting a price at random. Many owners base their rates on their neighbors’ prices or aim for a round number. Dynamic pricing, which adjusts rates based on the season, local events, and real-time demand, can increase annual revenue by 20 to 40%. In Toulon, the differences between the low and high seasons are significant: a fixed rate leaves money on the table in July and discourages bookings in November.

Forget the welcome guide. Wi-Fi password, trash (collection days, recycling), heating, water heater, intercom: if guests have to send you a message for every basic question, you waste time—and so do they.

Do you have to handle everything yourself?

The answer depends on the time available, not on one's beliefs.

Properly managing a short-term rental takes between 5 and 10 hours a week during the high season: communication, cleaning, handing over keys, managing reviews, and adjusting rates. Some owners find this manageable. Others are exhausted after just one summer.

A property management service handles all of these tasks in exchange for a commission based on the revenue generated. The result: you can rent out your property with peace of mind, often achieving better results than if you managed it on your own, because the service provides professional and consistent oversight.

At Loca'Zen, we manage properties in Toulon and the surrounding area. From posting listings and optimizing rates to welcoming guests, cleaning, providing linens, and managing reviews—we take care of everything. Our goal isn’t just to rent out your property; it’s to ensure it performs well.

Where should I start?

Use this checklist to review your listing before posting anything:

• Complete kitchen equipment
• Bathroom: towels, hair dryer, toiletries
• High-quality bedding with a mattress protector
• Blackout shades or blinds in the bedroom
• Air conditioning in working order
• Fixed-line internet box, password displayed
• A home free of personal belongings
• Housekeeping protocol established
• Welcome guide
• Professional photos
• Seasonal pricing

A well-prepared rental property rents out more easily, receives better reviews, and commands a higher rent. The upfront effort pays off within the first few weeks.

Do you own a property in Toulon and want to rent it out on a short-term basis? Contact Loca'Zen for a free assessment of your property and an estimate of your potential income.