What does an Airbnb virtual assistant do? Full task list

"Virtual assistant" can mean almost anything, which makes it hard to know what you are actually getting. For short-term rental hosts and property managers, a good Airbnb virtual assistant covers a fairly specific set of jobs. Here is the full list, grouped by where they fit in a guest's stay, so you can decide what to hand over.

Before the booking

• Answering enquiries. Questions about availability, the property, parking, pets, accessibility and the local area, answered quickly, because response speed affects whether a guest books.
• Pre-approvals and special offers. Following your rules on who to pre-approve and when to offer a discount.
• Listing upkeep. Updating descriptions, photo order, house rules and amenities when something changes.

After the booking

• Confirmation messages. A warm, clear confirmation with what happens next.
• Collecting guest details. Arrival times, number of guests and any information your local regulations or house rules require.
• Upsells and requests. Early check-in, late check-out, cots, airport transfers or other extras you offer.

Before arrival

• Check-in instructions. Directions, access codes, parking and Wi-Fi sent at the right moment, not weeks early and not too late.
• Turnover scheduling. Making sure the clean is booked, confirmed and finished before the guest arrives.
• Supply checks. Flagging low stock of essentials reported by cleaners.

During the stay

• Mid-stay questions. How the heating works, where the spare towels are, the best place for breakfast nearby.
• Issue handling. Lockouts, broken appliances, noise complaints and neighbour concerns, troubleshooting remotely first and dispatching your local contacts when needed.
• Escalations. Passing anything outside the agreed rules to you with a clear summary, so you can decide quickly.

After check-out

• Departure reminders. Check-out time and what to do with keys, bins and dishes.
• Review requests. A short, friendly message asking for a review.
• Review responses. Thoughtful public replies, including the difficult ones.
• Damage and lost-property follow-up. Gathering photos from cleaners and handling the guest conversation.

Behind the scenes

• Calendar management. Blocking dates, checking sync between platforms and avoiding double bookings.
• Pricing tool updates. Adjusting minimum stays or rates in your pricing tool according to your strategy.
• Admin and reporting. Expense tracking, invoices, owner updates and simple performance reports for property managers.
• Supplier coordination. Following up with cleaners, maintenance teams and suppliers until jobs are closed.

What an assistant should not do without you

A good assistant knows their limits. Agree in advance who decides on refunds, damage claims, changes to pricing strategy, and anything involving safety or the law. These should always be escalated to you or your local team.

One person or a team?

All of the tasks above can be done by one capable assistant if you have a few listings and predictable hours. Once guests are messaging around the clock, or you manage more than a handful of properties, it usually makes sense to have a small team working in shifts with someone checking quality.

Want this handled for you?

Vero Global Solutions provides Airbnb virtual assistants and property management support as a dedicated, in-house team, covering your time zone 7 days a week. Our team has supported a portfolio of 120+ luxury properties and more than 8,500 guests to date. Tell us which tasks you want covered and we will build your team around them.