PMSs Compared | Sustainable Luxury VRs | Direct Bookings vs Marketing
Mirror, mirror on the wall…What PMS should I choose of all?
The competition’s on. Today’s contenders are Hostfully, OwnerRez, Bookster, and Lodgify. Who has the best features? Who offers the best prices?
Read in-depth reviews of the top property management systems in the short-term rental industry.
What’s inside each article?
- Who is it best for?
- Languages they support
- Pricing + Comparison
- Top features
- Channels and integrations
- Real reviews and tips from hosts
On Making Sustainable Luxury Vacation Rentals
Sustainability isn’t just a woke word; for people like Oliver Harper — Founder of Harper Luxe, it’s an entire philosophy. As the proud winner of the 2025 Greengage Solutions Sustainability Award, Oliver is adamant that “businesses must align with global climate goals.” Luxury short-term rentals are a great space to experiment and Oliver has tried and tested it all. Here are a couple of sustainability best practices he suggests:
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Try and accommodate the needs of eco-conscious tourists
Sustainable stays are gaining traction as environmental awareness increases. “There are many eco-conscious travellers out there now who will pay more to have sustainable experiences.“ He assures us. “Sustainability in luxury isn’t a compromise, it’s an upgrade.”
2. Let the old beauty shine, but don’t forget about EPCs
“All companies today and in the coming years will have to change and get a minimum of a C in their EPCs. Being in the industry, I could see what was happening, so we were ahead of the curve. A, B, and C are our benchmarks; anything over C. But unless you’ve got a specific grade now, trying to implement it at a later date is going to be very hard for so many companies.”
3. Salvage materials and source locally
“Again, like I say, sustainable,” Oliver insists. As he points out, reusing and salvaging furniture and materials helps “offset carbon”. We have also introduced a complementary “Pashley” cycle hire service for our guests to offset their carbon footprint.
“70% of all the furniture in our apartments is pre-loved. We also removed all the old chimney breasts that had old bricks and used those within the landscaping of the courtyard, as well as at the entrance.”
More ideas for making your short-term rental become more sustainable here.
Squatters occupy your Airbnb. What do You Do?
Airbnb squatting happens because in many US states, including California and New York, staying for over 30 days can classify someone as a tenant, rather than a short-term guest. A squatter may also be someone who breaks into a vacant property between bookings, puts up “No Trespassing” signs, and illegally stays there.
Can you detect squatters like that early on? Here are some signs of a potential squatter in Airbnb to watch out for:
- Asks for a longer stay. Staying over 28-30 days is a big red flag since prolonged stays may grant the guest the rights of a tenant. Airbnb is a place for short-term rentals.
- Has a suspicious profile. If you see someone’s profile and find it confusing, trust your gut. No reviews, an unverified account, or a lack of a profile picture increase the risks.
- Refuses to share basic information. Estimated arrival/departure, number of guests, and the purpose of stay should not be a secret. You may even request a passport copy for guest screening.
- Avoids signing an STR agreement. Airbnb doesn’t require guests to sign an agreement, but you can do it to protect yourself. If a potential guest refuses to accept the terms of stay in writing without a solid reason, don’t let them in.
- Wants to communicate outside the platform. Airbnb encourages users to stay within the platform to record every interaction. When someone insists on using another channel, it may be a potential squatter or fraudster.
- Payment issues. Declined cards or promises to pay later are strong warning signs. Make sure to charge the guest before they check in.
Learn some actionable advice on getting rid of squatters here.
Direct Bookings vs Direct Marketing: How Jeremy Leverages TikTok as a Return Guest Tool
Uncover the secrets behind Jeremy’s direct marketing approach, driving traffic through viral reels and social media engagement to attract the ideal guest avatar.
Or listen to the full episode here.
What’s New with the Truvi Platform?
A New Customer Billing Portal is here!
After months of planning, iterating, testing, and implementation, our new Customer Billing Portal is live. View and download past invoices, add or change your payment method, and see detailed reports on your services consumption. Click here to view a demo, or use the button below to go directly to your dashboard and access the portal.
Our latest product has gone live
Our team is excited to announce the release of Confident Stay. If you’ve been offering guests Checkin Hero, you’ll know they love a little extra peace of mind during their check-in process. Now they can choose to upgrade to protection that covers the full length of their booking.
The best part? It’s completely free for you to add to your guest journey, and it’s already live in your program flow!
No PMS? You can still connect to Airbnb
We can now connect you directly to Airbnb. Learn more and view our demo, or go straight to Settings > Integrations in your dashboard and scroll down to the Airbnb logo to start pulling through your bookings.
