Download the Short-Term Rental Amenity Checklist here.
Most short-term rental hosts have asked themselves the same question at some point: should I add a hot tub? Is a pool worth it? What about an EV charger or a fire pit?
The honest answer is it depends. But the good news is you do not have to guess. There is real data on this, and the hosts who use it make significantly better investment decisions than the ones who go on gut feel.
This article breaks down the exact framework for evaluating any amenity before you spend anything.
Start With AirDNA, Not Your Instincts
The first step is to compare similar listings in your market: ones that have the amenity you are considering versus ones that do not. AirDNA makes this straightforward for most common features. Filter by amenity type, look at the average annual revenue for each group, and note the gap.
Pay close attention to sample size. If AirDNA is drawing from three listings, the number is not reliable. If it is drawing from three thousand, you can put real weight on it.
For less common amenities that are not directly filterable in AirDNA — an ice bath is a good example — go manual. Search Airbnb in your market and filter by the amenity if the platform allows it, or scroll listings and look for ones that specifically mention it in the title or description. Once you have a handful, plug each one into AirDNA individually and note their annual revenue. Then pull a comparable set of listings without the amenity and do the same. The gap you find is your data point.
The comparison is only as good as the data behind it. Always check both the revenue gap and the sample size before drawing conclusions.
The ROI Math Most Hosts Skip
Once you know the revenue lift, you have to set it against the actual cost of adding the amenity. This is the step that separates good decisions from expensive mistakes.
A real scenario: a pool increases revenue by 25% in your market. That is $8,000 more per year. The pool costs $80,000 to install. Your payback period, before maintenance, repairs, and insurance, is ten years. Depending on your timeline and goals, that may or may not make sense.
One factor many hosts overlook is that physical amenities like pools, spas, and built decks also increase what the property is worth at resale. The amenity pays twice, through bookings and through asset value. For high-cost improvements, that second return belongs in your calculation.
Also worth building into your numbers: construction timelines. If the work takes two or three weeks, you may need to block your calendar during that period, which means lost bookings. Factor that lost revenue into your payback calculation, especially if the work is happening during a high-demand season.
Run the numbers before you commit, not after.
Photo Value Is Real and Often Underestimated
Not every amenity produces a clean revenue lift in a data comparison. That does not automatically make it a bad investment.
Fire pits are the clearest example. The revenue data linking fire pits to measurable booking increases is not always conclusive. But a well-staged fire pit makes for great listing photos. Better photos drive more clicks. More clicks lead to more bookings. The connection is real, even when you cannot draw a straight line in a spreadsheet.
For lower-cost additions like fire pits, quality outdoor furniture, string lights, and hammocks, photo value is worth factoring into the decision.
Differentiator vs. Baseline: Context Changes Everything
What makes you stand out in one market is the bare minimum in another.
Orlando is the clearest example. The vast majority of short-term rentals there have pools. If your listing does not have one, guests filtering for a pool will never see your property. In that market, a pool is not a differentiator. It is the entry fee. Adding one puts you in the search results. It does not give you an edge.
Contrast that with a mountain market where pools are rare. If you have one, your listing stands out, guests notice, and you can price accordingly. Same amenity. Completely different competitive position.
The question to ask before any investment: is this feature a differentiator in your specific market, or is it already the floor?
A Framework for Every Future Decision
The easiest way to think about amenities is in three tiers.
Tier 1 covers high-cost physical additions: pools, spas, game rooms. These need a clear ROI case backed by data, and ideally they should contribute to property value on top of revenue.
Tier 2 covers mid-cost amenities: EV chargers, saunas, ice baths. These are often worth evaluating in markets where they are not yet common. The data usually supports them when they are still a relative differentiator.
Tier 3 covers lower-cost additions: fire pits, quality outdoor furniture, welcome kits, smart locks, good lighting. These often pencil out quickly and also improve the visual appeal of your listing.
One more category worth noting: the amenities you simply cannot add. Oceanfront access, ski-in/ski-out, direct lake frontage. These come with the property or they do not. This is part of why acquisition decisions matter. Natural location advantages are permanent differentiators that never need maintenance.
For everything else, run the numbers first. One AirDNA comparison and a back-of-the-envelope ROI calculation before you spend can save you from an amenity that looks great on paper but does not move the needle in your actual market.
Want help setting up your STR for long-term performance? The team at Corzly manages properties across multiple markets and helps operators build the systems that drive results. Reach out here.
This article was inspired by THIS EPISODE of the Short-Term Rental Richest podcast.