Apartment listing description: how to write text that brings bookings

What a guest is really looking for in a description

Guests rarely read a listing from beginning to end. They skim the text looking for a few answers: whether the accommodation fits the number of people, whether it is close to what they are coming for, whether there is parking, air conditioning and internet, and what the house rules are. If they find those answers quickly, they move on to booking. If they have to search or ask, they often open the next listing.

That is why a good description is not a piece of literature but neatly arranged information. The tone can be warm, but every sentence should say something.

Title: short, accurate and with the location

The title should say what the accommodation is and where it is. The type of accommodation, the number of rooms or the capacity, and one real advantage are enough: for example, "Two-bedroom apartment with a terrace, five minutes' walk from the Old Town". Avoid words that prove nothing, such as "perfect" or "the best", and don't write in capitals. The advantage in the title must be one the guest really gets.

First paragraph: the most important things first

Almost every guest sees the first two or three sentences, so put the deciding facts in them: how many people the accommodation sleeps, how many rooms and beds it has, where it is and what sets it apart. Leave the details for later. A good rule is that after the first paragraph a guest knows whether the accommodation is for them, even if they read nothing more.

Space and amenities: specifics instead of adjectives

"Spacious and comfortable" means nothing until the guest sees what is inside. Instead of adjectives, list facts:

• the layout of the rooms and the type of bed in each one (double, two singles, sofa bed);
• the kitchen and what is in it: cooker, fridge, coffee machine, tableware;
• the bathroom, towels and basic toiletries;
• air conditioning, heating, internet, TV, washing machine;
• a terrace, a yard, a lift and the floor;
• parking: whether there is any, whether it is free, and whether it is in the yard or on the street.

Also mention what isn't there, if a guest might expect it — for example, that the building has no lift. A guest who isn't surprised rarely leaves a bad review.

Location: distances you have checked yourself

Guests want to know how long it takes to get to the centre, a shop, the bus station or the place they are coming for. Give distances in minutes on foot or by car — ones you have covered yourself, not estimates. If the street is quiet, say so; if there is a café or a busy junction nearby, it is better for the guest to know in advance than to discover it on the first evening.

House rules and arrival

Check-in and check-out times, the rules on smoking, pets and quiet hours, and how to collect the key belong in the description, not in the first message after a booking. Clear rules protect both you and the guest: those who don't agree with them won't book, and those who do know what to expect.

Several languages

In Trebinje, for example, about three quarters of registered overnight stays are by foreign guests, most of them from Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro. A description in English is therefore the basis, and it is worth having it in the languages of the guests who come to you most often. Make the translation accurate and checked: wrongly translated rules or amenities do more harm than a description in just one language.

Common mistakes

• A description that promises more than the space offers.
• Out-of-date information: amenities that no longer exist or a parking price that has changed.
• Different details on different platforms.
• Long, unstructured paragraphs in which important information gets lost.
• Spelling mistakes, which make a listing look less serious.

The description and photos should be the same on every channel where the accommodation is listed. We have also covered what consistent presentation looks like, and why the first photo decides the first click, in our guide to short-term rentals in BiH.

In short

• Title: the type of accommodation, the location and one real advantage.
• First paragraph: capacity, rooms, location and what sets the accommodation apart.
• Amenities and space listed specifically, including what isn't there.
• Distances you have checked yourself.
• Clear rules and arrival instructions.
• An accurate translation and the same details on every platform.

If you'd like to hand the presentation over to someone else, TrebiGroup provides professional presentation in Trebinje: photos, descriptions in several languages and accurate information about the amenities and location, consistently across every channel. You can also list your accommodation on our platforms. List your apartment — we get back to you personally, and registering commits you to nothing.