How Host Dustin DeVincentis Created His Dream Airbnb Rental

The cozy living room with stunning views off of the back deck. Photo: Catskill Mountain House.

Set on five secluded acres sits the Catskill Mountain House, one of New York’s premier Airbnb getaway spots. But it wasn’t always that way. When owner Dustin DeVincentis purchased the property back in 2018, it needed some serious elbow grease to make it into his dream Airbnb rental. After considerable renovations, the stunning mountain property has a nearly perfect rating and guests can’t stop raving. 

We sat down with DeVincentis to chat all things design, where to save and where to splurge (the answer may surprise you!) and what he’d do differently if he was to start the Airbnb rental process all over again. 

How did you discover your dream Airbnb property? 

We were looking for a personal vacation property/short-term rental in 2018. The house wasn't necessarily our dream property when we discovered it in 2018, but we knew it had significant potential as it came with the impossible-to-build asset of the exceptional mountain view, along with good bones and a nice layout. We've made significant upgrades since we purchased it. 

At what point did you decide to list on the short-term rental market?

We knew right away (before purchasing) that we would list it on the short-term market. For us, it's part vacation house and part income-generating business. We were initially happy just to cover our costs, but we quickly realized the potential of the rental market and have focused on growing the business. 

Tell us about Catskill Mountain House! What is your favorite part of the home?

At the Catskill Mountain House, the view from the deck is incredible and we've anchored many of our renovations to make the most of it. I love any place where I can relax and take in the view like the hot tub, deck, living room and four-season porch, but I'd have to say that my favorite is sitting next to the wood stove on the porch - with a good drink! Surprisingly, the cold weather months are my favorite. 

The four-season porch at Catskill Mountain House. Photo: Hulya Kolabas.

Do you have any design tips for budding Airbnb hosts? 

Make sure you design a space that feels open, airy and clean; you want character, but not clutter. Also pay attention to small details that make guests' lives more comfortable, such as lots of cooking equipment, wood for fires, good stereo system, conveniently-place towels for the hot tub. And don't go cheap on the staples like bedding and towels! Also ask yourself "what have I hated about the Airbnbs I've stayed in?" and avoid those mistakes. 

What is the #1 most unique aspect of your property?

The mountain view. Most spaces in the house aim to maximize this feature, and it's what guests comment about most. 

If you were to start from scratch all over again, would you do anything different? 

We would have hired a single design & build firm to run all of our renovations. We ran a set of targeted individual projects for our initial renovation, as we thought going with a single company with a design arm would end up costing us more. If we had gone with a single partner to run the whole project, we would likely have made some smarter decisions in design and execution, as well as reduced our stress levels and actually saved a bit of money. It was also challenging to find good people to do all of the work. 

High-quality bedding make guests feel right at home. Photo: Catskill Mountain House.

What can hosts do to make guests feel at home? 

Have high-quality mattresses, bedding and towels; have throw blankets handy; stock all of the kitchen equipment you could ever need (consult home kitchen equipment guides from chefs if unsure); have a stereo system with easy connectivity; various types of glasses (water, wine, spirits. etc.); make sure the closets have hangers and a luggage rack; do small touches like putting a wine opener where you'd expect to find one. Think about your most common home routines (probably similar to your guests') and try to build an experience that makes those routines easy. 

Do you have any insider tips on managing the Airbnb business? Between emails, Instagram updates and guest emergencies––we know it can be a lot to juggle. 

First, consider how much time you have to put into the business, and find good people to outsource to if you think you don't have the time or the aptitude/interest (be honest with yourself!). It's hard to do all of the work even if you are capable and have the time, so building your team is important. Make sure you can rely on your people, and work to align your incentives so that everyone involved is working toward providing a great experience for your guests.  

Hire and retain a very good cleaning service - you want the place to be spotless when guests arrive. We have a caretaker who lives nearby who can be at the house in 10 minutes if an issue arises - guests like having this option. 

Also, play the long game with guests: your ultimate goal is a 5-star review, so if an issue comes up, give them some money back as a thank you for their patience, even if the issue was small and they're not noticeably upset. Do this and avoid little squabbles (wine glasses are going to break, so just buy in bulk!) - it will pay off in the long run. 

If you were to spend a weekend in the Catskill Mountains, what would you spend your time doing? 

Get a hike in, do one brunch/dinner in a nearby town after a bit of wandering and shopping, cook one big dinner, spend plenty of time sitting and enjoying the view of the mountains. 

Book your next stay at the Catskill Mountain on their Airbnb page. You can read more host stories for additional inspiration on making your short-term rental the top pick for guests.