I grew up around holiday accommodation, going with my mum to check holiday houses. Run the hot tap, check the supplies and look at each home with fresh eyes—the lessons stuck.
I’ve spent over two decades in Australian holiday accommodation. I still work hands-on in housekeeping, train and coordinate cleaners, and have separate linen-hire experience.
FROM TEASPOONS TO TVs
Good hosting. A little less guesswork.
Practical guides, checklists and guest templates for Australian holiday rental hosts, from setting up your Airbnb to the next changeover.
Kelly used the Self-Host Pack to help take her Airbnb idea through to welcoming her first guests. She found the process straightforward, could see the logic behind the ideas, and remembered Alex’s funny moments as useful teaching moments.
Kelly · first-time host Received a free copy. Her feedback is summarised here and shared with permission.
“You can prepare for a lot. Then there’s the rest.”
“The modem’s coffee-making career”
A guest unplugged the modem, thinking it was a coffee maker, then complained that the internet wasn’t working. I went over to the property. They laughed, I laughed, and back to the office I went.
The modem couldn’t make coffee. Once unplugged, it couldn’t provide internet either.
Label important equipment and leave instructions that match it. Start with which box does what.
“The laptop that never checked in”
A guest said they’d left their laptop behind. I went over and searched the house, including the rooms and cupboards. It turned out they’d never brought it.
A thorough search. A small problem with the brief.
Before starting the cupboard inspection, ask where the item was last seen—and whether it came on holiday.
PRACTICAL HELP FROM ALEX
A clearer next step for your holiday home.
Need help with the words, the photos or deciding what to do next? Start with a short enquiry. Alex will check the brief before confirming what can be offered, the price and timing.
Enquiry first
Ask Alex — A Second Look
A practical written review of your holiday home, listing or plans. Clear priorities: what needs attention first, what could work better, and what can wait.
A new or revised listing description for the home you actually offer, with three headline options, useful highlights and supported photo captions.
Pilot price: A$199 total. For one property and one agreed listing platform. GST is not charged. No added card surcharge.
AI-assisted, with human review before delivery. No phone or video consultation.
What you receive
Up to 350 words total across the agreed description fields, three headline options, up to six useful highlights and up to ten photo captions where verified facts support them, plus a facts-to-confirm list. Highlights and captions are separate from the 350 words. You receive editable text and a matching PDF to check and upload; live listing edits are not included.
Delivery is three business days after the complete brief is accepted and successful payment is verified. Start and delivery dates are confirmed in writing.
One consolidated written revision request received within seven calendar days of successful delivery is included for tone, emphasis or clarity, using the same property, platform and factual brief. New scope needs a separate quote. The revision window does not limit correction of our errors, service complaints or applicable consumer rights.
How to start
Email your town or region, what you need help with and a public listing link if available. Please do not attach photos or private documents initially.
Alex checks the brief and availability before offering a written quote. If you accept the quote, you receive one A$199 invoice. Payment is in full before work starts. An enquiry or quote alone is not a booking.
See a fictional writing example
Fictional example — not a real listing. No real property, customer, photos or booking is represented.
Headline: Garden cottage with a deck for outdoor dining
Bring your morning coffee to the deck, cook in a kitchen equipped for everyday meals and settle into the open-plan living area after a day out. Saltgum Cottage in Gumleaf Inlet has two bedrooms for four guests, a private garden and one off-street parking space. The garden is not fully fenced, and three steps lead to the front door.
A$990 introductory offer for our first 3 website customers
Help attract your own direct bookings with a website that complements your existing listing. Guests can explore your property, enquire directly and arrange their stay with you.
Includes up to three mobile-friendly pages for one property, one refreshed property description for your new website and existing listing, improvements to up to 10 supplied photos, initial SEO setup, one consolidated revision round and a practical handover.
You update your booking-platform listings yourself. Channel-specific description versions can be quoted separately.
We agree on a suitable platform before starting. This can be a portable website or a build in your own Wix account. You retain control of your domain and hosting accounts. Domain registration, hosting, platform subscriptions and any paid extras are separate.
This package is for direct enquiries. Live availability, instant booking, payment processing and channel-manager integrations are not included. SEO work does not guarantee search rankings or bookings. Photo improvements preserve the actual property and views.
After handover, you can ask Alex Haven for separately quoted updates or appoint your own developer. Wix projects remain hosted on Wix; moving to another platform may require rebuilding.
Enquiry first. Scope, platform, delivery dates and payment terms are confirmed in writing before you book.
Give your property its own online space to complement your existing listings and help guests enquire directly.
For one property, we build one mobile-friendly page with a refreshed description of up to 200 words, your supplied photos, key property details and a link to your email or existing enquiry page. You receive tested, editable site files and a practical handover guide.
A$350 covers the build and handover. Domain registration, hosting, email and platform costs are extra. Hosting setup, publishing and connecting a domain can be quoted separately. Live availability, instant booking, payments and channel-manager connections are not included.
You confirm the property facts and permission to use supplied images. Description writing is AI-assisted, with human review. GST is not charged. Scope, platform, timing and terms are confirmed in writing before you book.
Choose A$350 for a one-page build and file handover using your supplied photos, or the introductory A$990 package for up to three pages, up to ten photo improvements and initial SEO.
Enquiring does not book work or take payment. A public listing link or a short description is enough to start. Please do not send photos, private documents, entry codes or passwords at this first step.
