A useful description helps a guest picture parts of the stay: where everyone sleeps, what they can use and what might affect their plans. Start with those answers. Polished wording comes later. Specific words are more useful than “stunning”, “perfect” or “unforgettable”.
Saltgum Cottage, used below, is entirely fictional. Its town, property and brief were invented for this exercise; no real customer, booking or photograph is represented. The exercise shows how the same set of facts can become clearer copy. For a real property, those facts must first be checked against current information from the person responsible for the listing.
Before writing, gather these five things:
- Sleeping and bathroom arrangements. Record the confirmed guest limit, each bedroom's beds and any shared sleeping spaces. At fictional Saltgum Cottage, four guests have a queen bedroom and a bedroom with two separate singles. There is one bathroom with a shower and no bathtub. “Two bedrooms” alone leaves those arrangements unclear.
- Facilities people can actually use. Name the useful kitchen, laundry and heating equipment, along with relevant limits. Saltgum has an oven, dishwasher, washing machine and outdoor clothesline, but no tumble dryer. Wi-Fi being provided does not, by itself, establish a particular speed or suitability for video meetings.
- Entry and access. Note steps, stairs and how guests reach the accommodation. Saltgum's entrance has three steps with a handrail and no step-free alternative. Describe the arrangement without guessing who it will suit. The brief needs the access method, not a working lockbox code or password.
- Private, shared and unavailable areas. Confirm what the booking includes. Saltgum's cottage, deck and garden are for the guests' exclusive use; a locked owner cupboard is excluded. Its single off-street parking space is uncovered. Do not turn a parking-space count into an assurance that every vehicle will fit.
- Limits, rules and location claims. Record anything that needs a qualification, including seasonal facilities, fees or restrictions. Saltgum's garden is not fully fenced and pets are not permitted. The fictional brief establishes no beach distance, so neither “beachside” nor a walking time belongs in the copy. Mark unknown details for confirmation.
Compare these two versions, both written for this fictional exercise:
Bland before:
“Two-bedroom cottage for four with a deck, garden, kitchen and parking.”
Clear after:
“Saltgum Cottage has a queen bedroom and a second bedroom with two separate single beds for four guests. Prepare meals in the kitchen with an oven and dishwasher, then eat outside on the private deck. There is one uncovered off-street parking space. Three steps with a handrail lead to the front door, and the private garden is not fully fenced.”
The second version keeps the useful limits beside the features they qualify. A garden can be a worthwhile part of a stay without being described as secure. Steps can be stated plainly without labelling a property suitable or unsuitable for an individual guest. Neither point needs to disappear into a distant paragraph of general rules.
Once the facts are settled, choose an order that fits the agreed listing fields. Lead with the main sleeping arrangement and a few distinctive, confirmed features; group the remaining information by topic. Read the draft against the brief before uploading. If a facility changes, update the words too.
For help with one property on one agreed listing platform, email hello@byalexhaven.com about Alex's A$199 description-writing pilot. The total has no GST or added card surcharge. It includes up to 350 words across agreed description fields, three headline options, up to six useful highlights and up to ten supported captions, delivered as editable text and a matching PDF. Work is AI-assisted, with human review. No phone or video consultation. Start with your town or region and a public listing link if available; no initial attachments. Alex checks the brief before a quote, and quote acceptance comes before an invoice.