The Travel Hack That Can Boost Your Reviews: Luggage Storage Solutions for Your Guests

As a short-term rental host, you’ve probably obsessed over coffee machine quality, good reviews, or the perfect welcome basket. But there’s one guest pain point that some property managers might forget: what happens to luggage on arrival and departure day.

Solving this problem costs you nothing. And it could be exactly what separates your 4-star listing from a 5-star one.

Why luggage storage matters more than you think

Picture this: your guests’ flight lands at 9 AM, but check-in isn’t until 3 PM. They’re dragging two suitcases through unfamiliar streets, sweaty and frustrated, unable to enjoy their first hours in the city. Then, on departure day, they check out at 11 AM,  but their flight isn’t until 8 PM. That’s nine more hours of bag-dragging before they can truly relax.

That’s potentially a third of their entire trip spent inconvenienced by luggage. A little proactive planning can turn that frustration into a seamless experience. It’s a small gesture with an outsized impact on guest satisfaction and reviews.

We analysed how LuggageHero guests actually find luggage storage, and the results were striking. In a survey of nearly 10,000 customers, 1 in 4 said they were referred by someone they trusted. The single biggest referral source, by a wide margin? Their Airbnb or short-term rental host. More than half of all referred customers, 54.9%, got the tip from the host whose apartment they were staying in. Not Google. Not a travel blog. Their host.

That’s not a coincidence. Hosts are the people guests ask when they don’t know what to do. A little proactive guidance on luggage can turn a frustrating morning into a seamless start, and that kind of care gets remembered when it’s time to leave a review.

The best options to recommend to your guests

1. On-Site Storage (If You Can Offer It)

If your property has a storage room, a secure lobby, or even a large closet, consider offering a complimentary luggage drop-off for early arrivals and late departures. It doesn’t have to be complicated; only a locked room and a friendly note in your welcome pack is all it takes.

2. Partner with LuggageHero

LuggageHero lets travelers store their bags at local spots — hotels, shops, and dedicated storage points — for a small fee per bag, per hour or per day. Prices are typically half the cost of airport or station lockers, and every booking includes insurance and flexible cancellation.

As a host, you can become a LuggageHero partner for free. Here’s how to make it work for you:

• Create a simple card or one-pager with your nearest LuggageHero location and a QR code linking to the booking page
• Include it in your welcome pack and pre-arrival message
• Share your unique referral code so guests can book before they even land

The bonus? You earn a commission on every booking made through your code, which means passive income that requires zero effort after setup. Your guests get a discount, you get a percentage, and everyone wins. 

3. Train Stations and Airport Lockers

For guests heading onward by train or departing from a major airport, luggage lockers at transport hubs are a solid fallback. They’re widely available in most cities, card-operated, and easy to use. Worth a mention in your welcome guide as a backup option.

Create your referral account here or

start recommending storage to your guests today — before you’ve even signed up. Share this code with them right now:

Use code HOST1H At checkout, for 1 hour of free storage on your first bag.

It takes five seconds to paste into your welcome message. No signup required on your end.

How to work it into your guest experience

Dedicate a short section in your welcome book or digital guide to “luggage logistics”. A QR code linked to your LuggageHero referral page works brilliantly here: guests can book storage before arrival, or scan it on the way out after checkout.

The result is a guest journey that feels genuinely thought through — from the moment they land to the moment they board their flight home.

The short-term rental market is growing fast, projected to expand at 8–12% annually through 2030. As competition increases, the difference between a good listing and a great one often comes down to exactly these kinds of details.

Solving the luggage problem actively benefits your business in four concrete ways:

• • Better reviews. Guests who feel looked after write longer, more positive reviews, and they specifically mention the “little things” that made their stay easier.
  • More bookings. Better reviews get more bookings. 
  • Fewer last-minute messages. When guests already have a clear luggage plan, you stop replying to 7 AM texts asking if they can drop their bags early.

• Extra income. When guests use your referral link, you get a percentage of the booking. 

Sounds good? Become a LuggageHero referral partner today. It’s free, it takes five minutes, and your future guests will thank you for it.