Bath might seem like an obvious location for Airbnb and serviced accommodation.
It’s one of the UK’s best-known visitor destinations, attracting people for its Roman history, Georgian architecture, thermal spa, restaurants, shopping, festivals and events.
But owning a property in a popular tourist city doesn’t automatically mean it will make a successful Airbnb.
At N And N Stays, we’re a family-run serviced accommodation management company operating locally in Bath and the surrounding area. We believe local knowledge makes a real difference when deciding whether a property will work.
One of the first things we’d tell a Bath property owner is:
Don’t start with Airbnb. Start with the property and the demand.
So, if you own a property in Bath, what should you consider before deciding whether serviced accommodation is right for you?
Why Does Bath Attract Short-Stay Guests?
Bath has something many locations would love to have: multiple reasons for people to visit throughout the year.
The Roman Baths, Thermae Bath Spa, Royal Crescent and the city’s Georgian architecture attract leisure visitors from the UK and overseas.
Then there are restaurants, shopping, theatre, festivals, sporting events and the surrounding countryside.
But tourism isn’t the whole story.
Bath also attracts people travelling for business, university-related visits, temporary work, relocation and longer stays.
That’s important because a successful serviced accommodation strategy shouldn’t simply be:
“Bath gets tourists, so let’s put the property on Airbnb.”
We want to understand who is likely to book that particular property and why.
Local Knowledge Matters
One of the advantages of working with a local management company is understanding that two properties in the same city can perform very differently.
A property that’s perfect for a couple visiting Bath for a weekend might be completely unsuitable for a team working locally for several weeks.
Likewise, a larger property outside the immediate city centre may not have the same tourist appeal as a central apartment but could have advantages such as additional bedrooms, easier vehicle access or parking.
There’s no single strategy that works for every Bath property.
That’s why we assess properties individually rather than applying the same model everywhere.
A City-Centre Apartment and a Large House Are Different Businesses
Imagine two properties.
The first is a stylish one-bedroom apartment within easy walking distance of central Bath.
The second is a four-bedroom house further out with several beds and off-road parking.
Both could potentially work as serviced accommodation – but probably for very different reasons.
The apartment may naturally appeal to couples and business travellers looking for a convenient central stay.
The larger house might appeal to families, groups, contractors or guests requiring accommodation for several weeks.
That difference affects everything from how the property is presented to its pricing, minimum stays and marketing strategy.
In Bath, Location Really Matters
Bath is relatively compact, but small differences in location can have a significant impact on how guests view a property.
For leisure visitors, being able to walk into the centre can be a major advantage.
Further out, different factors become more important.
Transport links, access, property size and parking can change the type of guest a property attracts.
Someone arriving by train for a weekend at Thermae Bath Spa has very different priorities from a contractor arriving in a van for a four-week project.
Knowing the local market helps us think beyond simply asking how close the property is to Bath city centre.
Don’t Underestimate Parking
Parking deserves particular attention in Bath.
If your property has private or convenient parking, it can be a genuine selling point.
For families, business travellers and contractors arriving by car, knowing exactly where they can park may influence their booking decision.
And for larger properties, we’d want to know more than whether the property technically has parking.
How many vehicles can actually fit?
Can guests easily access the property?
Would a contractor with a van find it practical?
Sometimes relatively simple features can change the type of guest we should be targeting.
Bath’s Popularity Also Means Competition
Strong visitor demand naturally attracts accommodation providers.
Your property isn’t only competing against other Airbnbs.
Guests can choose between hotels, guest houses, serviced apartments and other accommodation across Bath.
They’re comparing things such as:
– Location
– Price
– Photographs
– Reviews
– Parking
– Number and type of beds
– Bathrooms
– Amenities
– Accessibility
– Overall value
Being located in Bath doesn’t automatically make a property stand out.
We need to give guests a reason to choose your property over everything else available.
What Happens Outside the Busiest Periods?
It’s easy to look at Bath during a busy summer weekend and get excited about potential nightly rates.
We’re just as interested in what happens on a wet Tuesday in February.
A property needs to be considered across the year rather than judged on its best few weekends.
This is where understanding different types of local demand becomes particularly useful.
Leisure visitors may dominate certain periods, while business travellers, contractors, relocations and longer stays can potentially provide alternative sources of bookings at other times.
At N And N Stays, we don’t believe success is simply about achieving the highest possible nightly rate.
It’s about finding the right balance between rate, occupancy and length of stay throughout the year.
Bath Properties Can Come With Extra Considerations
Part of Bath’s appeal is its historic character.
But older properties, listed buildings and conservation areas can also mean owners need to think carefully before making alterations or changing how a property is used.
Before investing money into converting a property, owners should check whether their plans require permission and whether there are restrictions affecting the building or its use.
There are also the less exciting – but essential – parts of operating serviced accommodation.
These include appropriate safety requirements, insurance, waste arrangements, taxation and understanding whether the property falls under Council Tax or business rates.
Getting the fundamentals right matters just as much as creating a beautiful listing.
Should You Buy a Property in Bath Specifically for Airbnb?
This is where we’d urge caution.
Buying a property simply because “Bath is great for Airbnb” isn’t enough of an investment strategy.
Before purchasing, we’d want to understand the specific property.
Who would stay there?
Why would they choose it?
What could it realistically achieve?
What competition does it have?
What are the likely operating costs?
And crucially:
Does the investment still make sense after those costs are taken into account?
A beautiful Bath property bought at the wrong price can still be a poor investment.
Likewise, a less obvious property with the right layout, parking, location and purchase price could potentially make much more sense.
What About Landlords Who Already Own Property in Bath?
This can be a completely different conversation.
You may already have a traditional rental property and be considering your options.
Perhaps you’ve inherited a property.
You might be moving away temporarily and don’t want to sell.
Or you could already be running an Airbnb but have reached the point where you no longer want to manage the bookings, guests and day-to-day operation yourself.
In those situations, the question isn’t really:
“Does Airbnb work in Bath?”
It’s:
“What is the best strategy for my particular property?”
That’s where speaking to somebody who understands both serviced accommodation and the local area can be particularly useful.
Why Work With a Local, Family-Run Management Company?
There are large Airbnb management companies operating across the UK.
That model suits some property owners.
We’ve chosen a different approach.
N And N Stays is a family-run business, and we’ve built the company by managing properties in the areas we know and operate in.
For us, local knowledge isn’t just knowing where Bath is on a map.
It’s understanding that different parts of the area attract different guests, knowing why people travel here and recognising the features that can make a particular property more – or less – attractive.
It also means our owners aren’t simply another property number in a huge national portfolio.
We want to build long-term relationships with property owners while looking after their properties as if they were part of our own business.
So, Is Airbnb Worth It in Bath?
It certainly can be.
Bath has many of the characteristics we’d look for in a strong serviced accommodation market: established visitor demand, year-round reasons for people to travel and several different potential guest types.
But that’s not a guarantee of success.
The property still needs the right combination of:
– Location
– Layout
– Guest appeal
– Presentation
– Parking and accessibility
– Pricing
– Operating costs
– Booking strategy
– Professional management
Get those things wrong and being in a popular city won’t automatically rescue the investment.
Get them right and Bath can be a very interesting serviced accommodation market.
Own a Property in Bath?
If you own a property in Bath or the surrounding area, we’d be happy to take a look at it.
As a local, family-run serviced accommodation management company, we’ll consider the individual property, its location, likely guest market and competition rather than simply giving you a generic Airbnb estimate.
If you’re already operating an Airbnb in Bath and would like it to become more hands-off, we can also look at its current performance and discuss whether N And N Stays could take over the day-to-day management.
Find Out Whether Your Bath Property Could Work
Speak to N And N Stays for a free, no-obligation property assessment and an honest conversation about whether serviced accommodation is right for your Bath property.
Call us on 01225 595686
WhatsApp us: 07869 362439
Email: info@nandnstays.co.uk