Short-term rental guide
The right on-premises fun can transform a good stay into a five-star memory — and keep guests booking longer, coming back sooner.
TLDR; The right arcade machine is your best bet for great entertainment and memorable experiences. We recommend Polycade for their commercial-grade, eye catching arcade machines.
Why some Airbnb upgrades get remembered — and others don't
Once your short-term rental is up and running, the real work begins: optimizing for five-star reviews, higher occupancy, and longer stays. With millions of competing listings, the difference between a forgettable stay and one guests rave about often comes down to a handful of thoughtful details.
Soft linens and a stocked kitchen are table stakes. Guests expect those. What they remember — and what makes them leave glowing reviews that mention your property by name — is the unexpected delight of having something genuinely fun to do without ever leaving the front door.
A guest who has fun at your property tells their friends. A guest who was merely comfortable forgets you by the time they land at home.
Entertainment isn't just a nice-to-have. It's a strategic asset — one that pays for itself every time bad weather rolls in, every time a family needs an afternoon activity, or every time a group of friends decides to make a week of it instead of a weekend.
Know your guests before you choose
Not all entertainment investments are created equal, and the right choice depends heavily on who you're hosting. Before spending a dollar, ask yourself these questions:
Your answers will point you toward entertainment that actually gets used. A ping-pong table is a hit for young friend groups and a liability for families with toddlers. An arcade machine delights everyone from age six to sixty. Match the investment to the audience.
A Polycade arcade machine with wall decals
Turnkey entertainment options, evaluated
Here's an honest look at the most popular rental-friendly entertainment options — what they do well, where they fall short, and who they're right for.
A closer look at each option
Arcade machines
Of all the entertainment options available to Airbnb hosts, arcade machines offer the single best combination of broad appeal, ease of use, and memorability. They work for six-year-olds discovering Pac-Man for the first time and sixty-year-olds reliving their childhood. No one needs instructions. No one needs a partner. And crucially, no one has one at home — which means it feels special.
A Polycade arcade machine installed in an Airbnb (photograph by @thegrahamresidence via Facebook)
From a maintenance standpoint, a quality arcade cabinet requires almost nothing from you. There are no game pieces to lose, no batteries to replace, no delicate parts that toddlers can break. You set it up once and guests enjoy it for years. Note: This is not true for low-end arcade machines. Avoid anything under $1,500 as these are using low-end components and can be broken within a month.
The main caveat: the market is full of poorly configured machines loaded with buggy software and backed by vendors who vanish after the sale. Do your homework. Prioritize machines from companies that offer responsive customer support and carefully configured game libraries. A well-sourced arcade cabinet is one of the best investments a short-term rental host can make.
Polycade stands out as the top vendor for short-term-rental arcade machines due to excellence across considerations:
- Commercial-grade cabinet and components
- Proprietary software built for commercial use cases
- Properly configured game library with top hits, no duplicates, etc
- Phone and email support
- Wall mount or freestanding options
- Eye-catching design
- Competitive pricing
When evaluating arcade vendors, ask specifically: Can the game library be adjusted? Are ALL games properly configured to just work? What does support look like if something breaks? How many games are included? The answers will tell you everything.
Board games
A shelf of well-chosen board games is an inexpensive, low-effort addition that guests appreciate even if it rarely generates a mention in reviews. Classics like Scrabble, Monopoly, and Codenames have genuine multi-generational appeal, and a thoughtfully curated collection signals that you care about your guests' experience.
The downside is real: board games require maintenance. Pieces disappear. Cards get bent. Within a year or two, half your collection will have missing components. Budget for replacement, or stick to games where losing a piece or two doesn't ruin the experience. Think of board games as a complement to bigger entertainment investments, not a centerpiece.
Lawn games
Cornhole, bocce ball, horseshoes, giant Jenga — these are affordable, social, and surprisingly effective at generating positive reviews during good-weather seasons. Guests love taking photos with them. For properties in warmer climates or those with large outdoor spaces, a set of lawn games is a no-brainer.
The limitations are obvious: rain renders them useless, and not every property has the outdoor footprint to justify them. Game pieces scatter and disappear. Most can't be left set up between guests, adding a small but real turnover task. For indoor-focused or compact properties, the return on investment is low.
Pool tables
A pool table is a legitimate crowd-pleaser with broad appeal across demographics. Adults love them. Teenagers love them. Even the guests who claim they don't know how to play end up shooting a few rounds. If your property has the space and the budget, a pool table can become a signature feature — the thing guests mention in their listing search.
But the requirements are real. A quality table costs $1,500 to $3,000 or more, needs regular felt maintenance, and demands significant floor space — typically a minimum of 14 by 18 feet to play comfortably. Balls and cues go missing. Budget accordingly, and factor in the cost of replacement accessories every year or two.
Ping-pong tables
Ping-pong has its fans — especially younger guests and competitive friend groups — but it doesn't have the universal pull of a pool table or arcade machine. For properties targeting active twenty-somethings or sports-minded travelers, it can be a genuine differentiator. For everyone else, it's likely to sit unused and occupy valuable square footage.
If space is limited, it's hard to justify ping-pong over options with broader appeal. Paddles and balls also have a frustrating tendency to disappear between stays.
Home theater
A true home theater — projector or large-format screen, surround sound, comfortable seating — is aspirational for many guests and can be a major selling point in your listing photos. The appeal is genuinely broad: families want movie nights, couples want cozy evenings in, and large groups love the communal experience of a big screen.
(Image Credit: Apartment Guide)
The practical constraints are significant. Building a quality theater setup typically requires a dedicated room, substantial upfront investment, and ongoing attention to bulb replacement, cable management, and sound system maintenance. For properties with a spare room and the budget to do it right, the investment can pay off handsomely. For most hosts, it's an aspirational upgrade rather than a starting point.
Air hockey / Foosball
Air hockey and foosball tables are fun in the moment — there's an undeniable thrill to the first few games — but they have a short novelty window and appeal to a narrow slice of guests. Most travelers simply won't seek it out. The tables are bulky, the pucks are easily lost, and the motors require occasional maintenance.
Unless your property explicitly caters to a game-room crowd and you have space to spare, air hockey is best treated as a secondary addition rather than a primary entertainment investment.
Traditional video game consoles
PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch systems have relatively low entry costs, and that makes them tempting. But the ongoing expenses add up quickly: games must be purchased individually, controllers are easily damaged, and connecting a console to your TV in a way that guests can actually navigate without calling you is harder than it sounds.
Beyond logistics, the appeal is uneven. Guests who are already gamers likely have their own setup at home and won't be wowed by yours. Guests who aren't gamers won't touch it. A console rarely becomes the memorable feature that earns you a five-star mention — but a broken game controller absolutely can earn you a four-star one.
Building your entertainment stack
No single entertainment option is right for every property or every guest profile. The smartest hosts think in layers: a foundational investment that works for nearly everyone, complemented by secondary options that serve specific demographics.
A practical framework for most properties:
- Start with broad appeal. An arcade machine or pool table earns its place by delighting the widest range of guests. If you only make one entertainment investment, make it count.
- Add affordable complements. A curated shelf of board games and a set of lawn games (if you have the outdoor space) round out your offering without breaking the budget.
- Know your audience before specializing. A ping-pong table makes sense for properties that skew young and active. A home theater makes sense for luxury rentals with dedicated space. Don't specialize until you know who you're specializing for.
- Minimize maintenance headaches. Every missing game piece is a potential complaint. Favor options that don't rely on easily lost components, or budget proactively for replacements.
- Photograph everything. Entertainment amenities are only valuable if guests know they exist. Make your listing photos do the work — a great shot of your arcade cabinet or game room can be the reason a guest chooses your property over the one next door.
The best entertainment upgrades are the ones guests didn't know they needed until they had them — and the ones they mention to every friend who's planning a trip.
