What does it take to launch a short-term rental in the Swiss Alps – and make it stand out in year one?

In this Host Planet Playbook feature – powered by property management software, Hospitable – Karen Zimmerman shares the journey behind Chalet Oz in Switzerland, from relocating from Australia to navigating the realities of Alpine hosting.

We discuss:

• The steep learning curve of year one

• Why belief in your product matters

• Hosting international guests in Switzerland

• Delivering an outstanding guest experience

• The biggest lesson learned (hint: guests don’t read everything!)

• Starting on Airbnb and building towards direct bookings

If you’re thinking about launching a short-term rental – or refining your guest experience – this episode is packed with practical insight.

Watch now and be inspired by Karen’s journey.

1:39 Hosting Chalet Oz in Switzerland

2:13 Karen’s short-term rental journey

3:04 The first year has been a big learning curve

3:46 Believe in what you’ve done

4:34 Why Chalet Oz stands out

5:38 Guests are coming from all over the world

7:13 The challenges and opportunities of hosting in Switzerland

8:59 The journey from Australia to Switzerland

9:43 Karen’s top tips for delivering an outstanding guest experience

10:40 The biggest lesson learned: people don’t read everything you send them

11:51 Airbnb to begin with – and trying to drive direct bookings

13:23 Tips to people interested in getting involved in short-term rentals

14:33 What Karen loves most about hosting

15:40 Quickfire questions

Download a free copy of the Host Planet Playbook: https://www.hostplanet.club/host-planet-playbook

The Host Planet Playbook was created in collaboration with property management software, Hospitable. Interested in using a PMS which will help you manage your rentals on autopilot? Get 25% off Hospitable for the first three months: https://hospitable.com/partners/hostplanet

Chalet Oz:

The Host Planet Playbook series is presented by James Varley, Founder and CEO of Host Planet. Connect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/

The Host Planet Podcast is where Airbnb hosts, Booking.com hosts, Vrbo hosts, and short-term rental operators come to learn what actually works. Each episode features expert insights from people actively building, managing, and scaling short-term rentals, covering everything from Airbnb hosting fundamentals to advanced rental strategies. Whether you’re focused on guest satisfaction, rental management, or smarter automation tips, the show delivers practical advice you can apply immediately to improve performance and increase Airbnb bookings.

Across the series, we explore Airbnb host tips, listing optimization, price optimization, and Airbnb listing optimization – alongside real-world investing insights and behind-the-scenes Airbnb secrets you won’t hear elsewhere. From hosted conversations with industry leaders and Airbnb ambassadors to actionable guidance on bookings and short-term rental growth, Host Planet helps hosts navigate short term rentals with confidence and clarity.

The show is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club

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