The right lighting adds
a full star to your reviews.
I host on Airbnb. I'm also a licensed electrician who's installed lighting in dozens of short-stay properties. This section is everything I know about making guests feel something the moment they walk through the door.
★★★★★
"The lighting in this place is something else. Every room felt like a boutique hotel."
— Recent guest review
Start Here
6 lighting changes that move the needle.
None of these require a renovation. Most cost under $200 total. All of them show up in guest reviews.
Remove every cool-white globe
Any globe above 3000K will make your property feel clinical. Replace with 2700K warm white throughout. This single change is worth 0.2 stars on its own.
Add a bedside lamp on each side
Overhead-only bedrooms feel like hotel rooms from the 1990s. Bedside lamps at warm colour temperature are the most-mentioned lighting detail in 5-star reviews.
Light the outdoor entry
Path lighting and a warm entry light create the first impression. Guests who arrive at night to a well-lit entry already feel good about your property before they're inside.
Add dimmers to the living room
Guests can't relax under bright overhead light. A dimmer lets them control atmosphere. It costs $40 and takes an electrician 30 minutes.
Light the bathroom warmly
Replace harsh cool bathroom lights with warm 2700K. Suddenly the bathroom feels like a spa. Your bathroom photos will also look dramatically better.
Layer — don't just brighten
Don't just add more light. Add different sources at different heights. Floor lamp + bedside lamp + pendant = atmosphere. One downlight = hospital waiting room.
Airbnb Lighting Guides
Room by room. Strategy first.
Airbnb Mood Lighting: How Lighting Drives 5-Star Reviews
Guests don't consciously notice lighting. They just feel comfortable, relaxed, and at home. Or they don't. Here's what the science — and my 226 reviews — says.
9 min read →
Airbnb Bedroom Lighting: The Setup That Gets You Mentioned in Reviews
The bedroom is where guests spend the most time and form their strongest impressions. Get this room right and the review writes itself.
7 min read →
Airbnb Bathroom Lighting: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Guests judge a property's quality most harshly in the bathroom. Harsh lighting makes everything feel cheap. Warm lighting makes it feel like a boutique hotel.
6 min read →
Airbnb Outdoor & Entry Lighting: The First Impression That Sets the Tone
Guests form a judgment about your property in the first 30 seconds. The right outdoor lighting sets the mood before they've even opened the door.
5 min read →
Best Smart Lighting for Airbnb: Automations That Impress Guests
Motion-activated pathway lighting. Warm welcome scenes. The right smart lighting automations can make a mid-range property feel premium.
8 min read →
Best Bedside Lighting for Airbnb: What Actually Works
Tested across multiple properties. These are the bedside lamps that get mentioned in reviews, survive guest handling, and ship to Australia.
6 min read →
Scotty's Picks
Products I actually use and recommend.
Affiliate links below — I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products I've tested in real properties.
Beacon Lighting — Warm LED Globes
My go-to for 2700K globe replacements. Consistent colour, wide dimmer compatibility.
View at Beacon →Temple & Webster — Bedside Lamps
Wide range of warm, design-forward options. Reliable shipping, great price points.
View at T&W →Govee LED Strip Lights
App-controlled, warm white mode looks great. Easy guest-proof setup behind furniture.
View on Amazon AU →Philips Hue Starter Kit
Set a warm welcome scene to trigger on check-in. Worth it for premium properties.
View on Amazon AU →✦ Affiliate disclosure: Scotty Light earns a commission on qualifying purchases. This never affects our recommendations.
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The Airbnb Lighting Checklist.
Every lighting change that's shown up in my 226 guest reviews, in a single printable checklist.
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