Airbnb, Booking and ESTI — What I’d Prepare Before the First Booking

If I were starting my own holiday apartment from scratch today, there is one thing I definitely would not do:

I would not wait for the first booking before thinking about what happens next.

Because once a guest has booked, the clock starts ticking.

It is much nicer when everything is ready beforehand.

Airbnb and Booking are only the beginning

Creating a profile and uploading a few photographs is relatively easy.

The harder part is building a listing that attracts people while giving them a truthful picture of what they will actually get.

I would start with the photographs.

Then I would write a description that does not sound like an advert, but like an honest introduction to the place.

I would list the amenities clearly.

I would set out the house rules.

I would define check-in and check-out.

Only then would I start thinking about pricing and the calendar.

I would not copy everything mechanically

Airbnb and Booking may be selling the same apartment, but I would not treat them as two identical shop windows.

Each platform has its own settings and its own way guests search.

What matters to me is that the information is consistent everywhere.

The same conditions.

Accurate availability.

A clear description.

And most importantly, calendars that are organised well enough to avoid two bookings for the same dates.

It is one of those small technical things nobody notices when it works.

But everyone notices when it does not.

Registration, ESTI and the tax framework

After the platforms comes the part many owners postpone because it feels more complicated — the administration.

Before actively welcoming guests, the applicable requirements for categorisation or registration of the accommodation, registration and reporting through ESTI, and the way the activity itself will be structured should all be clarified.

There is no single tax treatment that applies to everyone. Depending on the individual situation, the regime may involve patent tax, taxation under the Personal Income Tax Act, or corporate tax where a company carries on the activity. Using platforms operated by foreign companies can also create specific VAT obligations.

Seeing all of those terms at once can easily make you think, “This is too complicated for me.”

But once the process is broken into separate steps and someone shows you how it works in practice, the picture becomes much clearer.

The exact obligations depend on the individual case. For tax, accounting and legal questions, I would always confirm the position with the appropriate professional rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all answer online.

What matters most to me is understanding the process

I do not want simply to do something for you and leave you wondering:

“What am I supposed to do next month?”

If an owner wants to manage the property themselves, real help means showing them how.

How to keep an eye on the listing.

How to manage the calendar.

How to organise guest communication.

What needs to be checked regularly.

How to keep the administrative side organised.

Once you understand the logic of the process, many things stop feeling quite so intimidating.

The first booking should not catch you unprepared

When that first notification arrives:

“You have a new booking”

I want your first reaction to be excitement.

Not panic.

You know what needs to happen.

You know how you will communicate.

You know who will prepare the apartment.

You know how the guest will arrive.

And then you can simply begin.

That, for me, is a good start.

Not just a live listing on Airbnb or Booking.

But the feeling that you understand what you are doing and can continue with confidence.