The difference between a 4.2-star listing and a 4.9-star listing is rarely the apartment itself — it's the preparation. Guests form impressions within the first five minutes: whether the check-in was smooth, whether the beds are properly made, whether the WiFi password is visible, whether the kitchen has what they actually need. Getting these right before your first booking costs a few hundred francs and a weekend. Getting them wrong costs you months of mediocre reviews that are almost impossible to recover from in Montreux's competitive market.
Before you list: complete all four layers — legal (permits, registration), physical (safety equipment, furnishing), experiential (photography, house manual, welcome pack), and digital (WiFi, self-check-in, connectivity). Skipping any layer creates problems that show up in reviews. This checklist covers all four in order of priority.
In this guide
Layer 1: legal and administrative readiness
Before a single guest books, your administrative foundations need to be in order. Switzerland's short-term rental framework requires specific registrations that vary by canton and municipality. In Montreux (Canton de Vaud), the key requirements are the cantonal short-term rental declaration and the municipal permit. Operating without these doesn't just risk a fine — it risks having your listing removed mid-season, including during the Jazz Festival window when your income is highest.
See our full guide on how to legally register your apartment for short-term rental in Montreux for step-by-step registration instructions.
Legal & administrative
- Cantonal short-term rental declaration (Canton de Vaud) submitted
- Municipal permit obtained from Montreux commune
- Tourist tax (taxe de séjour) registration completed
- Guest register system in place — digital or paper log of guest details
- Building management / co-owners formally notified (if required by your PPE rules)
- Home insurance policy updated to cover short-term rental activity
- House rules document drafted (and available in both French and English)
Layer 2: safety and physical readiness
Swiss law requires certain safety equipment in rented accommodation. More practically, missing safety items are among the most common reasons for one-star reviews — guests notice when a smoke detector isn't present or when there's no first aid kit. Get these right before your first booking; they're inexpensive and non-negotiable.
Safety essentials
- Smoke detector in every room and hallway (tested and battery replaced)
- Carbon monoxide detector (required if any gas appliance present)
- Fire extinguisher accessible in kitchen area
- First aid kit stocked and visible
- Emergency contact numbers visible in the apartment (fire, police, medical)
- All electrical sockets and appliances in working order
- No loose rugs or trip hazards in hallways and stairs
Bedrooms
- Quality mattresses with mattress protectors (guests feel these, and they extend mattress life)
- Pillows: minimum 2 per person, with pillowcases
- Duvet with duvet cover, plus a spare blanket in the wardrobe
- Adequate wardrobe space and hangers (at least 6 per guest)
- Bedside tables with lamps and USB charging points
- Blackout curtains or blinds — non-negotiable for Jazz Festival stays
- Full-length mirror in at least one room
- Luggage rack or space for open suitcases
Bathrooms
- Clean towels — minimum 2 sets per guest (bath towel + hand towel)
- Bath mat — replaced between stays
- Hairdryer (guests expect this in Swiss rentals)
- Soap, shampoo, and conditioner (travel-size or full)
- Toilet paper — minimum 2 spare rolls visible
- Mirror with good light above or beside it
- Hooks on the back of the door
Kitchen
- Coffee maker — a Nespresso or filter machine is standard in Swiss rentals
- Kettle and toaster
- Pots and pans: at minimum one small, one medium, one large
- Full cutlery and crockery set (enough for your maximum guest count + 2)
- Glasses: wine glasses, water glasses, and mugs
- Cooking basics: salt, pepper, olive oil, sugar, coffee, and tea
- Dishwasher tablets or washing-up liquid, sponge
- Bin with liner bags
- Corkscrew and bottle opener
- Recycling guidance visible (Swiss guests and longer-stay guests expect this)
Layer 3: guest experience readiness
This is where 4-star properties become 5-star properties. Legal compliance and physical standards are the floor. Guest experience is the ceiling — and it's what guests actually write about in reviews. The three pillars are photography, the house manual, and the welcome pack.
Photography
Airbnb's own research shows that professional photos increase bookings by 40% on average. In Montreux, where competition for high-rate bookings is intense during peak periods, professional photography is an investment that pays back in the first booking cycle. Hire a real estate or interior photographer rather than relying on smartphone photos. Natural light, wide-angle lenses, and straight verticals make a measurable difference in the first impression your listing creates.
Shot list minimum: every room from two angles, the best lake view or balcony, building entrance, and a lifestyle shot of the main living space.
Photography
- Professional photographer booked and briefed on the property's key selling points
- Every room photographed from two angles minimum
- Lake view or balcony photographed at golden hour or late afternoon
- Cover photo selected: typically the best lake or living room view
- Photos uploaded in order: cover → living room → bedrooms → bathrooms → kitchen → view
House manual and check-in instructions
A well-written house manual eliminates the most common guest questions before they're asked. Write it in both French and English. Include: WiFi name and password (on a visible card AND in the manual), how the heating or AC works, recycling and waste sorting (Swiss guests in particular expect this), local transport instructions, parking, and check-out procedure.
House manual essentials
- WiFi name and password on a visible card in the apartment
- Heating and AC instructions — Swiss controls often confuse international guests
- Appliance instructions for anything non-standard (dishwasher, washing machine, TV)
- Recycling and waste sorting guide (mandatory in Montreux)
- Building entry code or key box combination
- Local transport: nearest bus stop, train station, taxi number
- Parking instructions if relevant
- Check-out procedure: time, key return, what to leave / take
- Emergency contacts: local doctor, pharmacy, property manager
Welcome pack
A small welcome pack signals to guests that the property is professionally managed and creates the first positive impression. It doesn't need to be expensive — a bottle of local wine and a handwritten welcome card costs under CHF 30 and generates disproportionate goodwill in early reviews.
Welcome pack
- Welcome card or note with guest's name (personalisation matters)
- Local wine or mineral water
- Coffee pods or ground coffee for the machine
- A local recommendation card: 2–3 restaurants, 1–2 activities the host genuinely recommends
- Transport map or Jazz Festival programme (during event periods)
Layer 4: digital readiness
Guests increasingly judge a listing on details that never show up in a "what to pack" checklist: WiFi speed, self-check-in reliability, and whether they can solve a problem without calling anyone. This layer is the most commonly skipped by first-time hosts because none of it is visible in listing photos.
Digital & connectivity
- Fibre or cable internet rated for at least 100 Mbps — guests working remotely will test this within minutes of arrival
- A smart lock or lockbox for self-check-in; test the code delivery flow yourself before the first guest arrives
- WiFi password printed and laminated, visible near the router, not just in the digital house manual
- A charging cable drawer (USB-A, USB-C, EU/UK adapters) — a small touch that resolves a disproportionate number of guest messages
- Smart TV with guest-accessible streaming login, or clear instructions for casting from a phone
Related reading: How to legally register your apartment for short-term rental · Hidden costs of self-managing · Complete guide to renting your Montreux apartment · Managing reviews and online reputation · Short-term rental in Villeneuve: legal guide · Cleaning and turnover operations · Insurance for short-term rentals
Founder of Riviera Host. BBA Hospitality (Glion), MSc Tourism (FHGR), MSc Data Science (HSLU). 8+ years managing short-term rentals on the Swiss Riviera.
Don't want to manage all of this yourself?
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Get a free property assessmentFrequently asked questions
Do I need to tell my building management before listing on Airbnb?
If your apartment is in a co-ownership (PPE — propriété par étages), your co-ownership rules (règlement d'utilisation) may require you to notify or obtain approval from the co-owners' assembly before short-term letting. Check your PPE documents before listing. Failure to do so can result in a demand to stop renting.
How much does professional photography cost in Montreux?
Expect CHF 400–800 for a professional real estate or interior photography session covering a 1–2 bedroom apartment. It's a one-time cost that typically pays back within the first 2–3 bookings through improved conversion from listing views to bookings.
What is the most commonly missed item on pre-launch checklists?
Home insurance update. Most standard household policies don't cover commercial short-term rental activity. If a guest is injured or causes damage while your policy doesn't cover rental use, you're personally liable. Update your insurance policy before your first booking — it's usually a small additional premium.
How many sets of towels and linens do I need?
Minimum two full sets per bed/bathroom. This allows one set to be in use while the other is being laundered between stays. During peak event periods with back-to-back bookings, three sets per bed/bathroom gives you flexibility and removes laundry as a scheduling constraint.