The Check-In
The Playbook
Operator pro tips and Ohana SOPs we use to keep guests and team happy, and reviews high. From the people running properties across Hawai'i, Maine, Costa Rica, Vermont, and points in between.
May 21, 2026 · by María Eugenia Jacobsen
Rooted in the Heart
A 2026 read on where OTA fees actually land, and why we choose the inner ring.
Airbnb's 15.5%, Booking.com's onion, Vrbo's two paths, and TikTok GO at the door. A 2026 reading of the OTA fee landscape, and why Ohana sits in the inner ring of the tree.
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May 20, 2026 · by Billy O'
Bugs in paradise: handling them in Hawai'i and Costa Rica
How our teams respond, and what guests can do to help themselves.
Bugs in the tropics aren't a failure of housekeeping. Here's our Ohana playbook for the gecko on the wall, the ant trail on the counter, and the centipede that ruined someone's sandal.
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The regular newsletter
Looking to check out one of our normal issues of The Check-In?
Five headlines, one pro tip, dream-weaving, and a press-play pick. ~5-minute read.
Issue 005 · Friday, May 29, 2026
Airbnb adds hotels, set-jetting picks new towns, and the small bag your guest opens in the driveway.
Plus: the Tuesday vendor text that drops same-day no-shows from 1-in-6 to 1-in-30.
Issue 004 · Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Booking goes alt, Vrbo rewrites Premier Host, and the bath sheet your guests are quietly judging you for.
Plus: the morning-of-arrival text that drops check-in fire drills from 1-in-3 to 1-in-12.
Issue 003 · Monday, May 11, 2026
Airbnb draws an AI line, the World Cup picks favorites, and hospitality gets a new word.
Plus: the night-before-checkout note that pulls 4-star reviews back to 5.