12 Phrases in Your Apartment Description That Can Cost You Bookings

Writing an apartment description often comes down to copying other people's texts or using common clichés. Property owners in Croatia frequently forget that guests scan texts looking for specific information.

When a German guest books accommodation in Split for August, they compare dozens of similar listings. If your description sounds like every other one, you lose distinctiveness and, consequently, potential revenue.

Below are the 12 most common phrases you need to eliminate from your platform descriptions and what to replace them with to increase conversions.

— 01Generic Phrases That Mean Nothing

Generic phrases fill space without providing useful information to guests, which reduces the effectiveness of your listing. Descriptions rich in specific details rather than adjectives generally persuade guests better. Instead of wasting limited character counts on abstract concepts, focus on tangible benefits.

Many guests read only the beginning of a description before making a booking decision. Here are the three most commonly used phrases that add no value:

• 1. "Home away from home": Guests go on vacation precisely so they are not at home. They seek an experience, an escape from everyday life, and a higher standard of cleanliness.
• 2. "Gorgeous" / "Beautiful": These adjectives are entirely subjective. A beautiful view means a sea view to one person and a view of the old town to another.
• 3. "Hidden gem": A phrase used so often that it has become a cliché in tourism marketing.

Instead of a "beautiful view," write: "A 12 m² balcony overlooking the Split Riva where you can drink your morning coffee."

— 02Misleading With Location and Distances

Inaccurate location descriptions are a common cause of poor location reviews on Booking.com and Airbnb. Guests today use Google Maps to verify addresses, so any discrepancy immediately destroys trust before the booking even happens. When a guest realizes your definition of distance does not match reality, cancellation risks soar.

Here are the phrases that cause the most problems:

• 4. "City center" (when it is a 15-minute walk): If you are not in the strict center, do not write that you are. A guest dragging suitcases in the summer heat for 15 minutes will leave a bad review.
• 5. "Only 5 minutes from the beach": Guests always read this as a "5-minute walk." If you mean a car ride, you must explicitly state that.
• 6. "Ideal location": An ideal location for a family requires peace, while an ideal location for young people requires proximity to clubs.

You pay Booking.com a commission on every reservation (the exact percentage is in your contract and the extranet, and visibility programmes raise it) — do not lose guests over bad copy.

Be as precise as possible. The best practice is to state the exact distance in meters, e.g., "Bačvice beach is a 400-meter walk down a flat street."

— 03Aggressive and Negative Tones in the Listing

Highlighting what the property lacks or setting strict prohibitions in the introduction creates a negative psychological image for the reader. Focusing on shortcomings reduces the desire to book. Your description should sell a dream and relaxation, not sound like a lease agreement with a pile of restrictions.

• 7. "We do not have a pool, but...": Never highlight what you do not have. If you lack a pool, focus on the hot tub or proximity to the sea.
• 8. "Strictly forbidden": This phrase sounds aggressive. Leave behavioral rules for the house rules or the check-in message.
• 9. "No parties": Although this is an important rule, Booking.com and Airbnb already have built-in filters and tags for "No parties allowed."

All rules regarding noise and registration in the eVisitor system can be communicated politely after the reservation is already confirmed.

— 04Trying to Attract All Types of Guests

A listing claiming to be perfect for families, couples, and partygoers simultaneously loses authenticity and trust. Targeting a specific niche often allows a higher price too, because guests are willing to pay more for a property tailored to them.

When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Specificity sells accommodation.

• 10. "Perfect for absolutely everyone": A 4th-floor apartment without an elevator in Hvar is not perfect for retirees, but it might be excellent for young couples.
• 11. "Everything you need for a vacation": What is necessary for one person is insufficient for another. If you lack fast internet, digital nomads will bypass you.
• 12. "Affordable / Cheap": Using the word "cheap" devalues your brand and can attract guests for whom price is the only criterion.

Always keep in mind who your ideal guest is. If you rent a villa in Istria, your target guest is likely looking for a premium experience, not "affordable accommodation."

— 05Wasted Space on Technicalities

Repeating technical information that is already clearly marked in the platform's icons wastes valuable description space. Instead of listing the obvious, use the text to describe the experience and specific equipment brands. Platforms like Booking.com have an Amenities section precisely so you do not have to write that you have towels and toilet paper.

Instead of an "equipped kitchen" and "flat-screen TV," be specific:

• "Kitchen with a Bosch induction cooktop and a Nespresso machine"
• "55-inch Smart TV with a free Netflix profile for guests"
• "Mesh system with 200 Mbps internet speed (fiber optic)"

Optimizing descriptions takes time, but it is a free tool that directly impacts your calendar occupancy and revenue levels at the end of the season.