The RentTools blog
Field notes for short-term rental hosts
Calendar sync that actually works, cleaning automation that doesn’t double-book the cleaner, and a host’s GDPR checklist that fits on one page. Written by people who run listings, not affiliate sites.

Self-hosting your property manager on a $4 droplet
How to self-host a short-term-rental property manager on a cheap DigitalOcean droplet. Real RAM numbers, real build limits, real monthly cost.

GDPR for short-term rental hosts: what you actually need to do
Practical GDPR for short-term rental hosts. Five concrete actions this week: privacy notice, lawful basis, retention, sub-processors, deletion.
gdprhost-tips
Free property-management tools for short-term rental hosts in 2026
A 2026 roundup of free property-management software for Airbnb and Booking.com hosts. Managed-free, self-host-free, DIY combos, and where each one breaks.
host-tipscalendar-sync
Cleaning schedule automation for short-term rental hosts
How short-term rental hosts can automate the cleaning schedule. Replace paper notebooks and shared Sheets with a cleaner-role workflow that actually scales.
cleaninghost-tips
Setting buffer days right: stop back-to-back cleaning chaos
How to pick the right cleaning buffer days for short-term rentals. The revenue-vs-quality tradeoff, the math, and a per-property rule that scales.
cleaninghost-tips
Avoiding double bookings: the only host cheat sheet you need
A cheat sheet for short-term rental hosts to prevent double bookings. Sync intervals, buffer days, manual-entry rules, and the 24-hour pre-arrival audit.
double-bookingscalendar-sync
How to sync Airbnb and Booking.com calendars in one place (free, 2026)
Sync Airbnb and Booking.com calendars for free with iCal. Step-by-step guide, real refresh-interval numbers, and when a paid channel manager is worth it.
airbnbbooking-com