Guests working remotely from your holiday home: how to prepare without turning it into an office

More and more guests bring their laptops and make video calls from your living room. They are not professional digital nomads (those are another profile), but regular workers who take a few days off and need to work a few hours. If your home isn't minimally prepared, they leave with a bad review. I'll tell you how to adapt it without renovations or big investments, and how to charge more for it.

Why this profile is different from the digital nomad

Many people confuse them, but they are not the same.

The digital nomad leaves for 1-3 months, chooses the destination based on WiFi, needs a dedicated desk, a second screen, and a decent chair. They usually book directly or through platforms like Nomad List.

The guest who teleworks occasionally stays 4-10 nights. It's a normal getaway, but they have a meeting on Tuesday at 10:00 or need to answer emails daily. They won't compare routers or bandwidth. They simply expect everything to work when they open their laptop.

The problem: if it doesn't work, they won't tell you. They leave a review saying "the WiFi was slow" or "there was nowhere to work" and that's it.

How many guests are really like this

I don't have exact official data for Spain, but based on what most managers see, between 20% and 40% of bookings over 4 nights include someone who will work part of the time. In city and accessible coastal destinations, the percentage increases. In August, in the middle of a tourist town, it drops significantly.

The relevant point: you don't need to optimize your home for professional digital nomads. You need a normal guest to be able to make a decent video call without drama.

What they really need (and what they don't)

Essential

• Stable and fast WiFi. Minimum 100 Mbps symmetrical if possible, 50 Mbps download as usual. And above all: coverage in all areas where they might want to work.
• A table that isn't just for eating. It can be the kitchen table, but it must fit a laptop comfortably and allow sitting with a reasonably straight back.
• A chair that isn't a barstool. I'm serious. I've seen beautiful apartments with very uncomfortable designer chairs.
• A power outlet near the table. Seems obvious. It's not.
• Natural light or good artificial light in the work area. Especially for video calls.

Things that add a lot without costing much

• An extension cord or power strip in the work area (3-5 euros)
• A small desk lamp with warm light (15-25 euros)
• A small lumbar cushion on the chair (10 euros)
• A coaster near the table (seems trivial, until someone spills coffee on the MacBook)

Optional but makes your listing stand out

• An additional monitor (120-200 euros, but mentioning it in the listing multiplies bookings of this profile)
• WiFi repeater in the main room
• Laptop stand
• Cheap wireless keyboard and mouse

The WiFi issue: the most important

I recommend reading the guide on what speed you need and which router to install because it's the number one factor. Quick summary:

Contracted speed	Suitable for...
50 Mbps	1-2 people browsing, 1 SD video call
100 Mbps	2-3 people, 1-2 HD video calls, streaming
300 Mbps or more	4+ people, multiple simultaneous video calls, heavy downloads
600 Mbps or fiber symmetrical	Intensive telework, any scenario

And remember: bandwidth is useless if the router is in the living room and people work in the bedroom with brick walls. If in doubt, test yourself. Place the laptop in each room, open speedtest.net, and check.

If results are weak in some area, a repeater or basic Mesh system (TP-Link Deco, 80-150 euros) solves it.

If your home has poor WiFi and a guest works remotely, prepare for a 3-star review. It's almost mathematical.

The makeshift workspace: how to set it up properly

You don't need a professional desk. What you need is for the table you already have to function as a decent workspace.

Table

If you have a 4-person dining table, you already have a workspace. Just ensure that a laptop, a notebook, a cup, and a mouse can fit without everything being crowded.

If the main table is like a "cafe" (low, living room height), you have a problem. No one works 4 hours at a 40 cm high table.

Chair

This is where most apartments fail. Beautiful chairs are often uncomfortable for teleworking. Minimum:

• Straight backrest
• Seat with some padding
• Height compatible with the table (elbows at about 90 degrees)

A chair like IKEA's Odger or similar (40-60 euros) is more than enough.

Lighting

A small desk lamp with warm bulb (2700-3000K) near the workspace completely changes the perception of the space. Especially for sunset video calls, lifesavers. For more details, see how to light your holiday home well.

Noise

If your home is on a noisy street or right above a bar, teleworking guests will suffer. You can't move the apartment, but you can:

• Mention it in the listing (honestly: "lively area at night")
• Install thick curtains to dampen sound
• Have earplugs in the welcome kit

How to communicate this in the listing

Here's an opportunity almost no one takes advantage of. If your home is minimally adapted, mention it. In the description, amenities, or a photo.

Effective phrases:

• "Fiber WiFi 300 Mbps symmetrical (ideal for video calls)"
• "Work area with large table, ergonomic chair, and good natural light"
• "Additional monitor available upon request"
• "Perfect for getaways with some telework"

You don't have to position yourself as a "home for digital nomads." Just make it clear that someone needing to work a few hours can.

Airbnb has specific filters for "dedicated workspace" and "fast WiFi." Activate them if you meet the criteria. Filtered searches make you appear in results where competition is much lower.

Can you charge more for this?

Yes, but with nuances. You can't raise 20 euros per night just for having a decent chair. What you can do is:

• Attract longer bookings (those who telework tend to stay 5-10 nights instead of 2-3)
• Reduce the percentage of gaps between bookings
• Fill weekdays in the shoulder season
• Differentiate yourself from direct competitors without changing the price

If you're interested in this approach, also read how to attract business guests and how to work with digital nomads.

Common mistakes that cost you reviews

1. WiFi depending on an old operator router. If your router is over 4 years old, change it. Most operators replace it for free upon request.
2. Dining table attached to the wall without a nearby outlet. Cheap extension cord, problem solved.
3. Beautiful but uncomfortable chair. If you can't sit 2 hours in it, neither can a guest.
4. Not mentioning actual WiFi speed in the listing. Saying "WiFi available" and the guest expects 300 Mbps. If you have 50, say so.
5. Work zone without light. A laptop by a window at noon is unreadable, and video calls will have shadows.
6. Internet outages without a plan B. If you live in an area with unstable fiber, have a backup 4G router or plan. See the protocol for internet outages.

What you CAN exclude

Something almost no one considers: you have the right not to accept reservations from people who will use your home as a full-time office for months. That's a different kind of use and may fall into seasonal rental territory, not tourism.

If someone asks to book for 3 months and says it's for teleworking, first consider if you're interested in accepting long stays and how it affects your taxes.

How Autoregistro fits in

If you have guests who come to work remotely, they probably stay longer than average. Still, each reservation must go through SES Hospedajes, with all the data of all adults.

Autoregistro costs 1 euro per month per property (less than a coffee). You send a link to the guest, they fill it out on their phone before arrival, and the data automatically goes to SES Hospedajes. You don't need to photocopy IDs, write anything by hand, or fill out the official form.

For longer, calmer telework stays, it's one less concern. The guest arrives, settles in, opens the laptop, and starts working. And you've already complied with the mandatory traveler registration.

FAQ

Is it mandatory to offer a work area in a holiday home?

No, there is no legal obligation. It's a commercial matter: if you don't offer it, you lose a growing segment of guests.

What minimum internet speed do you recommend for teleworking guests?

At least 100 Mbps symmetrical if it's fiber. For HD video calls, upload speed is as or more important than download. Avoid ADSL or 4G contracts as main lines if your home is in a fiber-available area.

Is it worth buying an additional monitor?

If your home competes for stays of 5+ nights, yes. A basic 24-inch monitor costs 100-150 euros and recovers with 2-3 extra bookings per year. Mentioning it in the listing is a strong differentiation.

Can I charge a supplement for "workspace"?

Not directly. What you can do is slightly increase the base rate and justify in the listing that your home is adapted for telework. Guests of this profile compare based on quality, not just price.

What if the guest complains about WiFi during a workday?

Have a plan B: router restart, quick contact with your provider, and if you live in a problematic area, a backup 4G/5G router (from 50 euros). Responding in less than 30 minutes makes the difference between a 5-star review and a 2-star one.