Holiday Let & Airbnb Games Room: What to Stock

The rain has set in on the third afternoon, the beach is out of the question, and a family of five is looking around the cottage for something to do. This is the moment your holiday let is quietly judged. Get it right and the review writes itself.

A games room, or even a well-stocked cupboard, is one of the few additions a host can make that guests notice, remember, and mention by name. It costs little against a weekend's nightly rate, and it earns its keep across every wet Tuesday of the season.

The equipment matters, though. Games made from FSC-certified timber last longer than flat-packed alternatives, and pieces that meet UKCA and CE safety testing give you peace of mind when younger guests are involved. Cheap sets crack, lose pieces, and look tired by August. The right ones become part of what people come back for.

What Makes a Holiday Let Games Room Worth Five Stars (And What Lets It Down)

A five-star games room is not about how much you spend. It is about whether the games actually work when a guest reaches for them.

The fastest way to lose a star is a box with pieces missing. A backgammon set short two counters, a chess set with a lost queen, a jigsaw with a hole in the sky — each one turns a hopeful moment into a small disappointment. Guests forgive a lot, but not the sense that nobody checks.

Presentation counts too. Games stacked in a damp cupboard read as an afterthought. The same games on an open shelf, spines out and clearly complete, read as care. People treat a room the way it appears to expect to be treated.

Variety is the other half of the equation. A single dartboard suits a certain guest; it does nothing for a family with a six-year-old. The best rooms cover a range of ages and moods, from a quick round of something to a long evening tournament. Our traditional games tend to earn their place precisely because they span generations without instruction.

Finally, quality shows. Guests handle these objects. A weighted chess piece, a smooth wooden board, a set that has clearly survived a few seasons — these small signals tell people the whole property has been thought about. Our earlier guide to stocking a hotel games room covers the same principle at larger scale.

The Best Games Room Categories for Airbnb and Holiday Cottages

Start with the classics that need no explanation. Chess, draughts, and backgammon suit almost any guest, take up little room, and reward repeat play. A folding set that carries all three, such as our Chess, Draughts & Backgammon set, covers three games in one tidy box — ideal where shelf space is tight.

Board games are the wet-weather workhorse. A shelf drawn from our board games range gives families an evening's entertainment and turns a quiet let into a lively one. Choose titles that a group can pick up quickly rather than anything demanding an hour of rule-reading.

If children are among your guests, a basket from our wooden toys range keeps the youngest occupied while older ones play. Robust, wipeable, and safe, they save many a rainy morning.

Do not overlook the garden. A dry spell brings guests outdoors, and lawn games photograph beautifully for a listing. Our outdoor games collection, from giant draughts to skittles, gives a property a genuine point of difference. For inspiration on pairing indoor and outdoor stock, our posts on summer indoor games and summer outdoor games are worth a read.

Table tennis deserves a mention of its own. Jaques trademarked the game as 'Ping-Pong' in 1901, later selling the rights to Parker Brothers in the United States, and it remains one of the great crowd-pleasers where a garage or barn allows the space.

Our Picks: The Best Games and Tables for Your Holiday Let

A centrepiece chess set earns pride of place, and it should be one that survives handling. Our wooden travel chess set at £29.99 is a dependable all-rounder — well made, compact, and hard to damage.

Where you want the games room to make a stronger first impression, our luxury 15-inch folding chess set at £41.99 looks the part on an open shelf and folds away to protect the pieces between guests. It reads as a gift to the property rather than an economy.

For the best balance of value and versatility, the folding Chess, Draughts & Backgammon set at £27.99 gives three games for the price of one and stores flat. It is the natural choice for a smaller let or a second room.

Chess carries a quiet authority that guests respond to. The game is governed internationally by FIDE, whose Laws of Chess run to more than sixty articles — a reminder that a simple-looking set sits atop centuries of refinement. Few guests will play by tournament rules, but the depth is there for those who want it.

Round out the shelf with a few titles from our board games range and a couple of pieces from our traditional games. Aim for four to six complete, good-quality sets rather than a dozen tired ones. A curated shelf always beats a crowded one, both in use and in photographs.

How to Care for Games Room Equipment Between Guests

Games earn their keep only if they are complete, and completeness is a turnaround job. Build a quick check into your changeover routine: open each box, count the pieces against a taped-in list, and confirm the board is intact. Two minutes per game saves a one-star surprise later.

Store wooden games somewhere dry. Damp is the enemy of timber, warping boards and loosening joints over a season. A shelf in a heated room beats a cupboard in an unheated hall. Where a set folds, folding it away also keeps pieces together and dust off the playing surface.

Clean with a barely damp cloth and dry immediately; never soak wooden pieces or leave them near a radiator to dry, as sudden heat can split them. A light wax once a season keeps good chess pieces looking their best and signals to guests that the property is cared for throughout.

Keep a small spares box out of sight. A few counters, a spare pawn, a pair of dice — inexpensive to hold, invaluable when a piece goes astray mid-season. Replacing one counter is far cheaper than replacing a guest's goodwill.

Photograph each complete set once, at the start of the season, so you know exactly what a full box looks like. It makes checking faster and settles any question about what should be there. Quality games from our traditional games range are built to take years of this treatment, which is rather the point of buying well once.

How to Present Your Games Room So It Shows Up in Airbnb Searches

A games room only helps your bookings if travellers can find it, and that begins with the listing itself. Name the games in your description rather than writing 'board games available'. 'Chess, backgammon, and lawn games' gives a searching guest something specific to picture and to search for.

Use 'games room' as a genuine amenity phrase where the space justifies it. The term 'airbnb games room' is something guests actively look for, particularly families booking out of season and groups planning a rainy-weather retreat. Say what you have plainly and let it do the work.

Photographs matter more than words. A single well-lit image of a chess set mid-game, or skittles set out on the lawn, tells a story that a bullet list cannot. Guests scroll quickly; one warm, specific picture stops the thumb.

Demand for domestic holidays rose sharply after 2020, with VisitBritain reporting a marked increase in staycation bookings from that point onwards. That shift rewards hosts who give guests a reason to stay in and enjoy the property, whatever the weather does.

For seasonal listings, lean into the calendar. A winter let benefits from the ideas in our Christmas games guide, while a summer property can borrow from our piece on turning a home into a staycation. Mention the season your games suit, and the right guest will recognise their own holiday in your words.

Frequently Asked Questions About Airbnb Games Room

What is the best games room setup for a Airbnb?

The best Airbnb games room balances broad appeal with durability. A strong core setup includes a table tennis table (Jaques of London trademarked the name 'Ping-Pong' in 1901, making it one of the world's oldest recognised racquet sports brands), a set of quality board games, a deck of cards, and a multipurpose games compendium. If space allows, add table football or a pool table. Aim for activities that suit mixed ages and require no instruction to begin. Guests value immediate, intuitive fun — equipment that sits unused due to complexity earns no positive reviews.

What are the best games to put in a holiday cottage?

Holiday cottage guests respond best to games that require no setup expertise and suit varied ages. Table tennis, chess, draughts, Ludo, and card games are perennial favourites. A quality wooden games compendium covering multiple classics offers excellent value per square metre. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitBritain recorded a marked rise in domestic staycation bookings from 2020 onwards, meaning more families are actively seeking cottage entertainment. Prioritise robust construction over price — cheap sets splinter, lose pieces, and generate complaints. Jaques of London's heritage game sets are particularly well suited to high-turnover rental environments.

Are wooden games worth it for a holiday let?

Yes — wooden games are a sound investment for holiday lets. They withstand repeated use far better than plastic alternatives, look attractive in property photographs, and signal quality to prospective guests browsing listings. Solid hardwood chess sets, backgammon boards, and croquet sets rarely need replacing within a normal letting season. Initial outlay is higher, but the cost per guest interaction drops significantly over time. Wooden sets also photograph beautifully, contributing to stronger listing imagery. For landlords managing high turnover, durability is the single most important purchasing criterion, and well-made wooden games consistently outperform budget plastic equivalents on that measure.

What age is a pool table suitable for?

A full-size pool table is generally suitable for children aged eight and upward, provided cues are appropriately sized and adult supervision is available for younger players. Smaller 6ft tables suit family holiday lets better than 7ft or 8ft competition sizes, as they fit more rooms and younger guests can reach comfortably. Slate-bed tables are more durable than MDF versions and withstand rental use far better. Always fix the table to a stable position, store cues securely, and ensure the room has sufficient clearance around all sides — a minimum of 1.5 metres is advisable for comfortable play.

How do I choose a table football table for a holiday rental?

For a holiday rental, prioritise a table football table with a solid steel rod system rather than hollow rods, which bend under heavy use. Look for counterbalanced players — they prevent all figures from drooping to one side when released — and rubber bumpers on rod ends for safety. A heavy, stable base prevents the table shifting during energetic play. Avoid flat-packed lightweight models; they rarely survive a full letting season intact. Tables with goal boxes that return balls automatically reduce frustration and lost balls. Budget at least mid-range; the cheapest models generate the most complaints and replacement costs.

What should I look for in a garden games set for a holiday let?

Garden games for a holiday let must withstand variable British weather and enthusiastic handling. Look for sets made from treated hardwood or powder-coated steel rather than raw wood or lightweight plastic. Boules, croquet, giant Jenga, and quoits are strong choices — simple rules, broad age appeal, and minimal breakage risk. Ensure all pieces store compactly in a robust carry case or box to prevent loss between guests. Include a laminated instruction card with each set, as guests rarely research rules in advance. Replace worn or missing pieces promptly; incomplete sets are a common source of negative reviews.

How many games do you need in a holiday let games room?

A well-stocked holiday let games room needs a minimum of eight to ten options spanning physical and tabletop play. Aim for at least one active game (table tennis or table football), one skill game (pool or darts), two to three classic board games, a card game selection, and a multipurpose compendium. Variety matters more than volume — twelve variations of the same game type serve guests poorly. Since VisitBritain reported sustained growth in domestic staycation demand from 2020 onwards, guest expectations have risen accordingly. A room that feels considered and complete earns five-star reviews; one that feels sparse or afterthought does not.

What is the best board game for a family holiday cottage?

Chess remains one of the most universally respected board games for a family holiday cottage, with the Laws of Chess governed internationally by FIDE across more than 60 articles — a sign of its global standing. However, for mixed ages and non-players, a classic draughts set or a well-made Ludo board often generates more immediate engagement. A quality wooden compendium covering chess, draughts, backgammon, and snakes and ladders in one set offers the broadest appeal. Avoid games requiring many small pieces that are easily lost, and always keep a printed copy of basic rules inside the box.

How do I stop guests damaging games room equipment?

Clear, friendly guidance prevents most damage. Include a short laminated house guide in the games room explaining proper use of each item — how to fold the table tennis table safely, how to rack pool balls correctly, and where equipment is stored after use. Photograph all equipment at the start of each season to document condition. Choose commercial-grade or reinforced equipment rather than domestic versions; it costs more initially but withstands rough handling far better. Request a refundable security deposit through your booking platform and state clearly in your listing that games equipment is included and expected to be treated with respect.

Do holiday lets with games rooms get better reviews?

Yes — a well-equipped games room is one of the most consistently praised features in holiday let reviews, particularly for family bookings. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitBritain recorded a significant rise in domestic staycation demand from 2020 onwards, with guests increasingly comparing properties on the quality of on-site entertainment. A games room removes the pressure to fill every hour with external activities and keeps guests comfortable during poor weather — a reliable occurrence in the British Isles. Properties that invest in durable, appealing games consistently outperform comparable listings on guest satisfaction scores and repeat booking rates.