HiGuests

What HiGuests does

HiGuests is a Dubai-based property management company that operates full-service short-term rental management for property owners across the UAE. Founded in 2016 by two entrepreneurs from Barcelona (CEO Oriol Plana and Co-Founder Miquel Manzanas), the company operates as Hi Guests Vacation Homes Rental LLC under Dubai Holiday Home License #765614, regulated by the Department of Economy and Tourism. HiGuests manages listings for individual property owners and distributes them across 20+ booking platforms including Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Stayz, and HomeAway, in addition to its own multilingual direct booking portal (book.higuests.com).

The company's core product is end-to-end property management covering listing creation and optimization, dynamic pricing, guest communication, check-in/check-out, professional cleaning coordination, maintenance, and 24/7 guest support. The technology stack includes a proprietary Host Dashboard providing real-time revenue insights, expense tracking, interactive calendars, and instant notifications. Dynamic pricing algorithms analyze local market conditions to adjust rates, and the company integrates with multiple payment processors (Stripe, Mamo, PayPal, Redsys) and messaging automation tools (mr.alfred). Internal headcount is in the 11-50 range with named leadership in operations, quality control, and interior design.

HiGuests generates revenue through a transaction-based commission model, typically 15-25% of booking revenue, charged to property owners. The customer base consists of individual Dubai property owners (many international investors) seeking passive short-term rental income, with the consumer-facing side serving travelers booking premium vacation rentals. The company has raised approximately $1.95 million across multiple funding rounds from 2016 to 2020, including a $1.1M round led by Forcadell and two engagements with 500 Global. HiGuests has been recognized as a Premier Holiday Home Provider by Visit Dubai.

Name

HiGuests

Legal name

Hi Guests Vacation Homes Rental LLC

Website

https://higuests.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HiGuests is a Dubai-based full-service short-term rental property management company founded in 2016 that manages individual hosts' properties across 20+ booking platforms including Airbnb and Booking.com, charging 15-25% commission on booking revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Short-Term Rental Property Management

NAICS

Traveler Accommodation (7211)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Vacation Rental Property Management (THAMAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Service Vacation Rental Property Management (BPAJAIAA), Vacation & Short-Term Rental Management (BPAJAFAI), Co-Host / On-the-Ground Operations & Guest Services (BPAJAIAI), Marketing, Photography & Listing Optimization Services (THAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Short-term rental management
• Vacation rental services
• Holiday home management
• Airbnb property management
• Dynamic pricing algorithms

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Management Fees: HiGuests charges a percentage of booking revenue for managing short-term rental properties. This covers listing optimization, guest communication, check-in/check-out, cleaning coordination, maintenance, dynamic pricing, and 24/7 support. Most companies in Dubai charge 15-25% of bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HiGuests provides full-service short-term rental property management for property owners in Dubai, handling listing creation and distribution across 20+ booking platforms, dynamic pricing, guest communication, check-in/check-out, professional cleaning, and maintenance coordination. The company also operates a direct guest booking platform (book.higuests.com) offering handpicked vacation homes in Dubai with 24/7 support. Revenue is generated primarily through a commission-based fee structure (15-25% of booking revenue) charged to property owners.

Product overview

HiGuests is a unified short-term rental property management platform offering a comprehensive suite of services for property owners in Dubai. The core offering consists of Full-Service Property Management, which serves as the primary umbrella service encompassing listing optimization, dynamic pricing, guest services, property maintenance, and transparent reporting. The platform includes a Host Dashboard for real-time property performance monitoring and a multi-language Guest Booking Platform (book.higuests.com). Key service modules include Guest Services, Property Maintenance & Quality Assurance, Marketing & Visibility, Transparent Reporting, and Safety & Security Protocols. The dynamic pricing sub-product operates as a distinct capability within the management platform, utilizing algorithmic analysis to optimize rental income. Properties are distributed across 20+ booking channels including Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Service Property Management End-to-end short-term rental management service for property owners in Dubai, including listing optimization across 20+ platforms, booking management, dynamic pricing, guest communication, check-in/check-out handling, professional cleaning coordination, and maintenance support.
• Guest Services Round-the-clock guest support, check-in/check-out facilitation, and tailored guest experiences including local recommendations and personalized welcome amenities for travelers staying at HiGuests-managed properties.
• Property Maintenance & Quality Assurance Routine property inspections, professional housekeeping with strict hygiene protocols, and coordinated maintenance support ranging from minor fixes to major repairs for managed short-term rental properties.
• Marketing & Visibility Professional photography services, data-driven marketing positioning across 20+ booking platforms, and active guest review and reputation management to maximize property visibility and bookings.
• Transparent Reporting

Quantifiable outcome

• Properties achieve 65-85% average annual occupancy rates in prime Dubai locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AirbnbcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirbnb is one of the primary distribution channels for HiGuests properties. HiGuests creates and optimizes property listings on Airbnb, manages guest communications, and handles bookings through the platform. Properties are listed across Airbnb's global marketplace.
• Booking.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBooking.com serves as a major OTA distribution channel for HiGuests properties. The partnership enables HiGuests to reach millions of travelers searching for accommodations in Dubai.
• ExpediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExpedia is one of the 20+ booking platforms where HiGuests distributes property listings for short-term rentals in Dubai.
• StayzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStayz is an Australian vacation rental platform that is part of HiGuests' multi-channel distribution strategy.
• HomeAwaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHomeAway is a vacation rental marketplace included in HiGuests' distribution network of 20+ booking platforms.
• Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)coreOthersHiGuests operates under Dubai Holiday Home Rental Regulations issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (formerly DTCM). Properties must be registered with DET for legal short-term rental operation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Houst: Houst (formerly Airsorted) is a vacation rental management company with active operations in Dubai. It provides host onboarding, professional photography, dynamic pricing, and full guest handling, making it a direct competitor in the same Dubai STR management market.
• GuestReady: GuestReady is a full-service short-term rental management company operating across Europe, the Middle East (including Dubai), and Asia. It offers the same end-to-end host services — listing optimization, dynamic pricing, guest management, cleaning — directly competing with HiGuests for both hosts and OTA distribution.
• Hostmaker: Hostmaker is a tech-enabled full-service short-term rental manager offering home management, guest experience, and revenue optimization for hosts. It targets premium urban markets comparable to HiGuests' Dubai focus.

Broad incumbents

• Booking.com: Booking.com is one of HiGuests' primary OTA partners and a broader travel accommodation incumbent. Its scale, pricing power, and recently expanded STR tools place it in an incumbent position relative to HiGuests.
• Airbnb: Airbnb is both HiGuests' largest distribution channel and a structural competitor. Its ongoing push into host services, AirCover, and direct booking incentives creates a long-term risk of disintermediation for full-service managers like HiGuests.
• Vacasa: Vacasa is one of the largest full-service vacation rental management companies in the world, operating across North America and select international markets. It is a broader incumbent providing the same end-to-end host services and competing for premium STR market share.
• Evolve Vacation Rental: Evolve is a large North American vacation rental manager offering full-service and hybrid management models. While primarily US-focused, it represents the broader competitive set for technology-enabled STR management at scale.

Emerging players

• Lavanda: Lavanda is a short-let management and revenue optimization platform focused on serviced apartments and short-term rentals. It overlaps with HiGuests' tech-enabled management model, though it typically targets mid-term rental and serviced-apartment segments.
• Smoobu: Smoobu is a channel manager and property management software provider for short-term rental hosts. It targets the same small-manager and host segment as HiGuests but via software rather than full-service operations, representing both a partial competitor and a potential technology partner.

Others

• PriceLabs: PriceLabs is a leading dynamic pricing and revenue management tool for vacation rental hosts and managers. Its algorithms overlap with HiGuests' proprietary dynamic pricing system, making it a partial substitute and an enabling technology supplier.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/higuests
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61560807759364
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/higuests
• Instagraminstagram.com/higuests

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HiGuests