Airbnb management in San Diego, for a select few homes.
Salt & Sky is a boutique short-term rental management company run by Aubrey and Brad. We intentionally keep our portfolio small. The homes we accept get our full attention: meticulous care, standout design and marketing most management companies never touch. Our homes don't just get booked. They thrive.
- 800+Five-star reviews
- 4.95Average Airbnb rating
- SuperhostOn Airbnb
- Premier HostOn Vrbo
- NavyVeteran owned
We don't manage every home. We manage the right ones.


Every property we take on carries our name, so we review each one before we say yes. We regularly turn down owners who reach out when a home isn't the right fit for our standards or our brand. That is what lets us give every client property the care, design and marketing it deserves.
If your home is accepted, we personally care for it like our own. We keep it at five-star standard with no overdue maintenance, and we market it relentlessly across every channel we have.
- WhoAubrey and Brad, a husband and wife team based in San Diego. Aubrey is a Navy veteran.
- WhatFull-service Airbnb management, co-hosting, and short-term rental consulting
- WhereCoastal San Diego County, from Ocean Beach and La Jolla to Carlsbad and Oceanside
- Cost20% of booking revenue for full service. Co-hosting is 15% to 20%. No hidden fees.
- HowBy application. Tell us about your home and we will review it.
Salt & Sky vs. the big management companies
Large managers are built for volume. We are built for the homes we take on.
You hand us the keys. We do everything else.
We can take a home from empty to fully booked. We design it, furnish and style it, set it up and launch it, so you never have to lift a finger. Already furnished? We bring it up to our five-star standard, handle any maintenance it needs, and get it ready to perform.
- Full interior design, furnishing and styling
- Five-star readiness: repairs, maintenance and upgrades handled for you
- Supplies, linens, cleaners and a digital guidebook, all set up
- Listing built and launched on every major channel
Our own Dark Moon Chalet was the Readers' Pick for Rustic Home of the Year in San Diego Magazine's 2025 Home & Design Awards. Every client gets a free design or styling consultation.
Your home doesn't just get listed. It gets a following.
Most managers post a listing on Airbnb and wait. We build demand for every home we manage, and we keep building it.
Your own direct booking page
Every client property gets a custom page on our direct booking website, so guests can book your home straight through us without third-party service fees.
Incredible photography
We schedule your shoot with photographers we love working with, from classic listing photography to lifestyle and fully styled shoots.
A thriving social following
We feature your home across our Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and Facebook, the same channels that market our own homes.
Email campaigns
Past guests and our subscriber list hear about your home through our email campaigns, which brings back repeat guests.
Every major channel
Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Google, all synced through our property management system with pricing tuned daily.
A brand, not just a listing
We give each home its own story and positioning, so it stands out in a crowded market and earns loyal guests.
Short-term rental management that fits how involved you want to be
Hand us the keys, keep a hand in it, or run it yourself with a pro in your corner. Simple pricing, no hidden fees.
Full-service management
Completely hands-off ownership. We run everything, from design and launch to every guest message, clean and repair.
- Design, setup and launch
- Pricing, listings and your own direct booking page
- Guest communication and screening
- Cleaning, restocking and maintenance
- Social media and email marketing
- Monthly owner statements and owner portal
Airbnb co-hosting
For owners who already have an Airbnb listing and want a performance partner. We take on the parts that move revenue and you stay as involved as you like.
- Pricing strategy and listing optimization
- Guest communication
- A plan built around what you want to keep doing
Consulting & coaching
For investors and owners who plan to run their own short-term rental. Bring us specific questions, or work with us one-on-one while you launch.
- Market, pricing and listing reviews
- Interior design and styling advice
- One-on-one coaching
What you see is what you pay.
Many big management companies stack on booking fees, marketing fees, linen fees and service charges, so by the time your monthly payout arrives, a lot more than their headline rate is gone. Our structure is up front and honest: 20% of booking revenue. Most management companies also charge an onboarding fee, they just don't advertise it. Ours is a one-time $500, and we tell you before you sign. That's it. Cleaning, maintenance, supplies and any design work are billed separately, and every receipt is attached to your monthly owner statement.
Everything your vacation rental needs, handled
Here is exactly what full-service management covers, and the tools we use to do it.
Design, setup & launch
From an empty home to a finished, fully stocked rental, or a refresh to bring an existing one up to five-star standard.
Dynamic pricing
Every home is connected to PriceLabs, which reads supply, demand and nightly rates in your micro market and updates your prices daily. We layer on local events and seasons by hand.
Photography & styled shoots
We schedule and manage your shoot with incredible photographers, with options from listing photography to lifestyle and styled shoots.
Your own booking page
A custom page for your home on our direct booking website, plus listings on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Google through Hostfully.
Social & email marketing
Your home is featured on our social media and in our email campaigns to past guests and subscribers.
Guest communication
Fast, personal replies from inquiry to checkout, and a digital guidebook with check-in details and our local picks. It is how we earned 800+ five-star reviews.
Guest screening
Superhog flags risky guests and fraudulent payments, and we review every guest profile before we accept a booking.
Damage protection
Every booking outside Airbnb is covered by Safely damage protection up to $1,500. Airbnb bookings carry Airbnb's own protection.
Cleaning & turnovers
Every clean is scheduled automatically with trusted local cleaners, checked against photo checklists and done with eco-friendly products.
Maintenance & care
We personally keep your home at five-star standard, with no overdue maintenance. We find, schedule and manage trusted local contractors, and every repair is itemized with its receipt on your monthly statement.
Supplies & sustainability
We care about what goes into every home: organic, high-quality coffee beans, organic tea, recycled or bamboo paper goods, bulk refills and no single-use plastics. We buy and track it all for you.
Statements & owner portal
A custom owner statement every month with every receipt attached, and an owner portal that makes tax season easy for you and your CPA.
Clear books, every month. Easy taxes, every year.
You get a custom owner statement every month with every dollar of income and expense, and every receipt attached. Everything also lives in your owner portal, so when tax season comes, you or your CPA can pull what you need in minutes instead of digging through emails.
- Custom monthly owner statements
- Every receipt attached, on every statement
- An owner portal for easy tracking all year
- Simple to hand to your CPA at tax time
Vacation rental management across San Diego County
We live here and host here. These are the neighborhoods we know best, because our own guests stay in them.
Ocean Beach
Dog-friendly beach homes and surf cottages. We host OB Surfer's Paradise and Seaside Square here.
Point Loma
Quiet streets minutes from the airport, the bay and Liberty Station.
Pacific Beach
Family and group rentals near the bay and boardwalk, like Velvet Surf and Coastal Palm.
La Jolla
Premium coastal stays, including WaveHouse at Windansea.
North Park
Walkable urban homes near Balboa Park, like our six-bedroom Palm Parkside.
Carlsbad
North County family beach homes, like our Carlsbad family retreat.
Oceanside
Beach and monthly rentals, including The Swell, the Oceanside surf lodge we renovated.
From application to your first booking
Apply
Tell us about your home and your goals. We review every property personally before we take it on.
Review & revenue estimate
If it is a fit, we share a revenue projection and recommend the right plan.
Design, setup & launch
Design or styling, five-star repairs, photography, supplies and your own booking page. We handle all of it.
Thrive
We run the day to day and market your home everywhere. You get a monthly statement and enjoy the home whenever you like.
Thinking about buying or converting a property? Read how we turn an investment property into a high-end short-term rental.
800+ five-star reviews, and counting
★★★★★The management was absolutely outstanding. Responsive to our every need.Rebecca, San Diego CA
★★★★★The description and photos are 100% accurate, which demonstrates how immaculate this home is.Ray, San Diego CA
★★★★★Very responsive, even late in the evening. Very prompt to get questions answered.Saad, Julian CA
Meet Aubrey and Brad
We are a husband and wife team running a small hospitality company in San Diego. Aubrey is a Navy veteran, and she brings the same discipline, attention to detail and follow-through to every home we care for. We started by hosting our own homes, learned what guests love and what owners need, and built Salt & Sky around both. When you work with us, you work with us.
Airbnb management questions, answered
How much does Airbnb management cost in San Diego?
Our full-service management fee is 20% of booking revenue. Co-hosting is 15% to 20% of booking revenue depending on the scope of work. Cleaning, maintenance, supplies and design services are billed separately. There are no hidden fees.
Are there any hidden fees?
No. Many large management companies add booking fees, marketing fees and other service charges on top of their management rate, which quietly shrink the owner's monthly payout. We charge 20% of booking revenue for full-service management, and every other cost is disclosed before you sign. Cleaning, maintenance and supplies are billed separately, and every receipt is attached to your monthly owner statement.
Do you accept every property?
No. We keep our portfolio small and review every home before we take it on. We regularly turn down properties that are not the right fit for our standards or our brand, which is how we give every client home the care and marketing it deserves.
Can you set up a home from scratch?
Yes. We are full service. We can design, furnish, style, set up and launch a home so the owner does not need to do anything. If a home is already furnished, we can bring it up to five-star standard and handle any maintenance it needs before launch.
How do you market my property?
Every client property gets its own custom page on our direct booking website, professional photography with options for lifestyle and styled shoots, features on our social media, and email campaigns to our past guests and subscribers. It is also listed on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Google with dynamic pricing.
What reporting do owners get?
You get a custom owner statement every month with every receipt attached, plus an owner portal where everything is stored. It makes tracking easy all year and keeps tax season simple for you and your CPA.
How are you different from the big Airbnb management companies?
We personally care for every home we manage, so there is never overdue maintenance. We care just as much about the guest experience, stocking every home with organic coffee beans and tea, recycled or bamboo paper goods and no single-use plastics. We keep a small, selective portfolio, charge a simple 20% with no hidden fees, and market every home with its own direct booking page, social media, email campaigns and professional photography. We can also design, set up and launch a home from scratch, and every owner gets a custom monthly statement with every receipt and an owner portal for tax season.
What is the difference between full-service management and co-hosting?
With full-service management, we handle everything and you are completely hands-off. With co-hosting, we take on key performance areas like pricing, listing optimization and guest communication, and you stay involved in the parts of the operation you want to keep.
Which areas of San Diego do you manage?
We manage Airbnb and vacation rentals across San Diego County, including Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, North Park, Carlsbad and Oceanside.
Do I need a license to run an Airbnb in San Diego?
Yes. In the City of San Diego, whole-home short-term rentals need a Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) license, and hosts also need a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate. Licenses come in four tiers, and whole-home licenses are capped, with Mission Beach currently on a waitlist. Carlsbad and Oceanside each set their own rules. We will talk through your property's situation during your review.
Do I need to live in San Diego to work with you?
No. Many of our owners are remote investors. Our local team handles the day-to-day operations, and your statements and receipts are always in your owner portal.
Do you offer consulting if I want to manage my own rental?
Yes. We offer short-term rental and interior design consulting for investors and owners who run their own property, whether you have a few specific questions or want ongoing one-on-one coaching.
How do I get started?
Fill out the management application on this page and tell us about your home. We review every property personally. If it is a fit, we will share a revenue projection and recommend the right management or co-hosting plan for your goals.
Let's see if your home is a fit.
We take on a small number of homes so each one gets our full attention. Tell us about yours here. It takes about 10 minutes, and Aubrey and Brad review every application personally.
- About you
- The property
- Where it stands
- Your goals
- Timing
Thank you, we got it.
We review every home personally and will be in touch soon. If it looks like a fit, we'll set up a call and put together a revenue projection for your home.