Boutique short-term rental management · San Diego

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.

The balcony at Coastal Palm, a Pacific Beach vacation rental by Salt & Sky Lodging Co., at sunset with a fire pit, lounge seating and string lights
  • 800+Five-star reviews
  • 4.95Average Airbnb rating
  • SuperhostOn Airbnb
  • Premier HostOn Vrbo
  • NavyVeteran owned
San Diego Magazine Home and Design Awards 2025 winner
Readers' Pick · Rustic Home of the Year 2025Dark Moon Chalet
As seen in
San Diego Magazine Success Magazine SDVoyager
Selective by design

We don't manage every home. We manage the right ones.

The shared courtyard at Seaside Square in Ocean Beach, a vacation rental cared for by Salt & Sky, with a long dining table under a pergola strung with lights
WaveHouse at Windansea in La Jolla at sunset, a Salt & Sky beach cottage with a lit entry and a tropical front garden

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.
What sets us apart

Salt & Sky vs. the big management companies

Large managers are built for volume. We are built for the homes we take on.

Typical large manager
Salt & Sky
Who cares for your home
A rotating team and a support queue
Aubrey and Brad personally, with our local team
Maintenance
Small issues wait until a guest complains
Handled right away. No overdue maintenance, ever.
Fees
A base rate plus booking, marketing, linen and service fees
A simple 20% of booking revenue. No hidden fees.
Portfolio
Hundreds of homes, and they take them all
A small, selective portfolio, by application
Marketing
A listing on Airbnb and Vrbo
Your own direct booking page, social media, email campaigns, styled photoshoots and every major channel
Supplies
Bulk basics bought on price
Organic, high-quality coffee beans and organic tea, recycled or bamboo paper goods, and no single-use plastics
Guest experience
A process built for volume
Thoughtful details at every stay, which is how we earned 800+ five-star reviews
Design
Operations only
Full design, setup and launch from an award-winning design team
Owner reporting
A payout summary
A custom monthly statement with every receipt, plus an owner portal for tax season
A sunlit dining nook at The Swell in Oceanside, renovated and designed by Salt & Sky, with a round table, woven chairs and a paper pendant
Truly full service

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.

Marketed like nothing else

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.

01

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.

02

Incredible photography

We schedule your shoot with photographers we love working with, from classic listing photography to lifestyle and fully styled shoots.

03

A thriving social following

We feature your home across our Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and Facebook, the same channels that market our own homes.

04

Email campaigns

Past guests and our subscriber list hear about your home through our email campaigns, which brings back repeat guests.

05

Every major channel

Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Google, all synced through our property management system with pricing tuned daily.

06

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.

Ways to work with us

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.

Most popular

Full-service management

20%of booking revenue

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
Apply for management
Already listed

Airbnb co-hosting

15 to 20%by scope

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
Ask about co-hosting
Self-managing

Consulting & coaching

Custom

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
Book a consult
No hidden fees

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.

What's included

Everything your vacation rental needs, handled

Here is exactly what full-service management covers, and the tools we use to do it.

01

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.

02

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.

03

Photography & styled shoots

We schedule and manage your shoot with incredible photographers, with options from listing photography to lifestyle and styled shoots.

04

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.

05

Social & email marketing

Your home is featured on our social media and in our email campaigns to past guests and subscribers.

06

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.

07

Guest screening

Superhog flags risky guests and fraudulent payments, and we review every guest profile before we accept a booking.

08

Damage protection

Every booking outside Airbnb is covered by Safely damage protection up to $1,500. Airbnb bookings carry Airbnb's own protection.

09

Cleaning & turnovers

Every clean is scheduled automatically with trusted local cleaners, checked against photo checklists and done with eco-friendly products.

10

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.

11

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.

12

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.

Owner reporting

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
A couple reading the paper in bed with coffee in a bright coastal bedroom at a Salt & Sky vacation rental
Where we manage

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.

How it works

From application to your first booking

  1. Apply

    Tell us about your home and your goals. We review every property personally before we take it on.

  2. Review & revenue estimate

    If it is a fit, we share a revenue projection and recommend the right plan.

  3. Design, setup & launch

    Design or styling, five-star repairs, photography, supplies and your own booking page. We handle all of it.

  4. 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.

What guests say about our management

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
The people behind it

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.

Aubrey and Brad of Salt & Sky Lodging Co. walking up from the ocean in San Diego with their two dogs and a surfboard
Good to know

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.

Management application

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.

  1. About you
  2. The property
  3. Where it stands
  4. Your goals
  5. Timing
Step 1 of 5About you
Your connection to the home
Best way to reach you
Features
Where is the home right now? *

Please choose one.

Current performance
Would you like help with design or a refresh?
Which plan are you interested in? *

See the plans and pricing above.

Please choose at least one.

What matters most to you?