Smart STR Upgrades That Actually Increase ROI with Celeste DiRocco and Philip Pane

Smart STR Upgrades That Actually Increase ROI with Celeste DiRocco and Philip Pane

From The Short Term Show by 8 Figure Airbnb and Short Term Rental Real Estate Investor Avery Carl

February 25, 2026 · 39 min

About this episode

Avery Carl discusses smart upgrades for short term rentals with guests Celeste DiRocco and Philip Pane, focusing on design choices that enhance ROI and guest experience.

On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Celeste DiRocco and Philip Pane of Parklin Interiors. They share how they went from buying their first short term rental sight unseen in Gatlinburg to building a six property portfolio across Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia while designing more than 200 short term rentals nationwide. Celeste explains how thoughtful, ROI focused design choices like strategic accent walls, updated lighting, elevated bedding, and strong exterior appeal can dramatically increase bookings without blowing the budget. They also discuss common investor mistakes, including overspending in the wrong areas, over cramming guest capacity, and going too over the top with themes that can hurt long term resale value. The conversation wraps with insights on enhancing the guest experience, building equity through smart renovations, and why focusing on the right doors instead of more doors can transform your investing strategy. How to connect with Celeste and Phillip: https://www.instagram.com/parklin_interiors/https://www.instagram.com/southern_serenity_stays/ https://parklininteriors.com/ How to connect with Avery: The Short Term Shop…

People in this episode

Host: Avery Carl

Guests: Celeste DiRocco, Philip Pane

Topics covered

  • short term rentals
  • real estate investing
  • interior design
  • ROI
  • guest experience
  • property management

Keywords

  • short term rental upgrades
  • ROI
  • interior design
  • guest capacity
  • property portfolio
  • investor mistakes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Parklin Interiors

Places: Gatlinburg, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia

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