JUNE 03, 2025

#135: How Chandni Dhanjal Saved $22K on Airbnb Setup Using AI

What if your short-term rental setup could look high-end, feel luxurious, and cost a whole lot less—because AI helped you do the heavy lifting?

That’s exactly what Chandni Dhanjal is doing, and she’s not just saving a few bucks. We’re talking $22,000 in savings—and that’s just the beginning.

Inside this episode, Chandni shares how she’s using AI for short-term rental design to scale smarter, faster, and more creatively than ever before. From sourcing designer-style furniture at a fraction of the cost to generating custom artwork that wows guests (without the gallery price tag), she’s flipping the script on how setup is supposed to look.

From Tech Exec to Rental Trailblazer

Chandni didn’t come from the design world—she came from tech. But that’s exactly what makes her approach so powerful. She’s using tools and systems that most hosts haven’t even touched yet. And she’s showing us what’s possible when we stop doing things the “traditional” way.

Whether you’ve got one unit or a whole portfolio, her story is proof that tech and creativity aren’t just compatible—they’re a powerhouse combo.

Five Pillars of Design, Powered by AI

In this episode, we also dive into Chandni’s five design pillars, how she chooses stand-out pieces that actually support guest experience, and why she believes AI isn’t just a trend—it’s the tool that’s leveling the playing field for hosts who want luxury without the luxury budget.

And trust me… this isn’t some futuristic fantasy. This is what’s working right now.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by setup costs—or you just want to make your space pop without draining your wallet—this is your blueprint for doing it smarter.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[00:13] A short introduction about our guest Chandi Dhanji and her short-term rental journey and portfolio

[02:34] Chandi talks about her strategy behind market selection and why she intentionally spread her short-term rentals across several states

[04:50] Chandi’s approach to integrating AI into market analysis to improve decision-making and reduce risk in short-term rental investing

[07:08] Chandi talks about her idea of using AI for furnishing and design to save over $20,000 while elevating guest experience and ROI

[14:40] Chandi’s strategy to leveraging AI tools as a design collaborator for high-end STR efficiency

[20:31] How anyone can get started with AI tools—even without tech skills

[23:54] Chandi talks about how much time she spends using AI tools and how she uses them in pricing strategies to save time and money on property renovations

[34:06] How Chandi delegates pricing research and uses AI-generated artwork to significantly reduce costs in her real estate projects

[38:27] Chandi explains how she prints AI-generated artwork and how it enables unique, custom design solutions that save time and money

[42:32] Chandi shares her plan of design innovation and creating customized decor using 3D printing

[44:23] Chandi shares how experimentation, persistence, and team collaboration drive her innovation and savings

[46:34] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “Be true to yourself, your brand. Know your brand and your brand identity; your goal is not to make everybody happy.”
• “It’s absolutely necessary to delegate. If you want to scale and if you want to grow your team, you cannot do everything yourself.”
• “As soon as you can build trust, you can get people to go direct; and just highlight the reasons why they should go direct.”
• “I truly believe that mindset is everything. It’s the foundation for success. Because the only way that you can truly fail is if you quit.”
• “If you believe in yourself and believe in what you’re looking to build, I believe one of the fastest and best ways to get there is to surround yourself with other people who have been there, because, again, you can plug right into them and not have to reinvent the wheel or live with the mistakes.”

• AI Tools Mentioned:

• SketchUp: https://www.sketchup.com/
• Enscape: https://www.chaos.com/enscape
• Google Lens: https://lens.google/
• Leonardo.Ai: https://leonardo.ai/
• Imagen: https://deepmind.google/technologies/imagen-3/

Let’s Connect!

Follow Chandi Dhanjal on:

Website: www.charmingvacationhomes.com

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