Marie Jones.
Virtual Assistant
„Where trust works behind the scenes and creates time for what matters most.“
Local support, built on real hosting experience.
I'm a virtual assistant based in Kiama/NSW, supporting short-term rental owners with back-office organisation and guest communication support.
I bring hands-on expertise to this: from 2019 to 2025, I built and ran my own short-term rental business in Portugal — from 2022 to 2025 with Airbnb Superhost status and the Guest Favourite award, with a 4.97★ rating across 92 reviews.
From guest guides to listing optimisation, ongoing guest communication and bookkeeping. I bring that same structured, reliable approach to properties here.
My support is available as a fixed package or tailored individually to your needs.
01
Backoffice & Organisation
• Preparatory bookkeeping and correspondence
• Document organisation and reporting
• A complement to your existing on-site team
02
Guest Communication & Hosting
· Airbnb and Booking.com management
· Guest communication and coordination as your remote co-host
· Guest guide creation and automation setup
Real Hosting Experience
• Superhost status, 4.97★ across 92 reviews
• Hands-on experience running my own property in Portugal
• Structured, reliable approach from day one
Trust and high standards
As a VA for the short-term rental industry, I work with a strong commitment to quality: reliable, discreet, and highly structured. You can trust that tasks are executed with precision and agreements are strictly followed — giving you more clarity, focus, and peace of mind for what matters.
"The collaboration with Marie is of exceptionally high value to me and represents a key success factor in my professional daily work. She works reliably, in a highly structured manner, and with great conscientiousness, which allows me to fully trust the quality and punctuality of her deliverables at all times.
What stands out in particular is her ability to quickly and independently familiarise herself with new subject areas. This enables her to respond flexibly to different requirements and provide effective support across a wide range of tasks.
For me, this collaboration results in a noticeable and lasting relief in my day-to-day work, allowing me to focus more strongly on my core competencies. In addition, our professional relationship is always pleasant, highly professional, and based on mutual trust.
I can fully and unreservedly recommend working with her."
— Christine H., Founder Home Staging Business & Short-Term Rentals, Germany
“I worked with Marie during the purchase and handover of a property in Portugal, where she supported me as a co-host and assisted with the day-to-day operations. From the very beginning, she was proactive, highly organized, and consistently reliable. When issues arose, she didn’t just point them out but also brought forward practical solutions.
She used her extensive experience to explain complex matters in a clear and understandable way. Her communication was always fast and transparent, which made the entire process much smoother than I had expected.
Marie is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for professional support.”
— Sanjay S., Short-term rental business owner, Portugal
More space for
what truly matters.
Hospitality needs structure.
You know the feeling: A guest messages because the WiFi isn't working. The guest guide has been "on the to-do list" for months. And between check-ins, reviews, and messages, there's barely time left for what actually moves your business forward.
That's exactly where I come in — with hands-on experience from my own short-term rental business in Portugal (2019–2025), where I earned and maintained Airbnb Superhost status, and structured support in two areas: Guest Communication & Hosting, and Backoffice & Organisation.
I've done this myself — now I do it for you.
Real Experience
Proven track record
Structured from day one
Available when you need me
92 reviews, 4.97★ rating, and Airbnb Superhost status — built from running my own short-term rental for years.
Bookkeeping, correspondence, and guest communication handled with the same care and consistency I applied to my own property.
Based locally, working in your time zone — quick responses, no delays, easy to reach during your normal business hours.
For owners with an existing team
Your Complement in the Background
01
You keep your on-site team
For guest communication, check-in/-out, or key handover
— I take care of what often gets left behind: preparatory bookkeeping, correspondence with service providers, document organisation, reporting.
Specialised in organisation and communication — reliable, no detours.
Many owners already have a good on-site team: an agency or contact person for guest communication, key handover, and cleaning. What often gets left behind in that setup is the part that happens in the background: bookkeeping, correspondence with service providers, document organisation, and reporting. That's exactly what I specialise in.
02
Quick, reliable communication
A dependable point of contact for administrative questions and correspondence — responsive during your normal business hours, without the wait times bigger agencies often have.
03
Transparent, predictable costs
Hourly rate from AU$40 — you pay for work actually done, tailored exactly to what's missing in your setup.
Local to Kiama? For properties in and around Kiama, I can also offer in-person guest check-in — so you get the best of both worlds: reliable remote support for your back office, plus a local, personal touch when it matters most.
Superhost experience
that counts
I know first-hand what it takes to succeed in short-term rental –
from the first booking inquiry to a five-star review. I bring that
same standard, structure, and attention to detail to managing your
property, so your guests feel completely at ease.
“Marie was an exceptional host for our stay. She was flexible with check-in, very responsive, and provided us with excellent recommendations – from restaurants to activities. Thank you for everything.”
— Airbnb guests
“A completely seamless stay. Marie thought of every detail and was immediately available whenever we had questions. We truly enjoyed our time.”
— Airbnb guests
“One of the best Airbnb stays I have ever had. Marie was very friendly and helpful, and she truly made an effort to provide us with local tips and ideas for exploring the island.”
— Airbnb guests
Guest Communication & Hosting — my packages at a glance
Whether you're just getting started or want to professionalise your existing listing – choose the entry point that fits you.
Guest Guide
An individual guest guide for your property — professionally designed with all the essential information for your guests.
Approx. 10–15 pages, depending on your property's features and surroundings.
1 revision round included. Additional revision rounds: AU$40 each.
German version optional.
Format: A4, delivered as a PDF for digital sharing or self-printing.
Price: from AU$220 net per property*
This price applies if you provide me with the key details and local recommendations (restaurants, activities, WiFi, house rules, etc.).
If independent research on your location is required, I calculate this as an additional cost (+ AU$80).
Delivery: 3–5 business days
Launch Package
The complete start:
Airbnb and Booking.com listing creation, guest guide included, plus automation setup for standard messages (welcome, check-in, WiFi, check-out, review request).
The guest guide (worth AU$220) is included in the package price.
Price: from AU$650 net per property*
Additional platforms (e.g. Vrbo/FeWo-direkt, Expedia): available on request, additional fee applies
Delivery: 7–10 business days after receiving all property details and photos
Listing Refresh
Already have a listing, but it's not performing the way it should?
I'll review and optimise your existing Airbnb or Booking.com listing — improved copy, better photo selection and order, updated pricing structure suggestions, and a stronger first impression for potential guests.
Includes: listing audit, rewritten description and headline, photo order recommendations, title/keyword optimisation.
Price: from AU$350 net per property*
Additional platforms (e.g. Vrbo/FeWo-direkt, Expedia): available on request, additional fee applies
Delivery: 5–7 business days
Ongoing Support
Reliable, prompt responses are a key part of maintaining your Superhost status — and give your guests a good feeling from the very first contact.
I handle your guest communication and use quieter periods for preparatory bookkeeping, booking coordination, review management, and cleaning coordination.
Start: by arrangement, typically within 1 week
No minimum term — cancel monthly.
Price: AU$45/hr*
Backoffice & Organisation — find the right package for you
Starting from scratch or need to get organised? Start with Setup. Already have structure in place and need ongoing support? Go straight to Starter, Business, or Premium.
For: A high workload or several ongoing projects — you want to hand off your back office entirely.
Included:
— All three areas: correspondence & communication, preparatory bookkeeping, executive assistance
— Up to 15 hours / week, including proactive reporting
Collaboration: Priority handling, direct availability, even outside core hours (during my working hours).
Price: from AU$50/hr*
For: You're starting fresh or want your digital foundation set up properly before beginning an ongoing collaboration.
Included:
— Folder structure for documents & preparatory bookkeeping
— Email inbox setup (folders, rules, templates) — for Gmail
Collaboration: One-off project, delivered within 3–4 business days.
Price: AU$220, one-off*
AI Assistant Setup (bookable separately or combined with the Setup package)
For: You want Claude or ChatGPT set up as your personal assistant for everyday tasks, with projects, recurring tasks and templates matched to how you work.
Included:
— Claude or ChatGPT set up as your personal AI assistant
— Initial projects, recurring tasks and text templates built out
Collaboration: One-off project, delivered within 2–3 business days.
Price: AU$180 alone, or AU$370 combined with Setup (instead of AU$400)
Note on pricing: Net reference prices in AUD, for guidance only. The exact hourly rate will be agreed during our initial consultation.
This is what your guest guide could look like
About Me
Until November 2025, I built and managed my own Airbnb business in Portugal – a project that was far more than just renting out properties. It was about creating spaces where people immediately feel welcome. With this mindset, I achieved Superhost status and, over the years, learned what true hospitality means in detail: clear communication, proactive thinking, and a seamless experience from the first message to the final review.
This time has shaped me – not only operationally, but also on a personal level. I learned to take full responsibility for entire processes, bring calm into complex situations, and keep an eye on every detail at the same time. What has always been especially important to me is that guests feel seen and well taken care of – no matter where in the world they arrive.
In parallel, I have been working successfully as a virtual assistant in a remote setting for two years, supporting clients with the structured organisation and optimisation of their operational processes.
Today, I bring this entire experience into my work as a virtual assistant for the short-term rental industry — for hosts as well as businesses in this field. I help my clients reliably manage guest communication and back-office operations in the background — allowing more space for what truly matters.
I work calmly, in a structured way, and with a strong commitment to quality. Reliability and clarity are not extras for me, but the foundation of every collaboration.
EDUCATION
I began my professional career with an apprenticeship as an Event Manager at a conference centre in Germany, where I learned the fundamentals of planning, organizing, and executing events in practice.
During this time, I developed strong skills in structured working, coordinating processes, and maintaining oversight even in dynamic situations.
Following this, I studied Cultural Work and Arts Management at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, where I successfully completed my Bachelor of Arts.
This degree broadened my perspective on cultural, social, and conceptual contexts and strengthened my ability to think about and implement projects in
a holistic way.
Tools
Behind the scenes, I rely on a well-rounded set of digital tools that keep my work structured and efficient for every client.
Organisation and communication run through Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Zoom, and Slack, complemented by Dropbox for file sharing and Toggl for time tracking.
With much of my experience rooted in short-term rentals, I'm well versed in platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.
For bookkeeping, I bring the same structured approach I use with Lexoffice and Finom in Europe, and I'm happy to work with whichever local software you already use — or help set one up if you don't have one yet.
Canva helps me create polished content for listings, guest guides, and social media — where I'm active on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
To work even faster and more precisely, I also rely on AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, for which I hold Anthropic's official 'Claude 101' certificate.
FAQ
01
Do you also handle property management or on-site guest check-in?
My core focus is on back-office organisation and guest communication support, working remotely for most properties. For properties in and around Kiama, I can also offer in-person guest check-in — please get in touch to discuss what's possible for your location.
02
Can I combine packages, or add more hours later?
Yes. The packages are a guide, not a rigid structure. We'll align the exact scope to your needs during our first conversation, and adjust as your needs grow.
03
Do you coordinate with my existing cleaning or key-handover team?
Yes. I don't have my own on-site cleaning or key-handover team (outside of Kiama), so I coordinate closely with whoever you already have in place for anything physical. Digital key systems (e.g. smart locks) I can manage remotely.
04
How does billing work, and is there a minimum term?
Monthly billing based on actual hours worked, transparently documented. There's no minimum term — the collaboration can be cancelled monthly.
