Solene Capaldi
Co-Founder, StaysIn | Guest Experience & Operations
Solene Capaldi is a hospitality professional and Co-Founder of StaysIn, specialising in guest experience, property presentation, operational standards and short-term let compliance. She has approximately 17 years of hospitality experience, beginning her career in and around Paris before moving to Edinburgh.
Hospitality background
Solene began her professional career in hospitality in France, working in various roles across the Paris area.
Over approximately 17 years in the industry, she has developed experience spanning customer service, hospitality operations, guest relations and the practical delivery of consistently high service standards.
After moving to Edinburgh, she continued working within hospitality before becoming increasingly involved in short-term accommodation and property management.
Her background gives her the perspective of both a hospitality professional and an accommodation operator.
Building StaysIn
StaysIn had already been operating within Edinburgh's accommodation market before its current partnership structure was established.
In 2023, Solene joined Angel Luis Almonte Perez and Joanne Higgins in bringing their complementary professional backgrounds together under StaysIn.
Their combined expertise spans hospitality, property management, cleaning and housekeeping, guest experience, revenue management, compliance and business operations, supported by digital partner Kiril Ivanov & TwoSquares.
StaysIn has since developed into a substantial Edinburgh short-term accommodation operation managing more than 60 properties and supported by a wider team of cleaners, supervisors, virtual assistants, marketing professionals and maintenance support.
Solene's principal areas of responsibility include guest experience, staging, operations and compliance.
Guest experience
Guest experience is a central part of Solene's work.
For a short-term rental property, the guest's impression is influenced by considerably more than the physical property itself.
Communication before arrival, the booking experience, property presentation, cleanliness, instructions, amenities, check-in procedures and the way problems are resolved all contribute to the overall experience.
Solene works across these operational areas to help create stays that are straightforward, comfortable and professionally managed.
Her long background in hospitality influences how she approaches short-term accommodation, particularly the importance of consistency and attention to details that guests may notice even when property owners do not.
Property staging and presentation
Solene also works with property staging and presentation.
A successful short-term rental needs to work both visually and practically.
The property must photograph well enough to attract potential guests online while remaining functional and comfortable once those guests arrive.
Her work considers issues such as room presentation, furniture placement, usability, guest expectations, amenities and how the character of a property can be maintained without compromising its appeal to travellers.
Operations
Operating short-term accommodation involves coordinating numerous activities behind the scenes.
These can include guest communication, housekeeping, inspections, maintenance, check-ins, property preparation, supplier coordination and responding to unexpected problems.
Solene's operational role within StaysIn gives her day-to-day exposure to these processes across our portfolio of Edinburgh properties.
Her focus is on creating systems that allow properties to operate consistently while delivering an exceptional guest experience through our full property management service.
Short-term let compliance
Solene is also deeply involved in short-term let compliance.
Scotland's short-term rental sector has become increasingly regulated, with operators and property owners required to understand licensing, safety standards and local planning policies.
Within StaysIn, compliance forms part of the wider property-management process rather than being treated separately from day-to-day operations.
Solene works closely with property owners navigating our Edinburgh STL licensing guide and application process, providing practical operational guidance rather than abstract theory.
Psychology and communication
Alongside her hospitality career, Solene studied Psychology through the University of Derby Online Learning, completing a Bachelor's degree in Psychology between 2021 and 2024.
Her academic background complements her professional hospitality experience, particularly in understanding customer behaviour, expectations, communication and guest satisfaction.
Solene also brings experience in acting and performance, adding another dimension to her understanding of presentation, atmosphere and how physical environments are perceived.
Editorial Perspective & Standards
“Solene approaches accommodation content primarily from the perspective of the guest experience. Her professional experience allows her to consider how decisions made by owners and operators ultimately affect the person staying in the property. When evaluating accommodation, operational processes or property presentation, she considers factors including usability, comfort, communication, visual presentation, consistency, expectations and the complete journey from booking to departure.”
Published & Reviewed Work
Articles written or professionally reviewed by Solene Capaldi on StaysIn
Articles authored and reviewed by Solene Capaldi will appear here.