If you’re reading this, then chances are that you are a vacation rental property owner looking to attract more people to your property. If you’ve been having trouble with that lately, you’ll likely take heart in knowing that you aren’t alone: from the first wave of the pandemic on, fewer and fewer people have been planning vacations consistently, and those that do may end up canceling them due to the rapidly spreading variants of the virus. It’s been a trend over the last couple of years: the government spurs businesses to reopen out of fear that the ongoing worldwide disaster will paint their administration in a bad light, they do, someone catches the virus, and then they close again for an indeterminate amount of time before the cycle repeats itself.
Fortunately, that era might finally be coming to an end: with the proliferation of available vaccines from any number of reputable pharmaceutical companies and an abundance of available tests, people are considering planning vacations again for what feels like the first time in forever. The world is reopening, and vaccinated people are planning on taking advantage, going on vacations they’ve been dreaming of for around two years.
This means for vacation rental owners now is the time to finally capitalize on their investment.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
source: lodgify.com
A lot of people break into the vacation rental field looking for easy money, not considering that the business of vacation rental is half smart investments in flippable property and half hospitality. If vacation rental owners want to be successful, they need to develop a good reputation on a vacation site customers frequent and earn themselves a steady stream of renters, they have to strive to provide their guests the best experience possible.
The glut of people entering the industry looking to get rich quickly means that there’s an abundance of vacation rental properties out there that were turned around for the minimal amount of money and effort possible, with the owners of those properties leaving guests to their own devices. These property owners assume that people are just happy to find a place to stay during their vacation with more space than the average hotel room and so don’t put in any additional effort to make guests comfortable.
The savvy vacation rental owner will understand that this creates a vacuum. Guests want something more than just a place to stay, trying to get the most value possible out of their hard-earned money: guests prefer their vacation rentals to have certain amenities that add value, as well as an unparalleled level of customer service. The vacation rental owner who provides both will develop a reputation among frequenters of such properties and thus set themselves up for long-term success rather than a short-term infusion of income.
Keys to the Kingdom
source: lodgify.com
What kinds of amenities do guests prefer, though? And what can you do as a vacation rental owner to make their experiences “magical,” so to speak? Read on, and we’ll talk about some of the things you can do to work towards long-term success.
Make Sure Your Rental is Fully Furnished and CLEAN
When your renters step through your front door, they should be greeted with a place that reminds them of home, a place where they can live for the duration of their vacation. As such, it should the kind of place where they can envision themselves living. ESPECIALLY in the era of COVID, you should clean your property THOROUGHLY between tenants. Make it look like it was professionally done, and leave behind plenty of cleaning materials to allow tenants to do their own cleaning as a comfort measure.
Each area of your property should also be thoroughly furnished: bookshelves should be full of books that guests can read if they wish, the kitchen should be full of clean, useful cookware, and areas that are meant to be shared by the community should be furnished with the appropriate furniture. Easy chairs, lounge furniture, and the like are all a must, and don’t be afraid to break the bank on furniture that provides a certain level of comfort.
Think: What Would YOU Want, if You Were Staying in Your Property?
source: pinterest.com
Additional amenities that you can provide are really up to your discretion, although you’ll for sure want to include high-speed Wi-Fi, free chargers and USB cables, and guidebooks to the surrounding area. Your rule of thumb for adding anything else to your property should be, as listed above, what you yourself would want if you were staying in your property.
Are the beds comfortable enough or spacious enough? Do you feel your property is lacking in any obvious way, or that you might want things like spare toiletries or seasonings on hand? It’s all about making the experience as easy as possible for your tenants, so don’t be afraid to ask tough questions.
The things you may want to do for your property are not limited to what’s listed above. Take the above maxim and run with it, following the golden rule as you try to give your guests the best possible experience, and you’ll find that you rise above the competition to make a stable career in these trying times.
