Looking for tips on how to go above and beyond to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable in their stay? We have put together a list of advice for holiday rental owners on how you can achieve this.
Guests are no longer looking for just a room to sleep in. Many more people are steering towards holiday rentals which offer much more than this; a home away from home. By going above and beyond, your guests will feel both more comfortable and more welcomed into your holiday home.
What can I do?
Start by making sure that your guests know how to contact you if they need you, without coming across as too intrusive. Make sure you have email notifications turned on so that you can get back to your guests quickly and don’t accidentally miss any emails.
Another popular idea is to provide a ‘welcome pack’. Most properties provide information on the local area, emergency details, instructions on how to use appliances, etc. You can take this even further by leaving a bottle of wine or even just some sweets. People love free stuff and it will help to put a smile on their faces within the first few minutes of entering the property!
Send a message during the stay. Often owners will message before and after a stay, but how about a quick message to make your self available and ask if they are enjoying their stay? This will remind them that you are available if they need any help with anything, and might give them the oportunity or reminder to ask you how the TV remote works, or where to find the closest cash machine. These are issues they might not have considered before the stay.
Talk to local tourist attractions or restaurants and ask them if they have any affiliate schemes which let you offer your guests discount on their services. This will make your holiday let stand out from the rest!
Make extra supplies available depending on the type of guest. For example, offer families the option to add a highchair, or if your guests are bringing a dog, why not offer to supply dog bowls? These are simple items you or your housekeeping staff can have on hand ready to provide if needed without having to go out of your way.
Have an ‘incase you forgot it’ basket that you keep stocked up with toothpaste, shower gel, a small mirror, cotton buds, etc. It can be so frustrating when you go to settle in to your first night away and realise you forgot an essential, so having this basket will be appreciated if it avoids them having to pop out to a shop.
Why is it so important?
The holiday rental industry is a competative one. These extra touches are things that guests will remember after their stay and will help you to stand out from other holiday rentals in the area. Guests are much more likely to return if they feel that you went out of your way to make sure they enjoyed their first trip.
What about my campsite?
For welcoming campsite guests, start by letting them choose their pitch. Most of the time a pitch is provided without guests having a say, so if you have a family arrive, why not ask them if they would like the pitch closest to the playground?
Provide a camp-specific welcome pack. The pack should include a welcome booklet with local information, activities, restaurants, etc. but go that extra mile by also providing a little bag of wipes, hand sanitiser and a map. These are items that may be needed more so for campers than guests staying in a lodge or cottage. You don’t have to be a glamping site to appear better than other camping grounds in the area.
Make the Booking System Simple
Your relationship with your guests starts with the booking system. At Bookalet we can help you to add an easy to follow booking system to your website which allows the holiday planning process to be much quicker and less stressful. If you don’t already have a website, you can also build one with our web builder tool. Sorted!
Find out more of how we can help by visiting our FAQs.
July 29, 2019
