Before you open your short-term rental to guests you should ask yourself a few questions…..
- Who are the guests that I’m targeting for my rental?
- What will make these target guests choose my rental over other places to stay in the area?
- What have I done to create a guest experience that will keep them coming back?
If you haven’t asked and answered these questions before you open your doors then you may find yourself needing to ask these questions if you’re not receiving bookings.
The design of your space and the guest experience go hand in hand.
Design includes more than just making a space look nice. Good design means the space is aesthetically pleasing and functions well. These two things will definitely have an impact on your guests.
The number of short-term rentals everywhere has increased dramatically. Depending on your location, it may not be enough to just find a property and offer a place to sleep. There are many short-term rentals closing their doors because they didn’t look at the bigger picture and create a plan for their short-term rental. This is a business and a successful business requires planning and hard work. Approach your short-term rental by thinking about what attracts visitors to that specific area and what they might expect in the place they stay then create a space beyond those expectations.
Think about what makes your space unique.
- What will they remember about your space when they leave?
- When they talk about their vacation what will they say to friends about the property?
What do you want your guests to experience while staying in your short-term rental?
Luxury, fun, relaxation, adventure?
Are you targeting families, business professionals, young adults?
How would the experience be different for each of these types of guests?
These are all questions to think about when planning your short-term rental. Making your space more inviting to guests and a place they want to visit again and again could come down to the experience they have while visiting your property.
For instance…
If your short-term rental is a cabin in the woods or in the mountains what types of activities would you want to do on this type of vacation? Maybe…
- Tubing in a lake
- Hiking trails
- Sitting by a fire eating s’mores
- Fishing or boating
- Partner with local business owners in the area to offer discounts for certain activities.
- Leave a welcome basket with s’mores supplies.
- Create a mural on the wall showing the different hiking trails in the area.
Create an inviting space, cater to your target guests, focus on the experience, and those little unexpected touches. Make your property unique, not just another short-term rental in the area.
