How to make your vacation rental standout? Have you ever thought about hosting travelers in your own home? Maybe you’re looking to build your own travel fund, or maybe you just want to rent your house out while you’re away yourself? Get prepared and ready to welcome those guests with these tips.
This post may contain affiliate links, and Traveling In Heels may receive a small commission if you click on the link and purchase. Thank you for your support.
It’s a big step to place a room or your entire home as a vacation rental, and for many, it’s not something you may have considered before. Vacation rentals have become increasingly popular with travelers — I know as I’ve rented homes several times through Stay2 (VRBO, AirBnb), and Booking.com.
Since vacation experiences are important to travelers, you’ll want your home to be absolutely exceptional! But to do that, you’ve got a bit of work to put in right now.
And by doing so, whether you’re ready to hit the trails yourself right now or not, you can make a good bit of extra cash off of people who’d love to get to know your town.
Read on for our tips on how to make your vacation rental standout.
Deep Clean EVERYTHING!
Start with a deep cleaning, because even just day-to-day living causes a home to get dirty. You’ll need a proper deep clean — not just the surface.
No one wants to live and sleep in someone else’s mess, so make sure you’ve got heavy-duty cleaning supplies.
Dust like you’ve never dusted before. Dust the ceiling and walls first, then wipe down your surfaces, and then sweep and/or vacuum the floor. Shampoo the carpet or mop the floors.
Personally, I’d actually hire a professional house cleaner for a deep clean and then keep their team on when guests check out. While it may increase your investment in your vacation rental, it’ll save you time and money in the long term.
Make sure you get the windows as well. You may want to get a professional company like Labor Panes, to ensure your guests can open them up to let the sun and air in without having to face dirty glass or panes.
Refurnish and Redecorate
To truly make your vacation rental, standout, try your hand at interior design.
Your home already looks lovely, yes, but it needs a certain extra something to really make it pop in a guest’s eyes. Enlist a friend or family member who has an eye for interior design.
Start with a home decor theme. If you have a beach home, select beach-themed decor. Perhaps yours is a mountain cabin rental, then consider a more rustic mountain theme.
Maybe add some more shiny centerpieces, like vases and candles to tables and sideboards. Perhaps the addition of a few extra potted plants in the corners and on shelves.
Take a look at your wall decor — does it need updating?
How about your furniture? Does it also need a refresh? There are plenty of low-cost furniture store options, such as Wal-Mart, Amazon, and others.
Look at your outdoor space. Is there anything you can do to increase its vacation rental appeal? Consider these ideas for 5 awesome outdoor patio furniture.
Consider anything that helps the rental space to be more visually appealing and welcoming, and your guest feel like they’re walking into a luxury hotel while on their vacation.
Add Amenities
Make to offer amenities to your guests, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
Stock luxurious hand soaps and little bottles of shampoo and conditioner, like in a hotel. Consider laying out a small snack spread an hour or so before your guests arrive. Add a Keurig or automatic coffee maker and teapot, well-stocked with coffee and tea options.
It’ll help your guests to feel a lot more welcome, and it’ll definitely help you to get high, 5 star ratings on the most popular hosting websites!
If you want to make a real profit and learn how to make your vacation rental standout, adding amenities will increase the guest experience and ratings.
Hosting travelers in your home could be very profitable; make sure you’ve got the house prepared to make a real impression. It just takes a bit of tweaking here and there, and of course, a bit of deep cleaning!
