Want to Be a Great Host? Go On Vacation
You cannot successfully run a short-term rental when you don’t go on vacations yourself.
Spy.
It’s kind of a no-brainer, but there are many hosts on Airbnb, who have NEVER stayed in an Airbnb. And hosts who have had a minimal amount of vacations. I get that not everyone can afford to go away, but if you’re serious about starting your own hosting business, you need to do research.
It doesn’t matter if you want to rent your spare room or your whole condo, you need to see what others are doing. And by that, I mean what others are doing right and wrong. You don’t even have to go away-choose a one night staycation in your area.
(Read here on how to spy like a pro)
Guest Experience.
But I have my place furnished, I have my welcome pack, I have everything a guest needs. Why do I need to go and stay somewhere?
Because your short-term rental isn’t so much about your space. It’s more about the experience. You need to know what it feels like for a guest to walk into a rental. What are your first impressions? What would have made the experience better? What let the experience down? During the stay, how was it? Did you find yourself lacking basic things or were they present? How does your rental differ? Does it stack up, or do you need to make some changes? Was their check-in and check-out process smooth? Is yours?
When we’re too close to our own homes, we become too biased. You need to see what the competition is doing and what it feels like to be a guest.
When people I consult with find the experience concept irrelevant, I give them this example:
There are two condos, side by side. Both are identical. Identical furniture. Identical layout. It is the hottest day of the year. Two families arrive to stay in each one. They both have young children. They are arriving late due to an accident on the highway, creating traffic delays. The local grocery store is closed. Fast food places are also shut.
One condo has an easy check-in. The air-conditioning has been left running in anticipation of the guests. There are snacks. There is cold bottled water and milk in the fridge. Ice cubes in the freezer. Toiletries and toilet paper. The family have everything they need and are in a cool temperature. There are instructions and guides with wi-fi passwords and how to use the entertainment center.
The other condo has a confusing and complicated check-in process. When the family finally makes it inside, it is boiling. The air conditioning was not left on, and no windows were left open. There are no refreshments in the fridge. No snacks. One toilet roll for a family of 5. No soap. No guides on how to use anything and where the hell is that wi-fi code?
On paper, they both should have enjoyed their stay because their condos were identical. But it’s not all about that, is it? One host anticipated their guest’s needs and wanted them to have a lovely stay. Who had the better first impression? Who had the better experience? And more importantly, who would come back?
(Money tight? Read here to know costs involved when hiring a professional manager or host.)
You should also use a trusted family member or friend to stay one weekend at your place to test-drive it. I did this with a very honest family friend when I was just starting out. She broke down everything she liked and what she thought was lacking. Her insight was valuable and she really helped me see my villa through a guest’s eyes.
she thought vacations were a waste of money
Don’t focus on the money, focus on your guest experience.
A client of mine wanted to start her own holiday rental in my area. She wanted me to consult with her before she purchased her property. She was laser focused at aiming her place at families, no matter how many times I advised her to be more flexible, as one demographic can be limiting. (read more about demographics here) She eventually revealed she had never been on vacation as a child due to her parents working so hard.
As an adult, she thought vacations were a waste of money (she preferred to save her income rather than spend it). The only time she had been away was to visit friends and stay in their home for a couple of days. She had also stayed in hotels for one night stays for work trips.
When I asked what attracted her to be a holiday provider, she said she’ll “make great money”. Through no fault of her own, she hadn’t had family vacations when she was younger, but as an adult she could rectify this. Her past experiences were limiting her from seeing short-term rentals as experience providers, instead of just a roof over someone’s head to make her rich.
If you don’t experience vacations yourself, how can you provide amazing memory-making experiences?
None of this meant she could not run a successful Airbnb. It was just going to be harder for her — to anticipate what families want on vacation, or people in general, when she hasn’t been in their shoes. Shift your focus for success.
Research (spy).
If you are just focused on the money and forgo the very important aspect of guest experience, you are making it harder on yourself. If you don’t experience vacations yourself, how can you provide amazing memory-making experiences?
If you’re just starting out, and staying anywhere else is out of reach, there are still ways around it. Do research by asking everyone you know. Ask families what they expect and what they want in a rental in your area. What inclusions do they expect? What would exceed their expectations?
Ask as many demographics as you can — especially the ones you can’t relate to or belong to. You will be surprised at some of the answers you get that were never on your radar, but will allow you to add to an overall wonderful experience for your guests.
And read other property reviews! These can be an amazing insight into what guests love and dislike in a comparable place to yours. If an inclusion or lack of something keeps getting mentioned — note it down and make sure your place has addressed it.
Running a short-term rental can be very rewarding. Not just because of any money you may make but because you get to make people happy on a daily basis. How cool is that?
Thanks for reading this far! What’s your favorite inclusion at a short-term rental? What has been your best/ worst experience as a guest?
Hire me to consult on your vacation rental. You never know — a few tweaks could make all the difference. Drop me an email at consultleisel.gmail.com
