As a vacation rental owner, there are plenty of things you need to consider in order to provide your guests with a memorable vacation experience. Before renting out your vacation home to a single guest, it is essential to make sure your property is as appealing as possible.
Everything from the furniture to the offered amenities and the house rules can make the difference between a one-star and five-star rating.
Poor Ratings Are Bad For Business
As a vacation rental owner and host, there is nothing worse than a bad review. Even if your vacation rental has a ton of good ratings, one poor review can drastically affect your business. Luckily, understanding the most common reasons for a negative review is the first step to ensuring the satisfaction of your guests.
So whether your vacation rental is steeped in the middle of a tourist trap like Orlando or your listing is in Salt Lake City, here are the biggest turn-offs for guests that lead to bad reviews.
Misleading Description
An obvious but important rule of thumb is to never catfish your guests with your vacation home. Writing misleading descriptions and painting an inaccurate picture of your home is not only false advertising but is a surefire way to disappoint your guests. In addition, a negative review regarding misleading descriptions and information can deter any potential guest from booking your rental.
Lack of Communication with Host
Communication is the most important key to be considered in a business. Any host should be accustomed to communicating with his or her visitors. In the period leading up to their stay, you should try continue providing them with as much knowledge as possible (including directions from local airports and stations, check-in or check-out instructions, and, and perhaps the most notably, your or your property manager’s phone number) in case something goes wrong or if any problems occur. Visitors will appreciate knowing you’re just a phone call away if something goes wrong, and it will help you earn a high score for communication.
Uncomfortable Furniture
When vacationers are looking to book a vacation rental for their trip, they expect luxury and comfortability. People are going on vacation to relax, destress, and escape the hustle and bustle of the everyday world. Providing your guests with uncomfortable furniture like hard beds and couches will undoubtedly lead to negative reviews.
While investing in quality furniture may be expensive at first, it will be worth it in the long run. The more comfortable a guest is, the more likely they will write a positive review or even refer your rental to their friends and family.
Lack Of Cleanliness
According to the CDC, it is essential to practice proper cleaning routines in any place of business during the pandemic, including vacation rentals. Not only are unclean vacation rentals unappealing to potential renters, but they can be hazardous to your guests.
For example, grime and dust not only make your vacation rental look dirty but can greatly affect your indoor air quality. Therefore, it is essential to clean everything from the bathrooms to the beds, kitchen, living areas, and more. In order to ensure your home is cleaned properly, consider hiring a professional cleaning service to come in between your guests’ departure and arrival.
In addition to keeping your home clean, you can also incorporate houseplants. NASA tested various houseplants and found that while some purify the air, others neutralize the effects of sick building syndrome.
Too Many Rules
Nobody likes a party pooper. You can have the nicest vacation rental around, but if your house rules are over the top, you can leave a bad impression on your guests.
Make Your Rules Reasonable
While it is important to set rules to ensure the safety of your property and belongings, it is crucial to make sure they are reasonable and align with the typical rules you would see with any vacation rental.
Be Upfront About Your Rules
Another important aspect of house rules is to make sure you are upfront about your requests in the description. Nobody wants to spend money on a vacation rental only to be bombarded with unnecessary rules when they walk through the door. Whether it is no loud music after 10 PM or no undocumented guests, make sure you communicate the rules with your guests before they arrive.
No Wifi
In today’s world, most vacationers expect wifi to be included in their vacation rental. From playing music to watching videos to finding restaurants, and communicating on the internet is essential, especially if guests have poor cell service. Not offering free wifi will most likely lead to unsatisfied guests and poor reviews.
Take Action
Understanding the leading causes of negative reviews is just the first step to providing a memorable experience for your guests. If your vacation rental has any of these issues, it is essential to take action and fix the problem.
