Managing vacation home rentals means providing everything you think your potential tenants will need and want. It’s not just about pricing it reasonably. It’s also about making sure their entire stay is as seamless and worry-free as possible.
Yes, the process starts before they start staying in your holiday home. The way you respond to queries will have a huge impact on guest satisfaction. The most lasting impression, however, will come from the moment they first step inside the doors of the vacation rental. You have to make sure this grand entrance will wow and delight them.
So how can you make that good impression last?
One of the most useful things a guest would appreciate is a welcome book. Your welcome book contains everything guests need to know about your holiday home. What are the rules around here? Are there any do’s and don’ts? How do you use the appliances and equipment (especially if you’ve fully modernized and automated your home)?
Here’s what your welcome book for your vacation home rentals should contain:
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Basic Essential Information
Make sure the basics are included in your welcome book. These are the things that guests in your vacation rental would most likely look for or wonder about first.
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Contact information
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Emergency numbers
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Area maps
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Wi-Fi password
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Garbage collection details
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Check out instructions and times
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Beach or park passes
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“How To” Guides
Check each and every piece of equipment and appliance around your holiday home. Then, create guides on how to use them. It doesn’t matter if you feel that some of the appliances are generic or easy to figure out. There will always be a guest or two who will not be able to figure that out on their own – be ready for them.
Make sure you include safety precautions as well. Would some of the equipment require special clothing, or extra caution? Include those in your guide to prevent accidents.
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Household Supplies Provided
Have an inventory of all the supplies and food items you are providing, and let them know where these can be found. This saves you from the trouble of having to answer numerous text messages and phone calls from your tenants, asking you where so and so can be found.
Having a clear list also helps you manage your vacation home rentals more efficiently. How? This helps you keep track of everything inside your holiday home, making it easier to see if anything is amiss when the tenants leave.
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Amenities
What kind of amenities can your tenants enjoy?
Start with the amenities in the area. Are there parks they can visit? Are there pools or amusement parks they can enjoy? Let them know where the nearest convenience stores are as well, in case they forgot some of the basics.
Might as well let them know what restaurants they can visit while you’re at it. You could also include some menus and contact numbers in case they want to do take out or have some food delivered.
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Transportation Options
Especially if they’re from out of town, your tenants will probably want to tour the town. This is why it’s important to leave detailed instructions on what their transportation options are. Include bus routes, shuttle services, rentals, and other similar services.
These pieces of information should give your tenants everything they need in one place. How will you put all these together?
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Use a binder.
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Make sure you have tabs separating each section.
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As much as possible, have bulleted information instead of having long paragraphs. This makes every piece of information easy to find.
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Have a table of contents. You can see how much information you’re supposed to put in, so you can imagine why a table of contents is crucial.
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Add a welcome letter on the front page. Without it, your welcome book will only seem like a manual no one would read. A welcome letter makes it friendlier.
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Avoid being too formal and overly serious. Add some humor in it if you want. If not, keep it casual and friendly.
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Be creative! Don’t treat it like a legal document that no one would want to touch.
Managing a holiday home requires keen attention to details. This just about sums that up. It also shares accountability between you and your tenants. Now, they won’t be able to tell you they weren’t informed. Make sure you place it in a strategic area, and don’t forget to remind them about where you put it as well.
