Advice for Owners and Managers

Today, join us for the first part of a series in which we pursue vacation rental perfection by combing through thousands of FlipKey guest reviews to gain insight into the mind of the self-catering traveler. In this installment, we examine factors that worry and scare guests, and what can be done to put them at ease.

Although most of us go on vacation to relax, the planning process for any major trip invariably includes some stressful moments. For some travelers, the decision to stay in a vacation rental for the first time can be daunting; others worry about practical issues such as the size of a home, proximity to the beach, and nosy neighbors. We broke down reviews and found that travelers’ three main worries are safety, privacy, and noise. Here’s what the travelers are saying, and what owners and managers can do to help them achieve travel nirvana.

In the world of travel, a scale of one to five stars is used nearly universally to indicate the type of service travelers can expect from a hotel. Vacation rental homes have no such implicit classification system. Star ratings on FlipKey and TripAdvisor, for example, reflect guests’ overall impression of their stay as opposed to advertising a property’s ability to meet predetermined criteria for each star.

Most of the time, travelers award stars in their reviews based on whether a vacation rental lives up to their expectations. Therefore, even the most basic rental property can earn a five-star review if it consistently delivers as advertised according to its description and price. Similarly, a one-star hotel could earn a five-star review online because it serves up everything expected of a three-star hotel. With that understanding of rankings and reviews, the key to earning great reviews is evaluating where your property falls on a scale of hospitality standards and then offering the appropriate services and amenities to the best of your abilities. To this end, the FlipKey blog presents its own five-star guide to vacation rental classification . . .

One Star

A single star in the hotel world denotes little more than four walls, a roof, and a bed. The budget travelers who search for this type of basic lodging care more about travel activities and destinations than where they sleep. The same traveler who may ordinarily stay in a hostel or inexpensive guest house would also consider renting a simple one-room apartment if the price and location are right. To earn great reviews on a small apartment with minimal amenities, make sure that it is clean, safe, and economical. An urban studio that goes for less than $50/night could win high ratings for its price and convenience. Bonus points are awarded to rentals in this category located near points of interest or with easy access to public transportation.

‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry… So, while you’re decking the halls and spreading cheer, don’t forget to take a moment to tend to your vacation rental business and thank the past years’ guests. With a new year comes a frenzied season of inquiries, rentals, and of course, revenue! So, be sure to start the New Year off right by sending some holiday greetings to past guests.

Sending holiday greetings and warm wishes is an excellent way to make an impression while reminding potential guests that your vacation home is a great place to spend a week. With so many possibilities for travelers to choose from these days, it is the small, personal touches like a holiday card that will make you and your property stand apart, especially if they had a pleasant stay their first time around.

Websites like shutterfly.com and modernpostcard.com allow you to custom create postcards and note cards, so you can put a dazzling photo of your home on the card to remind guests how inviting it is! Take a few moments to write out simple notes like “See you soon!” or “Wish you were here!” and your guests will really appreciate the gesture.

So get writing and spread the holiday cheer!

Travelers are depending more and more on reviews. In fact, reviews have become so important that not understanding the weight that reviews have on traveler purchasing decisions can prove a major disadvantage to any business.  Recently ehotelier.com interviewed the owner of an up and coming hotel in Buenos Aires, asking her how she survives in such a heavily saturated tourism market.  Her answer? Reviews on TripAdvisor.

Mariquel Waingarten of the Tailor Made Hotel recounts getting acquainted with TripAdvisor and what it has done for her business:

In the beginning, when we were on TripAdvisor I was scared, because you’re very exposed to good reviews and bad reviews. Fortunately, we’ve been able to get very good reviews, and the bad reviews that we received were actually really helpful. They tell us what to correct, and we like to take care of that. Sometimes people don’t tell you what’s wrong, and then it’s a surprise for us when they write it down on TripAdvisor.

Reviews, positive or negative, give vacationers piece of mind that they are not walking into a lion’s den.  Hearing evaluations from other travelers who have been in their situation will reassure them that yeah, maybe there’s no hairdryer but the service is unbeatable or that your property really is on the ocean…

Click here for the full article!

Listing your property on FlipKey and TripAdvisor allows you to market your property to millions (literally) of travelers who are looking to getaway and possibly stay in your vacation home.  With so many options out there for potential guests to choose from, it is essential that you take full advantage of your online listing and get booked!  The following is a list of the biggest mistakes that home owners make when listing their property…so go ahead, learn from their mistakes and get booked!

No Reviews: Guests love to hear about your property from fellow travelers.  Sure, they like to hear what you have to say about your property because, afterall, who knows it better than you?  But having three or four reviews about your property will make travelers more confident that it is what you say it is, even if a negative one slips in here or there.

Blank Calendar: What’s more frustrating than finding the vacation property of your dreams but checking out the availability only to find that the calendar is completely blank or nonexistent! Plus our widgets allow you to post your FlipKey calendar on your personal website, so you only have to update one calendar.

Less than 5 Photos: Photos are essential to travelers when making a decision about where to stay.  Not only do they legitimize your description but they allow guests to visualize themselves staying in your property.  Plus FlipKey allows you to upload unlimited photos… so click away, and remember a picture is worth a thousand words.

No Amenities: To bring towels or not to bring towels?  That is a question that guests should now have to ask themselves.  When filling in your listing, list anything and everything that your property has.  Not only does this makes it easier for guests to pack, but it is enticing to see the long list of supplies that they can walk home to!

So the leaves are falling, scarves are wrapped tight and the kids are planning their Halloween costumes, but before you dive right into the joys of fall, take a moment and get your vacation home ready for the off-season. We’ve put together a check list for second home owners to ensure your home will hibernate safely during the winter months.

Security:
• Alert the post office that you will be gone so that your mail can be forwarded.
• Hire someone to check on the home every few days or every week to make sure there are no incidents.
• Make sure your alarm system is working properly.
• Hire a snow plow service to shovel after snow falls as snowy sidewalks are a giveaway that no one is home to burglars.
• Make sure you have a few exterior and interior lights on timers so it looks like someone is home at night.

Keeping Your Home safe in the Cold:
• Clean out gutters and install leaf blockers over gutters- this will help keep water away from your home.
• Prune any overhanging limbs that could cause damage during a storm.
• Remove screens and put up storm windows.
• Close swimming pool and store lawn furniture as well as the grill.
• Keep your thermostat at a cool 55 F, cool enough to not waste heat but warm enough so that pipes will not freeze and burst (!!)
• Prep your pipes by putting antifreeze down drains and toilets, wrapping pipes and leave water dripping ever so slightly out of a few faucets (make sure the drains are open!) to keep water flowing and prevent frozen pipes.
• Caulk holes around windows and weather strip around frames to make sure that no drafts get through.

One thing to consider before you go through the measures of winterizing is to try and find a long-term renter for the off-months, however long that may be. This way, you can still make some easy money on your second home while someone else can have the pleasure of enjoying it! If this is not a possibility, it’s never too early to start finding guests for the next season, so start advertising and putting the word out there about your vacation home.
But whatever you decide to do, make sure that your home is ready for the chill!

With the holidays quickly approaching, many people are looking to spend their precious family time in a different setting, perhaps enjoying the fall foliage of New England or getting one last Vitamin-D fix before the blanket of winter stifles out the sun. While your listing is filling up, there are certain things you can do to make sure your guests have a festive and happy stay at your rental, whilst (hopefully) snagging an annual booking.

There are many simple things you can do transform your property into an ideal holiday retreat that will ensure your guests feel right at home in you rental. Not only will your home emanate a jolly spirit, but guests will truly enjoy the effort to make their holiday as special as ever.

Consider adding the following decorative items to your property to welcome autumn and new Guests:
• Fall/Winter decorations like carved pumpkins and wreaths
• Cinnamon potpourri or candles throughout
• Fall scented soaps like pumpkin or cranberry spice
• Festive dishcloths and place mats
• Fleece sheets and lots of blankets

We’ve already emphasized our love for welcome baskets to make the best first impression (who doesn’t love getting gifts?!) Consider tailoring the gift basket so that it suits the season.

For the fall include:
• Pumpkins and carving tools
• Seasonal recipes that incorporate local harvests
• Local foods that are at their prime in the season (think apple pies, jams, fresh pomegranates)
• A list of fun seasonal activities in the area- apple picking, ice skating or festivals
• Trail maps to mountains, parks or hiking trails that are particularly special this time of year

Of course feel free to put your own twist on these ideas, but your guests are guaranteed to appreciate the welcoming gesture as well as the festive spirit.