5 Top Tips To Furnishing Your Holiday Rental To Attract More Guests

5 Top Tips To Furnishing Your Holiday Rental To Attract More Guests.

When it comes to holidays and holiday rentals in 2021, guests are looking for a complete getaway. Guests of 2021, don’t only want an escape from the past year, they want an entire experience to make up for the lack of travel they have experienced and they want it to be safe. Safe, clean and easy! 

First Impressions

And it all starts from your listing. A guest’s first impression of your home starts the moment they see your listing.

From the linens you use to the natural lighting in your home, furnishing your vacation rental will play a huge role in getting more bookings in today’s competitive market. And it can’t all be staged. Guests for 2021 want to see the reality of your property.

So here’s our top five tips on how to furnish your villa or home to attract more guests:

1. Clean, Modern, Inviting – Attract More Guests

Top of the list, if your holiday home doesn’t appear clean, modern and inviting, it won’t get booked. No matter what the budget!

Photos, for instance, are one of the first things guests will see when browsing the internet for accommodation options. Your holiday home must stand out with professional photography along with great copy material to ensure that the first impression matches your home.

2. Luxury, Private, Exclusive

According to the Wall Street Journal, guests are looking for “pampered-privacy” somewhere they can social distance AND experience luxury. This makes private holiday home rentals and luxury villas exactly what guests are looking for.  They want it to feel private. They want it to feel exclusive.

If your home has a patio or deck with a view, make sure there are adequate seating options outside, in the sun and in the shade.

Make sure to provide extra “beach” towels and let guests know they are provided, if your home is near the sea.

With a private pool, which many in Croatia villas do have, make sure to include that outdoor grill and alfresco dining area. Add a bar area outside and create that little extra taste of luxury to promote a unique, exclusive experience for guests.

3. High Quality, Functional, Furnishings

If you want to attract the modern guest and maximise your ROI investing in high-quality furniture is a no brainer! It is essential.

We believe that the more you invest the more you will get back especially when it comes to item such as beds, main room sofas, sound and lighting.

Remember you’re not just creating rooms, you’re creating space for families and groups to create experiences. For this they need to be WOW’ed as well as feel comfortable in the accommodation they have chosen.

From our experience investing in couches that won’t pill or sink after a few years, comfortable beds and high-quality linens gets the best return on your investment!

And we note here that even when on a small budget, every year assess what is in need of the most attention. Even just updating the pillows, coverings and a few key pieces of furniture can breathe more life into your property.

4. Good Lighting – Attract More Guests

After a year of being in lock down, guests for 2021 will be looking for homes with natural lighting, for those that may not have great natural lighting they expect homes to have “natural appearing” lighting!

Guests want to see you feature large windows to let in natural light and soft lighting to enjoy dinner by. And don’t forget outside lighting. It’s important that all paths, steps and approaches to the entrance to your holiday home are illuminated sufficiently.

Not only that, it’s the small areas that often get forgotten. Light your “key area” whether safe or code, so guests are able to easily see/input the key code. There’s nothing worse than trying to find some sort of light, whether via a smart phone or a torch they keep in the car, especially when all they want to do is get in, start their holiday and relax after a long drive/flight!

5. Invest in Artwork

Having a gallery wall in your holiday home will make it feel extra luxurious, and attract more guests. Especially if you carefully choose pieces that suit your homes overall theme.

Pictures look great when framed in dark wood or metallic. A combination of different sizes of pictures, can look exceptional when thoughtfully arranged. I have also seen quotes framed on the wall, making a feature of a small library area.

And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Pictures of the area where your holiday home is located are also a nice touch. Especially if it is set by the sea, on the islands or in one of the many picturesque towns here in Croatia.

You can even look at supporting your local artists with pieces being displayed that guests may even be able to take home with them for a price following their visit. This not only helps out the local economy while it keeps your “art gallery” looking fresh and appealing and continually updated.

We hope this helps give you some ideas for furnishing your holiday home to attract more guests and of course we are here for any assistance you may need with your holiday home. We partner with others to provide all the services you need, just give us a call.