There’s nothing quite like spending a few nights away in a beautifully designed holiday let, whether it be a tranquil country getaway or a lively city break. With the demand for stay-cations rising there’s no better time to get in on the action by letting out your property.
Maybe you already own a holiday let or perhaps it’s something you are considering getting into, but with such a saturated market it can sometimes feel difficult to stand out. Here I’ve listed my top tips for creating a home that guests will want to come back to again and again.
Create a feature
Before a guest chooses their accommodation, they will usually check out everything the property has to offer. If you really want to stand out from the crowd, try to include an attractive feature to make a statement. Log burners, pool tables, hot tubs and barbeques are just some of the features that can really elevate your home and attract a lot more guests.
If you don’t have the space or finances for a larger feature then don’t worry, smaller features can do the same job, little extras including dishwashers, tumble dryers, Freeview TV and WIFI are all little things that can be really important to guests and high on their list of requirements.
Make it feel like home
Holiday lets are places where guests can unwind and enjoy a relaxing break so make sure you design your home with this in mind. Large comfortable sofas, soft clean bedding, and beautiful soft furnishings help create a sense of relaxation.
When choosing fabrics and furnishings, look to your home’s surroundings for inspiration, guests usually choose the location before deciding on where to stay so bringing in patterns and textures that relate to the location is a great way for guests to feel well connected to their surroundings.
Such as this this snow themed fabric by Camengo, which would look adorable in a ski lodge!
If your home is near some woods you may want to incorporate soft greens and subtle woody textures to make it feel like a forest retreat or if you have a seaside villa you may want to include small items from the beach or a few books that relate to the area. Just make sure you don’t go overboard; you don’t want it to be too themed - subtle hints are always enough.
Think about your guests needs
There’s nothing worse than turning up to a place to stay that hasn’t been designed with guests in mind. Your guests will likely have lots of belongings with them so make sure to provide adequate storage such as bedside tables with drawers, side boards to lay things out and plenty of places to hang clothes. It doesn't need to be a full wardrobe, a wall mounted rail can be just as effective. But don't forget plenty of clothes hangers!
This simple contemporary rail is by MOX.
One way to test whether your home is designed well is to stay there for a night! Are enough places for your things? Can you easily hang a towel out to dry? Are there sockets in the appropriate places?
Layers of lighting is another element to consider. Including a variety of floor, table and even wall lights gives your guests enough options to set the scene that feels best for them. Think about where and when lighting might be needed. A floor lamp near an armchair creates a perfect reading spot, and can set the tone in the evening. And placing wall lamps by the bed helps free up space on the bedside tables.
Your guests will likely have a lot of devices that need charging, so the positions and number of plugs are another thing to really think about, especially if you’re doing a full room renovation. Try to include plugs at each side of the bed and have plenty around the house, near sofas and by tables to make it easy for guests to use.
These all may seem like small details, but they all make a huge difference to how the guest feels in the space. Providing well designed spaces will make their stay feel more seamless and the probability of them recommending or returning to your home will be a lot higher.
Create a lovely welcome pack
A nice welcome is one of the most important things you can do for your guests and if you can’t greet them in person then a welcome pack is a great way to make up for this. Your guests are probably new to the area and might not know everything the location has to offer. Providing a little pack including information such as things to do, nearby events, attractions and restaurant recommendations is a great way to make you guests feel comfortable, it’s the little things that go a long way!
I hope this has given you a few ideas to help elevate your holiday let and some ideas to consider that will make your home not only stand out from the crowd but make guests want to come back again and again.
If you need a helping hand to inject a little wow into your space then please get in touch, I love to design holiday homes!