Top Tips for a Successful Holiday Let

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
Jemima Copping
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Post by Jemima Copping »

Wow, everyone's up early this morning!
I don't think the food hygiene police are going to come along and inspect my scones and jam every time I leave them in the cottage! The first thing I do on changeover day is make some scones with organic flour and no-one has complained of getting ill so far. People love home made stuff, it's called 'hospitality', and makes people feel at home, which is what I want them to feel. :roll:
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Jemima Copping wrote:Wow, everyone's up early this morning!
!n my defence, I only got up to make a cup of tea....... :wink: Hence posting in drowsy state!
Jemima Copping wrote: I don't think the food hygiene police are going to come along and inspect my scones and jam every time I leave them in the cottage! The first thing I do on changeover day is make some scones with organic flour and no-one has complained of getting ill so far. People love home made stuff, it's called 'hospitality', and makes people feel at home, which is what I want them to feel. :roll:


I think that's very true and I'd be delighted with freshly made scones (as long as they didn't have sultanas in them :x ). Nonetheless it's something that owners need to be aware of particularly if they start offering meals on arrival, or a welcome pot of home made fish pate (just as an example you understand - nothing against fish pate!) As for labelling, if I had a serious allergy I'd view it as my responsibility to manage it and if I was in any doubt on something home made or unlabelled I'd simply pass on it.
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Gwion
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Post by Gwion »

Good discussion I think. Forgive me replying to everyone in one post.

Salmoncottage: :P
Mois: Personal space +1
AndrewH: No personal posessions +1
Mousie: Sorry yes, I'm talking about UK market only.
Annew: Sorry, tips are aimed at UK country cottage owners
gitemonjoly: I'm sure you're right. My pricing suggestion and 5* recommendation might not fit the Ski Chalet market. Here in North Wales I just feel there's more demand in the high end market. And margin is better. Heating costs are the same for a 3* and 5* cottage etc.
Jemima: Nightmare! I like your tip on lots of flowers from the garden. Personal and FREE.
Rosie: Your welcome hamper sounds perfect.
Jemima: Good point. We get many more positive reviews for cottages that leave a welcome hamper compared to those who don't. But they also tend to be the more professional cottage owners etc. (Some people also leave my wife's welsh drop scones. Are they mad!)
AndrewH: Oooo. You have my sympathy with those German flights. As an aside, I'm guessing your weekly market is still very strong but are you seeing more people ask for short breaks like here in the UK?
Greenbarn: Lots of good points. We're battling hard against the 'giant American corps'. With social media and some 'quirky' pay per click ads we to try and stand out from the 'vast and faceless competition', but you're right, it's not easy. I think you're probably right about the hot tub too. Shall we go with ping pong and table football? If that outside shot is unappealing and cant be improved i think it's very hard to be a 'success' (for a UK country cottage). We are forced to use an internal shot for some of our cottages. But no matter how nice that shot is, the click through is always rubbish. I wouldn't describe 'dog friendly' as a niche. If you're dog friendly you still appeal to 99.9% of the NON dog market. You get a chance at all the pie instead of two thirds of it. Good points on the welcome hamper but I'm anti health and safety so still like the homemade cake idea. Yes, a bit tongue in cheek and yes, definition of 'Successful Holiday Let' should be clarified first. I'm sure my definition as an advertising agent is very different to others on here. But this way we can all be right. ;)
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e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

What a wonderful debate. Its great to see the variety of opinions.

I cannot add to it because i think Gwion is writing about a VERY specific marketplace: viz
UK country Cottages where owner is onsite or close by.

Its not talking about Mediterranean Villas, French Gites, Parisen 4th floor apartments, Seaside blocks of flats or even UK Country Mansions, and most of the discussion about welcome packs dichotomizes (?) between on-site and off-site owners.
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

e-richard wrote:What a wonderful debate. Its great to see the variety of opinions.
Hear hear.

There's no one list that will suit all, of course (though Greenbarn probably comes closest to summing it all up when he says 'understand your market'!). But for me there's one thing that would have to be in any top ten list and it's this:
Think very carefully about whether you like people enough to get into holiday letting. Because your guests are not simply a source of revenue, they're people. You need to care about that, care that they have a good holiday and do everything you can to make that happen. You're selling them a dream, not bricks and mortar. Whether you actually get to meet them in person or not, the kind of relationship that you make with them and how you treat them, especially if any problems or disputes arise, is the key to your success as a holiday home owner.
Soupdragon
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Post by Soupdragon »

Agreed. This is a great thread. But particularly a standing ovation to French Cricket and Greenbarn: 'know and like your market' has to be a strong starting point.

Gwilt, while I am taking dogs and take your point about getting a lot of demand for dog friendly property I don't think you're right about dog friendly cottages appealing to non dog owners too.

There are several threads on Mumsnet on the topic of what people like in holiday homes and there is equal balance between dog lovers and those (and there are many) who say categorically that they will never stay in a home that has allowed dogs. So probably the reason you never get enquiries for dog free holidays is that the moment such a guest sees dogs allowed they just click onto the next property.
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Re: Top Tips for a Successful Holiday Let

Post by AndrewH »

greenbarn wrote:Final thought: what is your definition of a "Successful Holiday Let"?
One that's fully booked with decently-behaved, uncomplaining guests who didn't ask for "best price"!

Given that, they can have their hampers, hot tubs, their dogs or no dogs, and I can have a lead picture on my site of the sea with the horizon on a diagonal line (one of my pet hates).
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Post by ellerhow »

Make sure that your property,fixtures and fittings are clean.
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

Soupdragon wrote:
Gwilt, while I am taking dogs and take your point about getting a lot of demand for dog friendly property I don't think you're right about dog friendly cottages appealing to non dog owners too.

There are several threads on Mumsnet on the topic of what people like in holiday homes and there is equal balance between dog lovers and those (and there are many) who say categorically that they will never stay in a home that has allowed dogs. So probably the reason you never get enquiries for dog free holidays is that the moment such a guest sees dogs allowed they just click onto the next property.
Given the choice I prefer the dogs to the small children - a lot less destructive!
windrush
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Post by windrush »

Gwion wrote:(Some people also leave my wife's welsh drop scones. Are they mad!)
Gwion, we've booked one of your properties for a week in May and would be delighted with some of your wife's Welsh scones :D I think we'd make very short work of them indeed :D
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

windrush wrote:
Gwion wrote:(Some people also leave my wife's welsh drop scones. Are they mad!)
Gwion, we've booked one of your properties for a week in May and would be delighted with some of your wife's Welsh scones :D I think we'd make very short work of them indeed :D
When we started and weren't as busy OH used to make flapjack for the guests. At the meet and greet OH would proudly point to her home baking and I'd add to the sense of occasion by saying that I had perfected and could sell the guests the antidote - expensive, but they'd definitely find it worth the money. How we all laughed!
akwe-xavante
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Post by akwe-xavante »

All very interesting and controversial stuff, agreements as to what's right and wrong and vice versa.

I've been leaving partly used bottles of Tomato and Brown sauce and salt and vinegar being in a seaside town for those that buy Fish & Chips on there way back from there day out. They get used and replaced often. Occasionally guests replace them.

Is this wrong, should I remove them?

I have also left partly used Beef & Chicken Gravy grans, a little olive oil that gets used and occasionally but not often gets replaced by guests.

Is this wrong, should I remove them?

I leave cocktail sticks in the cupboard too, I use them as tooth picks no idea what the guests are using them for but they get used and I have to replace them occasionally. I'm assuming they are using them for the same reason.

Is this wrong, should I remove them?

I leave out a little tea, coffee and sugar, sometimes the lot has gone, sometimes it doesn't get touched.

Anything else left by guests gets removed opened or not regardless though.

Cleanliness is my thing, everything should be spotlessly clean and tidy.
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Post by AndrewH »

IMO none of that is wrong, akwe-xavante. Well, perhaps the gravy granules. As you say, cleanliness is the thing; in my experience of talking to guests, finding a really clean and tidy property when they arrive is uppermost in their minds.
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

As always the answer is "Know your market". Some guests certainly wouldn't want to find half used bottles of ketchup and gravy granules in a rental, and would assume the place hadn't been cleaned properly. Another section of the market might welcome both. There is no right or wrong answer, the answer is "it depends......."
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