When managing a holiday rental, there are many factors to take into consideration to make sure that the guests receive the best service possible, and that they comply with the house norms, that the apartment doesn’t suffer from the succession of check-ins, but also that your neighbours will not be disturbed by the activity.
It is a thin balance to maintain all the stakeholders’ happiness, however, with a good organisation, efficient team, and well written clear house policies, it should not be a problem.
Follow these steps to make the most of your holiday rental
Please your guests
Your place should always be perfectly cleaned. Having a dirty rental is not what guests want and they will notice it if it’s not up to standard. So take the time to find good cleaners and explain to them what you expect. By doing so, you can get the service you desire and your guests will appreciate the effort.
Having a maintenance service available all the time is important since you could have a problem at any time, including when guests are in your property. Therefore, it is important to get a team ready to intervene in your rental at all times. Finding a maintenance company that suits your needs might take some time, but is essential. Learn more by downloading our guide on Organising your Maintenance Tasks.
What about all the different amenities you can add to your rental? Such as bed linens, towels, hairdryer, etc. To make it easier for you, we have an Essential Inventory Checklist. It will give you everything that could turn your rental into a place of heaven.
Of course, having an apartment in excellent condition is only a first step into getting your guests satisfied, so do not forget to give them an unforgettable experience. To do that, you could leave a hand-written note welcoming your guests with a bottle of water (or wine) and snacks so that they feel welcome.
Set policies for your property
If you want everything to go perfectly smoothly, you should set policies to prevent any bad surprises for you and your guests. Having clear policies will help you make sure that you attract the holiday-makers that you want to host.
As there are no more touristic licences being distributed in Barcelona, it is important to keep the current ones. So respecting the building rules, and maintaining good relationships with the neighbours is crucial.
This is why having a noise meter in your apartment can be useful: if you have a zero noise policy from 9 PM to 9 AM, this device will help you enforce it. If a group of guests were to be loud, this would make you aware of it and therefore you can deal with the situation before escalating to a disturbance for the neighbours.
What about a policy to prohibit smoking? Non-smokers will instantly notice if past guests have been smoking when they enter the apartment. This might give them a bad first impression. Forbidding of smoking inside the apartment will increase the satisfaction of the non-smoking majority part of your guests.
Putting smoke detectors could be a good idea to prevent people from smoking in the rental. You should also let the guests know that if they do smoke inside, they will have to pay the extra cost to remove the smell.
Other important topics that should be explained in the house policies are the cancellation policy, whether or not animals are authorized in the property, as well as if you have what is needed to welcome a baby or small child. If you have a minimum age policy or late check-in fees, you should also let this be known in the house rules.
If, like Barcelona, you do have to collect a tourist tax and to register your guests to the Mossos d’Esquadra, do not forget to let them know beforehand. It might also be a good idea to add links towards the official website of the Generalitat to show that it is an obligation for them and yourself.
If you think you are set with the tips mentioned above, you can learn how to further improve your apartment with different amenities that your guests will love! Just click the button below.
