9 Vacation Rental Property Upgrades to Keep Renters Coming Back

Keeping your vacation rental property clean and well-maintained is one of the best ways to boost your bookings. However, you also must carry out home improvement projects and updates regularly to make them more appealing.

According to research, vacation rental owners who carry out regular updates will see a marked increase in the booking rates as well as positive reviews. These keep renters coming back and your income will increase. The updates don’t have to cost a lot of money. There are simple and budget-friendly updates you can comfortably carry out on your own that will be a turning point when it comes to your booking rates and income. They include:

1)  Cleanliness

There isn’t an excuse for not cleaning up a vacation rental property. No one will ever book your property if it is dirty. Even if you have a high guest turnover you need to prioritize cleaning the property in-between. It is better to lose revenue for a day or two while having the property cleaned than to book guests only for them to find the place dirty. If you are not able to clean the property on your own you can hire a professional cleaning crew (which is more common). One of the best ways to ensure bad reviews and hurt business is a dirty property.

Additionally, the property shouldn’t be used as a storage unit even when there are no guests. The decor and furniture in the rental property should always look fresh if you expect the guests to give a high rating. Keep up with interior decor trends to win over guests. Modern homes featuring minimalistic designs and open floor plans are preferred at the moment.

2)  Optimize sleeping spaces

Don’t just focus on the master bedroom when optimizing the sleeping spaces. All sleeping spaces should be optimized. However, this should be done without compromising on aesthetics. A pull-out couch, trundle beds, or bunk beds are great options to maximize revenue and offer more options for your guests.

Heads in beds is where you make money. By increasing the number of guests that you can host at any one time you can maximize your revenue for your rental property. However, don’t be so money-minded that you cramp the spaces because this can reduce the appeal.

3)  Update the bathrooms

This is the one room everyone will be using daily hence the need to spruce it up. The ultimate relaxation in the bathroom can only happen if this space is inviting and aesthetically pleasing. A glass of wine, candles, and bubble baths will convince anyone to stay in. Also, adding nice personal touches such as complimentary robes and fluffy white towels for the guests to offer the ultimate comfort and luxury. The investment will be worth it!

4)  Smart home technology

Technological advancements are always a great experience, especially if they make life easier. Thus, if you can install smart home technology you ought to do it. Automated features and a smart home security system shouldn’t be a debate. Automated front doors that use a code as opposed to a key are a better choice because the codes can be changed after every guest group vacates the property. It also saves you from the frustration of a lock-out fiasco or a missing key and it is also more convenient for guests who arrive late.

5)  Free WiFi

A lot of people have to call home or reply to work emails even when they are on vacation. Besides that, many things have to be done online now ranging from essential things like making calls and booking flights to fun things like streaming music and checking social media accounts. It is inconvenient figuring out how to register for an internet plan in a foreign country not to mention how expensive this can be.

Free WiFi should now be a norm in every vacation rental property all over the world. Make it password-free or set an easy-to-remember password. This may not seem like a big deal but it is an important consideration when it comes to vacation rental booking preferences.

6)  Curb appeal

Beauty is one of the major things travelers consider when booking vacation rental properties. Therefore, the better the curb appeal the more the bookings you will get. You should make your rental property attractive from the outside as well as the inside.

People will be coming there to escape their reality and bland decor will not do. It has to be something so unique they cannot get on in their everyday life. It’s all in the simple things like decluttering the entryway, painting the house exterior, landscaping, and cleaning the house.

Everything that makes the house look beautiful should be done. If there is an outdoor living space you should decorate it with beautiful furniture that invites people to spend time there. The idea is to transport your guests to a place of relaxation where they forget their everyday struggles and indulge. A great property might even convince them to stay for longer which is a win for you.

Don’t forget about jazzing up indoor areas too! For example, you can decorate your home with abstract art so that it feels fresh, modern and inviting when guests first step inside.

7)  Heated floors

Heated floors in the kitchen and bathroom are essential during the cold mornings or nights. The cost of installing heated floors will depend on the current flooring, size of the room, the preferred radiant heating, etc. It is an investment that will pay off eventually and the best part is that you won’t have to re-do the flooring.

Radiant heating works on many kinds of flooring. A lot of vacation property rentals don’t have heated floors hence making this addition will be a great selling point for your property, especially during the cold season.

8)  Upgraded amenities

For guests staying for a week or more, eating out daily can get expensive, hence the need to have a functional kitchen with high-quality appliances, cutlery, and pots and pans. You don’t have to buy new appliances if the ones you have are working fine.

Also, long-term guests will not always have activities planned daily. That’s why the property should be well equipped with amenities that allow for fun when they stay in.  Stock the property with family-friendly games. Have a closet with frisbees, footballs, a corn hole set, and more. Ensure there are amenities to suit guests with different needs to ensure everyone has a great experience in your property.

9)  A hot tub

Whether it is the cold or hot season, people rarely turn down an opportunity to relax in a hot tub. These tubs can be inside, but they are normally placed in the backyard where guests can enjoy great views from the tub. If you don’t have enough space you can have a standard bathtub upgraded into a jet tub. However, you need to provide guests with printed signage on tub rules, troubleshooting, and spa operation to ensure the tub doesn’t end up damaged.

Final thoughts

Whether it is a big or small upgrade you have made, rest assured it will be a win for you in terms of bookings. After carrying out the updates you shouldn’t forget to take new photos and update your listing profile as well as property descriptions. Emphasize the upgrades you have made in writing as well as through the photos you add.

One of the most important things to remember is to continue putting money back into your vacation rental property.  If you don’t continue doing small and large upgrades you may find your gross annual rental income and ROI decrease over time instead of increasing.