4 Ways to Upgrade Your Short Term Rental

It should go without saying that 2020 was a historically bad year for travel. It’s not all bad news, though. Customers who once would have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on fancy European or Caribbean vacations have instead decided to remain stateside to avoid additional risk or hassle, staying in Airbnb or other short term rentals. Property owners and managers can start planning now to win more bookings and earn more per-night revenue for their 2021 season by enlisting some of these tips to upgrade short term rentals.

Stock the Pantry

Some short term rental properties are almost a form of residential camping. You show up expecting the conveniences of home only to realize that your dinner is missing salt and you have no way to strain your pasta. Make your guests feel right at home by stocking the shelves of your rental. Providing utensils, cleaning materials, and basic spices are an easy way to make a big impact. Want to really make an impression? Treat your guests to a local specialty good they likely can’t find at home. Something like locally roasted coffee beans from Cultivate Coffee & Taphouse or a sampler pack from one of the many local breweries in southeastern Michigan would be a great way for a guest to start or end their day. 

Create an Experience, Not Just Space

Summer is the busiest time for tourism in southeastern lower Michigan, but the pandemic has led more guests to seek out a less social experience. Help your guests create memories while staying socially distant by creating welcoming outdoor areas. You can easily create a romantic or moody feel by adding string lights or other atmospheric lighting. Stock the property with fun outdoor activities like cornhole or spikeball, or even something like croquet if you have space. Spaces should include well-built furniture (plastic chairs are a lakehouse staple and acceptable as proper furniture for some properties, even those commanding a high price tag), but make sure your guests won’t injure themselves on rickety or broken pieces. Let guests make the most of the space by adding a gas or wood fire pit. Another way to help ensure your guests have a good time is to have your property sprayed with mosquito treatment so guests are guaranteed to have a mosquito, flea, and tick-free yard for bonfires, s’mores, and all the magic a warm Michigan night can offer.

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst (Weather)

While most of our fondest summer-in-Michigan memories come from the long summer days spent outside enjoying the sunshine and perfect weather, there have also been more than a few rained-in vacations. Providing indoor activities can help you not only surprise and delight otherwise waterlogged plans in the summer months, but it can also be used to market your property during the cold winter months. Offering wifi is a near necessity for urban and suburban rentals, but properties everywhere can also benefit from having board games, puzzles, art supplies, Legos, or other toys and games on hand.

Showcase Your Local Knowledge

While there are a lot of advantages to staying at a self-entry property versus a traditional bed and breakfast or hotel, guests often miss the experience and local knowledge that comes with a staffed property. This is especially true as Covid-19 has caused various shutdowns and new regulations. Share your local expertise with your guests by providing a list of local recommendations including things like where to get the best takeout, who has the best breakfast, and which local Mexican restaurant reigns supreme to give them ideas and options if their plans have changed.

Southeastern Michigan is a great place to live and work and visit. Based in Ypsilanti Township, Mosquito One has trained professionals who service the communities in Washtenaw, Wayne, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, and Oakland counties with mosquito treatment services for short and long term rentals, personal properties, commercial properties, municipalities, and more. Contact us or schedule mosquito treatment online for 2021 today!

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