Free Rental Guide!
Learn what it takes to rent your vacation home and maximize your rental income.
Free Rental Guide!
Learn what it takes to rent your vacation home and maximize your rental income.
What do travelers look for most in a vacation rental? That’s a question Orlando Vacation Homes 360 recently put to renters in a survey. Asked to rate rental home features on a scale of importance, the results provide some useful insights into how to attract more renters. Here are the top 5 results:
- Wi-Fi. A whopping 96% of respondents rated wireless internet either as “Important” (31%) or “Very Important” (65%). As Orlando Vacation Homes concludes, “In today’s world, even though people are on vacation, they still want to be connected. Whether it’s to check e-mail from the office, social media, find local entertainment and dining info, or for the kids to play their video games, you’d best make sure to have a strong WIFI system, and promote that to your guests.”
- Washer & Dryer. A similar number rated having a washer and dryer as important, including 54% who regard it as very important. Clearly, many vacationers place great value on having the ability to throw in a load while on their vacation. This would be a particularly important amenity to provide to guests if your goal is to attract renters looking to stay a week or longer. TripAdvisor’s 2016 Vacation Rental Survey similarly found that 67% of renters named a washer and dryer as the feature or amenity that most motivates them to book, second only to the 82% who said stunning views were the most critical factor.
- Kitchen Amenities. Orlando Vacation Homes 360 concludes from the high number of renters who rated kitchen amenities as important that “even though guests enjoy dining out, they also like to maintain the ability to prepare meals in as needed, perhaps to save some on the overall travel budget.” In fact, TripAdvisor found that dining in was the number one way travelers said they sought to save money while on vacation, with a full 83% naming a fully equipped kitchen even above the cost of the vacation rental to other accommodations.
- Private Pool. 81% of renters said a private pool was important to them. TripAdvisor likewise found that 46% named a private pool as the factor that most motivates them to book. While having a pool on your property, whether indoor or outdoor, isn’t as simple as installing Wi-Fi or a washer and dryer, if you happen to have one, it’s certainly a great selling point! (And, hey, if you’ve been thinking about installing a pool, now you have a good excuse.) An additional 47% said having a hot tub was important to them. This compares with 32% of respondents to the TripAdvisor survey who said a hot tub was the critical deciding factor for booking. [Note: While swimming pools are not a common amenity here in northern Michigan homes, hot tubs are a good alternate to consider. They can increase the number of rentals and higher rates can pay for them.]
- Cable TV. 77% rated cable TV as important. While people vacation to get away from their usual routines, it seems many renters like to be able to keep up with their favorite shows, watch movies, or otherwise relax in front of the TV—or, preferably, a large-screen HDTV—while on their trip. It’s probably also a good idea to have a DVD/Blu-Ray player as part of your entertainment system. Also consider having multiple TVs, such as one in the living room and one in the master bedroom, especially if you’re renting to families or large groups.
So if you’re looking to attract more renters and increase bookings, you’ll definitely want to consider having these amenities available to your vacation rental guests!
Jeremy loves the northern Michigan outdoors, and his hobbies include hiking, biking, exploring, and photography.
Alan R. Hammond is the founder and Managing Director of Holiday Vacation Rentals and Birchwood Property Management. He has served as a Director, Officer, and Treasurer of the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) and holds the Certificated Vacation Rental Manager (CVRM) designation. A recognized industry leader, Alan is featured in the book The Rental Game: Winning with a Professional Vacation Rental Team by Maureen Regan. Read more....
Do you know what the status is with the SB and HB regarding STRs?
Hi Roberto. The bills are apparently still held up in committee:
http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2017-SB-0329
http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2017-HB-4503
I assume you’re asking because you’ve already read out detailed article on the short-term rentals legislative issue, but in case not, here’s the link:
https://www.holidayvacationrental.com/how-can-short-term-rentals-in-michigan-be-regulated-without-violating-property-rights/