Amenities are critical to increasing occupancy rates and profitability in your short term rentals. Think of these features as your key selling points and what differentiates you from your competition; aside from pricing. While they may stretch the budget initially, you need to think about your long-term return on investment - after all, you’re rewarded (for better or worse) by what you do or do not put into a property.
These are 10 amenities that Host Del Casa tries to incorporate into our short term rental properties.
Pet-Friendly
The reality is that there are not enough pet-friendly short term rentals available for the demand in the market. If you’re comfortable making your property pet-friendly, do it. It will make your listing rise to the top of your competition and open up your pool of renters. Plus, you can charge more money; this means increasing the cleaning fee and setting specific house rules to minimize risk and safeguard your property from damage while maximizing occupancy rates and profitability.
Work from Home Area
The importance of this feature came to light in the midst of the pandemic, and it’s still incredibly useful today. Many businesses have enabled employees to work remotely in some capacity so more and more of the workforce is taking advantage of the opportunity to work from home. And home can be anywhere! By creating an office, a dedicated nook or corner in your STR that contains a desk with a comfortable chair, you’ll see inquiries increase. This is especially paramount in conjunction with the next amenity listed.
WiFi & Smart TVs
Remember that office or dedicated workspace we mentioned above? Of course you do. Well, in addition to this space, it’s crucial that you provide strong enough WiFi to serve the number of guests / devices that the property can accommodate - do not sacrifice WiFi speed… we repeat, do not sacrifice WiFi speed! Additionally, by placing Smart TVs in all bedrooms and living spaces, your guests will have content access right at their fingertips. We use ROKU Smart TVs, which enable guests to log into their own streaming services (i.e. Netflix, Hulu, ESPN+, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.). Potential guests are more likely to book your STR when this convenient option is available.
Unique Outdoor Space
Let’s face it, most guests don’t vacation to be inside, especially when there’s several lakes, venues, & activities all over ATX/Hill Country. If your property has an outdoor area that can be enhanced, take the time to amplify and cozy up that space. Whether your property has a deck, a BBQ space, an area for lawn games, or a pool or hot tub, these outdoor area options will surely increase demand.
King-Sized Bed
In our experience, we have found that properties with king-sized beds outperform those that don’t have them. Especially in the master bedroom. A king-sized bed is an added luxury when you’re on vacation; the extra room & comfort has led to better reviews and higher occupancy rates.
Coffee & Tea Station
In most of our properties, we feature both a drip coffeemaker & a Keurig as well as a tea kettle. We appreciate the old school coffee drinkers as much as the new age tasters! We find that adding a simple morning beverage station has made for a better, more convenient and homier guest experience.
Self Check-In
It’s all about making the guest experience as easy breezy and convenient as possible. No physical keys equals no fear of losing keys and no time spent coordinating when people will be back at the property to quickly get inside. Instead, we have installed digital smart locks on the front door of each property for ease of use. Our Schlage Encode digital smart locks provide each guest with their own unique code that works during the duration of their stay and is deleted upon checkout. You can’t beat keyless entry.
Fully Stocked Kitchen
Now we’re not saying you have to do a full Costco shop for your guests, but we are saying that your kitchen should have all of the tools and appliances that make for a comfortable and convenient stay. This means investing in pots, pans, utensils, baking sheets, wine openers, can openers; everything! You want to provide your guests with a space where they can comfortably cook & eat at home, or where they can easily and hassle-free hire an outside chef to come to the property to cook for their group.
Washer & Dryer
While not all properties may have the ability to house a washer and dryer, those that do feature laundry units tend to book up faster than those that do not have them. If you have the space and the hook up for a washer and dryer, you won’t regret investing in them in your STR.
Kid-Friendly Items
There is a large market seeking family or kid-friendly rental options for summer stays. As young parents ourselves, we understand how important it is to provide big ticket items that take up travel space. In our properties, we try to add cribs, high chairs, baby gates, board games & cards to make the family experience much easier. When you can reduce packing and travel concerns and offer a property where your guests can just show up and relax, your bookings will increase and your reviews will soar.
What did we miss? We’re always eager to learn about additional amenities that can drive occupancy rates while maximizing profits. Happy hosting!
Reach out if you or anyone you know is looking for a boots-on-the-ground property management company that offers quality and service in Austin, TX & Hill Country, TX!
