Boost Your Airbnb Bookings: 5 Hidden Issues Every Holiday Let Host Should Check
Boost Your Airbnb Bookings: 5 Hidden Issues Every Holiday Let Host Should Check
If you run a holiday let or own an Airbnb, it’s about now that your bookings should be through the roof. Summer has arrived, the school holidays are just around the corner and the staycation is back on the cards, thanks to overseas volatility.
If you’re scratching your head wondering why peak weeks and prized weekends remain empty, you may be self-sabotaging your holiday let. While many will blame quiet spells on a cost of living crisis, there are hidden issues that could be harming your business.
Here are five to look out for…
- Vitals details left off your listing: knowledge is power and that’s true of holidaymakers. Guests will happily book if the property meets all of their needs. The devil is in the detail.
Tell people the number of bedrooms your accommodation has but also tell them the bed configuration: double, bunks, singles. Outline any quirks, such as sloping ceiling, bay window or balcony. Mention if it’s wheelchair friendly, such as having a ground floor wet room. A floorplan, which Viewber can create for hosts, is a great visual aid for guests.
And talk about the location but be precise. There’s a beach ‘nearby’? Not specific enough. Share how far away it is in metres and miles, whether it’s walkable (giving a guide of how long it would take to stroll there), if there’s parking, a steep slope or steps, if it’s dog friendly, sand or pebbles. The Labrador-owning, wheelchair user who doesn’t drive will book your property in response to a detailed listing.
- A run of bad reviews: your next booking will probably depend on your latest reviews, especially if you list your property on Airbnb. Guests look for confirmation that their stay will be comfortable and as the host promises. Influential will be 4 or 5 stars and authentic reviews left by your most recent occupants.
Your starting point should always be a clean, well-maintained property and prompt action during a stay if there are niggles (see our next two points) but there are some tricks to ensure happy guests leave a review.
Rate the guest promptly to encourage a reciprocal review and leave a QR code in the property so people can easily find where to leave kind words. Hosts should also email the guest after their stay, thanking them for their custom, offering them a discount and asking them to leave a review.
- Niggles that are spotted by guests before you: holiday let owners should detect maintenance and presentation issues before they are noticed by guests. Smelly drains, a freezer that needs defrosting or stained bedlinen? They can all take the shine off a holiday. For holiday let owners who manage from afar, these niggles may only show up in poor reviews. By then, it’s too late and the damage is lasting.
Regular property inspections are an essential part of the quick-turnover holiday let sector. If you’re not local, sending in a third party on a regular basis, such as a Viewber, will inform you of what needs attention before it leads to a one-star review.
It’s possible to brief a Viewber to conduct an inspection that’s bespoke to your holiday let. From counting crockery and cutlery to ensure there’s a full set and looking under beds for stray socks, to listening for an odd rattle from the fridge and detecting a trickle of water from the shower tray, a Viewber can become your eyes and ears between bookings.
And when it comes to booking a trade to undertake repairs and replacements, a Viewber can be there to let the trade in, lock up after and check the quality of their work.
- Poor response during a stay: if a responsive rapport is built before and during the booking, that must be maintained throughout the stay. Ideally you’ll want to avoid issues that need a call out but if they do arise, guests will expect a friendly, prompt visit – something that can prove difficult for remote owners.
A partner, such as Viewber, can attend a holiday let at short notice on behalf of a host. They can qualify the issue, take photos, if required, and often solve the problem on the spot. If not, they will report back to the owner so the appropriate action can be taken. Access is never an issue. A Viewber can become a nominated key holder or we can install a secure key safe.
- Lacklustre marketing photos: holidays are a change of scenery, an escape to somewhere pretty or a small slice of luxury for just a few days. As such, holidaymakers book with their eyes. Aspirational, lifestyle-driven and smartly-edited photos are essentials – especially if the competition has upped the ante with its marketing efforts.
It’s worth checking what images hosts in your local area are using on listings. Are they including photos of local attractions or the beach? Is there an image of the garden, if there is one? How good is the exterior photo? Is every bedroom and bathroom photographed?
Viewber offers a full interior and exterior property photography service, which can be upgraded to a 360° virtual tour with a floorplan. Our image enhancements will ensure your holiday let looks its best, balancing colour and light levels. We can also replace grey clouds with blue skies – the perfect way to amplify the holiday vibes.
Boost bookings by using Viewber
Viewber supports Airbnb hosts and holiday let landlords across the UK, attending properties when owners can’t.
Our services include:
- Key management, including nominated key holders and key safe installation
- ‘Meet and greets’ at the start of stays
- Property inspections between bookings
- Visits to qualify problems during guest occupation
- Changeover visits
- ‘Let in and lock up after’ service for trade visits
- Property marketing packs, including enhanced photos, floorplans and 360° virtual tours
- Fire safety check services, including testing of fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
- Wait-in service for parcels and deliveries
If you’d like to improve the efficiency of your holiday let – and increase the chances of positive reviews – partner with Viewber. Hosts can book a Viewber using our digital dashboard booking system. And with no minimum order requirement or contract, we can flex in line with seasonal demand. Contact us to find out more.
*Win a FREE* Property Marketing Pack for Your Holiday Let or Airbnb (House Property)
To celebrate this guide, we’re giving one lucky holiday let or Airbnb owner the chance to win a FREE Viewber Property Marketing Pack – everything you need to help your listing stand out online. The prize includes professional property photography, a detailed floorplan and a 360° virtual tour, all professionally edited and ready to use across your Airbnb, holiday let website and other marketing channels.
To enter, simply look out for this blog across our social media channels and comment with a link to your holiday let or Airbnb listing that you are happy to share. Not only will you be in with a chance of winning, but it’s also a fantastic way to showcase your property to fellow holidaymakers, hosts and property professionals following Viewber.
The winning entry must be for a house property. The selected house will receive a complete marketing pack designed to help attract more bookings. As a condition of being selected, the winner must grant Viewber full permission to use the completed marketing content – including photography, video, floor plans, and any other assets created, for promotional purposes. This includes showcasing the work on our website, social media channels, marketing materials, and other promotional platforms as an example of the high-quality marketing services we offer and the exceptional work our talented Viewber Members deliver across the UK.
Keep an eye on our social media channels for full entry details, the competition closing date and terms and conditions!
