Owning a short term vacation rental in Panama City Beach is one of the best ways to invest in real estate, with a steady stream of income that makes your investment work for you both now and later. One of the keys to a thriving short term vacation rental businesses is getting plenty of good reviews. Keep reading for tips on how to get the best vacation rental reviews.
1. Have an accurate listing
Make sure your listing does not even come close to exaggerating how great your property is or making empty promises. Have an accurate listing so that guests feel pleasantly surprised, not underwhelmed when they arrive.
If your property has some less-than-desirable traits like being located on a main road or not having a dishwasher, make those things clear on the listing. When guests know what they are getting, they are more likely to feel like they are getting a good deal. If they find out later that the property doesn’t include some things they expected, you are likely to end up with a bad review.
Ultimately, it will hurt your listing far less to make note of any potential drawbacks than it will to have bad reviews piling up.
2. Make the location clear on the listing
Many guests booking a short term vacation rental are primarily concerned about the location of it. Make the location of your property clear, giving information regarding how far it is to walk or drive to the beach, what shopping and dining is nearby, and how far it is from the airport.
3. Send a check-in, check-up, and check-out message
Communication is key when running a short term vacation rental. Whether you have a property manager to handle this or you are doing it yourself, send a check-in, check-up, and check-out message to each guest. They might look like this:
- Check-in: 24 hours before the guests arrive, send a message including instructions for check in, contact information if there are any issues, the address of the property, and a message noting that you hope they have a 5 star experience.
- Check-up: During the stay, reach out to the guests to ask if they have the linens they need, how the property is working out, or if there is anything missing. This simple check-up message will allow the guests to ask for anything they want rather than making note of it in your reviews and docking a star or two.
- Check-out: When the guests check-out, send them a message thanking them for their stay and inviting them back. Ask for suggestions about how to improve in the future to give them an alternative to the reviews section to share any frustrations or criticisms they may have.
4. Free stuff
One of the easiest ways to give your guests a memorable stay is simple: give them free stuff. Something as simple as water bottles in the fridge, chocolates in a dish on the coffee table, coffee and tea in the kitchen, or travel size toiletries or sunscreen can go a long way toward making your vacation rental be the perfect blend between renting a vacation home and staying in a luxury hotel. These small additions make a major hospitality impact.
5. Make a house manual
Place a house manual in your property, easily identifiable by labeling a binder and leaving it in plain sight for check-in. This will make it easy for your guests to make themselves at home. Things you should include in your manual might include:
- Instructions for how to use the TV
- Thermostat instructions
- Location of extra linens or supplies
- Coupons to local restaurants and businesses (reach out to see if they will give your guests a special discount in exchange for promoting them)
- Recommendations and directions to restaurants, coffee shops, beach rentals, and grocery stores nearby
When you are ready to find a property to list as a short term rental, we are here to help. Contact us any time to find your ideal Panama City Beach vacation home.
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