Summary

• Guest amenity expectations change over time, adjust to them.
• Technology in particular is one area to focus on.
• Some amenities you should include haven’t changed at all.

As a child, each year my family would go on a summer vacation to the beach. When we started out, we rented multiple rooms in a multifamily house. As time went on, we eventually moved up to our own dedicated home rental that included a very desirable benefit: a parking space. Even though this improved the quality of our vacation, we still didn’t have any TVs nor did the home have laundry facilities. That would come much later. When I look back at my childhood, I realize that none of these amenities was important to me at the time (my parents thought differently, though). However, today guests have much higher expectations.

Cabins or bungalows, which were typically only seasonal properties, today are equipped with air conditioning, heat and dish washers, among other amenities. As a landlord, you should be cognizant about what your guests want and need during their visit. As a guest myself, I would have no problem going back to the old days when there was limited technology, no clothes washers and WIFI, especially on vacation.  But, that’s just me.

The world has gentrified all over, whether it is college dorm rooms, city apartments or vacation homes. The expectations of guests have moved significantly higher. You could think of this as like standard equipment on a new car. Car manufacturers are very attuned to what the majority of customers want and need. Just look at the technology that is offered in even basic cars, it is noteworthy because this demonstrates that customers want these features considering that they are standard equipment.

What should your “standard equipment” be in your vacation property? This is a list we have come up with that has evolved over time. When we first starting renting properties, there was no WIFI much less cell phones. Some of this isn’t new, but still is relevant since it gets to the heart of what a good vacation rental offering needs. Let’s walk through these features.

High Speed WIFI

Eat. Sleep. WIFI. If there is one must have feature, it is high speed WIFI. There is an insatiable demand for online access by guests, particularly from cell phones. Guests want the same access they have at home. The need for speed is due to the proliferation of video across many different apps, not just YouTube or Netflix, but Facebook, news apps and other social media platforms.

Current cell phone plans offer data, but these plans can’t keep up with the increasing demands of mobile users. This is where your WIFI comes in. The minimum speed that is adequate to support video is 25Mbps. If you are getting your internet service from cable networks or telecom providers such as FIOS, you are good. You want to avoid old DSL type internet connects which won’t do a good job. Another important detail: make it easy for your guests to obtain the login credentials for your WIFI. We post it on the refrigerator as well as list it in the guest book. They can’t miss it.

Keyless Entry

Guests want to come and go as they please. Also, all the members of guest parties don’t usually arrive at their destination at the same time. Some kind of keyless entry system can make your guests very happy as well as reduce the time and effort to manage keys on your part. The kinds of keyless systems available today can be very simple (require no power) to technologies that can be remotely managed and provide extensive security controls. We talked about this more in the Home Automation article.

For most situations, a reasonable way to move to keyless entry is to replace the entry door deadbolt with an electronic keypad, that can be managed at the site or internet/app connected and remotely managed. This is a good system to use, manufactured by Schlage:

If you want a smartphone app enabled version of this deadbolt, select Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt instead.

Smart TVs

It is common and expected for vacation properties to have TVs, not just one in the living room but in other rooms as well. There has been constant technology evolution in TV technology, not just going from CRT’s to flat screens but in the way TVs get content.

If you are buying new TVs or replacing old ones, make sure to buy what are called Smart TVs, they are common now and don’t cost much more than other TVs. These are TVs that have built-in apps and connectivity to stream content from different providers. For example, we have had good experience with Samsung TVs, such as this one:

Along with your high speed WIFI, a Smart TV can, e.g., connect to YouTube and offer the ability to stream full length movies and other content. Another feature that these TVs offer is the ability for guests to bring their own content either using the built in apps or by plugging in a streaming device. The proliferation of streaming devices offers the ability of guests to take their content with them anywhere, using devices such as Roku Streaming Stick and Fire TV Stick. These devices can be plugged into the TVs using an HDMI connection.

Dressing Package

If you are renting vacation real estate, guests will need some equipment to get dressed and ready for a night out or for a special event. This is actually a good idea for any short term rental. It is standard equipment at hotels, so this is not some secret information.

• Full length dressing mirror.
• Ironing board and iron.
• Hair dryer.
• Curling iron.

Danielle tells me that the mini hair dryers that are often found in hotels don’t work as well or as quickly as full sized hair dryers. They are convenient because of their size and have a built-in wall mount. Here’s another option: buy a full size hair dryer and separate wall mount.

Sleeper Sofa

When we go on vacation with family, it is common for extra guests to show up. A friend, a schoolmate that is in the area, whatever. If they stay over, you might be short on beds. A sleeper sofa can fit the bill here. These sleeper sofas are not as good as real beds, but they sure beat the air mattresses. This is a really good idea because you have to buy a living room sofa anyway, so why not get additional use out of it?

The downside to this of course is that these sofas are not as good for sitting. We don’t see this as much of a real difference in practice because those really cozy comfortable sofas are not a good choice for rentals anyway. The best sofas for rentals are the ones that have that stiff durable fabric that is easy to clean. A way to improve the seating comfort is to add a more comfortable love seat perhaps that reclines or a lounge chair.

Also, do not forget that guests that might use a sleeper sofa will need their own linens, so keep extra sets for them in your linen closet (bath towels, sheets).

Consumable Products

When a family goes on vacation, they inevitably forget items that they need everyday. This particularly comes into play if a guest party is staying for a while. We stock each property and check supply levels after each guest party for a bunch of typical household consumable products. This make its easy for guests to use the rental just like their own home. Also, we add some other items they might forget. Most people are particular about things like shampoo or laundry detergent, but in a pinch, the stock items can work until they can get to the store.

These are the consumable items that we keep stocked:

• Mini Shampoo
• Mini Soap
• Some Laundry Pods
• Some Dishwasher Pods
• Kitchen Bags
• Sponges
• Tissues
• Paper Towels
• Extra Bathroom Tissue

Conclusion

When we furnish our rental units, we look at the accommodations from the point of view of the guest. Guests today want the amenities that they are used to using at home and work. Also, guests appreciate it when you provide features that make it more convenient for them to enjoy their vacation time more.