6 amenities every travel host should offer
Choosing which amenities to include in your property can be one of the most daunting tasks; with so many options, how do you know which amenities are actually important? Well, here’s a good place to start: with our list of six amenities that all modern travelers expect in their vacation rental.
1. Essentials
As their name suggests, these items are essential to any property and include soap and shampoo, clean bedding, toilet paper, and clean towels. Not having these will be a catastrophe for everyone involved, and will likely result in (at least) a bad review.
2. Basic Kitchenware
When staying at your rental, guests want to be assured that they will be able to live there comfortably at all times, including during mealtimes. While some travelers prefer to only eat at restaurants, it is unreasonable to think that all guests will, so you should have a kitchen that is ready for them. This includes stocking it with utensils, plates, cups, salt and pepper, and a few pots and pans. Ensure that cooking and clean up is not only possible, rather comfortable, in your space.
3. Coffee Machine
As a corollary to the previous section, an electric kettle and some instant coffee and tea bags are crucial. Many, if not most, of your guests will want something warm to drink in the morning, so buying a $30 kettle is definitely worth it.
4. Fast Wi-Fi
In today’s world, not having access to the internet is practically a crime. No matter who your guests are – businessmen, families, or couples – they will all need internet. It seems, however, that more and more people are becoming exclusive to wireless internet and will be relatively upset if it’s slow. Also, definitely set a password on your network to keep neighbors from freeloading on your internet, which will cost you guests both speed and security.
5. Iron and Ironing Board
This amenity is definitely appreciated by everyone, but is truly important if you plan to host a lot of businessmen. Packing does not keep your clothes wrinkle-free, so if your guests need to go to work in the morning, you definitely need to give them the option to iron.
6. Something to Watch on TV
Most guests do like the comfort of knowing that they can watch TV if they don’t have anything better to do. Many hosts offer cable TV, and in the past this was the standard; however, more and more hosts are cancelling their cable subscriptions and turning to internet streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Prime. They argue that guests enjoy the wider variety that these services offer, and that their subscriptions are much cheaper than the traditional alternative (oftentimes, even two online subscriptions together can be cheaper than cable). If you do choose this route but do not have a Smart TV, then definitely invest in a Roku device, which makes it easy to connect to these and many other free streaming services.
Once you’ve included these amenities in your listing – and have chosen which others you would like to add – make sure to keep listening to you guests. They can offer invaluable feedback, telling you what was missing and what is unnecessary. Definitely reach out to them after they leave, and encourage them to comment on how their stay went.