Consider the following scenario: Your vacation rental business is doing well, but there is still space for profit growth. It’s Friday morning, and the weekend is free on your calendar. You reason that you can just unwind and accept the lack of reservations for the upcoming few days. You suddenly get a notification that a last-minute booking has been made. Are you going to pass up this chance just because you’re unprepared? How much time do you have to clean and prepare everything? Year after year, more and more tourists are making last-minute hotel reservations. Travel has undergone tremendous change due to the ability to book vacations on mobile devices, especially for persons between the ages of 20 and 40. Due to the ease with which they can plan and evaluate various lodging options, particularly during the off-season, travelers are increasingly using their mobile phones to make reservations for vacation rentals. The affordability of flight tickets is a factor in this increase, so “planning” a vacation may not involve planning at all but rather an impulsive choice that results in a last-minute reservation of a vacation rental property.
With all of this in mind, luring this rising tide of last-minute visitors to your holiday rental would be advantageous. However, you cannot accept last-minute reservations if you speed through the process and overlook minor things. You must provide the same quality and service to guests who make last-minute reservations as you do to those who make them months in advance. How can you accomplish this with minimal effort? To guarantee a smooth transaction, read our top eight suggestions.
How to encourage last-minute reservations
1. Identify last-minute reservationists
Consider what they might anticipate from their accommodations by putting yourself in their position. It is obvious that they are aware of the most recent airline offers or plan their trip as they go if they are the type of person who likes to make their reservations right before leaving on vacation. As a result, they will need a vacation rental with strong WiFi because they also want access to modern technology and their phones.
This could also imply that they need more time to plan what they want to do or see and the eateries they want to visit to sample the local food. In your vacation rental advertisement, make it clear that you are a local and can provide the finest advice on local restaurants/restaurant delivery options, sites, and activities.
ng? Last but not least, an impromptu journey like this may force them to travel at odd hours. Perhaps your visitors will choose to stay somewhere that allows check-in and check-out at any time or even has an automated system that eliminates the need for a person to be there while guests are checking in or out.
2. Tailor your company to their demands.
You need to know how last-minute renters seek and reserve accommodations on their mobile phones if you want to sell to them. It’s no secret that most of these passengers want a simple website on a phone because we already know they depend on the most recent technology. If your vacation rental website loads slowly and isn’t suited for mobile devices, potential visitors will leave and visit other websites that do.
Be proactive about last-minute bookings.
3. Keep your vacation home prepared each day.
Prepare for cleaning in advance. While maintaining a clean home is important, doing so can be expensive when you’re pressed for time. Once a year, deep cleaning the entire property is crucial, but so is shifting your mindset. In other words, give up assuming that prepping and cleaning a property can be done just before check-in. It’s preferable to do this shortly after check-out. You will need to change all the beds, towels, tablecloths, and other items as soon as visitors vacate your property. In addition, you must completely clean all the rooms, bathrooms, and kitchen areas that they used, leaving them pristine and prepared for a fast touch-up before the next guests come.
4. Revisit your price and availability options
If your rates are dynamic, which they should be, you will need to adjust them based on the season. A last-minute booking shouldn’t result in a higher price just because the price wasn’t changed, therefore, make sure your rates are updated daily. Your availability calendar is the same. Make sure it’s current and accurate on all the listing websites you use and your website. This can be facilitated by having a channel manager in place, as can misunderstandings and multiple bookings for both parties.
5. Keep extra copies of your documents
Make sure you have extra copies of any maps of the area, brochures about things your guests can do while on vacation, or even a few postcards if you are the owner of a vacation rental. Prepare all of these items in advance for your guests rather than waiting until the next reservation.
Also, print extra copies of anything you give your visitors, such as a welcome book, instructions on how to use certain household appliances, or even a list of house rules, so you can store them safely. You want to avoid handing prospective visitors a soiled or wrinkled document!
Put everything in order and get everything ready quickly.
6. Pay attention to how people come across.
Consider yourself a visitor and imagine what it would be like to walk into your house. Are all the pieces in place? Has the porch at the front entrance been cleared of leaves? Is the air fresh? Is it friendly and hospitable?
Make sure your guests have a great first impression after entering the foyer. Clear a path for visitors to pass through with their suitcases in your hallway. Why not incorporate some soft lighting? Choose some fresh flowers for the entrance to add color and a pleasant perfume. Remember to clean the door handle as well since that is what visitors will touch immediately.
7. Focus on cleaning the areas that visitors will utilize.
Spend all your time cleaning and inspecting the spaces and furnishings your visitors will utilize the most. The bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, and other common areas should be dusted, cleaned, and mopped. Ensure the refrigerator’s interior is spotless and has enough space for your visitors’ food. After you’ve cleaned all the important areas, give your home or apartment a good airing. You want your guests to wait to smell bleach!
Clean bedding should be made, and they should smell good (and not musty, especially if they are kept in the cupboard). After that, place soft towels at the foot of the bed so that visitors are aware they are available.
8. Replace everything required for visitors to feel at home.
Toilet paper is necessary, but we’re also talking about any other items your guests could require or any extras you want to include. For instance, tea or coffee capsules in the morning.
Consider the amenities and hand soap your visitors require in the restroom. Imagine their routine at your holiday home as it will work best. Consider: What will they require? How can I make their stay easier? How can I make their stay in my house more pleasant? Make a list so that you only have to visit the grocery store to buy these items each time you have new guests.
With these eight suggestions, you’ll be more prepared than ever to accept last-minute reservations and provide impromptu customers with the same top-notch service as those who made reservations in advance. So start raising the number of bookings from this group of visitors!
