No Booking Fee Vacation Homes

Tag: holiday ideas

  • What Guests Want to Know

    It’s no surprise that location is everything for guests who book an WP Rentals. But what was surprising for us was the conundrum this topic created in our recent post What guests really want. On one hand there’s travelers: they want to know everything about where they’re going right away—it helps them decide where to book and plan their trip. On the other hand there’s hosts, many of whom naturally want to maintain privacy, especially before a booking is confirmed, and others that want to share every last detail right away.

    Is there a way to convey the location details a guest wants without leaving the host feeling over-exposed? We think so. Let this checklist be your guide and everybody wins.

    Tips

    Provide recommendations early to allow guests to plan their trip.

    Filling in your Guidebook on WP Rentals is a great way to compile your recommendations, and it makes it easy to grow and repurpose for future guests.

    Personality is appreciated—recommend things you actually do yourself and places you like to go. A concierge might provide recommendations based on what they think an average tourist might like, but your tips can be more personalized.

    Use the tips above and you’re bound to get great reviews and feedback like this:

    “Our host’s tips about cheap food and other things to see nearby were right on. We’ll definitely be back again!”

    “I am pretty widely traveled and fairly independent with it, meaning normally I like to figure things out myself, but there is no question: our host added great value to my experience.”

    “The cheat sheet guide to the neighborhood our host sent to us in advance of our stay was great and we tried out a few of the recommendations on the list.”

    As a trip approaches, anxiety increases for guests. Where do I need to go? How do I get there? How will I get a key for the space? How do I plan what to do on my trip? Put your guest at ease by giving them all of the info they’ll need up front instead of making them wait until the last minute. This establishes trust right away and will most likely garner you a great review, and great reviews lead to bookings.

  • How to be a Great Host for Renters

    Elle put together some easy steps every host can follow to prevent hosting from becoming more of a chore than a reward.

    “Some of our most enthusiastic hosts are so dedicated to their guests having an exceptional stay that they’re challenged to find their own time and resources for themselves,” says Elle. “They’re givers and sometimes givers swing too far into that giving activity.”

    Determine your goals

    Are you hosting primarily to earn money? For companionship? To create more art or share the meals you enjoy preparing? Then it’s important to recognize and feel good about how hosting aligns with and supports these goals. For Elle, Airbnb hosting started as a means to keeping her apartment. She says that initial goal has evolved into being able to provide a great, affordable place to stay in the highly coveted West Village and give guests the opportunity to live like a New Yorker. “I’m proud to be able to share that.”

    Surround yourself with resources

    And by resources, Elle means those you can “call in a pinch” when, for instance, “you need to get keys to someone at 2 p.m. when you’re working in an office across town.” This includes a community of friends, like-minded neighbors, a cleaning service, or a few people who are willing to work part time or per diem, barter or take payment for cleaning, key hand-off and greeting when you are unable to do it yourself.

  • Offering a Full Welcoming Space

    Exceptional hospitality can come through in a lot of ways, but it most definitely starts with a clean space. And while cleaning might not be the most fun part of hosting, it doesn’t have to be difficult! Here are a few tips and tricks to help you get swept up in an effective and easy cleaning routine.

    Focus on the trouble spots
    First things first: Give extra attention to the most important areas of cleanliness. Those would be the kitchen and the bathrooms. If you offer your guests space in the refrigerator, give it a thorough cleaning. And if you make a point to keep all of the condiments and other items nicely organized, your guest will be encouraged do the same.

    Make room for your guests’ things
    We certainly love our tchotchkes, but too much of a good thing may look like clutter to a visitor. In addition to keeping your space clean, it’s important to keep it tidy. Your guests may not want to live out of their suitcase for their whole stay, so you can offer them space to put out their toiletries and personal items on a shelf or nightstand. You can also offer your guests room for their clothes and larger items in a closet or dresser.

    Pay attention to details
    Once you’ve gotten your space clean and ready for your next guest, check the details:

    • Look for stray hairs on the couch
    • Clean off dust on the edges of shelves, picture frames, and doorways
    • Wipe down all the surfaces of fixtures and appliances
    • Check the kitchen counter for crumbs
    • Sweep or vacuum under the furniture
  • Best Beaches For An Autumn Vacation

    Best Beaches For An Autumn Vacation

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you can’t go to the beach. In fact, some beaches are actually better in the fall. Many U.S. beach towns host festivals and other special events to entice families to visit in fall. Think less crowds and lower hotel rates, too.

    Vacation, in English-speaking North America, describes recreational travel, such as a short pleasure trip, or a journey abroad. People in Commonwealth countries use the term holiday to describe absence from work as well as to describe a vacation or journey. Vacation can mean either staying home or going somewhere.

    Ocean City, MD

    Visit the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, to enjoy SunFest, one of the biggest free craft shows in the country. Parents will love the artisan and craft vendors, while children will like the inflatable play structures and hayrides. Live entertainment is provided all day, and at night, the festival includes major acts. The event takes place Sept. 19 to 22, 2019. While you’re in town, check out Jolly Roger Amusement Park, Marty’s Playland, and Trimper’s Rides and Amusement Park.

     

     

    Canadians often use vacation and holiday interchangeably referring to a trip away from home or time off work. In Australia and the UK, holiday can refer to a vacation or a public holiday.

    The Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Carnegies, Huntingtons and other fabulously wealthy industrialists built their own spectacular “great camps” in the Adirondacks of upstate NY where they could disport with their families in private luxury. The American vacation was born—quite literally. The scions of New York City took to declaring that they would “vacate” their city homes for their lakeside summer retreats, and the term “vacation” replaced the British “holiday” in common parlance.

    Lincoln City, OR

    Lincoln City is otherwise known as the Kite Flying Capital of the World, celebrating the Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival every October (in addition to a summer kite festival). The event takes place Oct. 5 to 6, 2019, and includes kite-making workshops, show kites, a kids’ parade and more. Aside from the festival, other things to do in Lincoln City, Oregon, during the fall include hiking the local state parks, outlet shopping or simply whiling away a weekend at the beach (even if it’s a little chilly).

    In Hungarian, the word vakáció can mean both a recreational trip, an officially granted absence from work (generally in warmer months), and the summer (longest) school break. For absence from work, the word szabadság (freedom/liberty) can be used, possibly as betegszabadság (sickness freedom/sickness liberty) when the reason of absence is medical in nature.

    Jekyll Island, Georgia

    Its Driftwood Beach is a favorite with brides and photographers. Jekyll is part of a string of Georgia’s “Golden Isles,” along with St. Simons, Little St. Simons, and Sea Island.

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  • 10 Best September Vacations

    10 Best September Vacations

    Travel in autumn can be one of the most satisfying time of year to travel. As trees turn colors and the weather cools vacation travel starts to pick up where people try and avoid the crowds. Different activities are planned when the seasons change and so do outdoor activities.

    Some areas still remain warm in Sept and others start to cool rapidly. Checking the historical averages of temperature variations will let you know what to plan for while traveling. For instance, camping may be fine in one region where as it may be very cold and might seem uncomfortable.

    When staying in a vacation home rental travelers can acclimate to different temperatures inside while mother nature takes control of the exterior.

    Maine and the upper Northeast is a spectacular time for viewing autumn in all its glory. With specialized tours and places to rent right in the midst of the fall color extravaganza! It’s a great opportunity to fill your photo albums with pictures of a “once in a lifetime” vacation.

    Anywhere in New England territory can be a great opportunity to enjoy some mild temperatures while on vacation.

    Trees with colorful autumn leaves