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Guest essentials are all of the supplies and amenities that guests may need during their stay that they can’t necessarily bring with them while traveling. With recent hotel convergence in the short term rental industry, the modern traveler expects their home away from home to “wow” them with special touches and luxuries that they don’t experience in their day-to-day life or at their own home. Different vacation rental destinations may cater to a different set of essentials, so it’s important to consider why guests are traveling to your market and why they booked your home in particular in order to anticipate and prepare for their needs.
sojo CEO, Max Farley, explains why personalized experiences are so important in the vacation rental industry:
A great first step is identifying the must-haves of each property. These are the supplies that every guest needs and expects to be included in their stay, such as bed linens, bath towels, toilet paper, paper towels, and kitchen utensils. While not very glamorous, these staples cannot be overlooked. Ensuring your process for sourcing and replenishing these items is consistent is key for guest satisfaction. Next, is to identify what luxury additions, if any, you’re willing to provide. This could be as simple as leveling-up the quality of the must-have items on your list, or could even go as far as providing branded toiletries or personalized gifts for each guest stay. In addition to helping make a guest feel at home, these amenities make it clear that you care about the guest’s experience, leading to more 5-star reviews.
According to Julia Herrington, Market Manager at Airbnb, longer guest stays are driving increased demand for for well-equipped homes:
In the increasingly competitive vacation rental market, managing supplies and showcasing top-tier guest amenities is a key area where managers can further differentiate their brand across their portfolio. In fact, results from our 2022 Property Operations Survey show that over two thirds of managers think that curating premium supplies and amenities create consistent and reliable experiences, and over half think these guest essentials directly contribute to guest reviews. This highlights the importance of getting ahead of the curve and thinking outside the box when it comes to sourcing supplies. When done correctly, this commitment will reap positive rewards in improved brand reputation and revenue.
Download our Guest Essentials Checklist to add the inventory must-haves and optional luxury additions to your current program so nothing falls through the cracks. If you want to further automate this process, learn more about our integration with sojo, our amenities and fulfillment partner.
