Ways to boost bookings – Which aren’t lowering your prices!

If you find you have some time between stays, it’s a great opportunity to do a walk through of your property and look at ways to boost bookings that could have a big impact on your occupancy. There are also some potential additions and changes which could make your property stand out in a busy market and appeal to different types of holiday makers.

Meeting, and exceeding, guest expectations will build up a collection of fantastic reviews which helps build trust with potential bookers. How many times have you stayed somewhere, and you have to use a soup spoon to stir your tea or had to use your selfie camera as a mirror? By themselves, these aren’t big problems, but when they start to mount up your impression of the property can be impacted.

Wouldn’t you much rather find a coffee pod in the machine waiting for you, a soft blanket over the arm of the sofa to snuggle up in and the smell of freshly picked flowers? Covering all the basics and making sure everything is perfect as it can be, will stop any bad reviews in their tracks. Read on for more ways to boost bookings.

On arrival

Before we start, you’ll need to put yourself in the mindset of a holiday maker. Imagine you’ve just driven up from London (as a lot of our guests do!) and you pull up to park.

• Are parking spaces clearly marked with the name of your property?
• Is it easy to find with the directions that are provided to guests?
• Do you have room to add an additional parking space, or create off-road parking if this is not already available?
• Could you add an EV charger? Enquiries about these are increasing every week.

Settling in

You get the keys, unlock the door and step into what will be your holiday home for the next few days. The first things people tend to do after dropping luggage off in their rooms is connect to the WiFi and make a hot drink.

• Do you have superfast WiFi? If not, is there a service available that offers better speeds than what is currently in place? It’s a real bonus for guests that have to work while they’re away.
• Are your kitchen supplies filled up? Guests really appreciate at least a starter supply of teabags, coffee and milk so that they don’t have to go straight out to the shops.
• Adding a coffee machine is a small luxury that will delight coffee afficionados!

Kitchen consolidation

While you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, have a bit of a rummage through the kitchen drawers. Is everything there that you’d expect?

• Are there enough matching plates, bowls, glasses, cutlery etc. for the maximum occupancy, plus extras?
• Are the sharp knives actually sharp? Preparing dinner shouldn’t be a struggle!
• If you have an AGA, do you also have an alternative means of cooking, not everybody likes to be in territory that is too unfamiliar to them.

Putting your feet up

Take your drink through to the living room and get comfortable on the sofa. People book a holiday cottage so they have their own space and can spread out more than you can in a hotel. It’s their home away from home and it needs to be a relaxing space with everything they need.

• Is there enough comfortable seating for the maximum occupancy of your cottage?
• Are cushions plump and full, do you have cosy blankets available?
• Do you have a smart TV? Having access to more than just Freeview channels with some on-demand services is readily expected.

It’s all in the details

Looking around you, pay attention to all the finer details. When you stay away you tend to criticise small imperfections more than you would in your own home, we’re a fussy breed! What might seem like small details that aren’t worth considering can make a big difference.

• Check batteries and bulbs. Are any table lights not working, are TV remotes responsive?
• Is there any chipped paint on the sideboards or scuffs on the walls? A new coat of paint can really brighten up a room.
• Do any smoke alarm or carbon monoxide batteries need replacing while you’re here?

Bed time

Heading upstairs to the bedrooms at the end of the day, guests expect to have an uninterrupted sleep in luxuriously soft bedding. It should be a serene retreat where they forget about the stresses of daily life.

• Does any of the bedding need updating? Is the mattress sagging, are pillows limp?
• It can be a good idea to have anti-allergy bedding available, you’d be surprised how many enquiries we get about this from people who suffer with allergies.
• Do you only have double beds? Would it be possible to change the set up so that you have a twin room, or a zip and link bed to appeal to more than just couples?
• Is there enough storage space? You don’t need to have wardrobes and chests of drawers galore, but at least some full-length hanging space, drawers and somewhere in the house to stash your empty suitcases is a real bonus.

Outside opportunities

In the morning, take your breakfast out into the garden, hopefully it’s a nice day! Being in the countryside away from big cities is the real draw of the Cotswolds and guests love to get out and about, enjoying walks or just dining al fresco at their cottage. It’s really worth making the most of your outside space.

• Is the garden well maintained? Can borders be planted up, does the grass need cutting?
• Is there space for guests to dine outside, or enjoy a cup of coffee and bacon buttie in the morning?
• Do you have a BBQ and is it big enough for the size of your property? You shouldn’t need to BBQ in shifts to make sure everybody is well fed!
• Is the garden fully secure? If you accept dogs having an impenetrable garden border is incredibly important. If you don’t accept pets is this something you’d consider? Properties that accept pets have on average 30% more bookings than those that don’t.
• Would you have space for a hot tub? They’re becoming ever more popular and can make your property the one that is booked over one without.

Water works

Heading back inside it’s time to think of some of the practicalities. In an ideal world a property would have a bathroom per bedroom, but this is unachievable in a lot of situations. It is important to make sure that enough facilities are provided though.

• If you only have showers, is there space anywhere to add in a bath? A freestanding luxurious rolltop bath in a bedroom is a luxe way of making a retreat more romantic.
• This also works the other way, if you only have a bath, can you add a shower over it?
• Can a utility room be rearranged to have space for a WC and sink?

Who’s who?

When you’re considering what could be updated, it’s worth bearing in mind what kind of groups book your property.

• If it tends to be families do you have a cot, highchair and stairgate available?
• Is there any entertainment available for children? A collection of age-appropriate books, board games and DVDs are a nice touch.
• If you have more friend groups for celebrations would you be able to add a games room? This is a lot to ask, but even just a games console, pool table or a hang out area with beanbags and table football can be that extra finishing touch that clinches those extra bookings.

Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s

Before you leave your property with a to-do list that you’d like to work on, there are a few final tweaks that can expand your booking potential.

• Is your property always ready? You’d be surprised how often we must turn down last-minute bookings because the cottage hasn’t been cleaned and isn’t ready for guests.
• Do you accept two-night bookings, or do you prefer longer stays? Having the options for two-night stays opens you up to more weekend getaways where guests can arrive on a Friday after work and be back in time for Monday!
• If you are part of a stag or hen group, trying to find accommodation can be a nightmare. Would you be happy to accept these groups? There are always extra measures you can put in place to ease any anxiety around this, including adding a security deposit to bookings.

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of your cottage walk through!

Once you’ve worked through any improvements you want to make it can be a great idea to get a friend to stay and put your property through its paces. Make sure they’re an honest friend! And, of course, there’s no point in putting in all this hard work if nobody gets to see it. Book in a new photography visit and a description rewrite, so we can make sure your property is being advertised to its full potential.

Read more: How to lower costs for holiday homeowners