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We often talk about vacation rentals as a home-away-from-home for guests, but if you really want to impress and delight your guests, your vacation rental should be even better than their home.

The perfect vacation rental should check off all the boxes – everything a guest expects when they arrive, and everything they need to be perfectly comfortable during their stay. It should also have some little touches that go above and beyond – what we like to think of as "surprise and delight."

Think hotel-quality comfort with more space and flexibility.

Whether you’re just starting out as a vacation rental host or are a seasoned manager looking for inspiration to attract more guests and improve occupancy rates, this article is for you.

We’ll cover the absolute basics you’ll need to furnish and equip your vacation rental and the best products to withstand the wear and tear that comes with owning a vacation rental, along with some insider tips that will help you stand out in a crowded rental marketplace.

Keep it Clean

The first thing a guest will notice when they enter your home is the cleanliness and hygiene. What you don’t want them to notice is any dirt or grime that you’ve missed during setup or change-over.

Before you start to equip and furnish the home, every corner of every room should be rigorously deep cleaned and disinfected.

After set-up, these cleaning and hygiene protocols should be carried out at least every six months - ideally after the high season closes.

That includes high touch points, such as door knobs, remote controls, and light fixtures, and ceiling fans.

Living space: Under the sofas and armchairs, TV, dining table and chairs should be wiped down and every storage space cleaned inside and out.

Kitchens: Every cupboard and drawer in your kitchen should be cleaned and unless your appliances are brand new, they should be professionally cleaned inside and out. No guests want to arrive to find burnt oven trays and fluff in the washing machine drawer!

Bathrooms: Every bath, washbasin, shower and toilet should be scrubbed clean and disinfected. Everything should sparkle!

Bedrooms: Clean under the bed, the headboard and every cupboard and drawer.

Furnishings: Any upholstered furnishings and curtains should be steam cleaned, your windows cleaned inside and out, and blinds wiped down.

Baseboards should be wiped clean and garbage bins disinfected.

Insider Tip

Don’t skimp on cleaning products. Use high quality cleaning supplies and tools, and don’t use one multi-use product to clean every surface.

Does everything work?

Maintenance checks should be carried out before you welcome in your first guests. Make sure there are no leaky taps, all appliances are working properly, and there are no light bulbs that need changing.

In between each guest, your changeover team should also be checking the basic essentials, such as light bulbs, remote control batteries, and any equipment that might have been damaged during the last guest stay and needs to be replaced before the next.

Insider Tip

We highly recommend setting up a contract with a professional maintenance company who can be called out 24/7 during guest stays.

Airbnb Guests have 48 hours to make a guest complaint about damages or things that don’t work in their vacation rental, so if you receive a complaint (hopefully you won’t!), you’ll need to jump on it quickly. A professional maintenance company will have your back.

This is especially important for families traveling with children who appreciate the flexibility of a kitchen where they can cook the food their children like to eat (perfect for fussy eaters!) and prepare healthy snacks for them throughout the day.

One of the main reasons that guests down-grade their reviews is the lack of equipment when the property is advertised as having a fully equipped kitchen.

Aside from the standard domestic appliances of an oven and stove, grill and microwave, you should include enough equipment and amenities for the maximum number of guests.

Utensils and accessories should be in uniformed sets, not a mixed selection of plates, mugs, knives and forks.

We also recommend that you invest in quality brand-name small appliances, such as juicers, coffee machines and toasters.