Christine Trainor (OP Columnist)
YEARS ago, when you booked your holiday in a self-catering property, you basically found out if you had won the jackpot or the booby prize only once you had arrived.
And then you simply made the most of what you had.
These days all that’s changed and the holiday maker rightly expects a consistently high standard of accommodation and service.
The internet clearly brought about the change due to the increased sharing of experiences and information through blogs, reviews and social media.
Moreover, where before there were just a handful of properties to choose from, there are now thousands, allowing guests to be a lot more discerning about where they stay.
The facilities that the property offers are most definitely on the top of the list of criteria for those choosing accommodation.
Without doubt, a property will get more bookings if it offers free WiFi and hot and cold A/C, with a flat screen Smart TV also ranking high on the ‘must have’ list.
Little touches that make a difference include sun beds and parasols by the pool in villas and terraces furnished with outdoor dining furniture.
An ironing board, iron and hairdryer are all now considered essential items.
Also, with the new holiday rental law coming into effect, some things have changed from desirable to mandatory, such as A/C units, safety kits, complaints books, guest manuals with local attractions, restaurants and emergency numbers as well as manuals on how to operate all the property’s installations.
A contact telephone number to help with any problems that may occur during the holiday is not only expected but essential.
Unlike hotels, holiday rental properties do not have a star rating system, so showing all your property has to offer is essential to attract more bookings.
Our holiday rental portal, HolidayRentalontheWeb, lists all the facilities to show the potential guest exactly what is waiting for them when they arrive, as well as the photos taken by ourselves so we know what the guest sees is what the guest gets!
We also put in an up-to-date guest manual in all our holiday rental properties.
Little things make a big difference with Holiday Rentals!
Visit www.homecareontheweb.com or call + 34 952 83 95 95 for more details.
