After going through a rough patch in the previous two years, the post-pandemic future of vacation real estate seems more promising.
Namely, during the pandemic, digital nomads with steady incomes and savings bought themselves vacation homes, and low mortgage rates propelled even the most unlikely home buyers into a purchase.
Today, the home-buying frenzy is brought to a halt as life goes back to normal, and buyers have less time to enjoy their second homes as much.
Now, vacation homeowners want their investment to pay back – and what better way to do so than renting the property.
If you’re a vacation realty owner who wants to pay off their investment and, at the same time, earn off their good hunch – your best chance of achieving a good return on investment is by transforming your home into a luxury vacation rental.
Why go lux? Well, after months of travel bans, health concerns, and lockdowns, travelers have grown fonder of genuinely enjoying their journey to the fullest and staying in places that provide them with intimacy, safety, and pleasure.
Luxury vacation homes are a fantastic opportunity to attract affluent, longer-staying, and returning travelers to your rental. Thus, in this article, we outline the steps to add a luxury feel to your vacation rental property.
The Lux Feel Starts at the Booking
You won’t easily convince travelers your vacation home provides any luxury if the process of researching and booking your vacation rental is an unluxurious one.
Even at this early stage of their lux trip, travelers expect a smooth and streamlined booking experience, transparent communication and a responsive, welcoming host.
Luxury is Key
Luxury does not negate functionality; quite the opposite – a massive aspect of your rental’s lux vibe is it being functional.
In a luxury vacation rental, guests should squeeze in to sit at a kitchen table, move furniture around just to access storage space, or devise a grandiose showering plan because your toilette lacks towel hangers.
When designing your luxury home’s interior, trace your guests’ steps, predict their activities, and ensure their every moment – from cooking to leisure – is effortless.
Good Use of Good Lighting
Lighting, both natural and artificial, is vital in making your vacation rental look like an opulent space, creating ambiance and an illusion of height.
Bear in mind the bulbs you will use and how bright the space needs to be, and what atmosphere you are trying to convey.
Allow your lux guests to choose the lighting per their needs by installing overhead ceiling lights and ambient side lamps. Moreover, you can spotlight lighting to highlight feature walls or architectural elements and bring the feeling of closeness and warmth.
Keep it Minimal
Minimalism is far more effective in designing luxurious vacation homes as it looks more refined, organized, and easier to maintain.
Plan out your property’s layout, make a list of the minimum furnishings needed for each room, and add in only a few staple pieces to give it a classy, chic and high-end hotel feel.
Keeping your vacation home minimal will help guests get a better sense of space when browsing through the property’s photos. Moreover, your guests will feel like you designed the space having their unique needs in mind.
Embrace smaller rooms for what they are. Instead of cramping it with furniture, make it a cozy, intimate space for, let’s say, reading.
Make it Instagrammable
Most people love sharing their travel experiences online, but why should they only post about the city’s food, architecture, and nature? Designing your luxury rental so that it’s picture-worthy is a guaranteed free ad on social media.
Besides, guests decide which stay to choose based on the property’s photos attached in the listing, so make sure you shoot the rooms in a way that prospective travelers can envision themselves relaxing and enjoying your accommodation.
Luxury Travel is More Than Design
There’s more to providing a luxury experience than high-end furniture and ample, well-designed space. Guests want to feel pampered and recognized, and your task, as a host, is to make their dream a reality.
Think of something that your vacation rental cannot offer but would make a genuine cherry on the top of your guests’ stay?
Perhaps you can set up special deals and discounts for some pleasurable activities, such as a nearby spa, wine-tasting, or a dinner at a high-profile restaurant.
Lux travelers want travel experiences they can post about. However, they can’t discover all your city’s wonders independently.
Therefore, being a welcoming, attentive host who has thought of everything in advance will get you a long way to securing your vacation rental’s luxury status.
Help your guests from the get-go by integrating your local offer into the website. For example, suppose your prospective guests search for hotels near Colorado and land on your website. In that case, you can nudge them further into booking your lux place by presenting them with other local tourist attractions.
