Seasonal rental is a competitive market and to attract demanding travelers, it is essential to keep the decoration of your rental up to date. Smart renovation is the key to modernizing your vacation rental, while maximizing its appeal and profitability. We are talking here about profitability since in fact, any renovation or new decoration will represent a financial cost. The idea of this guide is to offer you concrete actions whose impact on rental rates and the overall profitability of the project is recognized to be largely positive and quickly amortized, all on the basis of the advice of Thierry Roger, director of our concierge agency in Lorient.
Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and solutions to your accommodation:
Before beginning any renovation, carry out a complete assessment of your property. Identify areas that need to be changed or improved. This could include modernizing the kitchen, renovating the bathroom, replacing aging furniture or even adding equipment such as air conditioning or home automation elements for greater living comfort in the home. The idea of this first strategic step is above all to focus on the strong points, to remove as many weak points as possible by finding tailor-made solutions for your rental.
Focus on a modern and refined style:
Travelers often look for vacation rentals that reflect a modern, streamlined lifestyle. Opt for interior decor that uses neutral colors, high-quality materials and functional furniture. Avoid bold patterns or overly bright colors, as they can quickly cut you off from part of your target customer. A modern and refined style does not mean de-personalized. You can completely adapt the decoration to the environment of your property (sea, mountain, countryside, urban, etc.) but always ensure that it is done with taste and subtlety. It's difficult to improvise as a decorator, so we invite you to turn to a professional decorator or at least to seek advice on Airbnb design and decor from our concierge service in Lorient.
Invest minimally in technology
Technology plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives and seasonal rentals are no exception: travelers want to live at your place as well as at home. Make sure your property has fast, reliable Wi-Fi: if you don't and this technology is available in your home, contact your carrier to upgrade to fiber optic. Also consider adding smart devices such as keyless locks, programmable thermostats and high-quality entertainment systems (boxes with streaming services included, Netflix, etc.). The idea is not for your home to become a Darty showroom, but simply for your tenants to be able to find the comfort they have at home.
Create outdoor living spaces
Since the health crisis linked to the coronavirus, it has not escaped your notice that many French people have regained an interest in outdoor spaces. If your rental has one (balcony, terrace, garden, patio, etc.) do not underestimate it and create a real living space in which it is pleasant to spend time. Create comfortable terraces or balconies with quality garden furniture. Add plants and mood lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere. If the accommodation is designed for a family, think about each member (parents, children) so that everyone finds their place there.
Highlight all your improvements on the platforms:
Once your vacation rental has been modernized, make sure your communication is consistent with this new style. Highlight the modern features of your property in your online ads and any promotional tools. This involves updating the description of the ad, the equipment in the property file, etc. Don't forget to schedule a new photo session with a professional to update your listing's photo gallery with brand new shots, just like your Airbnb rental.
Solicit feedback from your tenants
Solicit feedback from guests to find out what they like about your vacation rental and what could be improved. Use this information to make ongoing adjustments to your property. To do it right, be honest and indicate the recent installation of new equipment upon their arrival. Discuss it again at the end of the stay to better understand whether these improvements were appreciated and what your tenants would have liked to have there. You will thus have concrete and complete feedback that you will expand over time and with tenants to always improve the quality of your Airbnb rental a little more.
By smartly upgrading your vacation rental, you can attract more travelers and increase demand throughout the year. Investing in thoughtful, comfort-focused renovations can help you stay competitive in the ever-changing vacation rental market. As you will have understood, today, quite few rentals focus on modernization: they are often second homes rented out in the state. Undertaking this small renovation and these improvements has one main purpose: to create a competitive advantage for you to increase the occupancy rate and the average nightly rate of your Airbnb rental.
