After several years managing holiday rentals in Malta and now also in Spain, in Hosting Autentico we believe that focusing in the details will often have a big impact on guests, in a positive way of course.

The first impression is one of the most important factors of hosting as it can set the mood and atmosphere of one’s holiday. Therefore, it is highly recommended that your place is equipped with some basic necessities as well as some extra items which will make your guest’s stay easier and more comfortable.

Would you like to know which ones are these essential items? Then keep reading as in  this post, we will reveal the essential elements as well as some tips & tricks which we believe will come very handy. Let´s go!!

Essential items required per area

1. Living room

 – Wifi – Speedy and reliable WiFi is a must for nowadays travellers. As most of the planning (where they will eat, what they will go to see etc.) is happening online. Some guests  may be also partly working while travelling.

– TV – Although it is not as important as a good WiFi, it still comes handy in case your guests are not big users of internet. Family with kids who likes to watch their favorite cartoons at set time can also find it helpful.

– AC/heating or fans – Make sure that during the summer time your property is equipped with fans in case your place lacks  AC. For winter time a heater or extra blanket should do a trick. Remember that your guests might come from any part of the world and the hot or cold weather may affect them differently.

– Decoration – Decoration is an important part of the apartment and can have a great impact on the number of your bookings.

• Choose plants to give a fresh look. Choose cactuses (succulents) as they are low maintenance or leafy plants. Try avoid too many blooming flowers as some guests may be alergic on polen or it could irritate them. Make sure that the plants are pet and children friendly and stay away from poisonous kinds.
• Cushions – A few cushions on the sofa can give the room a different feel. Make sure you keep some spare cushion covers in your storage as after a few stays the covers will need to be washed
• Try to keep your apartment as minimalistic as possible, with only a few vases or decorative objects as they make the cleaning process longer and guests may feel overwhelmed by them.
• Books – Add some books or magazine to your home they can serve as well the decor purpose but are also very practical for guests readers.

2. Dining area

Make sure that the dining table has enough chairs for everyone therefore if you allow 8 guests to use the apartment there should be 8 chairs at the dining table. Don’t forget to provide coasters to help protect your furniture!!

3. Bedroom

– Bed – A quality mattress and bed which doesn’t make noise when turning around is a basic. We recommend that your Cleaning Service change the side of the mattress every couple of months to keep it more even.

– Linen – Make sure you get 3 sets of linen per bed (pillow cases, sheets etc.) It is also wise to have spare cushions in the wardrobe if you want to win extra points from some guests.

– Bedside table with bedside lamps

– Storage place

– A Long mirror in the bedroom is well liked by guests – you want to see your full outfit before leaving your house 🙂

– Black out curtains (persianas) – to ensure the best sleep the guest can have

4. Bathroom

• soap
• shower gel
• tooth brush holder
• toilet brush
• hand towel
• bath towel (1 per guest)
• toilet paper – (at least 1 per each day of stay)
• bath mat
• paper bin
• hairdryer is a must!

5. Kitchen

• Washing up liquid
• Dishwasher tablets in case of dishwasher
• Sponges
• Cloths
• Cleaning products
• Pans, pots and other cooking utensils which you use at home
• Chopping board
• Knives
• Wine opener
• Cutlery (number should correspond with the maximum number of guests)
• Plates and glasses (as many as your max. occupancy allow)
• Wine glasses – guests are on holidays they may enjoy glass or two on your balcony 🙂
• Garbage bags
• Microwave
• Coffee maker (any type will do)
• Kettle (this is to gain extra points)
• Toaster (this is also just an extra)

6. Other

Washing machine and drying rack are ítems which can attract those  guests who plan to stay in your area for 5 days or more.

 Tips and tricks

• We at Hosting Autentico recommend to provide basic cooking essentials like salt, olive oil, coffee and sugar and if your budget allows it then a bottle of water and/or wine, especially with the first few bookings.

• Do not forget to make sure that all lightbulbs are working. We also recommend to keep some spare ones in your apartment. The same goes for batteries (e.g. for TV or AC remote controls).

• Try to keep all your bed linen and towels the same color so in case there is some damage you can easily replace them with those on stock

• We do not recommend to place rugs in the apartment although they may look nice, because they complicate the cleaning work and are a potential danger especially for running kids.

• Candles, although is a nice decor, are also not recommended as we try not to support having an open fire in the apartment for security reasons

• In case your home has terrace or balcony, we definitely recommend some outdoor furniture and don’t forget about ashtray!

• Every apartment should have an INFO PACK – known as well as House manual – what should be included in the manual you will discover it in our next post!

We hope that these tips will help you to have a better understanding of the basic features needed before launching your home to the world of holiday rentals. Without a doubt, the tips & tricks mentioned above will add the extra points when it comes to increasing the number of bookings and achieving positive reviews.

In case you find yourself not having enough time attending all these aspects or it seems too tedious for you, we are here to help! Hosting Autentico can run the full management of your holiday home for you, without compromising your free time and guaranteeing your guests with a high level of comfort during their stay. For more information about this and other services that Hosting Autentico offers, please get in touch.