Ideas for elevating your furnished rental for a family-friendly stay.

When it comes to hospitality, you need to think about all the things you need in your own day to day life. For mid-term rentals, your guest tenants may be staying for several weeks or even months. Put yourself in their shoes. Anticipate the details of their needs, and always aim to exceed expectations.

There are many opportunities to impress guests with your thoughtfulness around their stay. As a host, this starts with the very first contact and communication which should always be responsive, professional but warm, focused on answering their questions, and proactive in establishing if they have any special needs that you’re easily able to accommodate.

Establishing a rapport with your guest is your opportunity to create a great first impression. With that part set, we’ve included some of our favorite family-friendly (but far from exhaustive!) recommendations for excelling at hospitality.

Smart Locks/Keyless Entry

Providing ease of access to your guests, whilst enabling security and monitoring of your rental home are important advantages of these systems. Increasingly, guests are happy to have a contactless stay and as a host, you can establish this with them ahead of time. Providing unique and time-limited access codes ensures security to your property and enables you to monitor access. Integrating with other smart home systems (e.g the lights come on when the door is unlocked) can also be a bonus. A smooth and secure arrival sets the tone for the stay ahead.

Personal greeting note

Who doesn’t love receiving that handwritten personalized welcome note when you arrive at your new, temporary home? Even though you know everyone is getting one, it still makes you feel like you’ve been singled out as that VIP guest. A chalkboard with a personal message, or a notecard (think local artist), costs very little and builds immediate goodwill.

Welcome basket/Basic provisions

Offering something liquid and some snacks can be a great pick-me-up, especially if your tenants are dealing with some form of upheaval, like an insurance displacement. A bottle of wine for the adults and water or juice boxes for the kids, along with some chips and cookies can help put energy back in the tank and provide a useful distraction while the suitcases come in! If you have a nearby confectionery or bakery that you can showcase or partner with, that local connection point is an appreciated touch. If you know your guests will be arriving late, stocking the fridge/pantry with a few basic breakfast essentials can also be a lifesaver. Milk, jam, bread, and a box of cereal can really help out before there’s time to visit the store.

Breakfast welcome basket for those late night arrivals!

Welcome Manual

Think of this as the “operating manual” for both your rental home and the neighborhood. Whether a digital guide or old school updatable binder (Canva is a great tool to create either) include easy to navigate organization with different sections that can help search quickly. When explaining instructions, include photos. A picture tells a thousand words and is a much easier way to explain directions. Be honest and upfront about the home and highlight any “quirks”. This will help limit any frustration on your guests’ part and lead to fewer calls to you or your property manager. Include information on house rules, parking, trash and cleaning, Wi-Fi, AV, and any home management systems. Also include helpful information on your local community, attractions, and recommendations for restaurants, theatres, pet-friendly parks, shopping, etc. Help your tenants feel like this is their home.

Coffee options are one of the top priorities for guests

Coffee, Coffee, and more Coffee

One of the most talked about amenities favored by guests is access to the coffee of their choice. As a tea drinker, this is not my thing! but the volume of guest feedback around the subject highlights its importance. Many Americans have more than one type of coffee maker in their home and providing a couple of options at your property, will be very welcomed. Drip coffee makers are still the most common but providing an additional specialty maker (single serve, espresso machine, or latte maker) will add to that luxury experience.

Customized guest amenities

This is where the proactive communication part can really set your service apart. For families traveling with Fido, providing bowls for water and food, a welcome dog treat, and even a dog bed can make the furry family members feel equally at home. If your guest family has a very young child, providing a travel crib and high chair can really reduce anxiety around coping in a new environment without the usual equipment. And your guests avoid having to arrive with excess luggage. Although there is an initial expense in providing these items, adding a few extra dollars to the rental rate will soon recoup the cost, and highlighting it as an amenity will likely get you that booking over your competition.

Board games can keep everyone entertained

Family Entertainment

For MTR tenants, your rental home is their new temporary home. Providing easy, stay-at-home entertainment provides your tenants with a just like home environment. Board games, a chess set, Jenga, books, TV, and audio are all great amenities. Whilst the kids may not recognize a record player, that nod to the past can elicit very happy memories for at least some of the guests!

Toiletries

“I forgot to pack the (fill in the blank!)” is a thought probably every traveler has had at some point or another. Providing your guests with complimentary Shampoo, Conditioner, and Soap, as a minimum, is a way of lightening their load and showing you’re thinking of their needs. You can go the hotel route and supply small, travel-sized bottles or use refillable dispensers or bottles. If it’s the latter we recommend ensuring they are refilled at each turnover and using opaque or dark-colored bottles so that they always appear pristine and avoid the feeling of using leftovers.

Laptop-friendly workspace

Whether your guests stay is for work, insurance displacement, remodeling or personal relocation, having an area for adults or children to work/do homework is an essential. Having a great internet connection is a priority and having a well-equipped spot (even if it’s a small nook) adds a valuable amenity. A comfortable chair, task lighting, accessible power point, and even a notebook and a couple of pens demonstrate you understand their needs.

There are so many other possibilities to excel in delivering excellent service to your guests. Think about your overall brand, consider why your guests have chosen to stay at your home, and if you still need to get the creative juices flowing, just think about what would impress you!

Julia Robberts

Amenities, Amenities, Amenities!