Owning a property in Blue Ridge is an incredible asset with long-term and valuable returns and potential. But when peak vacation season hits the area, your property may be subject to mismanagement and snafus without proper guidance and a reliable checklist. We discuss these items here to ensure you can take on peak season with profiting ease.
Understanding Your Cabin’s Peak Season
Peak rental and vacation seasons vary greatly based on the property’s geographical location and the surrounding area’s offerings. Here in North Georgia, peak season is just around the corner as we head into the spring and summer. The foliage is opening, the wildlife is more engaging, fish are filling streams, and the air is warming.
Many people who visit this area know and love the outdoor atmosphere for all its pure qualities, which means peak season is just around the corner. Preparing the space and getting ready for an influx and continuous loop of guests is vital for yourself and the line of guests eager to explore the area.
Get Ready for the Ideal Listing Window
The ideal listing window will hit just before peak season takes off. Initially, it might feel slow and steady, but before you know it, you will be fully booked or booked out months in advance. Preparing your property during this listing window can ensure you’re all set to take on a fully booked schedule and keep the cabin in somewhat good condition between visitors.
You want your property to stand out, so perform this checklist and refer back when necessary. Also, consider updating all imagery for guests to see the most up-to-date details. List the property at a competitive price to ensure optimal bookings. Don’t worry about adjusting the price until later in the season, as you see demand, competition moves, and travel habits.
Let’s discuss a series of to-dos to help you make the most of your cabin rental during peak season and stay on trend with the competition nearest you.
Automate Processes To Reduce Chaos
Peak season does not include an abundance of time between guests checking in and out. If you can automate many of your processes, you can reduce chaos between reservations and increase overall efficiency. Feeling overwhelmed is natural during peak season, but you can combat it with simple task delegation ahead of time.
Turn your property to a smart locking system to allow easier access and fewer keying demands on your behalf. You can also take advantage of other technology like Alexa or Google Assistant to create more optimization within the cabin. Prearrange the cleaning and maintenance systems to hover over your reservations to ensure the property gets the service it deserves in between guests. This might mean strict checkout and check-in times to allow for a small window.
Prepare Your Welcome Packages Ahead of Time
Preparing your welcome packages in advance and leaving them with the cleaning or management team can mitigate your need to be physically present and ensure everyone receives these tokens. You want your guests to feel welcomed, wanted, and appreciated when they enter your property. Offering a warm welcome greeting or incentive is a great way to make them feel accepted into the space.
Consider having premade goody baskets, a comprehensive list of cabin policies and boundaries, and a greeting gift with local treats. These welcome packages don’t have to be lavish, and you can pool together any items you wish. But this can set the tone for their stay and leave a good, lasting impression.
Perform a Deep Clean of the Unit
Whether you do this yourself or hire a professional company that will visit the space regularly, you should always perform a deep clean before peak season. The time to do this during peak season is limited, if not nonexistent altogether. But it’s ideal for you to consider doing this yourself so you can make lists of projects you want to complete and potential renovation ideas to enhance the space. You should also make an inventory of items you may need to invest in.
Take some fresh photos to accompany the listing to ensure guests get the most recent view of the cabin, and you’ll have fresh images to reference in case you need to make claims or replace any items.
Finalize Undone Projects or Renovate
Finalize undone projects and complete renovations before you welcome a long list of guests. This can ensure you make the most of your cabin rental during peak season because you will have new, updated features working for you at the time of listing. You might be able to increase your rental price with these updates to compensate for the completed renovations.
What you don’t want is a half-painted bathroom or broken fridge at the beginning of peak season. This will play a role in guest reviews and give them the impression that you didn’t care about their presence on your property. Leaving things undone for the guests to move around sets the bar relatively low and can create a little chaos as the season unfolds.
Perform Inspections on Your Amenities
Another key area you want to highlight before peak season is the amenities the cabin offers. Specifically in the North Georgia area, travelers and guests book longer-than-typical visits. Long weekends in the mountains, guys’ trips for fishing, and getaways tucked into the woods generally last, on average, five days or more.
Equipping the cabin with functioning appliances is an excellent touch for these guests and ensures their stays are comfortable. If your amenities do not accommodate a wide variety of visitors and stay lengths, you are subject to poor reviews and a decrease in future bookings. Inspect existing amenities to ensure they work, and consider replacing the ones that don’t.
Make Yourself More Available During Peak Season
Any time a rental cabin sees an influx of guests, things happen, accidents occur, questions arise—you name it. By making yourself more available during peak season, you can ensure an efficient communication process that will directly translate into the cabin’s user-friendliness.
You want to stay ahead of any damages, incidents, and guest demands. Whether you’re offering 24–7 email support or feel more comfortable being phoned directly, pick a communication line that works best for you and your guests. Just be sure to remain available in some fashion.
Nevaeh Cabin Rentals offers luxurious and accommodating North Georgia vacation rentals with on-site assistance and management. Partner with us to learn about our services and guest satisfaction rates. We look forward to working with your space today!
