Furnishing your holiday home for rental: what guests look for

Furnishing a holiday home is different from furnishing your own home. Your taste counts, but above all the property has to work for people who stay a few nights and know nothing about the house. They need to sleep well, cook easily and feel at home quickly.

Guests judge your property first on the photos and afterwards in their review. What they write in that review is rarely about expensive designer pieces. It is about the bed, the shower, the kitchen and the wifi. In this article we go through each room: what to look out for, what is better left out and how to choose materials that last.

The bed: this is where you win or lose

If there is one place where you must not cut corners, it is the bed. A guest remembers a bad night longer than a beautiful view. Choose solid, good-quality mattresses, not too soft and not too hard. A mattress protector on every bed is not a luxury but a necessity.

Provide two pillows per person on each bed, preferably one soft and one firmer. Guests like to sleep their own way. Put an extra blanket in the wardrobe for cold nights.

Choose white bed linen. It looks fresh and well kept in photos, and it is easy to wash at a high temperature. You can treat stains without the colour differing from the rest of the set. Allow at least three sets per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash and one in reserve.

Sleeping places versus comfort

It is tempting to provide as many sleeping places as possible. An extra sofa bed here, a bunk bed there. On paper you can then host more guests. In practice, it often leads to cramped rooms and dissatisfied guests.

It is better to count honestly. A sofa bed in the living room is not a proper sleeping place for an adult staying a week. A bunk bed is fine for children, less so for two couples. Guests compare the number of sleeping places with the number of bathrooms, the size of the dining table and the number of chairs. If that does not add up, you will notice it in the reviews.

A kitchen people really cook in

Many guests choose a holiday home because they want to cook for themselves. A half-equipped kitchen is then a big disappointment. Think about what you use at home for an ordinary meal, and provide that for the maximum number of guests.

A good basic set includes:

• a set of solid pans and a large pot for pasta
• sharp knives and a chopping board
• plates, glasses and cutlery for the maximum number of guests, plus a few extra
• a coffee maker, a kettle and a toaster
• an oven dish, a colander, salad servers and a bottle and tin opener
• basic supplies such as salt, pepper, oil, washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets

Choose simple, sturdy crockery in one colour. That way you can replace a broken plate without the set looking mismatched.

Sturdy materials and smart storage

In a holiday home, everything takes more of a beating than at home. Chairs get moved, suitcases knock against walls, children climb on sofas. So choose materials that can take a knock.

A solid wood table or one with a scratch-resistant top, washable paint on the walls, a sofa with removable covers that go in the washing machine. Avoid light fabrics where people eat. Hard floors are easier to maintain than fitted carpet. A loose rug, on the other hand, can be cleaned or replaced.

Do not forget storage. Guests want to unpack their suitcase. Provide a wardrobe or rail with hangers in every bedroom, a place for the suitcase and a few empty drawers. A hook on the bathroom door or a towel rail makes more difference than you think.

Light, wifi and a place to work

Good lighting makes a property look cosy in photos and practical in use. Combine ceiling lights with floor lamps and reading lamps next to every bed. Warm light feels more homely than cool white light. Make sure guests find the switch straight away when they come in.

A fast, reliable wifi connection is as much a given today as running water. Test the signal in every room, including upstairs and in the garden. Install an extra access point if needed. Put the network name and password clearly in the house manual.

More and more guests work for a few days during their stay. A table with a comfortable chair, a socket nearby and a quiet spot are enough. It does not have to be a full office. Do mention it in your listing, because people actively search for it.

Extras guests appreciate

Outdoor space as an extension of the home

In our climate, a terrace or garden is not something to take for granted, and that is exactly what makes it valuable. Guests dream of breakfast outside and a glass of wine at sunset. Provide a table and chairs for the maximum number of guests, a parasol and possibly sun loungers.

Choose garden furniture that can stay outside or that you can put away quickly. Cushions in a waterproof chest are handy. A barbecue is popular, but agree clearly how it should be used and cleaned.

Thinking of families

Families with young children are loyal guests. A few facilities make your property a good deal more attractive to them: a high chair, a travel cot, a stair gate and a set of children's plates and cups. Child-safe sockets and a doorstop for heavy doors take little effort.

Mention these facilities in your listing. Parents deliberately filter on them.

Styling: what to do and what not to do

Furnishing with the photos in mind

Your photos are your shop window. Arrange rooms so that they come across as calm and inviting on camera. Think of one clear focal point per room, such as an attractive headboard, a large plant or a work of art. Keep surfaces as clear as possible.

A laid table, a made bed with a throw and a few cushions on the sofa give guests an idea of what it feels like to stay there. Choose a coherent colour palette. Calm base tones with a few accents photograph better than a mix of styles.

What is better left out

Personal belongings do not belong in a holiday home. Family photos, clothes in the wardrobes and a full bookcase with your own collection make guests feel they are staying in someone's house. Keep what you want to hold on to in a locked cupboard.

Leave out fragile decoration too. Expensive vases, delicate glassware collections and antique pieces on low tables are asking for trouble. Choose decoration you can replace without regret.

Too many small items make cleaning slower and the property busier. Here, less really is more.

Choosing durable and easy-to-clean

Every furnishing choice has a consequence for maintenance. A glass coffee table shows every fingerprint. A matt black kitchen shows every trace of limescale. Dark grout in the bathroom stays tidy longer than white.

Look at every piece of furniture through the cleaner's eyes. Can they easily get under and behind it? Can the surface be wiped quickly? That way the property stays attractive for longer, and cleaning between two stays remains manageable.

Short checklist

• solid mattresses with a protector, white bed linen in three sets per bed
• a kitchen equipped for the maximum number of guests
• sturdy, washable materials and enough storage in each room
• warm lighting and a reading lamp next to every bed
• fast wifi in every room and a place to work
• an outdoor table and chairs for everyone
• no personal belongings and no fragile decoration
• basic facilities for families with young children

Help with the next step

A well-furnished property is the foundation. Then comes the management: pricing, guest contact and cleaning. YourDomi works with its own cleaning team using a fixed checklist and photo check, and provides linen where appropriate. Would you like to know what your property could earn? Request a personal proposal.