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All products, services, or links mentioned on my website are for products and services that I have personally used and/or recommend. Some of the links are affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

5 Essential Amenities for your Winter Guests
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Dreaming of a Winter Vacation

Have you ever vacationed during the winter months?  It’s an entirely different feel, isn’t it?

Consider this – What do you think of when dreaming of a winter vacation?  Here’s what I think of…  A slower pace.  More laid back.  The coziness.  Comfort food.  Sleeping in.  A late breakfast.  Quiet relaxation.

As vacation rental hosts, what can we do to appeal to our winter guests and contribute to the atmosphere they are hoping to find? 

I have a few tips for essential amenities for your winter guests.  These items are easy to implement, no matter what size rental you have and no matter where you’re located.

5 Essential Amenities for Your Winter Guests

This list may be a little different than what you’re expecting.  At first glance, you may be wondering how relaxation is an amenity.

Definition of amenity – something that helps to provide comfort, convenience, or enjoyment

I would certainly concur that relaxation helps to provide enjoyment.

So, in this article, we will explore five elements of a superb winter vacation.  We’ll then turn those elements into amenities we can provide to our guests.

1.  Warmth

When it’s cool outside, it feels really nice to back up to a warm heat source.  A fireplace or wood-burning stove provides physical warmth, as well as emotional warmth.

Of course, some home do not have a fireplace or wood-burner.  Instead, consider the benefits of installing an electric fireplace.

electric fireplace

We have electric fireplaces in both of our rentals.  Once is a free-standing unit and one is a fireplace insert.  The inserts are perfect when you have an old fireplace that is no longer functional.

Most of the units have a realistic flame, a heat blower, and some have the sound of crackling wood.  All this, without the mess and smell of a real fireplace.  And when space is an issue, some are even built into a TV stand. 

2.  Coziness

There seems to be a primal connection with fire that creates a mesmerizing effect.  The emotional warmth of a flame envelops your soul. 

I can’t think of anything cozier than wrapping up in a soft blanket, while sitting in front of a fire drinking hot cocoa.

We provide hot cocoas, teas and coffees at our vacation rentals.  Guests love the “coffee bar” and frequently comment about it.  

Read 3 Little Things Guest Love for more ideas.

Purchase in bulk to save some money.  I order these variety packs of k-cups to stock for the winter season.  It has cocoas, cider, cappuccinos, coffees and teas.

To add to the coziness, be sure to put out some extra blankets and throws.  Our guests love these soft, luxury, microplush fleece blankets. They come in a variety of colors.

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3. Relaxation

A hot tub or jacuzzi will certainly add to your guests’ relaxation.

Start your guest’s vacation by adding a bottle of local wine to your welcome gift.  For a special touch, add your logo or destination city to your wine glasses.

You may have noticed the custom designs on the coffee bar in the photos above.  I use my Cricut Explore Air to create and cut the designs.  The Cricut can also be used for customizing your wine glasses.

Another way of creating relaxation for your guests is to provide some books and magazines.  Winter is a wonderful season for reading.  I use my airline points to purchase magazine subscriptions and I pick up like-new books at the local Goodwill and yard sales.

4.  Comfort Cooking

There will be times when the weather just isn’t conducive for your guests to go out.

Help your guests easily prepare their favorite comfort food.

  • Be sure to stock crock-pots, baking dishes, and soup kettles.
  • Stock a recipe book in the rental or leave your own family-favorite recipe for them to try.
  • Give the guests directions to the nearest grocery store.

I’m a little anxious about leaving a crock-pot plugged in when I’m not home.  This programmable model gives me more peace of mind.  The newer Instapots seem to be very popular and would be very handy for guests.

I’m a big fan of the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks.  This one – Comfort Foods Cookbook – would be a great addition to a vacation rental.

5.  Winter Indoor Entertainment

After daylight savings time ends, the evenings are long and dark.  Our guests spend more time indoors and will be looking for entertainment inside the vacation rental. 

Some essential amenities for entertaining your winter guests include:   

  • Make sure you replace the batteries in the TV remotes.
  • Have a printed channel guide in your guest book or near the TV.
  • Puzzles, cards, and board games are popular with all ages.
  • Again, books and magazines provide entertainment, as well as relaxation.
  • Arcade games, pool tables, and air hockey can provide hours of vacation rental entertainment.  Check out this PacMan arcade game for only $199.
  • Provide local travel and tourism guides, local event schedules, and local restaurant delivery info.  Your guests can spend the long evenings planning the next day’s activities.

Attracting Winter Guests

Do you have trouble filling your weeks during the Winter season?  Read “How to Attract Guests During Shoulder Season” for some tips to get those bookings.

Here’s something cool: You can get Cash Back for shopping at your favorite stores! Just join Rakuten for free. You’ll also get a $40 Welcome Bonus when you use my invite link to join and spend $40.  Walmart is even listed with Rakuten!  Earn cash back on your purchases with the click of a button!

https://go.ebat.es/CAJWV4?eeid=45829

Earn cash back while you shop!

 

Learn More Vacation Rental Social Media Tips

The tips in the article you just read are only a highlight of what you can learn in my Social Media Marketing Course.  We’ll take a deep dive into these social media marketing ideas and lots more!

You’ll learn unique marketing strategies for social media that will generate more revenue for your business.

Social Media Marketing Bootcamp for Vacation Rental Owners

Social Media Marketing Bootcamp is a self-paced, 5-Part course designed exclusively for vacation rental owners.  The content will be specific to the vacation rental industry, and you’ll have access to exclusive content, worksheets, and questions/answers as you move through the course.

Learn more about how to effectively market your vacation rental on social media, in my Facebook & Instagram Course Exclusively for Vacation Rental Hosts.

Here are some of the topics included in the Social Media Marketing Bootcamp Course:

Social Media Marketing Training

Click to preview the course and see the entire list of course topics.


Take the quiz to find out how the Social Media Marketing Bootcamp course will help your vacation rental business. 

After taking the quiz, you’ll see a personalized report explaining whether you’re a good candidate for the course.

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All products, services or links mentioned on my website are for products and services that I have personally used. Some of the links are affiliate links. This means if you click on an affiliate link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

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