5 Ways to Welcome Your Guests

After hours of traveling, your guests will arrive to your vacation home weary, stressed, and tired.  Your goal is to welcome your guests into a relaxing vacation home.  But how can you welcome your guest beyond providing a clean and comfortable atmosphere?  Read on for ROVH's tips to welcome guests to your vacation home...

1. Prepare a welcome basket.  Choose a theme and fill your basket with items your guest might enjoy or need while on vacation.  Your basket doesn't need to be large or expensive - sample or travel size items work perfectly for a welcome basket.  You may consider filling the basket with water bottles, a gift card to a nearby grocery store, or household items like dishwasher soap.  Your only limit is your imagination!

2. Offer a tip book.  Many of your guests will be visiting Orlando for the first time and will appreciate information about the area and insider tips about the attractions.  Even seasoned vacationers appreciate suggestions for alternate activities to the theme parks.  Don't forget an Arrival To-Do list for your guests which can include tasks like picking up guest access cards or provide information like current events at the resort. 

3. Use inviting smells.  A pleasant smell in your vacation home will immediately set a positive atmosphere for your guests.  Plug-ins or automatic air fresheners are good investments if they are refreshed frequently by your property management company or cleaning staff.  Choose popular scents such as citrus, vanilla, or clean linen, but be careful of overwhelming smells which may cause headaches. 

4. Call your guest.  Place a phone call 1-2 days after your guests's arrival.  Ask your guest if they need anything to make their vacation more comfortable.  If your guest requests something, try to fulfill their needs immediately or within the same day.  To prevent any complaints, ensure your vacation home is clean and operating properly before check-in.  If something will not be available or working upon their arrival, set your guest's expectations by notifying them of the issue and provide an estimate of when it will be fixed.

5. Send a thank you note.  Within 1-2 weeks after your guest's departure, send a personalized handwritten thank you note or email.  If appropriate offer a discount off their next booking, valid for 6-12 months.  Be sure to include a perk or discount if something was not working properly or available during their vacation.

What tips do you follow to prepare your vacation home for arriving guests?  Leave a comment or email us your suggestions - they could be featured in our next newsletter!