Boosting your rental bookings: a few tips

As you know, we are here to help you. That is why we have done a bit of research to find you the best tips for boosting your accommodation booking enquiries.

Offer a well-equipped property

The most important thing when you arrive somewhere is to feel at home. Offering a well-equipped property matters a great deal to many holidaymakers.

The top priority? A good wifi connection, especially at the moment with working from home. Next comes a workspace: a separate room, or a corner you have set up yourself for the purpose.

Another strong point? A practical, well-stocked kitchen: oven, microwave, fridge, pots and pans, crockery. Mentioning it in your listing will attract potential customers.

Flexible cancellation and booking conditions

Another good way to boost your bookings is to offer flexible booking.

With the new health measures, self check-in is very popular. What works most in your favour? Offering instant booking: your guests will book on impulse and you will not be competing with other hosts who might reply to their enquiry before you do. Play the instant card.

As for cancellation, that is up to you, but overly complex conditions or a refund that is not guaranteed can put people off booking.

Boost your rental by accepting pets

Did you know? Searches for « pets allowed » rose by 65% in January 2021 (compared with the same period the year before).

So by making it clear that you accept pets in your property, you will gain visibility and bookings.

If you are a little wary of accepting animals, you can always limit the list: dogs and cats account for around 80% of pets. That is more than enough.

If it is the hair that worries you, you can ask for an additional cleaning fee and specify which parts of the house you would rather pets did not go into. With these few tips, you should see your booking enquiries climb. Do feel free to send us your feedback or the tips that have worked for you!

Here is a summary of the main ways to boost your bookings and the benefits each one brings.

Lever	Key feature	Benefit for you
Wi-Fi connection	Reliable and stable bandwidth	Most expected feature by guests, especially for remote work
Work area	Separate room or dedicated space	Attracts remote workers and families needing focus
Functional kitchen	Oven, microwave, fridge, complete dishware	Attracts holidaymakers and sets you apart from basic properties
Instant booking	Immediate confirmation without validation	Guest books on impulse, you avoid competing with other owners
Flexible cancellation	Clear and guaranteed refund	Reduces booking hesitation, increases enquiries
Pet-friendly policy	Dogs and cats accepted	Increases visibility by 65 % (January 2021), generates more bookings
Extra cleaning fee	Chargeable if pets stay	Offsets potential damage, protects property cleanliness

Frequently asked questions

What amenities should I offer to attract more bookings? A good wifi connection is the most expected feature, especially with remote work. Add a space to work, even a modest one, and a functional kitchen with an oven, microwave, fridge and full set of dishes. Stating this clearly in your listing attracts more travellers.

Should I turn on instant booking? Yes, it works in your favour: the guest books on impulse and you avoid competing with other hosts who might reply before you. It is one of the levers mentioned to boost booking requests.

What cancellation conditions should I choose so they don’t hold back bookings? Conditions that are too complex or a refund that isn’t guaranteed can discourage travellers before they even book. The article recommends favouring flexible conditions, alongside self check-in, which has been popular since the new health measures.

Should I accept pets in my rental? According to the article, searches for “pets allowed” rose by 65% in January 2021 compared with the previous year. Highlighting this acceptance in the listing therefore brings more visibility and more bookings.

How can I limit the constraints if I accept pets? You can limit the list to dogs and cats, which make up around 80% of pets, which is more than enough. If shedding worries you, ask for extra cleaning fees and specify which rooms pets aren’t allowed in.