A well-prepared stay for your guests

What do your guests look at before booking a stay with you? ?

That is THE question to ask yourself if you want to understand what your guests do before they reach for their card.

For 42% of guests, reviews matter more than price. Reviews are what push them to book that little stay with you.

They are the very first contact with your guests, and it is the first 7 reviews that stick in their minds. ?

Good communication ahead of the stay

Social media

As you know, social media is now at the heart of your communication and the first thing your guests look at to find everything they are after. ?

It is through social media that your guests build up that urge to travel, browsing the photos, videos and details of your property on Instagram and Facebook.

So it is up to you to post the very best photos of your rooms and your unusual decor to give your guests something to marvel at! ?

Your website

Think about the guest who clicks through to your site looking for the information they need.

The aim is for them to land on your site and find it as clear and smooth as possible! ?Add content such as articles, photos, videos and a blog, so that your guest can find everything about your property in no time at all! ?

And above all, remember to make your site responsive, in other words a site that adapts to every format (smartphone, tablet, computer), so your guest can browse it comfortably from any device! ?

The smartphone: the one essential for the stay

These days everyone has their smartphone in their pocket or in their bag. It has become so essential that we notice straight away when we leave it behind.?

Well, it is exactly the same for your guest. Their smartphone needs to be with them throughout their stay, and even at the booking stage! ?

That is the case for 42% of guests, who book a hotel on their smartphone, rising to 53% among the under-30s. ?

After the booking

Once your guest has booked with you, plan an email to gather as much information as possible before they check in.

It will tell you how your guest is travelling and roughly what time they will arrive.

What's more, your pre-check-in will already be up and running! ?

One quick tip: send the email a day after they book, as they are far more likely to reply. ?

Partway to their stay

Show your guest that you are looking after them even before they arrive!

A few days before check-in, your guest will be delighted to receive some extra information.

You can suggest activities and share your welcome book! ?

Before they arrive

Thanks to the information you gathered in that first email, you know how your guest is travelling and roughly what time they will get there.

A week before check-in, put together a short email with all the information about your property!

If they are coming by train, explain the simplest route to reach you based on how they are travelling, so they can plan ahead. ?

And of course, if you use a service such as Swikly to make deposits simpler, tell your guest: they will be delighted to hear it! ?