It’s official. Travel is back on everyone’s agenda. That said, it’s not surprising that many hospitality vendors are giving their premises a complete makeover.
Many guesthouses, Airbnb and motels are making use of top-notch hotel furniture suppliers to make their residences as appealing and inviting as possible. If you need some additional tips to turn your holiday home into a sought-after guesthouse, then this article is for you.
Spruce up Your Guesthouse
Official statistics regarding Australian Tourism have shown that a staggering 9.3 million tourists visited Australia in 2019. That’s a lot of tourists to cater for and expectations are that numbers will climb in coming years.
Read on as our experts share a few tips to make your guesthouse tourist ready!
1. Invest in a Comfortable Bed
Whether you’re getting your furniture from a supplier or using existing furniture, the number one rule in any guesthouse setup is: have a comfortable bed. It’s a priority for most visitors and you don’t want guests complaining of uncomfortable sleep after a long trip.
Providing luxurious bed linen is also highly recommended. Opt for neutral colours to provide that opulent hotel feeling. Be sure to add extra pillows with freshly ironed pillowcases and extra blankets. A comforter in a bright colour draped over the bottom of the bed adds a nice touch.
2. Add a Comfy Chair and Table
For the guest who might want to work on a laptop—a common occurrence—it’s best to add a comfortable chair and table. Place a lamp on or next to the table to provide some light to work by. An ergonomic, high-back chair is also a must.
Furthermore, an upholstered armchair is a great asset to any room.
Many apartment furniture packages include all the furniture items for smaller spaces such as a bedroom in your guesthouse. This may be a cheaper option than buying each piece of furniture separately.
3. Add Small Touches of Home
A lot of guests prefer to avoid hotels because they don’t feel comfortable in the “one size fits all” design many hotel rooms follow. Guesthouse owners are well known for creating a homey feeling where guests can feel comfortable.
Some basics to consider in your guesthouse bedrooms are:
- Adding a T.V. to each room gives your guests some privacy since they don’t have to sit in a communal lounge
- A clock radio with an alarm feature is great for guests on a time-sensitive schedule
- Add a hairdryer to every room
- Some guests prefer to iron their own clothes so provide an ironing board and iron
- A small coffee/tea tray is a nice touch if the bedroom isn’t near the kitchen
- Another great touch is wrapped snacks, rusks to snack on and a bottle of water
- Leave a notepad and pen on the desk
- Ensure that the bathroom has fresh, clean towels with all the necessary toiletries on hand
- Place a small, but stylish, laundry basket in the bathroom for guests to chuck used towels in – that also makes it easy for you to scoop them up when you clean
- Provide a few recent magazines for reading – no need for too many as that will look cluttered
- Make sure that the electrical outlet is within easy reach for charging devices – it’s a clever idea to have an adaptor on hand for European plugs
- If your guesthouse has WiFi, leave a note on the table with the password
- Create a space designated for luggage to keep it out of the guest’s way
- Many tourists will have an exact idea of what they want to visit and see, but others would appreciate a few brochures of local attractions worth visiting
- If the room has an outdoor balcony, place a small chair and table outside for your guests to enjoy some private time outside
- Add an ashtray to the room – you might have a no smoking indoors rule, but there will be the occasional guest who breaks the rules and you don’t want ash on the floor
4. Clean Before Check-In
Our experts recommend giving the rooms the guests will be using a good clean as little as a few hours before they check-in. While the room might be spotless, dust happens! Make sure the bedding is washed and ironed to give that crisp, bedding feel.
Final tip: add a few fresh flowers to the room as a welcome touch. Opt for blooms that don’t have a strong fragrance to prevent allergic reactions.
Final Thought
Whether you’re setting up an Airbnb, guesthouse or any other hospitality residence, it’s crucial to make the space clean and comfortable. A guest who has a pleasant stay with many of the comforts of home will always sing your praises and send many friends and family your way. Cash in on Australia’s booming tourist industry by creating a classy guesthouse that will get 5-star reviews from the start.