From homeowner to host - what it really takes to turn your home into a holiday let

You might be sitting in your kitchen, looking around and thinking, “This could make a great Airbnb.” Or perhaps you have a second home that’s sitting empty for much of the year and you’d like it to start earning its keep. However - while turning your own property into a holiday let can be exciting and rewarding, it’s not just a case of throwing some fresh bedding on and listing it online. Over the past 15 years we have helped a number of clients set up holiday lets from scratch, some of them have been bought specifically for the purpose, but many of them have been homeowners or second home owners looking for a new way to generate income from their asset - their home.

In this blog we share our top tips for anyone looking to turn their home into a holiday let and explore some of the key things to consider, some of which may surprise you.

It’s not 2019 anymore - holiday let guests expect more

The market for serviced accommodation (holiday lets/Airbnb) has changed significantly ovet the past few years.

When Airbnb first launched it was specifically aimed at people wanting to offer out a spare room to paying guests. Back in those days it was fine to furnish a holiday cottage with second hand furniture and cheap and cheerful bedlinen. Not any more!

The entire holiday let landscape is now signficantly different. What people are looking for now is a much more professional experience, more like staying in a hotel than someone's spare room.

The Cotswolds in particular is a premium destination, where many celebrities and famous people are choosing to live and/or holiday. It has a certain "upmarket" feel, and guests coming to the area will expect accommodation that feels in tune with their expectations.

While there will always be a place in the market for a more functional and basic space, if you want to be able to charge a decent nightly rate and achieve a good level of occupancy, then you may need to elevate your offering.

The mindset shift: from homeowner to hospitality provider

What we have noticed is that a mindset shift gradually happens when people turn their own home into a guest’s home.

Running a holiday let is not the same as having friends to stay. When people pay to be in your home, they arrive with a certain set of expectations, and if these are not met, they will be reflected in the reviews!

Here are some of the key mindset changes to embrace:

Detach emotionally from your home. 

We all become emotionally attached to our homes, we see past all it's little imperfections and we feel comfortable and at home there. Guests won't feel the same - and you may be surprised (and possibly offended) at what they think about it, but it's important to allow yourself to detach from that and start to see things more objectvely. For example, a negative review can be regarded as a pointer for improvement, rather than a criticism.

Think like a business

Your home is now part of a business, not just a personal possession. The money you invest into that property is an investment in the business, rather than an expense. Every investment decision should therefore be made with the guest experience in mind, rather than your own personal taste or preference. It's also a good idea to think about how you can work "on" your business rather than "in" your business. By building a power team of experts to support you, for example top notch cleaners to manage changeovers, you can make sure you focus on the activities where you can add most value, rather than feeling you have to do it all yourself.

Elevate your standards

Our own homes are familar, comfortable, and often (let's be honest) in need of some TLC. There are always little things that need to be fixed, or painted, things that don't quite work or are old and tired. That's absolutely normal and fine in your own home, but again not what paying guests will expect.

Expect wear and tear

Even the most careful guests will leave small signs of use, and things will get broken. It’s part of the deal when you run a hospitality business. If something is personal or precious, consider putting it into storage for the time being, instead of being hurt or upset if something is damaged.

The practical checklist: getting your home guest-ready

Turning your home into a holiday let isn’t just about fluffing the pillows. There’s a very long to-do list that goes far beyond cleaning:

Deciding if you should self-manage or use an agent

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to run the let yourself or hire a management company.

Self-managing gives you more control and keeps more profit in your pocket, but it’s time-intensive and can be stressful.

Using an agent means less day-to-day hassle, but you’ll pay a percentage of your bookings for the service.

Depending on which agent you use for marketing your property, you may also need to appoint a property manager to take care of the cleaning and changeovers as well as the day to day maintenance and guest issues.

It’s worth being honest with yourself about how much time, energy, and flexibility you have.

If you manage the property yourself, live locally, and only advertise it on a single platform like Airbnb, then arguably you could probably get away with a less luxurious level of finish. However if you choose to list it with one of the Cotswolds professional holiday let marketing companies such as StayCotswolds, then you will be competing with some of the most well appointed holiday lets in the area, and will need to set yours up accordingly.

Safety and compliance

Times have changed and the market for serviced accommodation is much more highly regulated in terms of health and safety.

You will need to make sure you meet all the current regulations for short-term lets (fire regulations, health and safety) and are fully insured for this, also check with your mortgage lender if appropriate that you are allowed to run it as short term accommodation.

Have a professional Fire Risk Assessment done and make sure you follow the recommendations - for example did you know that smoke detectors are now needed in all rooms?

Make sure you have all your current gas and electric safety certificates. Consider PAT testing for electrical appliances.

Repairs and Maintenance

Everything should be in full working order before you welcome your first guests — leaking taps, stiff windows, and wobbly chairs will all be noticed.

The garden should be tidy, the windows cleaned, any paintwork repaired. Make sure to schedule a deep clean before your first guest and maintenance cleans in between.

Decluttering and depersonalising

Guests need to feel like they’ve walked into a welcoming, neutral space — not someone else’s life.

Store away personal items, family photos, and anything you wouldn’t want damaged. Make sure the cupboards are free of your food and drink, that the wardrobes don't have your clothes in, and that any personal paperwork or files are locked away.

Consider the decor - some personal momentoes are absolutely fine, but anything too overwhelming or quirky might be best avoided.

Furnishing and equipping the house

Provide comfortable beds with high-quality mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows (and don't forget spares). Again, think like a hotel, not your home.

Stock the kitchen for the type of guests you want to attract — for example, holidaying families will expect more cookware than a couple on a weekend break.

Include the “little extras” that make a difference: good lighting, extra blankets, hairdryers, decent Wi-Fi.

Presentation and Styling

The presentation and styling of your property is absolutely key to its success. A beautifully furnished and well presented house will photograph well and stand out in the listings, ensuring a high level of interest from guests.

Dated wallpaper, saggy sofas, tired decor all say "amateur" not "professional" and definitely need to be upgraded.

Use styling and decor to make your property stand out. Here in the Cotswolds you could embrace traditional country charm or aim for a more modern aesthetic, but either way the design and styling is absolutely key.

Professional photography is also absolutely vital - your chosen managing agent should provide this but even if you are self managing, this is a must-have.

You’re not just selling a stay — you’re selling an experience

The most successful holiday lets aren’t just clean and comfortable — they feel special.

Think about what makes your home different.

It could be the view from the terrace, the proximity to a major tourist attraction, or the way the kitchen is perfect for cooking big family dinners.

Identify your “wow factor” and make sure it shines in your marketing and in real life.

Final thought: 

Turning your home into a holiday let can be a brilliant way to generate income and share your space with others — but it works best when you approach it as a business from day one. That means getting the practical details right, thinking like a guest, and committing to delivering a consistently great experience. Do that, and you won’t just have bookings — you’ll have repeat guests who tell all their friends.

Feeling overwhelmed? We can help!

As experienced property stagers, as well as holiday home investors ourselves, we understand the challenges of setting up a property from start to finish.

From selecting paintwork and soft furnishings, to sourcing and purchasing all of the furniture, accessories and equipment, to styling and dressing the property for professional photos, we can help. 

While we do offer a full start-to-finish holiday home set up service, we can also help with styling and staging existing properties whether that be a simple facelift and refresh or a full cosmetic upgrade.

The best thing to do is give us a call and book your free, no obligation consultation. We'd be delighted to come and visit your property and give you our thoughts on how best to present it as a holiday let.

You can also check out the Holiday Let Styling and Staging page on our website.

Do give us a call to find out more, we look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes

Claire & Sue

New Leaves - Professional Organising and Home Staging

www.newleaves.info  

enquiries@newleaves.info  

Tel Claire on +44 7720887205

Instagram @newleavesinteriors