Our top tips for new holiday cottage owners

If you’re just starting on your journey as a holiday let owner, there are so many things to consider and options to mull over. So let us guide you on the right path to becoming a successful owner with Lakelovers.

Read on for our hints and tips!

1.  Who’s my target audience?

When starting out with holiday letting, an important thing to consider is what audience you’d like to attract. Countryside cottages appeal to walkers and outdoor enthusiasts, where as village centre homes are more attractive to families and groups. Lakeside apartments, or romantic and traditional Lakeland cottages with hot tubs, are more likely to appeal to couples.

Don’t forget – all of those groups could also be dog owners! A very popular choice for our guests (over 64% of searches) wanting to holiday in the Lake District with their canine companions.

Another option to consider is sustainability. Many owners are making changes in the cost of living crisis, in a bid to maximise income as well as reducing environmental impact. 22% of owners have made sustainable changes to their property, including installing heat pumps and electric charging points. There is a clear increase in demand – in fact Google searches for holiday cottages with EV chargers have increased by 20% year on year.

So it’s wise to consider your audience when buying, decorating and kitting out your holiday let.

2. How will I drive my bookings?

If you want to get maximum bookings for your Lake District holiday let, let us help! With decades of experience, Lakelovers are the local experts in holiday letting but also have the added bonus of national marketing support of Sykes Cottages behind us. We work with over 700 partner sites such as Airbnb, Expedia & Booking.com to ensure your property sits in front of all the right people, and our website allows bookings to be taken 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 a year.

Take Five Ref. 1041261

3.  What type of decor should I choose?

The decor is the icing on the cake for a holiday let.  Your property even if small, should aim for quality and a little bit of the wow-factor. We often hear that guests want to stay in something different to their own home – but a place of excellent quality.

You want to be able to keep it in top condition, allow for heavy use and ideally top up and refresh your paintwork every year.  Good quality furniture is a wise investment,  especially in pet-friendly homes where it’s likely to see more wear and tear. If you have unusual or luxurious decor, which appeals, we can potentially feature it on our social media channels or in a blog. To give you some ideas click here to read our blog

Richmond House Ref. 1119884

4. How do I make the best of my garden or outdoor space?

Our guests love to be outside, whether its out for a walk or when they are back at your cottage, chilling out after a busy day.  The outdoor space is potentially another ‘room’ for them to enjoy.  Outdoor garden furniture, table, chairs and umbrella is a must, even if you have a small courtyard or patio.  Keep it spick and span, and perhaps provide some outdoor games, barbecue or even install a hot tub for the ultimate chillout zone.

The Old Water Mill Ref. 1066269

5. Shall I add a hot tub?

Many of our guests search for properties with Hot Tubs for the ultimate indulgence, and if you have one, you can almost guarantee your bookings will increase.  We work with credited suppliers and maintenance teams if you are interested in looking into this, and we can advise on the smooth running and safety precautions too.

Bracken Ground Ref. 1045999

6. Shall I make it a Pet-Friendly cottage?

We’ve seen a huge increase in people wanting to holiday with their furry friends, and we’ve seen that pet-friendly properties can increase your income by around 18% and this year 75% of bookings have been made at a pet-friendly place.   Join over 300 of our cottages who allow dogs or pets in obtaining healthy bookings all year round.

Fellside Lodge Ref. 1065820

7. What about Short Breaks?

We really encourage our Owners to allow short breaks as an excellent way to increase your income,  as well as filling up any unwanted gaps in your calendar. At Lakelovers we can offer: Flexible, Winter, Off-season, Peak,  Christmas & New Year and Last minute short breaks.

When partnered with our unique Income Maximisation tool, short breaks are a great option to increase your earnings and get you on your way to a highly successful holiday let.  Ask us to explain in more detail.

The Kathleen Suite – Stone Cross Mansion Ref. 1101586

8. What about the finishing touches?

We know from experience that finishing touches are always appreciated, and make your guests feel a little bit special.

Welcome Hampers:  We work with a number of local suppliers who can organise your welcome hampers. A particular favourite is A Day’s Walk – a family business who supply artisan, locally produced food and will deliver fresh to your door. If you quote LLTEA you’ll also enjoy a free box of Farrer’s Refreshing Lakeland Tea Bags!

A Day’s Walk

** Top tips:

Tea & Coffee:  a supply of tea and coffee for when your guests arrive is always appreciated, perhaps with a pint of milk in the fridge.

Basic cooking ingredients:  salt & pepper and basic cooking oil, and herbs in the cupboard for general use.

Umbrellas and torches:  A nice touch is to leave a couple in the hallway area for guests to use (and ask to leave behind for other guests!)

Books & Maps:  A few local walks, books and visitor attraction information is always useful. However ensure your cleaning team tidy this away after each stay ready for the next guests.

Throws and cushions: These are great for snuggling in and getting cosy. Perhaps some could be used for outdoor and garden too, but ask guests to keep them in the house in the rain.

9. How on earth will I manage it all?

We know it feels quite daunting to begin with – but rest assured, when you let your property with Lakelovers,  you can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like. If you’d prefer us to look after your property for you, then you can opt into our fully managed service. Included in this service are things such as organising a dedicated cleaner for your property, carrying out and helping with any maintenance work, and doing periodical inspections throughout the year to check all is OK in your property.

Our Owner Portal will help: All our property owners will benefit from their own, personal online portal. Here you can access all the important details about your holiday let including your bookings, financial statements, guest feedback and pricing. You can also find useful tips on the portal about things such as health and safety guides, information on short breaks & any current updates and helpful advice we feel you need to know about.

10. Who will look after me?

As a Lakelovers owner you can rest assured that our friendly local team are always on hand to answer your queries as quickly as possible. You can reach us by phone & email, or visit our local offices located in Windermere, Ambleside & Keswick where we have teams of local staff who know the area inside out.  We’re also here to speak to your guests whenever they need us – our out of hours helpline ensures 24/7 support for emergencies, so you don’t have to worry about being disturbed.

11.  How about Farm Diversification?

If you’re looking to diversify your land then holiday letting could be the perfect answer. Convert your outbuildings, or erect new ones, and open up new opportunities to generate some extra income. Please contact the team for more information or click here to read our helpful blog

Watersong Ref. 1140016

12. I’ve a friend who is interested….

If you know a friend or family member who’s thinking of holiday letting, refer them to Lakelovers,  and if they bring their property on board with us, you’ll both get £250 cash! There’s no limit to how many people you can refer, so get spreading the word!

We hope the above helps and if you would like to join our hundreds of happy Owners please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free information pack or call us for a conversation about how we can help increase your bookings. Tel 015394 88855 or email Newowners@lakelovers.co.uk.