5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Cottage Stand Out

Holiday lets in the UK have remained strong in 2024, with bookings and revenue for short-term lets presenting a strong investment opportunity, despite the cost-of-living crisis. However, competition for holiday rentals has soared in recent years, and it is paramount that your property stands out from the crowd.

Whether you own a traditional cottage, an apartment, or a holiday lodge, here are our top tips on how to make your holiday home set apart from the rest:

1. Provide a holiday home welcome folder

One of the most important things to consider when owning a holiday let is how to attract consistent year-round occupancy rates.

Providing a holiday let welcome pack is a great way to make guests feel comfortable when arriving at your holiday let, and a crucial step to achieving repeat bookings.

Here are some essentials to include in your holiday cottage guest welcome pack:

• Tea and coffee

• Orange juice

• Fresh fruit

• Biscuits

• Eggs

• Bread and butter

• Milk and cheese

• Marmalade or honey

For more information, read our post on welcome pack ideas for a holiday let.

2. Market your holiday let

One of the best ways to make your holiday rental stand out is to understand what type of guests stay in your property.

Providing your guests with everything they need will help increase the chances of your property receiving positive guest reviews and generate a consistent rental income.

Here are a few ideas to help cater to your target audience:

• Dog-friendly holiday lets: Ensure you include information on the best walks, pet-friendly attractions or beaches, and any dog-friendly pubs in the area.

• Family-friendly holiday cottages: Why not provide cots, stair gates, and high-chairs to give frazzled parents a helping hand? You could also include leaflets on days out for children in the area.

• Eco-friendly holiday homes: Consider including a list of energy saving tips in your holiday home welcome folder. Providing an EV charging point and renewable power sources can also be a great way to promote sustainability.

3. Invest in popular features

One of the easiest ways to make your holiday cottage stand out is having an Optimal Property. Here are 5 steps to help optimise your holiday let, which can earn an average of 25% more bookings and 15% more revenue:

• Opting into Super Income Maximisation

• Accepting flexible short breaks

• Pricing your holiday home with non-owner led pricing

• Offering multiple bookings per week

• Allowing pets at your property

Investing in popular features such as high-speed WiFi or a dishwasher can be an excellent way to make your holiday let stand out from the competition.

More expensive features such as log fires, hot tubs, and swimming pools will certainly guarantee that your property has an edge over other holiday lets.

Cottages with hot tubs, for example, are certainly one of our more popular cottage types and often receive an increase in bookings and fetch a higher booking value - meaning, not only can such features pay for themselves, they often result in you profiting in the long run.

Use our Holiday Let Income Calculator to estimate how much impact features such as these can have on your earnings.

4. Choose high quality furnishings

Holiday cottage owners who consistently make improvements to their property often receive more positive feedback.

Simply updating furnishings, such as curtains or bed throws, can go a long way to making your property look up to date, modern and fresh. Make sure to listen to any guest feedback when making improvements to your holiday let.

Tasteful holiday let interior design can not only help your cottage stand out, but also attract more bookings and charge higher rental rates.

Take a look at our guide on how to furnish your holiday let for further advice.

5. Make your holiday home photo shoot ready

Focusing on high-quality photographyis one of the best ways to make your holiday let stand out. Start by capturing your property in the best light—use professional photos that showcase unique features, such as inviting fireplaces, scenic views, or luxurious amenities.

Staging the space while working with a holiday let agency, such as Sykes, will help in advertising your holiday let business, attracting potential customers and driving bookings.

Let your cottage with Sykes

With over 30 years experience in the holiday letting industry, Sykes Cottages have expert knowledge and expertise on how best to make your holiday home stand out.

Browse our range of cottages for sale, or contact our friendly team of property experts today for tailored advice.