The Boom Of Unique Holiday Rentals
Most of us probably remember being kids and playing outside, and this may have included hiding in the woods or having a tree house if we were lucky enough. I know that I had an amazing treehouse which I built with my twin brother and it had a hatch on the bottom to enter – which was a secret door.
We loved it and friends loved it also. The treehouse was quite a sophisticated structure considering how young we were I suppose, and it was waterproof and had a robust frame.
Many of us grow up lovingly looking back fondly at our childhoods, and of our adventures when time stood still and we had no cares in the world, but as life made us more serious we may have became a bit stuck, so – the maybe idea of camping out or hiding out in nature is just the tonic many need.
Enter the Unique Holiday Rentals or Vacation Rentals and Bed and Breakfast properties, where one can escape, and even become at one with nature once again.
A short break is an opportunity to just ‘be’ and even hide for a while without the usual every day cares we are so used to dealing with.
And the more we find ourselves becoming overwhelmed in life and in business which is increasingly common now, there also rises a demand in a desire to escape to get away.
In the recent Netflix series, a group of three travelers experienced a variety of unique properties all over the world, and whilst these properties were certainly not typical in any way, they were highly appealing to a certain group of people – and this also meant that the owners could decide upon what to charge.
Some properties were quite cheap whilst others were more luxurious and would probably appeal more to those seeking a once in a lifetime experience.
This program is one of a few which now explores the increasing growth and demand in vacation rental businesses.
There is a trend towards more and more people staycationing, and in the UK we are starting to consider having a holiday here, and are on the look out for appealing new experiences.
This means that with a growing market for staycationing, you and I can enjoy ourselves in new places, BUT we may also capitalize on this idea ‘if’ we have what it takes to create something appealing and attractive to a certain segment of holiday makers.
BE UNIQUE – AS THAT SELLS
Most of us today are probably aware of the exceptional growth of Airbnb, and although this was a startup, and although this model is one way to stay almost anywhere around the world, there are also those who are creating ‘one-of-a-kind’ vacation rentals locally and globally.
You and I can literally create our very own Unique Holiday Rentals, or ‘staycation’ rental – and offer it to those seeking another way to escape, in particular in the same country.
And we can of course feature this on Airbnb or Booking.com. or use any other way we wish to market it.
What this means is that with the recent global shift in the economy, and with the changes experienced with travel restrictions, more people are looking for ways to enjoy their own country a great deal more now.
So, all we really need to do is to look at an area we may wish to expand upon, or a place we can share.
Do you own a piece of land?
Do you have an idea for a holiday let?
Do you live in an area of natural beauty?
Do you live in an area of significant interest or history?
Do you cook great food which is representative of your traditions, culture or location?
Do you have a unique idea that can stand out amongst other offers out there for rental?
Then maybe you have something you could share?
The Boom Of Unique Holiday Rentals
Maybe the location we own is unique, or the property itself is unique, and also appealing to a particular set of people, or perhaps one can create something which stands out from everything else. The key is to create a value which perhaps others do not offer.
For example – one couple in Wales started a Small local Cider business and it grew very well. But they also had some land around their property which they converted into a tiny B&B rental. Using materials around the property such as wood, stone and previous farming metal and other materials they managed to create a small shed like property and alongside it was an outdoor bath surrounded in local wood.
This meant that the couple had a really unique offer and selling point.
It was attractive enough to be priced at £120 per night. The other bonus was that the couple created a small kitchen so they didn’t need to actually offer breakfast, but rather allow renters to cook their own food. This is a great idea as it meant that it was a hands off rental.
In other words less work involved for the income.
And – on top of this in using materials around them and up-cycling they managed to save on costs in the build.
GROWTH
The point is that the growth here is set to increase and vacation rentals are on the up in many places.
Looking at location, uniqueness of stay and costs for setting up a business we can quickly IDENTIFY how we may capitalize from this, and demand anywhere between £100 and £500 a night or more depending on the exclusivity of the property and what is offered.
Of course – not all ideas are going to work in life, but that’s why we need to look at where there could be a demand, as the appeal for staycation holidays now especially in the U.K. and USA means that there is certainly room to look at this and to become a part of a growing movement.
So, Vacation rentals are now increasing in popularity, and if you live in an interesting area for example and can cook with good local produce to create unique culinary experiences, you can create a second income and lifestyle from your skills and location.
Also – you may want to take into consideration having a series of rentals if you have the land, so you can maximize your revenue.
Take in account also the history of where you live, or where a property may be in demand, as you might theme your experience around a past tradition or typical historical event. You know the area you live in, so explore this.
Treehouse rentals are also increasing in popularity. And – if you wish to create perhaps several rentals, maybe on your own land as i mentioned – you can buy ready made yurts or pods, and decorate them yourself. Or even build small simple cabins of some kind.
At the end of the day, people want wonderful experiences, and as possessions come and go of course, we want those things we can remember forever.
Looking at location and style of property we can take into account the uniqueness of stay and the costs for setting up a business, so we can quickly create that one of a kind bnb and demand anywhere between £100 and £500 a night and more. Of course – not all ideas are going to work out in life, but the demand for the staycation holiday, especially in the U.K. now means that there is room to look at this.
The Boom Of Unique Holiday Rentals
A vacation rental is the renting out of a furnished apartment, house, or professionally managed resort-condominium complex on a temporary basis to tourists as an alternative to a hotel. The term vacation rental is mainly used in the US, but the principles are essentially the same anywhere we go.
And these Vacation rentals are now increasing in popularity, so if you now live in a great area, and for example can cook with good local produce to create unique culinary experiences ‘you’ can create an income or extra revenue stream and even lifestyle from your skills and location.
Also – you might want to take into consideration the history of where you are, and maybe you can theme your experience around a past tradition or typical historical event. Are there perhaps significant times in the past where you are which others may find attractive to learn more about?
One of the greatest areas of growth now are with the treehouse rentals, and they are increasing in popularity as many of us love to become a kid again and escape in nature and, if you wish to create several rentals, maybe on your own land, you can buy yurts and decorate them yourself. Or even build cabins of some kind.
BEING ABOVE BOARD
The one you see below is in Miami, and is truly a ‘one-of-a-kind’ property as it sits in the harbor and houses luxury gadgets and high end furnishings, but the real selling point isn’t just that it is unique and high end in build, the property is also a boat. The whole construction has a hydraulic system which lowers the property to the water when you wish to travel across the water.
The downside is that it costs $10k per day to hire a captain and crew to manage the vessel if one should wish to glide along. Of course, this is no quirky and small vacation rental, it would have cost many millions to build, and so unless you are already a multi-millionaire or more you may not wish to create something quite so lavish. But no matter what you decide to offer you must adhere to the rules.
NOTE: When considering starting any kind of vacation rental or B&B you will need to look at planning permission and regulations of how and where you build. Also look at what type of property you are aiming at providing.
Will it be cheap and cheerful, medium priced or high end?
Could it be on your own land and built from your own materials, or will you need to purchase pre-made pods, yurts or some other funky construction, but however great the idea is do it all above board.
It might be that you own a Barge where you also own the mooring, and yet you seldom use it, so you might create a 4 or more bed let with some minor cosmetic works.
So, why not check out the numbers. What will that mean for costs with mooring and what if others wished to take it for a trip?
And this will mean that you will also need the right insurances in place. So, my advice would be to contact those already doing something similar to what you wish to do. Ask the owners what costs are involved, and also google this subject to commit to in-depth research.
The choices are endless, but it will definitely pay you to do it right, and legally, otherwise you may find yourself with fines. So, do your research and see what is already out there and what is in your area, because you may be competing with various other offers. This can go in your favor if you have the land and it is a ‘one-off’ or unique build of course.
The Boom Of Unique Holiday Rentals
So, I hope that this has got your juices flowing a little and you are full of exciting new ideas to work with. If you need a little more inspiration I suggest you watch a few programs on TV such as:
WORLDS MOST AMAZING VACATION RENTALS
MY UNIQUE BNB
And if you wish to start a Business plan but have no clue where to being with this contact me below as I can help you make your dream vision become a Business reality and help you create a unique model with various revenue streams.
Here are some useful links that may help you out with your ideas:
FINANCE DIGEST SHARES STAYCATION DATA AND INCREASING UK POPULARITY
CHECK OUT THIS REPORT ON THE RISE OF THE STAYCATION
BEAUTIFUL WOODLAND YURTS FOR THE UK CLIMATE
BUY OR HIRE A YURT HERE FROM YURTMAKER
NOT ON THE HIGHSTREET COSY GLAMPING PODS
Try out a Yurt Holiday:
BEAUTIFUL STAYCATIONS AT SOMERSET YURTS
GLAMPING IN SOUTH WALES HIDDEN VALLEY YURSTS
Of course, there are many options with creating rentals, and you may find that you prefer to up-cycle yourself with materials you already have around your home or land. In which case you may need to get some help from friends or family with construction or with woodwork, metalwork and even interior design. This all depends upon what kind of experience you wish to offer and what you wish to charge.
But don’t negate anything, you may have an old van or even a helicopter (as most of us do of course), sitting on a piece of land just aching for someone to come along and make it into a unique and fun place to rent out. You may have a second property somewhere which is virtually never used. So, think unconventionally if you need to and pay attention also to the increasing consciousness of sustainability and the environment. This is something which we are all having to consider more in a time where the earth needs greater help.
Maybe you own an old water tower which you could revamp and rent out? I am sure you can see that you don’t need to limit yourself here.
CHARGING
An example of charging may mean for you that only rent for a minimum of 3 nights and charge say £450. This means that you need less booking sales, and you can bring in a good £900 through the week and hopefully these holidaymakers will want to return as a repeat buyer is the ideal situation to be in.
Ensure you take into account the value you offer and deliver, and the process you use to help them want to return.
If you have a small unit and land which has no kitchen amenities or anything other than two beds but a beautiful view then you can test it out and charge say £90 per night, increasing this as demand increases.
Or perhaps you own a second property in a sought after location and maybe this is a luxury property then of course prices may go anywhere from £500 to £5000 depending on what is included and the exclusivity of the offer.
Be mindful of the fact that ‘if’ you have a truly unique offer, you may be able to create a high occupancy rate. I will give you an example of something; there is a place in the beautiful Joshua Tree area in California (which is an up and coming area for vacation rentals and there are already many to choose from there), and there is one particular place which is an orange French designed UFO styled place.
It’s all alien themed inside, and it’s very cozy and an amazing place for star gazing at night.
As it is A) Entirely unique and B) In Joshua Tree it rents at 100% occupancy rate, and it costs $800-1000 per night. That equals to $365k per year at maximum cost. Not bad.
So bear in mind that you really want to stand out from the crowd.
As you can see it really does stand out quite a bit and it is very specific, thus it appeals to that core audience all over the world who love this subject.
To help you further look at what you might be able to charge, I can also recommend that you also check out a fun show called ‘Stay Here’ which is another great one on Netflix about AirBnb properties all over the world with two experienced hosts who crunch the numbers and show you what you can expect to earn from such properties.
They help owner/renters primarily in the USA to get the best bang for their bucks and its a great education on the subject.
Finally, just ensure that you do your homework when pricing, and also get legal help with all costs and set up fees so you are covered and above board, and don’t forget to get feedback always so you can adjust what is necessary to increase the appeal and hopefully the bookings. Feedback is powerful and what can help you increase your 5 star ratings is by giving a little more attention to detail.
You can leave wine, chocolates or hampers, or another gift – and maybe even a list of things to do in the area. Stayers want to feel that care, they want to feel that love and they want to feel special, as it’s a bit like luxury goods, we are buying into a feeling. So deliver that.
As always, I wish you the very best
Greg
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