An increasing amount of Brits are opting for ‘staycations’ above overseas travel, boosting demand for high-quality holiday lets in the UK. Properties in prime locations are being snapped up faster than ever, especially those with premium views and top-end features.
In addition to practicalities such as size, location and number of bedrooms, many holidaymakers are looking for that bit extra from their accommodation –understandably so when measuring the merits of a UK stay against the culture and escapism of foreign jaunts.
Emily Mercer, brand marketing manager at Coast and Country Cottages comments: “Increasingly in our market there is demand for luxury properties, as customer expectations are rising.
“Customers often seek holiday cottages that are of a higher standard than their own home, or that have additional features to their home.”
As well as competing with adventurous foreign holiday destinations, the British holiday market also needs to acknowledge the nation’s unpredictable climate. When rain stops play, the accommodation needs to be of a high enough standard that a day indoors still feels like a holiday.
What do British holidaymakers look for in a rental property?
To find out what features are important in a holiday let, we ran a survey asking the British public exactly what they are looking for in a rental property.
What feature would you desire most in a holiday let (aside from size, location, number of bedrooms etc)?
An impressive view
Over a third of those surveyed cited the view as being the most desirable aspect of a holiday let. Emily confirms that this is a popular request: “Views are definitely one of the most desirable attributes in a holiday home, particularly in our region.
A lot of our customers come from cities and holiday in South Devon to have a break from their everyday life. Having a fantastic view helps guests to relax and enjoy the rural beauty of the area.”
An impressive view allows holidaymakers to enjoy their surroundings without having to venture away from the property, making for a truly relaxing holiday.
In previous research, we discovered that the nation’s favourite view was of the sea and beach. Emily agrees that these are also the most requested views among her customers:“Sea and river views have always been the most popular and we see a consistently high level of traffic to the ‘sea and river views’ page on our website.
“There’s something special about waking up and drawing back the curtains to the crystal clear turquoise waters of Salcombe Estuary, the sparkling River Dart, or the gentle lapping of waves at South Milton Sands.”
Outside space
The survey highlighted that a garden or balcony and a hot tub are also in high demand among holidaymakers, attracting a very similar number of votes. This was also reflected in The Sykes Cottages Staycation Index, which cited a garden as the most desirable feature in a holiday home.
Barbeque and outdoor eating areas were also seen as attractive attributes which Emily confirms are well worth making use of: “Some of our more popular holiday homes have features that help the guest to ‘bring the outside in’, such as bi-fold doors.
“This is a particularly great feature for dining areas, as guests can enjoy sociable, relaxed meal times without having to shut off the outside world and miss any valuable contact time with the great outdoors.”
Increasing the rent-ability of your holiday home
As our survey suggests, high-quality furniture and fittings and state of the art technology alone aren’t enough to make a holiday let stand out.
Faced with competition from unusual lets such as yurts, barges and even lighthouses a holiday home needs some kind of USP for securing year round visitors, especially if landlords wish to command a premium rental price.
Emily shares the following advice on ways to invest in your holiday let to increase its marketability:
- Always consider views when calculating pricing for a property, as customers are happy to pay more for spectacular views.
- Features such as bi-fold doors can help to make properties less seasonal, as guests can make the most of their views without worrying about the weather.
- As revealed in the Staycation Index, properties with hot tubs can make up to 54% more income than other properties in the same region.
- Other popular attributes for a holiday let are Wi-Fi and off-road parking.
Emily concludes: “I think that any features that help customers to enjoy the area they have chosen to stay in will increase the desirability of a holiday let.
“If guests have chosen to make the journey down to a stunning location, it’s a more relaxing holiday experience if they can make the most of the scenery, the sunshine—fingers crossed—and being outdoors.”
