During the Roman Empire, wealthy Romans often had a second house outside the city. These large, elegant homes were called villas and would no doubt be considered real estates today.
Roman villas were of two types:
- Villa urbana – houses of this type were quite close to Rome and easier to get to, so they were also suitable for shorter stays. In this way, people from the more elite strata of society gave themselves the opportunity to easily escape from the city. Yet often they were not fully functional houses and did not have an agricultural part.
- Villa rustica – today these would be rather country estates. They were further away from Rome, and while they offered the same feel and comforts of the villa urbana, they also included farmland, livestock, and people who tended the fields for agricultural production.
Nowadays, the boundaries of the concept of "villa" are blurring a lot, and this type of property is not only owned by the wealthiest in society.
Villa is relatively called
any house outside the city which is not permanently occupied by the owners. Many people have similar property near the city, which they visit, for example, on weekends, go there for recreation or grow a variety of agricultural crops. Other owners they also rent out their house as a holiday property. It is exactly this type of vacation property that we will talk about in this article.
Villas that are used as holiday properties are usually located in nature, not surrounded by neighboring houses, and even if there are neighboring houses, the house has a spacious yard. More than once, in our articles, we have mentioned the tendency for tourists to increasingly prefer self-catering accommodation to hotels. This type of property is also holiday villas, which are perfect accommodation for couples, families with children, as well as a group of friends who want to fully enjoy their company. The villas give guests the opportunity to completely isolate themselves from the rest of the world - whether to have fun without worrying about disturbing anyone around, or to relax and enjoy the nature that surrounds them.
The real advantage of villas and guest houses is that everyone has their own room, but at the same time there is a large enough room or yard where everyone can gather to eat together, play games or just talk and hang out real quality time together. But as much as villas are a sought-after accommodation option, the competition is fierce. In addition, tourists often look for the golden mean - a secluded property with the advantages of a hotel. This increases the demands on the owners and they have to make sure that their house meets certain conditions if they want it to be preferred by the guests. Here are a few benefits that would tip the scales for tourists looking for accommodation:
1. Swimming pool
A pool will automatically level up your property and get you more bookings! If potential tenants are wondering between two houses, they would inevitably prefer the one with a pool. It does not have to be very big, the important thing is that it is well maintained and the yard around it is pleasant for relaxation. A plus would be to have a shallow section for children. The outdoor pool will help you attract more visitors mainly in the warm months, and the indoor pool, if there is a possibility for one - all year round!
2. SPA facilities
This is one of the advantages of many hotels, which guests would be happy to have in the guest house. It is enough to have a small sauna or jacuzzi to earn a few bonus points.
3. Food is always important!
Some guests prefer to prepare their own meals and actually consider this part of the charm of such a vacation. And that's wonderful! For this type of guests, it will be of great importance that the kitchen has everything necessary to prepare a delicious dinner, with enough dishes for all guests and glasses for different types of drinks.
In this line of thinking, a dishwasher and a nice coffee machine are a must-have addition to the kitchen! There are few people who don't start their day with a cup of aromatic coffee, that's why the lack of a coffee machine makes a bad impression on many of them - the investment in it is not big, but it's really worth it. On the other hand, a dishwasher would make everyone happy, because, let's face it, no one feels a great desire to wash dishes and glasses during their vacation.
There are also guests who would completely skip cooking during their trip. For them, it would be a huge plus if there is a way to provide them with the option of ordering food, if it is operationally possible for the host of the house or if there is a nice restaurant nearby, even just recommendations would be welcome.
4. Spacious and cozy corner for relaxation
As already mentioned, the villas are usually visited by larger groups. You will win them with a room where everyone can spend time together. The large dining table and comfortable sofas will appeal to everyone. If you add technology to them, such as a large TV and nice speakers for music, you will hardly get negative reviews.
5. Children's corner
Many of the visitors to the guest houses and villas are families with children – what could be better than seeing friends, resting, and the children running and playing in the yard without worries. For them, it would be a huge advantage if you also provided some entertainment for the little ones. There are many options for this, and again, they don't have to involve large investments. Whether you will put a climbing frame or a swing, some toys or a trampoline - the choice is yours and it will certainly make your property more attractive.
6. Take care of your guests so that they become regular visitors and recommend you
Everything we have listed will help you gain the attention of many potential guests. However, it is wonderful to take such good care of your guests and their stay that they really want to visit you again. How does this happen?
First of all, make sure that the hygiene of your property is impeccable. The presence of all other amenities will pale if there are hygiene issues. In addition, of course, you must be truly hospitable. Be available to your guests when they need something, answer their questions in a timely manner, give them recommendations about the area. In this way, you will secure not only regular visitors, but also referrals from them to other people, which will certainly give you an edge over the competition!
If in our tips you recognize your property that you want to rent out successfully, it's time to contact us! Flat Manager now also offers villa and guest house management – we will help you with all activities in the online space so that you can focus on your hospitality.
