Welcome cottages: When guests feel well and truly welcome by a caring owner (even when that owner is not present), they are far less likely to complain about anything after that and far more likely to award 5-star reviews. Impressions gained during the first minute of arrival will make a world of difference.

None of these is a ‘trick’ or underhand tactic. They are all excellent common-sense things that help your guests feel they are about to enjoy a happy and memorable week in your property. Give them that pleasure!

By the way, a sure sign that your house isn’t properly welcoming to guests is a regular flow of minor, often inconsequential complaints): A light bulb not working, a single cobweb or dead fly on a windowsill etc. Such things are commonly used to beef up a request for a refund or bad review.

Here are our top ten tried and tested ways to make guests feel they made an intelligent choice when booking your holiday cottage.

1

The Lake District in Winter. The Lake District is one of the UK's most popular holiday destinations amongst those who want to spend time in the great outdoors. With so many people considering a holiday later this year or early next, give some thought to the stark beauty of this outstanding National Park - whether on a sunny frost-bound day or with its grey stone cottages snuggling beneath marshmallow-like snow-laden roofs. The Lakes may be busy in summer, but in winter, the lakes and fells take on a whole new and equalling appealing appearance - One to be experienced without the crowds.

From Bassenthwaite Lake at the northern end of the Lakes to Windermere in the south, there are plenty of charmingly cosy winter cottages, many with blazing open log fires and wood burners waiting to give a warm welcome to winter walkers - or those just wanting to hole up with a good book or two in a home with a view.

The friendly team supplied these enticing Lake

Holiday Homefront

June 2020

 

This issue of The Holiday Homefront contains useful COVID-19-related information. Still, at least this time, the news is looking towards the hoped-for resumption of the holiday-letting business in the UK.

CONTENTS

Zoom Risks and How to Protect Yourself Covid-19 Stuff Seriously Good Cleaning Guidelines Revealing Market Research Results Free Stuff To Boost Your Advert Advert Management Tips

ZOOM RISKS AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Zoom has been one of the big success stories during the lockdown. It’s pretty easy to master, but there have been incidences of hacking when in use. The brains at Streetfight Mag have sought to mitigate this and produced a handy guide to protect your data and privacy when using Zoom. If you’re a Zoomer, Click here to view the advice.

 

COVID 19 ESSENTIALS

We’re just about over our heads with COVID News. But we

Keeping it Clean: How to Meet Your Guest’s Expectations in 2020

Worried that your cleaning regime might not be ticking all the boxes necessary to ensure your holiday cottage is cleaned to Post-COVID standards?

Sykes Cottages have published a very comprehensive set of cleaning guidelines to:

Assist owners in ensuring their properties are adequately cleaned to virus-free standards Reassure potential bookers that the cottage is very likely to offer Coronavirus-Free accommodation.

If you would like a copy, I’m not sure where it is on the Sykes Cottages website but email me here, and I’ll send you the pdf version.

Summary of Contents

Protective Personal Equipment (PPE Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sanitising Bedding, Linen and Laundry Disposal of Waste Key Collection Taking Time Reassuring Guests During Their Stay Hot Tubs, Pools or Spas Legionella Useful References

Add Your Own Reassurance

Location! Location!

It's Environmental, My Dear Watson!

(Thank you, Sherlock)

Sustainability is more than just a buzzword; it can and should be your business ethos. After the coronavirus crisis has passed, the way people travel will have changed, and the climate crisis will be back at the forefront. You can make many small changes to your business that can help make it more sustainable in the green sense and more generally. These changes don't need to be massive or expensive, but you can provide sustainable stays without going full eco-lodge.

The eco-friendly world has come a long way since the days of BBC's The Good Life. Having an environmentally friendly holiday cottage no longer entails concessions in home comforts. With so many potential guests likely to pursue environmentally friendly lifestyles, you are more likely to lose business if you don't update your environmental game.

 

Green

A straightforward, easy change is to switch

This article has been written to follow on from a preceding one on this subject, ‘Top Ten Tips to Secure Maximum Post-Lockdown Bookings This Summer, which addressed actions holiday cottage owners can take to stand the best possible opportunity to attract bookings during the Coronavirus lockdown.

It is hoped that all restrictions on freedom of travel in the UK will be lifted by the latter part of 2020, allowing people to once again enjoy a coast or country holiday in this beautiful country.

We are, however, unlikely to return to pre-pandemic habits and activities at the metaphorical flick of a switch. Understanding how people will behave – and what the ‘new normal’ will be, is of utmost importance to self-catering businesses. The new rules are probably still being written, but I have hazarded informed guesses at some of the likely scenarios that will unfold. Read on to see if you agree, and feel free to contribute your own thoughts or evidence.

What will it look like for the holiday cottage business when cometh the dawn of a new everyday world?

In particular, what trends will occur as people start thinking about booking self-catering holidays again? What will they do? Where will they go?

My Favourite Holiday Cottages has put together a few thoughts on how the recovery might look and what holiday cottage owners can do to prepare for it.

This first article looks at some easy-to-do things you can do now to keep the bookings coming in during the current lockdown period (and beyond).

The second article will dwell more upon the ‘new normal’ – what potential bookers will prioritise once the pandemic ceases to be a fear factor.

 

Action This Day!

During World War II, Winston Churchill was in the habit of sending memos to his chief of staff entitled Action This Day! Given the present war footing on which we stand in our battle against Covid 19, It seems like an

What's Lakeland life if, full of care,

We can no longer stand and stare.

No chance to stand beneath the boughs 

And stare as long as sheep or cows. 

No longer walk where lakes we skirt, 

Where squirrels hide their nuts in dirt. 

We cannot see, in broad daylight, 

Becks full of stars, like skies at night. 

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began. 

A poor life this if, while we isolate,

We can only stare and in hope, wait.

With thanks and apologies to William Henry Davies 1871-1940

 

Photo credit: Holiday Cottages Cumbria

Thanks to Holiday Cottages Cumbria for the photo of Coniston Water. 

For details of more  Lake District holiday cottages in which to stay (as well as stand and stare) - view our Lakes

i was planning to write an article that explained the what's, why's, and hows of the most recent packages HM Government has put in place to support holiday cottage businesses hit by the Corona Virus pandemic.

Then the excellent and always topical Newsletter from accountants  Simpkins Edwards landed in my inbox, and I realised they said it all for me. So, with their kind permission, I'm reprinting the best bits here.

If you'd like to read the full version, here's the link: 

https://www.simpkinsedwards.co.uk/coronavirus-government-support/

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Under the new Coronavirus Job Retention scheme, government grants will cover 80% of the salary of PAYE employees who would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis. The scheme, open to any employer in the country, will cover the cost of wages backdated to 1 March 2020 and will be open before the end of April. It will continue for at least three