When vacationing first comes to a new or exotic holiday home in a foreign city, often the first thing they are looking for is a “villa book” or “home guide”. This guide acts as a guide and reference throughout their stay, and the smartest vacation rental owners provide this as an improvement for each guest. stay.
A book may be the key to happy guests. The book saves the owners / agents of suburban real estate a lot of time and potential problems, because guests can help themselves in the answers and instructions, and not to call the owner or manager every time they have a question or a problem.
Below are the basic data and the additional improvements that should be included in the villa book. Some owners of Uber-luxury properties have turned their wine books into high art form suitable for publishing!
Basic contact information should include:
- Street address of the house and home phone number.
- Local number for police, fire, ambulance and / or private security in the neighborhood or building.
- Onner or manager, phone number, location, hours of availability, alternative emergency contacts.
- Non-emergency call-to-call providers in emergency situations, such as: plumber, electrician, handyman, mechanic.
Check-in and check-out instructions, if available: leave keys, comments, etc.
Who has access to the home: notes and the names of any gardeners, caretakers, or other service providers who may have access to the home or appearance, their usual schedule, or a scheduled visit during their stay; stay.
Other main subjects for the book:
Maps, addresses and driving directions to important places, such as: the local emergency hospital or the Walk-In clinic; Bank, ATM and money exchange; Airport, train station and bus stations; Post office, FedEx, UPS or other express mail business; Grocery stores, Butcher, Baker, Liquor Shops or other major stores; Internet cafe or business center; Recommended restaurants, cafes, clubs or schools; Local religious places with phone numbers.
Local maps and transportation: provide guests with multiple copies of bus maps, subway maps, bike lanes or other transport to get around locally.
Car: If the car is provided as part of a lease or exchange, include the operating manual in any registration or insurance documentation in an easily found place. Also takes notes for the guest about the following:
- How to adjust the seat, if not immediately
- Preferences for a suitable or desired type of fuel for placement in the car and a map of the locations of nearby gas stations
- Where is the gas cylinder and how to open it from inside the car, if there is a special button; where is the security system and tool located inside the car.
- If convertible, how to properly put up and down
- Any special instructions for keychain, key ignition, steering wheel unlocking or other potential problems that may arise for the new driver
- Any instructions for implementation in the event of an accident or emergency (for example, “use the throat chamber found in the trunk to document the accident, call insurance agent XYZ, file a police report, etc.).
- Always leave a first aid kit, documentation materials and a blanket in the trunk in case of an emergency for the guest.
Other items for managing a country house:
Emergency instructions and locations: instructions on how to use the backup generator, what to do or who can cause an electrical shutdown, phone shutdown, where the switches are, what to do in case of flooding, etc.
Electrical notes for the house: If the house uses 220, clearly indicate this and any special instructions for those who could buy appliances or equipment of other currents.
Instructions for changing the temperature for the house. Such as: heating heating thermostat; Storage location for standalone fans or heaters; The location of additional blankets; Under floor heating and on / off zone for floors; If using A / C or Heat would incur an additional cost to the tenant, clearly indicate this in the Villa Book. Include approximations or specifications of what different uses will cost and how financial data will be processed (for example, deposit deduction, etc.).
List of fads at home. These may include: problems with running water, such as long waiting times for hot water, etc.; Non-working items such as windows, lights, inaccessible rooms, etc .; Neighbors, their animals, children or noise problems; The hard work of old keys, gates or other potential disappointments.
History of the house for history buffs: if you have a historical house or a house with an interesting past or a house that descends from an aristocratic and long pedigree tree, why not write about it in a book? Many guests are fascinated both by the origins of the mansions and estates, and by the characters who may have stayed at home before they became a holiday rental.
Operation and instructions for various amenities: Where are the controls of the tennis court? What about saunas or steam rooms? Jacuzzi; Recommended temperature parameters for a wine cooler; Location / grill or barbecue placement instructions.
Wi-Fi, cell phone and Internet access: make notes on passwords or if there are “dead zones” in the house, pay attention to this for the guest. Give instructions on how to “reinstall” a wi-fi system or router, including WEP or other access codes, so that the guest can easily start and run after a crash.
TV, remote control, satellite dish, cable and DVD player: give instructions if you turn them on, if not, just press the "On" button.
Basic requirements: if the handles and controls do not have clearly understood symbols or signs or are in a different language, check in the villa book what symbols / pictures really mean, so that guests do not just wash their clothes off when they want to wash them or warm them up their dinner in the microwave when they want to cook it completely.
Appliances: If employees or services are not part of the home, include textbooks (hopefully with translations already translated in several languages) for major or minor devices, such as a dishwasher, a juicer, a cappuccino manufacturer, a crepe maker, etc.
The location of both basic necessities and extras for the home, such as: Extra towels, blankets, pillows Additional toilet paper, soap, paper towels, bottled water, sugar, tea, etc. Beach towels, chest with chest, basket Picnic Location and instructions for any additional sports or fitness equipment - yoga mats, weights, skis, rafts, kayaks, etc. For a fully equipped home office: fax number at home, location of additional paper for printer, electric equipment such as USB cords, etc.
Passwords: if the house has a computer, an alarm clock or a wireless system that requires an access code, be sure to write it in the Book of Villas.
What you need to do: include a list of your favorite local events, contact them and / or brochures for prospectuses or suppliers.
Local Customs or Must-Know. List any local customs, schedules or environs that may be important to the guest. For example, in some areas, "The streets close and become powerful dangerous after 11:30 pm", and in another place, "Cafe and restaurants gather, and dance dances begin everywhere at 23:30." Attract your guests and warn them about the nuances.
Food: local restaurants, takeaway, food delivery and cooked food counters at the grocery store. Providing menu choices for every taste and opportunity, preferably laminated and stored in an interwoven book for guests. Attentive.
Service providers: Include local recommended chauffeurs, drivers, guides, fitness instructors, personal assistants, private chefs, personal tutors, food service providers, etc., in the list. They can benefit the guests during their stay.
Unique service providers: include a list of recommended “alternative” local specialists or consultants that the guest may wish (and include any special reviews, notes or feedback from previous guests!):
- Psychics, spiritual advisers, tarot card readers, fortune-tellers, astrologers
- Alternative treatments such as: Colonic or Chakra hydrotherapists, Reiki or spiritual healers
- Chiropractors, cranial-sacral instructors, yoga or pilates
- Skilled psychotherapists, psychiatrists, social workers or marriage counselors
- masseurs, foot reflexologists
- Cosmetology surgeons, dermatologists, dentists, stylists, makeup artists for special events or “in the case of aesthetic emergencies”
Local language: provide guests with a “pick up” list of translations / pictograms in the local language that they can use while “out and about”, especially if this means that the locals will not talk to your guests. language. Provide the guest with translations and phonetic instructions for expressing various basic needs, desires or requests that may arise along the way.
When guests are presented with a book filled with all this information, their stay is improved, and the potential challenges of problems are minimized for the owner or agent. By providing its guests with everything they need in one convenient place, great holidays are possible both in your and outside of your luxury rental.
