Season 1 of Matt Landau’s A Sense of Place has highlighted the amazing work that owners and managers do to create what he calls the ‘Limited Edition’ style of vacation rentals. These aren’t sterile locations that bear no relation to the comfort and style we’ve come to expect from our unique brand of accommodation. They are the places and the owners we're all proud to associate with and to call our peers.

John Oden and his wife, Ellen, own Heidetke House in Nashville and 3 additional properties in Tampa Bay, Florida.   In this episode, John describes his approach to the business, from creating one-of-a-kind experiences that show guests the side of Nashville off the beaten tourist path, to treating them to the special touches that create raving fans.

The communication John has with his guests before, during and after their stay is fundamental to his philosophy of hospitality. He wants them to anticipate their experience, and then make it a reality – something that is difficult to achieve without a thorough understanding of the guest persona, their perceptions, wants and needs.

In this episode, John shares the ways he markets, prepares and manages his properties – and how he is able to manage the Tampa Bay rentals remotely. Together with the A Sense of Place Episode, this is a masterclass in hosting.

John talks about:

• How he got into the rental business in the first place
• The most important lessons he learned since he started
• How he differentiates marketing for properties in diverse areas
• Ways of creating experiences for guests when managing remotely
• The importance of being a guest in order to understand what a guest feels at different stages of the vacation rental planning experience
• Embracing the relationship with OTAs – and learning to work successfully with them
• Giving back to the Nashville community and how guests get involved

Room in the Inn

Heidetke House

Stayinthesouth.com