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VRS320 – Sleeping Comfortably in a Short-Term Rental

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We spend a third of our lives in bed, so it’s natural that guests on vacation demand exceptional comfort.  But do we give it?  Are the beds in the second and third bedrooms as comfortable as the master?  Do we invest sufficiently in the best linens we can provide? Alanna Schroeder of The Distinguished Guest would say many probably don’t and all probably should!

Alanna is my go-to person for anything to do with bed linens, towels, and amenities, and judging by the number of discussions on forums related to the topic, it’s a hot one for many owners.  As co-founder of the highly-rated Vacation Rental Boot Camp along with Tyann Marcink, Alanna Schroeder is immersed in all things that create a successful vacation rental business and having great beds ranks highly as success criteria.

So I visit 100s of vacation homes and cottages every year.  Sometimes this is an annual inspection for rental cottages for my management agency; sometimes as part of my consultancy services to owners who are considering renting out their properties, and very occasionally it's in response to a complaint from a guest.

Whatever the reason, I will always check the beds for comfort, cleanliness, and general wear and tear.

I used to feel uncomfortable doing that – as though it was just too personal, particularly with cottage owners who used their property themselves and were just starting to think about renting out. Then I began to see a trend in feedback from rental guests, who invariably made a comment about the comfort of beds, whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied with their rental property.

So now I do something Alanna mentions in this episode – I deconstruct the bed and take it back to the bare bones of the base and mattress then work up through the mattress encasement or cover, mattress pad, sheets, duvet or comforter and of course, pillows.

I’ll put myself in the mind of a guest who has just arrived at the property looking forward to a great vacation. If you put a hidden camera in your place and watched people arrive (please don’t do this!) they would all do much the same as they looked in each bedroom – sit down on the bed and make a comment about how hard/soft/comfortable/squeaky the mattress is.

What would they say about yours?

Alanna shares her thoughts on beds, mattresses, linens, and pillows and gives some great tips on buying the best yet not breaking the bank.  She talks about:

  • The best types of bed frame
  • Beds in-boxes
  • The value of a brand – from Tuft & Needle to the Westin Heavenly Bed
  • Why hotel quality is where we should start
  • The importance of mattress protection – full encasement
  • What sheets to buy and why wholesale is the most economical decision over time
  • Why she doesn’t like microfiber but loves white sheets
  • The reason we need to invest in good pillows

Who's featured in this episode?

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