The Goldilocks’ Effect
The manic rhythm of daily living leaves most of us scrambling to keep pace with a hurtling schedule, getting tossed like tumbleweeds between the many demands that modern living can place on us. There is little sense of control, if any, and one feels lost in a crowd.
Using the narrow sliver of time one has for a vacation, one expects that it should deliver on all fronts. And so, it becomes important to consider what you are looking to get out of it so the experience, just like the Goldilocks principle, is “just right!”
The factors that spur the desire to travel differ, and many complex factors come together to determine the travel choices people make. And so, with custom-made personalised experiences, vacation rental homes are gaining quick popularity as an alternative to hotels.
Delivering more than amenities
Vacation rentals – ideally your home away from home – provide several benefits to vacationers when compared to a hotel room. So, besides the already established pros of privacy and space, your family has access to the kitchen, can use the pool, take part in outdoor activities and games, among other things.
Below are the imperatives that luxury vacation homes offer to make for a worthwhile experience. Here’s a look…
> Luxury of privacy: Renting out luxury villas makes it possible for all the family members to be at the same place and bond. Imagine an exotic property just by the beach or a hillside villa in the company of your pets – all of this exclusively reserved for you! Vacation rentals offer travelers a chance to briefly live the lifestyle of their dreams minus any outside invasion.
> Luxury of certainty: Hotels seemed to have the upper hand when it came to travelers wanting services like housekeeping, room service and on-site bistros and bars, but that’s no longer the case. Hosts nowadays take utmost care and provide fully serviced stays with professional staff to meet with the traveler’s expectations. A dedicated housekeeping staff, in-house cook and significant locations of the property ensures that guests needs are looked after.
Engaging the imagination of travelers is a forte of vacation rental owners. The vacation rental industry offers a wide variety of properties to choose from, which stand out for their quirky corners, interesting gazebos, antique tubs, outdoor showers and rustic patios that immediately grab people’s attention, becoming an integral part of their vacation experience. Potpourri, scented candles and pleasant fragrances have an equally potent effect on the imagination and memory, which seasoned hosts are aware of.
> Exclusive access and activities: Unlike hotels, vacation rentals have an emotional value. Be it the paintings, the vintage artifacts, or the story behind building the house, every element comes with its charm that differentiates it from the other properties, including hotels. Staying at one such properties gives them exclusive access to all of this and more.
Apart from this, if the desire to know the local culture is the motivator, vacation rental options allow interaction with the neighbors, shopping at the farmers’ market and living like a local. Speaking with the owner helps get travelers insider tips on how best to explore the neighborhood. They are also coming up with innovative ways to use the local amenities and landscape to their advantage to include privileges in the form of activities like rock climbing, tennis, golf or including a cultural event.
>All pros, no cons: The biggest worry for any homeowner who owns a property away from the city is its maintenance. However, how does the idea of staying at a property, without having to worry about its upkeep sound? Great, right?
At vacation rentals, guests have the opportunity to be at and experience a variety of homes all with their own USPs – from coffee estates to plush luxurious homes, farmstays and villas with stunning hill views – suitable not just for families but couples, corporates and even intimate weddings! They come with the benefits of owning a vacation place without any of the downsides.
An incredible travel volte-face
It would seem that vacation rentals are more adept at bridging the gap between what the customers collectively demand and what the hosts can deliver. And since this is still a niche space, we are witnessing constant innovation and upgradation in service deliveries and the building of quality frameworks to map those deliveries against.
The vacation rental industry is rapidly evolving to deliver not just what the customer needs, but also to meet his unstated desires. A deeply ineffable private experience where the customer is the king with the bonus of space and greater value for his buck is impossible to pass up in a world where the customer’s reality is being one amongst many. The industry’s momentum is set to reach a threshold that permanently redefines hospitality as we know it, alongside weakening the historic stronghold of hotels on the market.
In a complex landscape of hundreds of travel motivators — just a few of which are income, time, family bonding, attitude, family responsibilities, connecting with friends or simply just escaping daily life — the vacation rental industry has nailed the balance to deliver experiences, which are “just right” indeed!
Article By
Devendra Parulekar, Co-Founder, SaffronStays
