Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2012 | Page 160

BUSINESS LIFE Does quality pay? There are five top tips to help you maximise returns on your holiday home, courtesy of James Foice, Quality Team Manager at Blue Chip Holidays Research from Island self-catering specialist Blue Chip Holidays shows that properties with a star rating achieve 30 per cent more bookings than those with none. Achieve a Four Star rating and this increases to 36 per cent more bookings. Secure a Five Star rating and you can expect bookings to be 40 per cent higher than for properties without a rating. So how can you optimise the quality of your self-catering property and achieve the highest possible star-rating? • Quality: Associate your holiday home with a luxury offering where furniture is stylish, co-ordinated and not flat packed. Lighting and heating in each room should be fully controllable and responsive. Make sure chairs are comfortable, practical, durable and well dressed. • Co-ordination: Care should be taken to ensure colours complement, fabrics coordinate and styling is appropriate to the property. • Canny investment: Investment can often be prioritised in small affordable chunks that lift your guest’s experience. High quality saucepans, cutlery, crockery and utensils can lift a kitchen without the need for an entirely new makeover. Sleep is sacred so crisp Egyptian cotton linen and pocket sprung / memory foam mattress are a must. Towels, televisions and pillows should always be high quality. Prioritise investment on things the guest can see and touch. Always try to wow your customers. A property that has gone that extra mile will almost always attract more interest. • Attention to detail: Ensure the 160 www.visitislandlife.com property is pristine on arrival. Guests don’t want to think someone else has stayed there the day before. • Go that extra mile: Consider a welcome pack of wine, chocolates, local preserves and refreshments; first impressions are so important and will be remembered. Think about the little details; cookery books, reading material, children’s toys, fishing nets, buckets and spades, garden games, gym/ swimming pool membership and local restaurant discounts. Anything you can do to make your guest’s stay more enjoyable will increase the likelihood of a return booking next time. Blue Chip Holidays is an accredited partner of Visit England, one of only a select handful of self catering agencies licensed to carry out the national Star grading assessments on their behalf. For more information the Quality team at Blue Chip Holidays can be contacted on 01803 881029 or email: [email protected] To see the range of Blue Chip Holidays’ 4 and 5 star properties visit www.bluechipholidays.co.uk