Looking to boost my occupancy during the winter and was thinking of adding an outdoor, stand alone hot tub. The property already has a pool for summer guests but I think that’s going to be far less maintenance than a hot tub. Thoughts? Recommendations?
I’ve thought about offering my hot tub to guests but based on what I have read here and on another forum, I decided against it. Technically for hygiene reasons you should empty after each use, then rebalance chemicals, heat, etc. Even if you just treat and not do this, I think my neighbors would be a bit annoyed about the noise too plus I worry about safety. Drinking, glassware, etc. Just my two cents.
I too am trying to increase my winter bookings. This year was ok until February. I tried to find a traveling nurse, didn’t get a nibble, I offered dogs, it was roof. I offered the promo discounts but pricing got so low it wasn’t worth it having guests. My solution was to do a bit more traveling but I need options for next year.
Anyone have ideas for both of us on how to attract winter bookings which is off season in our areas?
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What does this mean?
Two things off the top of my head - (1) contact your local hospitals and let them know you have a safe, comfortable place for patients and their family members traveling in for treatment and (2) network with your local wedding rental and party planning professionals. I have a lot of groups that are in town for a relative’s wedding and they have been great guests.
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There are much easier ways than adding a hot tub. They bring all sorts of problems and extra work along with them and you might find that your STR insurance payments would go up because of the hot tub. Add those to the chemicals required, the power/water usage and the labour to clean and drain them after use, then the finances are unlikely to work out.
The other point, of course, is that there’s no point spending money on enhancing your listing if no-one is going to see the listing in the first place. You can promote your listing without spending any money, just a little of your time, by using the internet (social media and so on) and networking with businesses / event organisers / other accommodation providers in your area and so on.
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I was trying to make a joke. Meant to type, I offer to host dogs, it was ruff. (Not enough caffeine yesterday).
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I have a hot tub in my own home and would never have one in an Airbnb property. Firstly, they are expensive to buy and expensive to run in terms of electricity and water and chemicals. Secondly, you need someone to come every single day and check the chemicals and balance them correctly - if you get it wrong, the guests could catch a disease. Thirdly, you need plastic glasses and to ban real glass, and then if guests are drunk and break glass in the hot tub, or other things, then you will end up completely emptying it and refilling it, which can take hours, and it can take 24 hours to reheat, so the next guest can complain that it wasn’t hot. Honestly, do not buy a hot tub for guests, you will not increase your profits.
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Thanks for your email and based off of the responses in this forum, it’s clear to me that it’s not worth it at all.