One vacation rental partner’s secret to five-star reviews

Kristina’s cabin vacation rental, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, has been listed on our platform for several years. The property draws bookings from around the area, but many guests are unfamiliar with navigating mountain regions and roads.
 

Beyond the basics, guests need to understand where to pick up supplies, what kind of driving they should expect — especially in winter — and how best to plan for a secluded alpine stay.
 

Kristina communicates all of this information and more to her guests with her detailed, customized welcome guide. She’s found that knowing more about the unique property and surrounding area from the start means guests will be more relaxed and comfortable staying in her home.

Kristina designed her welcome guide to provide her guests with all the information needed to ensure they have the best possible experience. She sends the guide in advance once a booking has been made.
 

And because Kristina shares background on her family and the staff who clean Shell Mountain Cabin, guests get a better sense of who owns and manages the property. Kristina feels this encourages guests to respect the property and treat the cabin as if it were their own.
 

The guide — kept deliberately brief for ease of use — still answers most questions travelers have. It’s a delicate balance to provide as much detail as possible as concisely as she can. Kristina says the guide makes her job so much easier, as it reduces the number of calls and questions she gets from guests.
 

And Kristina takes the guest feedback she gets seriously. Whether from post-stay reviews or direct comments from travelers, she’s always listening, learning, and continually updating her guide.

Over the years, Kristina has seen how an easy-to-use, helpful guide increases guest satisfaction and helps drive positive reviews and repeat stays.
 

Those five-star reviews are a critical driver for her bookings. And ensuring guests have an exceptional stay increases the likelihood that they’ll submit a glowing review online.

Kristina’s goal is to continue getting top reviews for all her listings. She believes every guest should be treated well, feel supported, and have the most pleasant stay possible. Her welcome guide is a key part of delivering on that promise.
 

For property owners who want to try Kristina’s proven strategy for encouraging reviews, we offer a welcome guide template that can be easily customized and is automatically sent to guests when they book.
 

Finding ways to make stays easier, more enjoyable, and simpler to plan for will increase your chances of attaining the kind of reviews that will drive your business.