Positive reviews are the cornerstone of marketing a vacation rental, and all reviews help us improve our properties and services. Reviews are so important because future guests rely on past guest experiences prior to making a purchase decision. However, according to our data, only about 22% of guests leave a guest review. The good news is that over 80% of the guests who took time to leave a review gave positive remarks and ratings above 4 out of 5 stars! In an effort to harvest more positive reviews, we've studied our guest reviews to find common trends, features, and experiences which lead to a 5 star review. We've summarized our findings below. Be sure to check out our video of our guest testimonials featuring some of our top reviewed homes!
Convenience
Homes that offer things like keyless entry, beach equipment, plenty of seating and space, utensils, sheets and towels with beds made, etc. tend to receive better reviews. Guests don't want to have to think about bringing beach equipment with them on vacation! The convenience of location is also a factor as well. It is nice to be close to a beach access or popular restaurants and attractions!
Review of Just For Fun D0216 in Duck
Updated and Clean
Replacing comforters, mattresses, couches, paint, and decor are easy ways of keeping a home feeling modern and clean without having to go through a major remodel. Vacation homes to endure a lot of stress from the summer season, so making small updates every off season can help keep the space feeling modern. We never want anyone to come into a dirty home, so that is why we have a double inspection process. Our inspector visits the home after the previous guest checks out, the housekeepers clean the home, and then the inspector comes back to make sure it is up to our standards. If you check into a home that is not clean, please call us so we can send someone back out there to take care of the issues.
Review of Hip Hip Hip Hooray in Duck
Little Luxuries
Providing a welcome gift such as wine, cheesecake, or a gift certificate for bagels can be the icing on the cake for a great review. Some homes, like Raspberry Duck, have offered ornaments filled with Outer Banks sand and shells for their guests to hang on their Christmas tree. If the home is located on the soundside maybe you provide private beach access passes. H2OBX tickets or YMCA passes are also a nice touch. Or maybe it's a feature of the home such as the wine fridge or tiki bar by the pool. Offering something special that guests don't get to experience on a daily basis can really make their Outer Banks experience that much more special!
Review of Sound Sea'renity K1900 in Southern Shores