One of the best things about vacations, besides the joy of being on one, is the memories they leave with us. When you sift through the photos or cherish the images in your mind of days spent with friends and family, what do you see? Do you recall vacations spent making new friends on the beach or down at the pool and, after hours of fun in the sun, returning to the house for a home-cooked meal? Of course, not before rinsing off in the outdoor shower—because sandy beds were strictly off-limits!
Remember when hammock naps were a must, and evenings were spent recounting the day while lounging in grandads overstuffed chair, or out on the screened-in porch gathered around a board game?
At evening's end, you climbed into the top bunk, won by a game of rock-paper-scissors, and drifted off to sleep, looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow.
Adding nostalgic touches like the ones mentioned above to your vacation rental can greatly enhance the guest experience, evoking fond memories while creating new ones. As a homeowner, you can achieve this by offering amenities that resonate with your guests' as they fondly recall vacations from their past. While many seek oceanfront homes with pools, a significant number prefer simpler accommodations reminiscent of their childhood. And most are looking for a combination of both.
How Do They Find What They Are Looking For?
One way is by searching our "More Must Have Amenities" page, accessible under our Vacation Rentals >> Rentals by Amenity menu. This page features a variety of options, from volleyball courts and basketball hoops to saunas and hammocks, ensuring guests find homes that suit their preferences. Whether it's an outdoor shower for sandy beach days or a cozy firepit for evening gatherings, each amenity adds value to the guest experience.
Additional Enhancements
Consider adding inexpensive yet enjoyable items like horseshoe pits, or corn hole games, which can enhance guest satisfaction and attract more visitors. For those with a larger budget, a hot tub remains a highly sought-after feature among our guests, and tiki bars are always a hit. Those searching for their Outer Banks Christmas vacation home will likely want a fireplace, and may even care what type, wood-burning, gas, or electric. Each can be found listed separately, as it's its own must-have amenity.
And nothing adds to a summer vacation like spending time at the pool. Yes pools are popular, and if your rental property doesn't have the room to add one, or you simply don't want the added expense, then joining a community pool may be an option. For example, in Nags Head, Village Beach Club, located on the oceanfront, offers memberships to anyone who owns property anywhere on the Outer Banks! You can learn more about the club and membership on their official website.
Personal Touches
At Beach Realty, we enhance guest experiences by providing nostalgic touches, such as vintage-style playing cards in our welcome bags. These small gestures foster togetherness and create lasting memories.
Exploring Must-Have Pages
Each category on the 'Must Haves' page links to a results page containing all homes that have been tagged with that specific amenity. Each listing page is randomized upon refresh, providing fair exposure to all properties. Each home can be tagged with endless amenities, thus appearing on multiple result pages. From there, visitors can narrow down their search by adding other criteria, including dates, number of bedrooms, location, etc., including the new searchable amenity worthy of being added to the filter screen; "Ocean Views." Now, we didn't add every possible amenity to the search filter screen, as we explain at the top of the 'Must Haves' page. We encourage you to check it out, for inspiration on what you can add to your home to make it appear in these search results more often!
If your home has a feature that belongs in one of the categories on our 'Must Haves' page, let us know, and we'll make sure it's listed!