Winter is on its way, whether your holiday rental property is ready or not. For those travelling during winter, the off-season brings lower travel prices for flights as well as accommodation. In South Africa’s Mother City, winter also brings the annual restaurant specials, along with a bit of rain, wind and cold fronts.

Although areas such as Cape Town typically enjoy mild winters without the freezing conditions found in the northern hemisphere, you can still do a lot to ensure that guests are kept warm and cosy throughout their stay. To help you get a head start on your winter preparations, we have put together a list of must-have features that are perfect to create an inviting, welcoming holiday rental property for your guests.Some additions and holiday rental property upgrades may require a bit of investment, while others cost very little.

Get Your Holiday Rental Property Ready for Winter

In no particular order, some of the features that you can equip your holiday rental property this winter include:

• Duvets. Invest in the best quality duvet inners possible. Feather and down duvets are always great during winter, but wool duvets are even more comfortable. If you stick to regular duvets, make sure that they are not overly worn out and thin.
• Winter bedding. You will also need to get some winter sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers. These are typically made from brushed cotton, which further adds to the warmth that they provide.
• Blankets and throws. Make sure that you have plenty of blankets and throws, in the bedrooms as well as living areas. You could also include outdoor throws.
• Heaters. Gas heaters are the most effective. Be sure to keep extra gas in stock in case guests run out during their holiday.
• Underfloor heating. While a bit of an investment, this is a simple way to warm up a property. If you have tiled areas or wooden floors that can be cool, this is especially useful.
• Heated towel rails. These are a simply way to keep towels warm. Heated rails can enhance your bathroom in a huge way, adding comfort and luxury.
• Umbrellas. Don’t forget the small details, too. Umbrellas are always useful, even if guest only need them to walk short distances from the door to their cab or hired car. Add a few so that everyone in the household can use one.
• Hot beverages. Also make sure that you have plenty of hot beverages in stock, from tea and coffee to cocoa and hot chocolate.
• Covered entries. You could also look at adding a covered entry over your front door to keep guests dry when leaving and returning to the holiday rental property.

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How else can you add value to your guests this winter? For starters, you could consider working with dedicated short term rental manager, who will fully manage every aspect of your rental. From bookings to day to day management, guest services and active marketing, a manager is the best way to ensure that your rental is fully prepared to meet the demands of the modern traveller. This will leave your holiday rental property in the best hands possible, while giving guests the best level of quality during their stay.