Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights

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This week’s episode is dedicated to Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE, which will be held in collaboration with the Property Investor Show on 19-20 April at ExCel London. 

Property Tribes Co-Founder Vanessa Warwick – an ambassador for Property Investor Show – is the special guest and she explains why this is a must-attend event in our industry.

Tickets for Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE are FREE! All you need to do is register via the Property Investor Show website.

Hope to see you there! 

3:55 Why the Property Investor Show is a must-attend event in our industry

5:54 The importance of valuable (and free!) property education

7:41 Understanding what’s going on in the short-term rentals space

9:22 Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE exhibitors

9:46 There will be something for everyone – whether you're a new investor or manage hundreds of properties

11:30 Portfolio landlords are shifting towards short-term rentals

14:02 Industry events will help you become a better investor and property manager

16:06 The audience is made up of experienced property investors who are looking to scale

19:26 Property investors are feeling optimistic in 2024

21:17 The event is FREE. There is no excuse not to attend! 

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

Vanessa Warwick

Property Tribes

#HCHLIVE exhibitors:

HCH Financial Services

Hosthub

SuperControl

Sykes Holiday Cottages

The Aparthotel Revolution

Your AirHost

Interested in exhibiting? Email: [email protected]

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Email the show: [email protected] 

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This week’s special guest is Robert Kennedy, the Co-Founder and Product Director of SuperControl – a long-established property management solution based in the UK.

Robert charts his journey from hosting in Scotland to developing a simple booking channel and eventually creating a PMS which takes £50 worth of bookings every second.

Robert’s favourite brand shout-out went to Premier Cottages, while his individual shout-outs went to Fiona Campbell, from the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, and Alistair Handyside, from PASC UK.

3:42 The story of SuperControl

9:11 What makes SuperControl stand out

11:51 The growth of PMS options on the market 

14:15 Will we see consolidation in the PMS space?

15:53 Why hosts should consider SuperControl

17:52 Starting out as a host has been key to the success and growth of SuperControl

19:40 Tips for hosts: pricing, presentation, and partnerships 

21:37 Head to www.supercontrol.co.uk to sign up for a free trial 

23:13 Favourite brand shout-out: Premier Cottages

25:04 Individual shout-outs: Fiona Campbell and Alistair Handyside

27:01 Best advice to a new company 

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

SuperControl

Premier Cottages

Fiona Campbell

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers

Alistair Handyside

PASC UK

Enjoy the show?

Please subscribe, rate, and review! 

Email the show: [email protected] 

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This week’s special guest is Philip Pickard, the CEO and Co-Founder of Speedy Wi-Fi. Philip talks to James Varley about how short-term rental hosts and property managers can advertise and leverage high-speed Wi-Fi in order to attract more bookings and boost revenue. 

Philip’s favourite brand shout-out went to Plum Guide, while his individual shout-outs went to Boostly’s Mark Simpson and Airbnb CEO and Co-Founder, Brian Chesky.

3:39 The story of Speedy Wi-Fi

4:29 Helping property managers advertise and leverage high-speed Wi-Fi

5:21 What speed is high-speed Wi-Fi these days?

5:56 Consistently capturing Wi-Fi performance data 

7:33 Guest demand for high-speed Wi-Fi is unquestionable 

7:48 If you have great Wi-Fi, shout it from the rooftops

9:03 Targeting larger property managers 

10:24 Guests are 84% more likely to book a property with verified Wi-Fi data 

11:04 Speedy Wi-Fi pricing and sign-up info

11:56 Philip’s career before founding Speedy Wi-Fi

13:20 Being customer-obsessed is key 

14:39 Favourite brand in the STR space: Plum Guide 

15:18 Individual shout-outs: Mark Simpson from Boostly and Brian Chesky from Airbnb

16:25 Best advice: focus on what your customers want

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

Speedy Wi-Fi

[email protected]

Philip Pickard

Plum Guide

Mark Simpson 

Boostly

Brian Chesky

Airbnb

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Email the show: [email protected] 

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The CEO and Co-Founder of Turno, Assaf Karmon, is the special guest on this week’s #HCHPodcast.

Turno has grown into one of the biggest brands in the short-term rentals space – helping hosts and cleaners to significantly improve and expand their operations.

Assaf spoke about the story of Turno, outlined a bunch of actionable tips for hosts and property managers, and shared his pride at seeing cleaning professionals grow their businesses on the platform.

Turno has teamed up with HCH to provide listeners with a very special offer. You can earn $150 in Amazon vouchers simply by completing your first turnover with a Turno marketplace cleaner by 31 March 2024. Head to turno.com/hch for further details.

4:32 Assaf’s journey from a software engineer to co-founding Turno

7:03 Turno supports hosts and cleaners 

8:01 The growth of cleaning companies dedicated to short-term rentals

8:43 The impact of COVID-19 on cleaners

10:35 The benefits of starting out as a host 

11:17 Advice to hosts: find a good team and delegate

12:54 One trend to be aware of: quality

15:01 Delivering value for hosts and cleaners

17:29 Turno’s plans for 2024

19:04 Growth locations for Turno 

20:37 Favourite brand in the STR space: Airbnb

22:18 Individual shout-out: Tim Rosolio at Vrbo (Expedia Group)

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

Assaf Karmon

Turno

Airbnb

Tim Rosolio

Vrbo

Expedia Group

Earn $150 Amazon gift card! Sign up: turno.com/hch

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Email the show: [email protected] 

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Short-term rentals expert Richard Vaughton is the special guest on this week’s episode.

A veteran of the industry, Richard has seen and done it all. From managing and building a family business, to launching and scaling tech companies, all the way through to advising some of the biggest brands in the sector.

During the interview, Richard talks growth, scaling, direct bookings, industry trends, AI, and much more. 

His favourite brand shout-out went to OVO Network, while his individual shout-out went to Louis Andrews.

3:37 Richard’s story in the short-term rentals industry

5:00 From a host to an industry player

11:12 Where the STR space is right now and where it’s heading

14:05 Is there room for new companies every week?

16:15 Key trends for hosts and property managers

23:55 How STR hosts can utilise AI

26:01 How important are direct bookings?

29:56 Why should hosts go after direct bookings?

35:12 Favourite brand shout-out: OVO Network (special mentions to Moving Mountains, Jayne's Luxury Rentals, Host & Stay, and My Getaways)

37:16 Individual shout-out: Louis Andrews (OVO Network again!)

38:08 Which do you like best: Airbnb or Booking.com?

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

OVO Network

Moving Mountains

Jayne’s Luxury Rentals

Host & Stay

My Getaways

Louis Andrews 

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Email the show: [email protected] 

Send us a text

Property Hub Co-Founder and best-selling author Rob Dix is the special guest on this week’s show.

Rob discusses his latest book, The Price of Money, outlines the 18-year property cycle, talks about the power of inflation, and makes his market predictions for 2024.

His favourite brand shout-out went to Savills, while his individual shout-out went to Expat Property Story.

4:00 Why Rob wrote The Price of Money

6:09 What everyone needs to know about money 

8:44 Starting out in property

11:09 The growth of Property Hub

13:25 The 18-year property cycle 

16:40 Can you time property investment?

18:23 The importance of taking a long-term approach to property

20:53 The great thing about inflation for property investors

24:04 The influx of investors getting involved in short-term rentals

26:34 Will there be any government support for the private rented sector?

28:57 Should the UK build more houses?

31:18 Rob’s property predictions for 2024

33:16 Rob’s favourite brand shout-out: Savills

33:39 Rob’s individual shout-out: Expat Property Story

34:32: Rob’s advice to a new company in the property industry

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

The Price of Money on Amazon

Property Hub

Akhil Patel

Savills

Expat Property Story

Enjoy the show?

Please subscribe, rate, and review! 

Email the show: [email protected] 

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Kick off 2024 by finding out the five new year resolutions that every short-term rental host and property manager should be making!

Join host James Varley for an in-depth chat with industry guru Simon Lehmann, who shares his insight and knowledge for the benefit of hosts and property managers everywhere.

Simon’s brand shout-out went to Moving Mountains, while his individual shout-out went to Antonio Bortolotti from Vacation Rental World Summit. Tune in to find out why.

4:04 Is a storm still brewing for short-term rentals?

6:04 The operators that are going to thrive 

8:05 Regulation will keep changing 

9:46 Main takeaways from conference season

12:11 Simon’s predictions for 2024

14:15 Supply might continue to increase 

15:03 Resolution No. 1: Prioritise sustainability 

17:00 Resolution No. 2: Financial hygiene

18:55 Resolution No. 3: Pricing strategy

22:44 Resolution No. 4: Enhance the guest experience (remote work is here to stay)

25:55 Resolution No. 5: Market and promote effectively (we are at the mercy of the online travel agencies)

28:53 Favourite brand in the industry: Moving Mountains

29:54 Individual shout-out: Antonio Bortolotti from Vacation Rental World Summit

31:37 Which is your favourite: Airbnb or Booking.com?

Links mentioned:

Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)

HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: [email protected]

Holiday Cottage Handbook website 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter 

Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers

AJL Atelier

Moving Mountains

Antonio Bortolotti

Vacation Rental World Summit 

Airbnb

Booking.com

Enjoy the show?

Please subscribe, rate, and review! 

Email the show: [email protected] 

Join host James Varley as we dive deep into the world of direct bookings and guest experience with Christianne Crump from STR HUB.

In this episode, you'll discover expert insights on the short-term rental industry and the importance of revenue management for hosts.

Christianne shares her journey and the vision behind STR HUB, a resource that aggregates essential information for property managers and Airbnb hosts.

Learn the top tips for starting out in this competitive market, including how to navigate the major online travel agencies and the critical trends to watch for as we head into 2024.

With shout-outs to industry leaders like the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) and Mark Simpson from Boostly, this episode is packed with invaluable insights for anyone in the short-term rental space. Don’t miss it!

3:33 Christianne’s journey in short-term rentals 

5:42 The story of STR HUB

8:34 The vision: Aggregating resources in one place

14:22 Christianne’s top tips for hosts starting out

18:26 STR marketing tips

21:52 The most exciting parts of the STR industry

24:55 The trends hosts and property managers should be looking out for

28:00 Christianne’s favourite brand shout-out: VRMA

29:22 Christianne’s individual shout-out: Mark Simpson at Boostly

31:04 Key learnings from starting a new company in the STR space

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In this episode, host James Varley dives deep into the world of short-term rentals (STR) with Will Parry, CEO and Co-Founder of ALTIDO by Joivy.

Discover how Will transitioned from a career in finance to disrupting the STR space, emphasising the importance of direct bookings and effective revenue management in today's vacation rental landscape.

Hear about ALTIDO's unique approach to guest experience and how they're reshaping operations across six different countries. Will shares invaluable insights for Airbnb hosts looking to scale and thrive in a competitive market.

Don't miss this chance to learn from an industry leader! Tune in for expert advice and standout moments that can elevate your STR business.

3:41 Will’s journey in the travel industry, via finance and making apple juice

5:02 The apple juice industry

6:15 The story of ALTIDO, which started with one property on Airbnb

7:49 ALTIDO’s customers

9:44 ALTIDO is active in six countries – and each market is different

12:05 The biggest changes in the last decade

14:09 How ALTIDO has scaled operations

17:24 Getting listed on ALTIDO

20:00 Starting life with a new brand (saying goodbye to ALTIDO in 2024)

21:14 ALTIDO: An industry disruptor

24:07 Advice for hosts who want to scale

27:24 Is there room for all the tech companies in the STR space?

28:30 What are you most excited about in the STR industry?

30:00 The biggest threats to the industry

31:49 Favourite brand in the STR space apart from your own: Unplugged

34:11 Individual shout-out: Bob Garner from EnviroRental

35:48 Advice to companies starting out in STR

[email protected]

3:19 Joe’s career in the travel industry

4:48 All about RentalReady

5:57 Why RentalReady stands out from the crowd

8:11 RentalReady: All the essentials under one roof

9:59 The average customer at RentalReady

13:48 How a PMS can take your business to the next level

16:33 The trends people should be looking out for

18:43 Joe’s best advice to enhance the guest experience 

22:42 It’s ‘early afternoon’ in the short-term rentals space

27:06 What Joe is most excited about in the industry 

28:30 Joe’s favourite brand in the short-term rentals space: Swikly

30:30 Shout-out to Matthew Lowe in Bristol 
 

[email protected]