Meeting Vacation Rental Guest Expectations

Has anyone noticed how this year renters seem to have much higher expectations than before? I remember when the most asked question was, ‘Does it have running water and electricity’, and feeling amused and slightly smug saying that not only did my cottage have the luxury of an indoor toilet, but it also had a TV. Now, some of the most frequently asked questions are, ‘What size is the TV and does it get the sports channel?’, and ‘Is there hi-speed internet?’

Just a few weeks ago, I heard a complaint from a renter who had completed their vacation at a cottage on a lake local to us. The cottage has grass to the shoreline then shallow water with a hard sand bottom with a few rocks. I would say water shoes are advisable but then I’d recommend that anyway. The listing for the cottage said:

“Sandy, shallow walkout to the water, deepening gradually toward the end of the dock”.

The renter complained that the ‘beach’ that was advertised was not there and her daughter was unable to play in the sand. Apparently, using the word ‘sandy’ in the listing gave the impression that there was a portion of Bondi Beach on the shoreline, dunes stretching in every direction, and an expectation her children of the family spending happy hours building Buckingham Palace type sandcastles.

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