Five Quick Tips to Creating an Outstanding Kitchen Experience in Your Vacation Rental

Have you ever stayed in a vacation rental that lacked the amenities you needed? This seems to be more true when it comes to kitchens than other parts of the house.

No matter the research done, it’s impossible to know exactly what every unit has to offer, and this is especially true when it comes to your kitchen. So what does it take to build an amazing kitchen experience for your guests? How do you prevent the little annoyances that your guests face when travelling? Let’s break some of these down.

1. Have the holiday essentials.

Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter are popular travel times, and it’s likely that one of the reasons your unit was booked during the holiday season instead of a hotel was so that a family can prepare and cook their holiday meal. When building your outstanding kitchen experience, consider ensuring you have holiday cooking essentials for your guests, like:

• Deep Roast Pan for a turkey or ham
• Turkey Baster
• Gravy boat
• Meat thermometer
• Casserole dishes 
• Pie pans

2. Consider Dietary Differences

It may be easy for us to think about what we need daily in our kitchen, but it’s much harder to consider what people with different dietary habits than us want to see in their kitchen. Or perhaps your mindset is that you’re vacation rental is your spot that you’re renting out to guests. But remember this: guest-focused owners have the edge over their competition. Whether you want to ensure you’re catering to all types of guests, consider the following items for your unit:

• Salad spinner
• Rice cooker
• Air fryer

These items will help with ease of prep and ensure that you’ve put the care of thought into their wants & needs.

3. Provide consumables

How frustrating can it be to a traveller who wants to prepare a dinner and realizes there’s no salt, pepper, or olive oil in their unit? The answer is simple – it’s very annoying! These are low-cost items that are easy to replace and should be part of your kitchen strategy. 

I have also seen hosts provide a spice rack full of different items, like thyme, cilantro, etc. I don’t think this is necessary but is a great touch.  

4. For coffee and tea, go local.

You may be surprised that buying tea and coffee from a local supplier is not quite as expensive as you might think especially if you buy in bulk. Nobody goes to your vacation rental for your Folgers House coffee, but showcasing your connection to the area is a great way to add a bit of personalization to your unit. And, yes, make sure you supply both coffee AND tea. For coffee, I suggest at least one bag per day of the guest’s stay of a minimum medium-roast, and for tea, I suggest stocking a small variety, and at least a selection of an herbal, a black, and a green tea.

5. Provide a welcome gift

Another fantastic way to share a bit of your personality or to show off the local area is to provide a welcome gift for your guests. This can be a snack from a favourite local spot, or a local delicacy. A few things to consider when deciding on a welcome gift:

• Think about allergies. I always steer away from peanuts, nuts or something that may cause a serious reaction. If there are other allergens in your welcome gift, like milk, ensuring a nutrients label or allergen warning would be sufficient.
• Alcohol is easy but doesn’t work for everyone. For example, consider if your guest is a recovering alcoholic? Adding that temptation straight into your unit might seem like a nice intention, but may have consequences you haven’t thought of.
• Don’t do something that requires refrigeration. Instead, consider a welcome gift that the guest can be surprised by, waiting on the dining room table or the kitchen island right when they arrive. If it’s just sitting in the refrigerator, the guest may never open it or see it. Even worse, if they do see it, they might think it’s actually left over from your last guest and you’ll get negative sentiment for cleanliness.

That’s it for today! What sort of special treats or amenities do you provide in your vacation rental? Let me know in the comments, and happy hosting.