Want to make your guest experience smooth, relaxing, and memorable? Start with our top 14 vacation rental amenities! Stocking your short-term rental with the appropriate amenities is the first step toward winning over reservations, positive experiences, repeat guests, and glowing reviews. Not to mention, it can be fun to outfit your vacation rental property for your own romantic retreats, family vacations, or group getaways. With Florida CFY vacation rental management, we cover several installations plus maintenance and even offer specific amenity advice tailored to your specific rental home.
Enough chit-chat — let’s hop into the best amenities checkout to make your vacation rental on the Florida Panhandle attractive, nice, and welcoming to travelers.
1. Keyless Entry — Simple Check-in & Checkout
You’re on vacation, you’ve driven for hours, and it’s finally time to check in at your beach vacation rental…at an office. Ugh, that’s not the start you want for your guests. Instead, consider installing keyless entry on the front door so your weary-from-travel guests can head straight to your property! Plus, this means there aren’t lost or duplicate keys to manage.
If browsers are debating booking a similar short-term rental, this added smart home convenience could be the deciding factor. Psst…we’ll install smart locks for you (and more) with the Florida CFY Advantage Plan!
2. Fully Equipped Kitchen — Super Convenient on Vacation
Having a full kitchen — equipped with major and minor appliances, food storage, cookware, dishware, silverware, etc. — on vacation is a primary reason why vacationers opt for short-term rentals over hotels. With everything needed to prepare food and drinks, your guests can save money on dining out, keep everyone fed and happy, and feel more at home.
Pro tip: don’t include food, drinks, seasonings, or any perishables…these can spoil, affect unknown allergies, and put your guests at risk of booking elsewhere next time. Not to mention, it’s one less thing for you to manage!
Top 11 Kitchen Amenities for Vacation Rentals
- Major appliances — refrigerator, stove/oven, microwave & dishwasher
- Coffeemaker — single cup or standard drip or both!
- Standard pots, pans & bakeware
- Mixing bowls & measuring tools
- Dish sets — twice your guest count
- Utensils — cooking & cutlery
- Drinkware — glasses, wine glasses & mugs
- Leftover containers
- Oven mitts & potholders
- Kitchen towels
- Cleaning supplies — broom, dustpan & mop
Need a full list of kitchen essentials? We have an extensive list ready for you — just ask at 1.800.295.0971.
3. Fast Wi-Fi — Stay Connected
After a full sand of fun in the sand and waves, your Florida rental guests will want to kick back and relax. Often, that includes scrolling social media, reading favorite blogs, or connecting with favorite online communities. Nowadays, it’s virtually impossible to find short-term rentals without high-speed Wi-Fi.
As a vacation rental homeowner, it’s vital you hop on board ASAP…because when vacationers arrive at a property to find they are without wireless internet, the first thing they do is hop on the phone to complain and leave a negative review. Both are a hassle and can easily be avoided.
4. Inviting Outdoor Spaces — Staycation with a Twist
When guests are looking for a beach rental, it’s no surprise that beach access and ocean views are at the top of their wishlist. As a rental homeowner, sprucing up your outdoor spaces is one of the best things you can do to push your property in the Florida market. And there are many ways to accomplish this! Just think about how you’d like to enjoy your outdoor spaces and start there.
Easy-to-Add Outdoor Amenities
- Plush furnishings — rockers/gliders, porch swings, loungers, wicker sets, etc.
- Pillows & cushions
- Hammock
- Gas/charcoal grill
- Outdoor dining — bistro/picnic tables
- Hanging lights
- Bluetooth speakers
- Outdoor TV
5. Beach Extras — Added Incentive to Book
Is your Florida vacation home near the beach or even on the beach? Boost your property’s appeal with beach amenities! Ideal options include beach chairs, toys, floats, umbrellas, coolers, and a wagon to lug it around. Beach towels are also something to consider to keep your “home towels” separate from sandy and sunny days on the coast.
Tired of managing guest towels? Let Florida CFY property management take care of providing, washing, drying, and folding towels to keep your guests comfortable and happy.
6. Outdoor Shower — Keep Your Beach Rental Tidy
After a day at the beach, sand gets…everywhere! Keep your Florida beach rental clean by providing guests with an outdoor shower or at least a foot rinse area to help reduce tracking sand inside. Note: if your property is in a resort or community that features outdoor showers, be sure to mention this in your rental description!
7. Swimming Pool — Best Amenity for Outdoor Fun
Is your Florida beach condo or vacation home located in a resort with a swimming pool? You’ve just won over several more guests than your competitors. Have a private pool for your guests? Even better! Renovating a property with enough space for an outdoor pool? Consider adding one.
Most people who visit the Florida Panhandle are looking for an opportunity to go swimming, especially if their group has kids. So, if you can advertise a splashy swimming pool on your listing page, you’ve already got a leg up! Pro tip: provide pool towels.
8. Games — Easy Addition to Attract Families
Creating an enticing game room loaded with fun extras — like a pool table, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard, or arcade games — is a great way to catch the eye of families looking to book. Don’t have the space but want to participate? Stock packs of playing cards and board games to play at the living room coffee table or dining table. Or consider adding a gaming console to plug i
9. Theater / Movie Set-up — Feel Right at Home
A great amenity to install at your vacation rental in Florida is a big screen smart TV. Add a DVD or Blu-ray player, offer cable TV, or provide access to log into a streaming service, like Hulu, Disney+, or Netflix, to make it easy for guests to access TV entertainment. As a huge part of modern-day culture (and a great way to keep the kids occupied), this one is an easy win.
10. Spa Bath — Relaxing Bonus
Ooh la la, attract more guests looking for romantic or relaxing retreats when you add a spa bathroom to your vacation rental home. Whether it’s a top-tier, loaded-with-nozzles shower, a clawfoot or copper bath, a jetted tub, or a combo, guests really appreciate having a private place to unplug and unwind on their beach vacation. It’s another incentive to book your property over the other guy’s!
11. Comfortable Bedding — Important Choice!
We spend at least half of our lives sleeping…so choosing the right bedding for your vacation rental in Florida is of the utmost importance. Now, a single mattress won’t please everyone. However, if you pair your well-researched mattress with high-quality sheets, blankets, and comforters, guests will notice and very much appreciate it!
Psst, ever laid down on a pillow that looked oh-so-fluffy and inviting…only for it to sink into the flattest pancake imaginable? Pillows often get overlooked — avoid this at all costs for your renters. At least give them a quick squeeze or thoroughly read the reviews before purchasing.
12. Washer & Dryer — Pack Light
Having a washer and dryer on a beach vacation is super helpful. At your beach rental in Florida, consider letting your guests use the laundry room so they can pack light and reuse provided towels. Plus, if your guests spill anything on the linens, they can toss them into the washer before housekeeping can get to it…perhaps days later. This can help save your precious vacation rental items and keep replacement costs down for the year!
Additional laundry supplies: iron, ironing board, and hangers.
13. Air Conditioning — Absolute Must in Florida!
While this should go without saying, we have to mention how essential air conditioning is for your Florida vacation home. Ceiling fans are also a great addition. However, A/C is your best defender against the sweltering heat of the deep South. Your guests start judging your rental the moment they step through the front door. Keeping them comfortable in varying climates and providing relief from the great outdoors in warmer months is a phenomenal start.
14. Starter Kit — Help Your Vacation Rental Stand Out
Add to your vacation rental experience by providing a starter kit, like a welcome basket but more useful. It’s filled with essentials to help your guests get their vacation started without stopping at a store on the way in. Items like paper towels, trash bags, dishwasher detergent, a sponge, and more are often forgotten in the packing process. By going the extra mile, your guests will remember you fondly — a great beginning of a loyal relationship.
At Florida CFY, we provide a starter kit packed with vacation essentials so you don’t have to lift a finger! We even add a few toiletries, like toilet paper rolls and hand soap to all bathrooms. And if you have a pet-friendly vacation rental in Florida, we add pet waste bags and bowls as pet extras at no extra charge to homeowners!
Stock Your Beach Rental with Florida CFY
Need help stocking your vacation rental? Looking for a basic amenities checklist? Want insider advice from 22+ years of success? Get a FREE assessment with Florida CFY! Plus, we’ll work with you on pricing appropriately after upgrades to get more heads in beds and more cash in your pocket. We’re here to help!
