Since the rise of Airbnb, and the recent increasing popularity of British staycations, property owners are finding they have to do more and more in order for their short-let to stand out from the crowd. Between April 2016 and May 2019, the number of active listings on Airbnb tripled, from around 76,000 to over 225,000. The subsequent popularity of staycations has meant this figure is only increasing and competition is fierce to keep a steady stream of guests visiting your holiday let.

A great way of increasing the value of your holiday home is by investing in a hot tub, but what exactly are the benefits?

1. Stand out from the crowd

As we mentioned, holiday let hosts are having to get increasingly creative to maintain the popularity of their holiday homes. Having a hot tub is a luxury investment that not every holiday host is willing to make. It’s never been easier for guests to find homes with a hot tub, thanks to Airbnb’s new filtering options. Make sure to situate your hot tub in a natural sunspot, and to go the extra mile, you could build an outdoor bar nearby.

2. Enhances low-season bookings

It’s no secret that seasonality plays a large part in the holiday letting market. Increase those low-season bookings by investing in a hot tub to keep guests warm and relaxed in the winter months!

3. All year-round attraction

A hot tub can be used all year round and tends to attract guests during all four seasons so that they can relax in the comfort of their own home away from home whatever the weather. 

What about the maintenance? 

In order to keep your hot tub in prime condition for guests and comply with legal requirements, you will need to consider the following:

Servicing your hot tub

• Make sure you book an annual servicing of your hot tub to ensure your investment stands the test of time and is in prime working condition for guests. A specialist will ensure your hot tube is in working order, change the water filter and usually provide a deep clean service too.

Cleaning your hot tub

• Cleaning is vital from a health and safety perspective but also for prolonging the lifespan of your hot tub. Hot tubs need to be drained completely, then all surfaces deep cleaned. When refilling the tub, you will need to ensure the PH levels of chlorine and bromine are correct to keep the water as clean as possible. 
  
  
• Think twice before using regular household cleaning products, as these can be damaging to the tub and irritating to guests using the tub! If in doubt, always use hot tub-specific cleaning products.

Checking sanitation/ PH levels

• Your hot tub’s PH level should be between 7.2 and 7.8, and the level can be increased with PH increaser granules. Outside of these levels, guests can suffer skin irritation and eye burn. Anything more acidic can actually damage the tub so it’s important to keep an eye on this.
  
  
• To maintain sanitation between deep cleans, you can insert a small diffuser of hot tube-safe sanitiser to keep the water cleaner for longer.

HSG282 compliance

• In order to comply with legal requirements, your hot tub will need to be HG282 compliant. This is to control the potential spread of legionella and other infectious diseases. 

Overall, hot tubs are a sizeable financial investment for holiday let hosts, and require regular cleaning and maintenance. However, they provide plenty of benefits including increased guest satisfaction and low-season bookings and are a worthy addition to any holiday let.  

Pass the Keys is a full-service short-let property management for property owners and hosts. We offer flexible and hassle-free short-let property management that optimises your rental income. Visit our website here.

To find out more about our management services, please visit Services & Pricing (passthekeys.com).