How technology has changed the vacation rental industry

Vacation rentals have been a mainstay of travelers for decades. Since the 1980s, its popularity has grown, giving people more flexibility in terms of how and where they stay when they are away from home. Home vacation rentals provide travelers with larger spaces, a homey environment, and fully equipped kitchens, a welcome and budget-friendly alternative to eating in restaurants every night.

Everybody’s doing it: renter beware

With the rise of the internet, such rentals have become more accessible to travelers and with sites like Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, and Booking.com, it has become exceedingly easy for property owners to market their unused space as short-term accommodation.

Unfortunately, along with the increase in availability comes the potential for fraud. What once was almost always a face-to-face or telephone transaction is largely conducted over the internet. The people you are dealing with could be anyone – and this goes for both sides of the equation. As with many situations where it’s possible to make “easy money” simply by setting up a listing, fraud is abundant.

When dealing with reputable sites, at least you have a recourse when it comes to getting your money back if things don’t go well, but it’s not always easy. Certainly not as easy as it is for a random individual to create a listing for a home that doesn’t exist – or to embellish property details with pictures that are not representative of what you actually get.

Reimagining hospitality in the digital age

At the root of all this is the technology that made it possible: remotely monitored security systems, smart door locks, smart thermostats, and artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of smart home devices like Amazon’s Alexa – these are all tools in the arsenal of today’s short-term landlord.

While these technologies make it easy to market and manage your listings as a business, they all lack one especially important thing: the personal touch.

There is no substitute for personal service

Hospitality. Consistency. Predictability. Customer service. These are all mainstays of the vacation rental. Whether it’s a beachfront hotel or a condo in the hippest part of town, you want a certain level of confidence that your rental is going to live up to its promise. And if it doesn’t, somebody needs to be accountable. It’s not acceptable anymore simply to have the key left under the mat. If something doesn’t work, if you need an extra blanket or if you can’t get the television to work, who do you turn to for help?

Hospitality is not, unfortunately, something technology can deliver on its own. It can never replace the personal touch and attention to detail that a human can provide. Ideally, the technology should complement personal service, not replace it entirely. The more personalized and genuine the experience can be, the better the outcome will be for everybody.

So, while it’s pretty fab that your vacation rental guests can adjust the temperature, play music, lock the doors, and turn out the lights simply by using voice commands, knowing that there is somebody standing by to make sure you’re happy about it all is truly priceless.

Affordable vacation rentals Houston

Luxurway offers beautiful vacation rental properties in Houston paired with highly personalized service that you will love. For a truly hospitable experience in your next vacation rental, why not try a little luxury? Our well-appointed, designer-decorated single-family homes are conveniently located in some of the most desirable areas of Houston. Browse our properties today and find out what Houston hospitality is really all about.