Unlock the secrets to becoming a successful holiday home host in Cornwall with our list of the top tips for letting out your retreat in Cornwall. From setting the right rental rates to enhancing guest experiences, we’ll guide you through every step to make your holiday home is ready to maximise its letting potential in Cornwall.
1. Best places to buy a holiday home in Cornwall
The beaches, coastal paths and moorlands in Cornwall are second to none and buying a second home is an expensive investment so your second home’s location is paramount. Prices vary too, sea views are a real bonus however, they do command a higher purchase price. West Cornwall is a peninsula, you are never far from the sea so a nice enclosed garden would be more of a bonus than perhaps a sea view if your budget won’t stretch to an enclosed garden and a sea view.
Mousehole
Mousehole, a picturesque harbour town near Penzance, is very popular however as people have been buying second homes there for a number of years, you are hard pushed to find a renovation project. If you can, with a bit of thought and imagination, you can really get a return. Be it a pilchard cellar or terraced cottage, let your imagination go wild and create a great space.
mousehole
Newlyn
Newlyn, a bustling working fishing village, with numerous galleries and a plethora of fabulous upmarket restaurants such as Mackerel Sky, Argoe and the Tolcarne. It is easily accessible too, either by bus, car or train. The “end of the line” train station is just a stroll along the promenade in Penzance.
St Ives
St Ives is gorgeous and an extremely popular holiday destination for both national and international guests, in fact it attracts approximately over 540,000 visitors every year.
The beaches are second to none, having spent a fair bit of time in Australia where the beaches are lovely, I am hard pushed to find better than Porthmeor beach for surfing and Porthminster for safe swimming and sandcastle building. The art scene and galleries, including The Tate St Ives, attract many visitors and with its higgledy-piggledy cobbled streets and characterful cottages, is a great place to invest in your second home.
One (pretty major) thing to remember about St Ives is that the beaches are predominantly north facing, so the vast majority of new apartments in the area may have sea views from their balconies, they look good but are not ideal for guests wanting to spend a balmy evening on the balcony watching the ebb and flow of tide, in the cold. You will get bookings but you may not get repeat bookings, an essential element to building up your business in a very competitive market.
Look for a property with a south facing back garden/terrace – that will mean great evening bbq’s and al fresco eating without the need for a thick blanket. Photos are everything when letting a property so if you have a lovely outside space, it will appeal to a greater audience.
St Ives by Cornish Drone Photography
Penzance
This eclectic and once thriving town is, once again thriving! Gone are the endless rows of charity, and pasty shops, replaced by trendy boutiques, artisan bakeries, cafes and gin bars. Properties are still reasonably priced and there are plenty of blank canvases still available to buy. Make sure that you have an outdoor space, even a little courtyard that can be dressed with plants, perhaps a fire pit and gorgeous outdoor lighting.
There are rough areas of the town so explain to your estate agent what you are buying your property for, they will guide you to the best parts of town, mainly on the west side, near the promenade and where some of the grand merchant houses are waiting for a refurb. Penzance is one of the only towns in the country that has an original Lido pool, biothermal in one section.
The setting of this popular facility is on the promenade, once used for courting, then not used at all, now the base for a vast selection of Pop Up food vans and trailers, serving everything from fresh seafood, wood fired pizzas and artisan coffee, to be enjoyed on the new “giant pebble” seating and benches, recently added.
Penzance is a perfectly located base for visitors, easily accessed by train, and, being on the A30, road too. Head just 2 miles East and there you are, in the centre of Marazion, looking at the majestic St Michael’s Mount in the heart of Mounts Bay and further on, the Lizard Peninsula in the East.
Marazion St michaels mount
2. Holiday let features that increase your booking potential
With the right information there are a few little things that can make a huge difference to bookings and guests enjoyment of your property. Simple things, such as not having a bed with a footboard, make sure that the minimum size of your double bed is at least Kingsize.
If you have space, even better are zip and link beds (make sure that they are 3’ singles to be zipped together) these are also ideal for one bedroom, romantic retreats, not all couples are couples and may be holidaying together and require separate beds. With your one bedroom you can have a luxurious Super King bed or two singles. If you opt for zip and link, they are available with 2’6 beds and make a 5’ bed when linked together, however, when not linked they are very small twin beds, suitable for children only (in the trade).
A touch of pink! More often than not, it’s the lady in the party who organises and books the holiday. A lovely soft pink sofa or pink soft furnishings can encourage bookings.
Make the beds stand out, spend as much money as your budget will allow on the mattress, if guests come away having had an uncomfortable and sleepless week, they are unlikely to return. However, the thought of your comfy snuggly bed will make them want to return time and time again.
The same goes for the bedding and towels, luxurious crisp white cotton, extra large white fluffy bath sheets and hand trowels. Don’t go for a colour – guests seem to want to colour their hair whilst on holiday … Why? we’re not sure, leaving your gorgeous grey towels with an unsightly orange stain! Stick to white every time. Pillows, these are so cheap to buy so consider replacing them every season and go for hypoallergenic – guests can have allergies like everyone else.
Holiday Lets with Hot Tubs
So many Owners ask why would people want to use a hot tub? Hot tubs holiday lets in cornwall is one of the most searched for facilities when guests are looking to book online. They will absolutely maximise the number of weeks your holiday home books thus increasing the income. Due to the fact that they are available throughout the year, they really help with the shoulder month bookings and can command an extra 20% on your rent. If you live on site they are easy to maintain, if you live away, there are the extra maintenance costs but it is well worth it.
Credit: Karl Paul Baldacchino
Cosy Fireplaces
A wood-burner is a must if you want to attract Out of Season bookings, guests picture themselves snuggled up on a comfy sofa in front of a roaring wood-burner – if you don’t have a chimney, nor the a place for a flue installation, there are some very nice electric wood burner effect fires available – in many lovely colours.
Basically you want to create a focal point for the room and now that the new fire regulations ban candles in holiday homes, you will need to invest in something that lightens a room in the winter months. Leave your guests a starter pack of fire lighters, matches, kindling and logs (if you are providing a log basket make sure that it is not huge, filling it will be costly and if it looks half empty on guests arrival, they will think that you are being tight!)
Free Wi-Fi
If your holiday let doesn’t offer free wifi you may struggle to fill your holiday home without it. It is essential despite the fact that sometimes it is nigh on impossible to provide a decent service in our beautiful cornish villages but, if it’s advertised it must work, if it’s not advertised, guests may not book. If you are in a poor reception area, there are numerous gadgets on the market that will help.
Guests often want to do some work from home too, having WiFi will make the property appeal to everyone, out of season too. I can remember a small one bed rural retreat with WiFi which attracted writers. They would come for a couple of months out of season to write their book whilst enjoying the peace and elements of the West Country whilst waxing lyrical working on their best seller.
Spacious Gardens
Many of the seaside towns are now edged with modern apartment blocks, the majority have balconies, unfortunately these are not ideal for privacy nor pets. If you have that lovely patch of lawn and a terrace, you are already quids in. Guests want al fresco eating, a family bbq and a place to relax outside where the children can enjoy the freedom of their own garden. Enclosed is ideal but not always possible. If you do have outside space, consider welcoming pets.
They love to come on holiday with their Owners and, with a small fee for pets, you can cover the cost of the extra cleaning. Gardens are lovely but they do require a fair bit of maintenance, dead pot plants by the front door and on the terrace look dreadful so, if you are unable to look after the plants, less is more – don’t have them.
Ensure that there is adequate seating and dining in the garden too, your guests will want to sit together on a balmy evening, alfresco dining and enjoying a sundowner. Sunloungers? That depends, it’s a nice touch but if you don’t have the space nor the storage not essential. Providing a “swing chair” or “egg chair” is a nice luxury, and something a little special.
Make your Holiday Let Dog Friendly
There are over 14 million dogs in the UK and the majority of them love a holiday! If you accept dogs in your holiday home (providing you have easy to clean floors and a safe outdoor space) your bookings will increase as there are more people looking to bring their furry friends away with them than not.
If you have two properties in the same setting, it is good to accept pets in one and not in the other, thus differentiating the properties so that they don ‘t compete with each other, attracting guests who don’t want to book properties which have had dogs in them and guests who are bringing their pet with them.
Due to Cornwall being a peninsula, surrounded by sea and fabulous beaches, it’s an ideal destination for dog friendly holidays.
Doesn’t a dog love a run and a swim? The good news is that Cornwall Council has relaxed its rules on “dog beaches”, they are now accessible from the 1st September through to the end of June.
If you are welcoming dogs at your property, do leave a water bowl, Bonio biscuit, perhaps even a dog bed. Roll up an old towel and leave it on the dog bed – owners will be delighted that you have given their dog a warm welcome.
13 best tips for buying a holiday home in Cornwall 9
3. Provide a welcome pack
A small token but essential! Handing your house over to a guest and leaving them a hamper, is a must if you want them to feel welcome in your holiday home. It’s a hand-over ritual – here’s your gift, thank you for booking my property, we appreciate you choosing our space. Cream teas are quite a nice touch however, with so many people having food intolerances now, I would suggest something more generic.
Nice local tea, fresh coffee (yes, do consider providing a decent coffee maker too….it’s the thing at the moment). If you are on hand and able to buy fresh produce look for some nice cheeses and a fresh loaf, perhaps some locally made chocolate too. Wine is expensive and not everyone drinks alcohol, go for a nice locally produced fruit juice such as Polgoon Apple or something similar. Pasta, and some sauces are also good if guests have arrived late and want something easy to prepare.
A homemade cake is also good, if you are able, contact your guests a couple of days prior to their arrival and ask if they have any food intolerances. Always make sure that you leave milk in the fridge, along with sugar but don’t leave any opened food stuffs in the cupboards, there is nothing worse than finding open mayonnaise, ketchup and jam in a property on arrival.
Oil, vinegar, salt and pepper are OK but keep it to a minimum. The long and the short of it is that you can spend little but give a great impression. If your guests party consists of children, consider leaving a small chocolate treat on the end of the children’s beds. This is especially nice at Easter, a small Easter egg on the bed will make a lot of difference to your guests’ appreciation of the property.
4. Offer special touches
A large jug of garden flowers and greenery look lovely for guests on arrival, as well as nice locally made hand soaps and toiletries placed in the bathrooms. You could offer ready cooked meals for your guests, I have seen this done in a number of properties. It gives the Owner another income stream and the guests will love locally prepared meals when they return from their day walking the coastal path or sunning themselves on the beach.
Do note however that if you are selling food/meals to your guests you will need to complete an online food hygiene course to ensure that you comply with rules and regs. (You do not need to possess such a qualification if you are leaving food as a gift ie. the welcome pack). Partner with local businesses to provide unique experiences like guided tours, cooking classes, or wine tastings.
Cleanliness
If guests arrive and your property is not cleaned properly, and I mean properly, they will then find cause to complain, the longer the issue is left, the more they will find to complain about. Make sure that your guests are aware that they must report any problems within 24 hours of arrival. If they haven’t done so then you really can say that had you been made aware of the problem (cob-webs in the beams) you would have addressed it as soon as you knew.
Make sure your taps are polished and that you have looked up and down when cleaning and vacuuming. Ensure that the bedding is pristine, this includes the mattress and pillow protectors, guests often strip the beds and then if faced with stained protectors, it will mar their experience and possibly result in a poor review. Cleanliness is key.
Romantic packages for two
A cosy cottage for 2, the ideal honeymooners retreat. These are the most popular properties and best bookers; they are not governed by childrens’ school holidays so attract couples at any time of the year. The rents do not fluctuate as much as larger houses, which are ruled by the school holidays where rents are low during the shoulder months, then are hiked up in the school holidays.
For your retreat to stand out in a crowded market, the bed should be show stopping, dress it to the hilts for the photos! If space allows, provide a 6’ bed, white linen and a sumptuous duvet, preferably with a lovely throw/fur blanket across the end. Fit a wood burning stove, have a sofa and an armchair, two armchairs don’t appeal for couples wanting to spend time together, they want a sofa! If you have looked at a two bed cottage to do up as a holiday let and the two bedrooms are small, knock them into one larger room – it will work better as a one bed than a pokey two.
Bath or shower? Shower all the way. If you can house a bath and a shower, that’s great but if you only have room for one or the other, take the bath away. Guests are keener for a large walk in shower than they are for a bath.
Credit: lalo Hernandez
5. Competitive Pricing
The current economic crisis means that people have not got much disposable income and with this past season’s inclement weather and a crowded market, guests will be harder to attract to our gorgeous county. Keeping prices competitive is the best way to ensure that your property stands out. Running costs are high too, making holiday letting less profitable than in previous years, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic where people flocked to Cornwall as it was the only place open to British holidaymakers.
Flights and accommodation abroad appeal to most, especially where sunshine is guaranteed. This being the case, Owners need to work harder to encourage bookings, lower pricing is the best way to entice guests to your holiday home, if you usually charge £1000.00, think of lowering the price to £995.00, for just a £5 drop you are under the £1,000.00 bracket.
6. Provide Parking
Parking, the essential part of a relaxing holiday! There are towns in the area where public parking is more available than others. In Penzance, there are multiple public car parks, spaces along the promenade and in many of the back streets. St Ives, is another matter. Holiday makers flock to this popular seaside town from March to November and over the festive period too.
Most bring their cars thus using all of the available car parking spaces in the few car parks dotted around the town. If your property has its own designated space, albeit at a distance from the property, guests will choose that over a property with no parking at all. Find a space to rent or buy if you can, otherwise suggest that your guests download the Just Park app and buy a space for the week.
7. Fresh Bedding
Crisp and white, ironed and tucked in. That’s what makes a holiday bed stand out from your guests’ own at home. Guests have worked hard and saved their pennies for this holiday, they want the best that they can afford and if that means extra special linen then that’s what it should be. Linen hire and private laundry services are readily available in the area and the cost is extremely competitive; it takes all the hard work away from you. It always comes back pressed and crisp, a service definitely worth using especially during the peak summer months.
Credit: Christopher Jolly
8. Stay once a year to experience your own holiday home
Your Holiday home may be an investment but it’s there for you to enjoy too! Try to stay and enjoy the property at least once a year, this also enables you to check that everything is in good working order. You will see what needs addressing to enhance your guests stay, perhaps looking at the paint work.
Ask the questions… does it need a fresh coat? Could the crockery do with updating? Is the shower still functioning properly? Is there a new mod con that would benefit the house? What could you add to make your space appeal to a wider audience? Are all the beds comfy or are they past their best? Of course these stays can easily turn into a busman’s holiday but the more you can do yourself, the less money you have to spend on trades people and maintenance.
9. Create an experience not a base
Cleanliness and comfort with all the luxuries that you can afford. Make it a memorable space, warm and cosy in the winter, light and airy in the summer. Providing quality cooking utensils and facilities for guests wanting to cook and entertain; more and more people love cooking, especially when staying in Cornwall where there is an abundance of locally sourced fresh fish and farm produce. Provide guests with information and links to local food outlets.
Do you have any talents that you can offer? Perhaps you are a beautician and can offer luxury treatments? Are you an artist? Take your guests on a painting trip. You can charge for these extras, increasing your income and making memories for your guests. They will be back, and what’s more, they will tell their friends and family.
surfing lessons in Mawgan Porth
10. Ensure you’re financially setup & claim benefits
Since 2021 the availability of specific grants and their eligibility criteria has changed, new programs may have been introduced since then. It’s essential to check with relevant local and national government authorities, as well as industry organisations, for the most up-to-date information on grants and financial support for holiday letting businesses in Cornwall.
Organisations like Visit Cornwall or the South West Tourism Alliance may have information on grants and support programs for holiday letting businesses in the region. Have a look online for the latest grants and financial support programs which may be available.
11. Holiday Refuse collection
Gone are the days of putting out your holiday home bin for the weekly Biffa collection service. The council no longer collects your refuse for free, they have a detailed list of properties that are registered as holiday homes. Therefore you must sign up for private refuse collection. This can be arranged by the property owner or management company and involves hiring a private waste collection service to pick up and dispose of the waste generated by your holiday home.
Ensure that your property has the appropriate bins and containers for waste segregation, recycling, and general refuse. The waste collection provider will have specific requirements regarding the types/bags and sizes of containers. As the Owner or if you are using a management agency, make sure that you provide your guests with clear instructions on how to use the bins and where to place them and give a clear collection schedule. All of this information should be added to your information folder.
This should be as detailed as you can possibly make it and left by the tea tray or in an obvious place.
Provide as much information as you can. Your or your agents contact details. The local vets (only if your property accepts pets), hospital, Doctors surgery, supermarkets, cash point. List the best walks from your property and in the local area.
Essentially leave a tide timetable, available to buy in all the local shops. Write your WiFi code clearly in the folder too, it’s one of the first things guests will look for on arrival. The best takeaway, give the name and phone number. Best pub, restaurant etc. Safest beach, best surf beach, where can they hire kayaks, windbreaks … the nearest dog friendly beach. Your favorite day out, some people have never been to the area so need to know everything to enhance their stay.
Quirky appliances? Give as many details about how they work, as you can, leave the instruction leaflets in a separate folder. This will prevent unnecessary phone calls from the guests to your agent or yourself.
13. What’s in the name?
Everything! Think of a unique feature of your property, not that it was once a granary or a dairy, there are hundreds of these and your property will not stand out. Did great aunt Nancy leave you some money that you used to buy the property? Nancy’s House. Is it in a remote spot? No Place. Is your dog called Hector? Hector’s House. Are you called or related to Wendy? The Wendy House.
With a bit of imagination, perhaps a gin and tonic in hand, you can think of something unusual that will intrigue a guest who is trawling through hundreds of properties, looking for accommodation in a very crowded market. With a great name, guests will delve deeper into your description and more often than not, check the availability and book your property.
