How TravelStaytion Standardizes the Vacation Rental Guest Experience

In a time when consumers are seeking alternative lodging experiences, standardization has proven to be a challenge for vacation rentals. Industry leaders are diligently battling negative perceptions of quality, and with more hotels entering the vacation rental arena, the need for a level playing field has never been greater.

It all starts with professionalizing and standardizing for that one-of-a-kind overnight stay, providing a guest the hotel-like assurances and experiences they’ve come to expect. The apartment or other abode may possess a distinctly unmatched roof over the head of a guest, but the process from booking to check-in to check-out and all that’s in between should be homogeneous and possess professional courtesy and services.

Image via TravelStaytion

Hotel-izing the market

Now that hotels are in the picture, TravelStaytion Managing Director Jason Anastasinis sees the vacation rental market further evolving where the guest experience trumps the lure of a less expensive stay that helped put the industry on the map a few years ago.

“The main challenge now is to hotel-ize the market,” he said from TravelStaytion’s London headquarters. “The hotel industry is adjusting prices to reach more customers and compete in the rental market. We want to compete equally. I think the time is now to provide a similar or very close experience to the customer.”

TravelStaytion is an online platform for professionally managed holiday and short term-let rentals. The company focuses on the market of business and leisure travelers, backed by certified professional property providers and managers. As one of more than 30 Kigo channel partners, TravelStaytion listings seamlessly integrate with Kigo Channel Manager.

Anastasinis, who joined TravelStaytion in October 2012, said the company strives to offer and provide similar services as a hotel at each of the more than 25,000 properties it represents in Europe, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece and Italy. To start, the company works with professionally managed properties – not owners.

Image via TravelStaytion

Taking guest satisfaction to the next level

In 2014, TravelStaytion enlisted with Kigo to improve its client list and provide associated property managers the necessary tools to conform to the company’s mission to make a guest’s stay feel as close to home as possible. One improvement has been the accuracy of pricing information through Kigo Marketplace.

The standardized platform, while customizable, created a stronger sense of community among TravelStaytion and its property partners.

“Property managers are slow to adapt to the speed of market and the supply changes every day,” he said. “We need the alliances for these markets because these they are evolving and changing. We are using Kigo to access information, focus on service and find more alliances.”

TravelStaytion relies on property managers to take service and guest satisfaction to the next level. The company works with corporate partners and local hosts who meet specific criteria to assist guests requiring additional support or information. Hosts are native to the area and possess in-depth local knowledge and can be contacted directly by guests.

Image via TravelStaytion

Also, a virtual concierge allows guests to reserve services – like restaurant reservations, tickets to attractions or a massage – at booking or throughout the stay.

“The property manager can provide the service of reception,” Anastasinis said. “When customers book, they can see the available services, in terms of transportation, in terms of restaurants, concierge services, this sort of thing.”

In addition, a customer care team that works around the clock offers support for any guest issue, whether it’s finding the right destination or an issue with a host property.

To strengthen is brand as a platform driven by its association with professionally managed properties, TravelStaytion launched a new website this fall. Anastasinis said the redesign and branding will emphasize how vacation and business travelers can have a great experience.

“We believe in providing quality to the customer,” he said. “That’s why we are focusing on property managers because we believe in servicing any extra requests.”

Kigo Channel Manager connects your properties to guests around the world searching on TravelStaytion. Learn more!