Writing a good property description

A listing description is essentially the ‘blurb’ of your property. This is the written section of your vacation rental advertisement where guests can learn a bit more about your place. When you set up a Travelnest account, we give you the option to generate an auto description using our tool. We recommend using an auto-generated listing description as, as the tool takes in to account market insights and saves you time. In this guide we outline the four elements you should include if you choose to write a vacation rental description yourself, or edit your auto-generated description. Please note, if you use Booking.com as a marketing channel, descriptions on this site are automatically generated based on the information you’ve provided.

Clear layout

Firstly, we will cover the layout. Our data shows that properties with a listing description which is over 800 characters in length tend to perform better than those that don’t. 800 characters is around 120-200 words, so aim to have that many split between different paragraphs. By splitting the text up it makes it easier for guests to read and digest the most important information. Use descriptive language that paints a vivid picture for readers so that they can easily imagine themselves staying at your property when you’re writing each sentence. Bullet point lists are also helpful for summarising.

Personalisation

Whilst our listing description generator tool can save you a lot of time, we do recommend making some changes to ensure it personal to your place. Adding that personal touch can help reflect the personality of your accommodation and you as a host. After all, a listing which stands out from the crowd is more likely to get booked. Personalise your description by making sure you highlight the unique features your place has to offer as well as any USPs (unique selling point) which will make guests choose your place over anywhere else!

Location, location, location

Another thing which guests like to see in a vacation rental advertisement is information about the local area. Location plays a huge part in where guests choose to book, and every place is different. Whether your vacation rental is located in a bustling town or the peaceful countryside, make this clear. Use this opportunity to tell guests about how far your place is from local attractions, bars and restaurants and transport links. You may even want to make some local recommendations! Help guests make an informed decision and don’t leave anything to the imagination.

Be the guest

Finally, put yourself in the guests position. Think about the things which you would want to see in a vacation rental listing description if you were thinking about booking. This may be be important information included in your house rules or policies, such as check in/check out times. It is really important for guests to have as much information as possible in advance so they know exactly what to expect, and to instill trust. Being as transparent as possible will result in more bookings quick, as there’s no room for having questions. Good communication from the offset ensures a smoother booking process and better reviews as a result.