Host Planet: Expert Insights for Short-Term Rentals

Send us a text This week’s special guest is Howard Reuben, from HCH Financial Services – the new home of holiday let mortgages.   Howard discusses his career as a mortgage broker and financial advisor, founding HCH Financial Services (in collaboration with Holiday Cottage Handbook), and how the growth of short-term rentals has boomed since the pandemic.    Howard picked the Principality Building S...

Send us a text Beyond is the global revenue management system for the vacation rental industry and prides itself on helping customers increase their annual revenue by a whopping 40%.   During this week’s episode we hear from Beyond CEO Julie Brinkman about her career, the dynamism and innovation of the short-term rentals industry, and future trends we should all be looking out for.   Julie also of...

Send us a text This week’s special guest is industry expert Mark Simpson – the direct booking king, Founder of Boostly, and the man Airbnb don’t want you to know about.    Mark spoke to James Varley about being born into the vacation rentals industry, founding Boostly, his top direct booking tips, marketing tactics, and what he really thinks about Airbnb.   Mark’s favourite brand shout-out went to...

Send us a text This week’s episode is dedicated to Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE, which will be held in collaboration with the Property Investor Show on 19-20 April at ExCel London.    Property Tribes Co-Founder Vanessa Warwick – an ambassador for Property Investor Show – is the special guest and she explains why this is a must-attend event in our industry.   Tickets for Holiday Cottage Handbook L...

Send us a text This week’s special guest is Robert Kennedy, the Co-Founder and Product Director of SuperControl – a long-established property management solution based in the UK.   Robert charts his journey from hosting in Scotland to developing a simple booking channel and eventually creating a PMS which takes £50 worth of bookings every second.   Robert’s favourite brand shout-out went to Premie...

Send us a text This week’s special guest is Philip Pickard, the CEO and Co-Founder of Speedy Wi-Fi. Philip talks to James Varley about how short-term rental hosts and property managers can advertise and leverage high-speed Wi-Fi in order to attract more bookings and boost revenue.  Philip’s favourite brand shout-out went to Plum Guide, while his individual shout-outs went to Boostly’s Mark Simpson...

Send us a text The CEO and Co-Founder of Turno, Assaf Karmon, is the special guest on this week’s #HCHPodcast.   Turno has grown into one of the biggest brands in the short-term rentals space – helping hosts and cleaners to significantly improve and expand their operations.   Assaf spoke about the story of Turno, outlined a bunch of actionable tips for hosts and property managers, and shared his p...

Send us a text Short-term rentals expert Richard Vaughton is the special guest on this week’s episode. A veteran of the industry, Richard has seen and done it all. From managing and building a family business, to launching and scaling tech companies, all the way through to advising some of the biggest brands in the sector. During the interview, Richard talks growth, scaling, direct bookings, indus...

Send us a text Property Hub Co-Founder and best-selling author Rob Dix is the special guest on this week’s show.   Rob discusses his latest book, The Price of Money, outlines the 18-year property cycle, talks about the power of inflation, and makes his market predictions for 2024.   His favourite brand shout-out went to Savills, while his individual shout-out went to Expat Property Story.   4:00 W...

Send us a text Kick off 2024 by finding out the five new year resolutions that every short-term rental host and property manager should be making!   Join host James Varley for an in-depth chat with industry guru Simon Lehmann, who shares his insight and knowledge for the benefit of hosts and property managers everywhere.   Simon’s brand shout-out went to Moving Mountains, while his individual shou...

Join host James Varley as we dive deep into the world of direct bookings and guest experience with Christianne Crump from STR HUB. In this episode, you'll discover expert insights on the short-term rental industry and the importance of revenue management for hosts. Christianne shares her journey and the vision behind STR HUB, a resource that aggregates essential information for property manage...

In this episode, host James Varley dives deep into the world of short-term rentals (STR) with Will Parry, CEO and Co-Founder of ALTIDO by Joivy. Discover how Will transitioned from a career in finance to disrupting the STR space, emphasising the importance of direct bookings and effective revenue management in today's vacation rental landscape. Hear about ALTIDO's unique approach to guest...

3:19 Joe’s career in the travel industry 4:48 All about RentalReady 5:57 Why RentalReady stands out from the crowd 8:11 RentalReady: All the essentials under one roof 9:59 The average customer at RentalReady 13:48 How a PMS can take your business to the next level 16:33 The trends people should be looking out for 18:43 Joe’s best advice to enhance the guest experience  22:42 It’s ‘early afternoon’...

3:18 Moriya’s journey in the short-term rentals industry 5:32 Luxury vacation rentals are thriving 5:48 Key learnings from the industry  7:15 Be an ambassador for your destination 9:55 What everyone can learn from the luxury sector 12:56 Invite your guests to be part of the community   14:37 Work with other hosts  15:50 Trends that Moriya is embracing  17:45 What Moriya is most excited about in th...

Join host James Varley as he explores essential marketing strategies for short-term rentals with expert Katie Bessant of The Holiday Hive. Discover how to maximise your direct bookings and enhance the guest experience with her top five marketing tips tailored for vacation rentals. From the importance of stunning photography to setting up your own direct booking website, Katie offers invaluable ins...

Join host James Varley as he engages in an insightful conversation with Amanda Stecker, owner of Holiday Letology and Unique Cotswold Cottages. If you're a short-term rental host aiming for business growth and improving your guest experience, this episode is a must-listen. Amanda specialises in one-on-one coaching designed to help hosts refine their operations, enhance revenue management, and...

Join host James Varley for an insightful conversation with Noelia Novella, CEO of Doinn, as they delve into the importance of effective housekeeping operations and automation for short-term rentals. Discover how focusing on cleanliness can significantly enhance guest experiences and lead to increased direct bookings for your vacation rentals. Noelia shares Doinn’s innovative business model, design...

4:01 Founding Property Tribes 5:39 Property Tribes caters for everyone interested in property investment 7:28 User generated content to help everyone 8:42 Investing in short-term rentals 11:02 Vanessa’s experience as a holiday rentals host 12:48 The property market right now 15:42 Dealing with anti-landlord rhetoric 18:42 Providing a brilliant guest experience is key 20:48 Top tips for holiday ren...

  3:24 The story of AIPEX Technologies 4:46 How does the device work? 6:25 An ‘Alexa Device’ for your short-term rental 7:49 All your phrases are supported in the system (about 900 topics!) 9:08 You can even use your own voice to respond to guests  9:54 Head to www.aipextech.com for more info (it costs about $10 per month) 11:31 The upfront costs (about $70) 12:56 It can only take an hour to get t...

Join host James Varley as he dives into the transformative world of digital guidebooks with Roger Graham, Founder and CEO of Orana Stay. Discover how innovative digital guidebooks can not only enhance guest experience but also drive direct bookings for vacation rentals and hotels. Roger shares his extensive experience in the short-term rental industry and discusses the exciting potential of AI in...

2:28 Buying a property management business in Scotland  5:10 We never planned to sell until Cottages.com came along 7:13 Consultancy work with companies who want to scale 8:34 Tip No. 1: Do your research 10:06 If money wasn’t an issue, where would you buy? 12:03 Should I allow pets? 14:43 Tip No. 2: Make it a home from home 18:12 Tip No. 3: Put yourself in the guest’s shoes 20:58 Tip No. 4: Be awa...

In this episode, we delve into the importance of direct bookings and effective revenue management in the vacation rental industry with Alex Caravitis, CEO and Co-Founder of Hosthub – a top-rated property management software. Join host James Varley as Alex shares his insights on the future trends shaping Airbnb hosting and the impact of AI on business growth. This conversation covers Alex's jou...

2:34 Thibault’s story in short-term rentals  5:15 Being a remote host  6:07 Setting up Rental Scale-Up  10:23 Helping Booking.com focus on short-term rentals 11:24 Airbnb right now and in the future  17:37 Airbnb’s co-hosts, striving for exclusivity, and preparing for regulation  20:21 Airbnb’s plan for growth and mid-term rentals  22:55 Brian Chesky wants people to live on Airbnb 24:41 Booking.co...

Join host James Varley as he interviews short-term rentals industry guru Simon Lehmann, the Founder and CEO of AJL Atelier. Discover insights into direct bookings and innovative revenue management strategies that can help vacation rental hosts navigate the upcoming challenges in the industry. With Simon's extensive experience and unique perspective on the vacation rentals sector, this episode...

Join host James Varley in this informative episode focused on PR strategies in the short-term rentals sector. Together with Jessica Gillingham, Founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide, they delve into critical topics such as enhancing guest experience, maximising direct bookings, and navigating the evolving landscape of vacation rentals. Discover how the short-term rentals sector has expanded, the impa...