Vacation Rentals are under attack in Florida from Senate Bill 280 (SB280) that recently passed the Florida state legislature. We have only days remaining to make an impact!

Your voice is needed.

What is SB280?

The Florida Senate and House of Representatives recently passed Senate Bill 280, which, if signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will significantly impact vacation rentals, tourism, and property rights across the state. Let’s work together to stop this overreach.

This bill opens PMCs, property managers and guests to increased restrictions, such as:

• Local governments can remove vacation rentals based on undefined “violations” with no notice to guests and no course of redress for lost funds for either the rental owner or the guest.
• It eliminates the right for bunk rooms in homes and enforces a 2 person per bedroom maximum – negatively affecting traveling families among others.
• Unlimited fees means higher costs to run a vacation rental business and higher costs to rent a vacation home by visitors to Florida. This equates to an additional tax for PMCs and homeowners alike.

Key Data estimates this could impact upwards of 40% of vacation rentals in the state of Florida and reduce associated revenue in communities by 30% or more.

We need your help to stop the overreach.

We believe in fair thoughtful regulation but Florida SB280 is a jobs killer and will impact the rights of businesses, property owners and guests alike.

How Can We Stop This?

We need Gov. DeSantis to Veto SB280. All voices are important but especially those of you based in Florida.

Take action yourself. Reach out by email and by phone:

1. Email the Governor directly: GovernorRon.DeSantis2023@eog.myflorida.com
2. Click Here to Sign
3. Click Here for Information on How to Contact the Governor’s Office and see Our Call and Email Scripts

We’re doing our best to share the news and urge our homeowners to take action. Please share this blog with other Florida vacation rental homeowners you know. This will impact them directly.

Please also share with your employees, partners and vendors in the Florida market. These changes will have a negative impact on them and their businesses as well.

You can find more details about SB280 and efforts to stop it here: https://www.streamlinevrs.com/sb280/

If you have additional requests or need more information, please reach out to Scott Leggat, Inhabit’s Director of Government Affairs at: scott.leggat@inhabit.com.

Comments?

As always, we are on hand to answer your questions. If you have any comments or queries, please reach out to our team.

US – 407-605-58650

UK – 0333 332 1411

White Rose Villas has introduced a new, better way for you to get in touch with our team. Discover the details here.

Calling all homeowners! We’ve installed a new phone system to make it easier for your calls to reach the right person.

How to choose the right contact option

When you call our main number (UK or USA) or admin phone number, you’ll be routed to a menu system.

We’ve purposefully kept the menu system simple, so it is easy to choose the right option to suit your enquiry.

Press:

1 = Reservations

Choose this to make a new booking.

2 = 24/7 customer services

This option is for guests while they are staying with us. They will be directed to the On Resort Breezeway Assist team in the first instance, giving responsive 24/7 coverage.

3 = Property management

As an owner, this is the option you should choose. You’ll be directed to the on-duty property management contact.

4 = Agent bookings

This is a dedicated option for travel agents and independent agents to assist with booking enquiries.

Please call the main number

We know that some homeowners already have the personal phone numbers or WhatsApp contact details for individual members of our staff.

Moving forward, we kindly ask that you refrain from using these personal contact details.

That’s because when you call the main number, your call is properly logged and answered.

If you call individual team members, the call won’t be logged and you might not receive a call back. To get the fastest possible response to your query it is, therefore, better to call the main number.

Please respect our staff

The other important reason to call the main office number rather than personal staff contact numbers is out of respect for our team. We’ve have some occasions recently when staff have received calls and even dealt with enquiries on their days off.

We really don’t want to put our team in this position. We want to honour their time off.

Please help us to do this by always calling the main office number (either UK or USA).

US: 407-605-5865

UK: 0333 332 1411

Which number to give your guests

Please give your guests the USA office number.

That’s: 407 605 5865

If your guests need assistance while on vacation, it’s best to call this number and choose option 2.

Got feedback about how it works?

We’re always keen to hear your feedback when we implement changes.

Please do share your thoughts with us about how the new system is working.

Contact Us

Our housekeeping team go above and beyond to ensure a pristine finish for our guests and vacation-home owners.

Every homeowner knows that the quality of housekeeping in a property can make or break a vacation. Our housekeepers do amazing work, day in and day out, to make sure our guests have a wonderful stay.

Recognising our team’s hard work

In February, at our monthly team meeting, we took time out to recognise the hard work of all our housekeeping team.

Our housekeepers truly go the extra mile to make sure all of your homes look their best and to ensure your guests are impressed with the cleanliness of the vacation rental home at which they stay.

Two members of our housekeeping team won special mention and we’d like to also recognise their hard work here.

Lena and Jessica always go the extra mile for our guests and homeowners. They prioritise guests needs and ensure a pristine finish to the homes they look after. We really appreciate all their hard work.

Praise from our Housekeeping Manager

Jessica K, our housekeeping manager, praised Lena and Jessica’s work.

She commented: “Lena and Jessica are team players. They frequently go above and beyond for the team. They are always up for a challenge and help others along the way.”

“Their work is always excellent and they continue to strive to do better.”

Our owners’ homes look great

It’s thanks to the continued hard work of our housekeeping team that we frequently receive wonderful reviews for the quality of our housekeeping.

We get high scores for homes that are:

• Free of clutter
• Squeaky clean bathrooms
• Spotless furniture and linens
• Have a pristine kitchen

We’d like to thanks Lena and Jessica and the whole of our housekeeping team for their dedication, enthusiastic hard work and the great results they achieve for our guests and homeowners.

View our homes

You can see the results for yourself by browsing our homes.

We all know the importance of guest reviews in increasing the occupancy of our homes.

With this in mind, we’d like to encourage all owners to share ALL of your guest reviews with us. Good and bad!

Fostering a Culture of Improvement and Recognition

Guest reviews in shape the reputation and success of our vacation rentals.

Reviews provide valuable feedback that helps us enhance the guest experience and maintain high standards of service. However, to truly leverage the power of reviews for continuous improvement, we need the support of our property owners.

Why Sharing All Guest Reviews Matters

Comprehensive Feedback for Improvement:

By receiving all guest reviews, our team gains insights into areas where we excel and areas that require attention. Positive reviews highlight what guests love about the property and our service, while constructive criticism in less-than-perfect reviews helps us identify areas for improvement.

Training and Development Opportunities:

Sharing all reviews allows us to use them as teaching tools for training our team members. Whether it’s recognizing exemplary service or addressing areas of concern, every review contributes to the ongoing development of our staff.

Recognition and Motivation:

Our team works hard to deliver exceptional service, and positive reviews serve as a testament to their efforts. Recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance boosts morale and motivates team members to continue delivering top-notch service.

Incentivizing 5-Star Service:

Many vacation rental platforms prioritize properties with high ratings, making positive reviews crucial for maintaining visibility and attracting future guests. By sharing all reviews, owners contribute to our efforts to secure 5-star ratings and enhance the property’s reputation.

The Role of YourWelcome Digital Welcome Book

In addition to guest reviews, our YourWelcome digital welcome book includes a feature that allows guests to rank the home upon check-in. If a guest provides anything less than a 5-star rating, we take immediate action to address any concerns. Our goal is to ensure that every guest has a 5-star experience, and we proactively reach out to guests to resolve any issues.

How Owners Can Help

Share All Reviews:

We encourage owners to forward all guest reviews, both positive and critical, to our property management team. This ensures that we have a comprehensive understanding of the guest experience and can take appropriate action to address any issues.

Timely Submission:

Promptly forwarding guest reviews allows us to respond promptly to feedback, whether it requires immediate action or serves as a source of motivation for our team. Owners are encouraged to share reviews as soon as they are received.

Support and Collaboration:

By working together to collect and analyse guest feedback, owners and property managers can create a collaborative environment focused on continuous improvement and delivering exceptional guest experiences.

Assisting Our Team:

Your reviews help our dedicated cleaning and inspection teams understand guest expectations and improve the quality of their work.

We also encourage you to share positive reviews with your cleaners. While it’s common to address negative feedback, acknowledging their hard work and dedication when things go well is equally important.

Team Meetings and Training:

Our Housekeeping Manager, Jessica, works tirelessly to train and lead our cleaning teams. Your reviews provide essential insights that enable us to continually improve, especially in these demanding times.

Your feedback is instrumental in our monthly team meetings, where we recognize outstanding cleaners and develop training materials to continuously enhance our services. This is particularly important in the current challenging market.

Bonus Rewards:

In a gesture of our gratitude, White Rose Villas has instituted a bonus program. Housekeepers who are recipients of 5-star reviews will have the opportunity to receive special bonuses. We deeply respect the demanding nature of their work and believe in recognizing and rewarding our dedicated team.

Where to Send Reviews

Please forward guest reviews to admin@whiterosevillas.com. Your prompt sharing of these reviews will contribute to our collective effort to maintain and elevate our standards. 

We acknowledge that not all owners may directly manage bookings, but we genuinely appreciate your feedback following your visits. Your input is invaluable in our quest to consistently meet and surpass expectations. Rest assured, we will continue to share guest reviews we receive with property owners.

Conclusion

At White Rose Villas, we believe that transparent communication and collaboration between owners and property managers are essential for achieving mutual success. By sharing all guest reviews, owners play a vital role in supporting our efforts to deliver outstanding service and maintain the property’s reputation. Together, we can create memorable experiences for guests and drive positive outcomes for our vacation rental business.

Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing partnership. We look forward to receiving your valuable guest reviews and working together to maintain our reputation for excellence.

Need more information?

Please get in touch. We’re always happy to help and answer your questions.

Visit our contact page.

Find out more about how White Rose Villas is using YourWelcome, a digital welcome book service, to offer a five-star service to guests.

Most of you are already using YourWelcome.

If you aren’t, let me explain: YourWelcome is the leading digital guidebook platform offering a premium solution across entire guest journeys.

Getting important feedback at check-in

One of the most useful features from a property management point of view is the feature that allows guests to rank the home upon check-in.

If a guest provides anything less than a 5-star rating, we take immediate action to address any concerns. The digital notification we receive enables us to ensure that our guests are happy on arrival.

If the review highlights any issues, we can act fact to take remedial action.

Early reviews ensure fast action

Our goal is to ensure that every guest has a 5-star experience, and we proactively reach out to guests to resolve any issues.

Our fast response doesn’t only benefit the guest. It also helps you because it protects the ratings and reviews the guest is likely to give your home at checkout. If a customer complaint is handled well, it will earn you trust and a better overall review.

Guest management made easy

YourWelcome offers a number of brilliant features for you and your guests:

• Digital Guidebook
• Contactless check-in, guest surveys & video property guides
• Fully customisable guest check in
• Reduce guest queries with video or text property guides
• Chat directly to  guests via the tablet

It also helps you collect guest reviews and will be an important part of our ratings and reviews analysis moving forward.

Why choose YourWelcome? 

YourWelcome is more than a digital guide. It’s your secret weapon for creating unforgettable guest experiences while boosting your property’s revenue potential.

Here’s how:

1. Seamless Guest Engagement: Provide guests with instant access to everything they need, from property details to local hotspots. Say goodbye to unnecessary enquiries with all-encompassing information at their fingertips.

• Tailored Recommendations: Make each stay unique by offering personalised recommendations based on local insights.

• Revolutionise Revenue: This is the exciting part: YourWelcome opens the door to additional revenue streams! Guests can effortlessly add extra services, covering the costs and even surpassing them. YourWelcome makes it easy for your guests to opt for a late check-out – enhancing their experience and contributing to your bottom line.

Why we’re introducing YourWelcome

Since the onset of COVID-19, guests have moved to preferring digital formats. This is great for homeowners because it saves you the cost and hassle of printing, updating and replacing physcial welcome books.

YourWelcome Digital Handbooks are insured and will be replaced free of charge in case of any mishap. This not only ensures cost-effectiveness but also provides peace of mind.

To bring YourWelcome to your vacation rental, we’re offering an exclusive annual subscription for $195 (normally $250). This investment covers ongoing support, updates, and the potential for remarkable increases in guest satisfaction and revenue. 

During our trial period, we witnessed first hand how costs associated with the YourWelcome subscription were not just covered but exceeded by guests adding extra services.

The improved ease of management for you, the better experience for your guests, and the boost to revenue to your home all add up to a great solution which will positively impact on your property’s profitability.

Contact our team for more information

If you aren’t already using and benefiting from YourWelcome and you would like to give it a try, please get in touch and our team will be happy to assist.

Return to our contact page.

We’ve had great success with our marketing for Book Direct Day. Thank you to all our homeowners for your support.

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news with you regarding our recent book direct marketing campaign. We’re pleased to report that the campaign has garnered a highly positive response, resulting in increased bookings and heightened engagement from our valued guests.

Book Direct with White Rose Villas

Through targeted efforts to encourage guests to book directly through our platform, we’ve seen a significant uptick in reservations, showcasing the effectiveness of our strategy. By emphasizing the benefits of booking directly with White Rose Villas, such as exclusive offers, personalized service, and streamlined booking processes, we’ve successfully captured the attention and trust of our guests.

We’re proud to announce that our campaign has propelled us 47% ahead of our target, surpassing our initial expectations and demonstrating the immense potential of our direct booking initiatives.

Bypass third-party booking platforms

The success of this campaign not only reflects our commitment to providing exceptional service but also underscores the importance of our direct relationship with guests. By bypassing third-party booking platforms, we’re able to offer a more personalized experience and build stronger connections with our guests, fostering loyalty and satisfaction.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our dedicated team for their hard work and dedication in executing this campaign. Their efforts have truly made a difference in driving our success and reinforcing White Rose Villas as the preferred choice for discerning travellers.

Thank you

I’d like to extend huge thanks also to our wonderful homeowners. You have been so receptive to our marketing campaigns. Thank you for being so open and flexible while working with us.

As we continue to capitalize on this momentum, we remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering unparalleled experiences and exceeding the expectations of our guests.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Today is Book Direct Day!

In a world dominated by online travel businesses like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, it’s easy for vacationers to believe that the best deals and experiences are to be found on the websites of these big platforms.

However, the truth is that often the best deals and the most treasured experiences are to be found by booking direct.

Here’s just a few reasons why the next time you book a vacation, you should book directly with the vacation rental company managing the property.

1.  Price Transparency

When you book directly, there are no hidden service fees or surprise charges. What you see is what you get, allowing for better budgeting and planning.

2. Best Price Guarantee

Vacation rental companies offer the lowest price when you book direct because they won’t be subject to third party charges levied by the big booking platforms. They can pass these savings on to you, so you get the most competitive rates available.

3. Exclusive Deals and Discounts

Vacation rental companies – like White Rose Villas – have special promotions and loyalty programs for direct bookers, offering exclusive discounts or added perks. Get in touch with us to find out more!

4. Personalized Customer Service

Direct communication with a rental company means a more personalized service. You’re dealing with a small business that cares about your experience – not a megalithic booking platform on which it’s hard to get in touch with to a real person. This means that when you book direct you benefit from personalized assistance, from pre-booking inquiries to on-site support during your stay.

5. Local Expertise

Vacation rental companies are often local experts, providing insider tips and recommendations for an authentic and immersive experience. For example, you can read through our blogs to discover many tips and recommendations about making the most of your stay in Central Florida. Or ask about local events and activities directly – we’re always happy to share our experience and advice.

6. Access to Additional Amenities

Some vacation rental companies offer extra amenities or services – such as a welcome basket on arrival or concierge services – exclusively to direct bookers. This enhances your overall vacation experience.

7. Faster Issue Resolution

In case of any problems, direct communication with your vacation rental company means faster issue resolution. That’s because there are no third parties or unnecessarily rigid processes slowing down response times or resolution.

8. Repeat Booking Rewards

Loyalty pays off! Vacation rental companies, like White Rose Villas, often offer rewards programs that are only available on direct bookings.

9. Enhanced Privacy

Booking directly keeps your data with a single provider. Your personal data and web browsing behaviors won’t be shared across multiple platforms.

10. Direct Feedback Loop

Your feedback directly influences the vacation rental company’s operations. In this way, you can contribute directly to the continuous improvement of guest experiences.

11. Support Local and Small Businesses

By booking directly, you support the local economy. You can contribute directly to a more sustainable and community-centric approach to travel. Many vacation rental companies are small businesses. Booking directly with them helps us to thrive in a competitive market.

12. Feel Like a VIP

Direct bookers are often treated like VIPs, enjoying a more personalized and memorable stay compared to the standardized experience offered by the big online platforms.

Next time: Book Direct!

Next time you plan your vacation, consider booking direct to benefit from all of these fantastic advantages and more. It’s time to rediscover the joy of travel, one direct booking at a time!

Did you know that more than half of the villas booked by our rental partners have Grade A status?

Our booking partners tell us that a home’s quality, condition and amenities all play a part in the overall customer experience. By bringing your home up to Grade A status, you can maximise the likelihood of our booking partners booking your home.

But what makes a Grade A home? In this blog, we’ll outline exactly what our booking partners are looking for, so you can think about any changes you might need to make to achieve Grade A status.

What makes a Grade A vacation home?

There are fourteen important factors that our booking partners look for in order to grade a vacation home as Grade A.

They are:

• Excellent curb appeal. Fresh exterior paint. Well-kept landscaping. Entrance is clean and tidy.
• Modern home with a new look and feel.
• Home fabrics and flooring are high quality and free from any marks or damage.
• Spotless bathrooms with clean grouting. Modern fixtures.
• New appliances, free from damage. Correct numbers of pots, pans, crockery and cutlery for maximum number of occupants. Excellent in appearance.
• Towels and linens are of high quality, damage free and spotless.
• Chairs and sun loungers are clean and comfortable. Enough for maximum occupancy.
• Large-screen Smart TV with high quality speakers/ surround sound in family room.
• Smart TVs in all bedrooms.
• Safe.
• Themed kids’ rooms.
• Games or movie room.
• Modern furniture in each room which complements the home.

Without all of these things, your home can easily drop down to a Grade B status. This makes it imperative to keep your home at tip-top condition, to replace towels and linens when needed, and make replacements to damaged items quickly.

Once your home starts showing signs of wear and tear, it will drift down to a Grade C status – and these homes will only account for ten percent of bookings. Once things obviously need replacing – whether linens or appliances or anything else – the home drops to a Grade D status and it won’t be booked by our booking partners.

That’s one of the reasons we’re so excited about the recent kitchen renovation we completed for one of our homeowners. Check it out here!

What next? Get in touch with our team

If you have concerns about any items in your house or if you’ve had any feedback that you’d like looking into, please get in touch with our team. We can also work with you on a plan to upgrade your home, if you feel it necessary.

We’re very happy to share more information about the grading criteria for homes. If you’d like to discuss our booking partners’ criteria or find out more about the way our booking partners grade homes, please contact the White Rose Villas team.

New for 2022: we’ve recently completed a kitchen renovation and we’re excited to share the results with you. It’s a different, cheaper and greener way to keep your home at Grade A status.

We have recently worked with one of our homeowners to update and modernise the kitchen in their home. To save time and money, they chose to trial a new finish for the kitchen worktops called Miracle Method.

If you’re not familiar with Miracle Method, it is a special surface refinishing treatment for kitchen worktops and bathroom countertops, splashbacks, tiles and floors.

Why we like the Miracle Method approach

Instead of ripping out the old counters and worktops, Miracle Method simply resurfaces the existing counters so they look (at least) as good as new. We really like this idea and our first trial with the system has gone really well. The home looks great!

The homeowner here opted to paint the cupboards prior to refinishing the worktops, so the whole kitchen has enjoyed a modernising make-over. Instead of costing more than $10,000 for a new kitchen, the whole renovation cost less than $3,000. It’s a really affordable way to maintain your home’s Grade A status and keep amenities looking fresh and new.

For homeowners the advantage is obvious: the work is much less disruptive – so you won’t have as many days when your home is unrentable due to the refurbishment. You save money twice: first, because the overall refurbishment costs less and, second, because of the reduction in disruption means fewer unrentable nights.

We also love the concept because it’s greener. It means a lot less waste is going to landfill, so you can keep your home looking great without adding to problematic supply chains or excess wastage.

About Miracle Method

Miracle Method highlights the following benefits to its solutions:

• Refinishing saves time: imagine your kitchen and bathrooms beautiful again in just two to three days. No messy demolition or long lead times required!

• Refinishing saves money: in addition to being fast, you will save 50% to 75% over the cost of replacement – our customers save thousands of dollars.

• The results are beautiful: choose from over 30 colours and get the high-end look without the high-end cost. We refinish your existing bathtubs, countertops, showers, floors and tile making them look and feel new!

It’s important that only approved cleaning products are used with the finished surfaces. Bleach-based and/or abrasive products should not be used.

We’re currently updating our guidance for housekeeping staff and guests for all homes that have Miracle Method resurfacing on their countertops.

Are you interested in refinishing your countertops?

Are you thinking about updating your kitchen or bathrooms?

If you’d like to know more about Miracle Method, please get in touch with our team. We’re very happy to share information and results with all homeowners who are interested.

What are we doing to navigate through this new uncertainty? And how can we protect the improvement in bookings we’ve seen lately? Here’s an update from our team.

With the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the uncertainty that had been waning over recent months has returned to the travel industry. Travel operators are waiting to see what the effect will be on bookings.

Booking rates around the world

Travel to South Africa feel dramatically – 750 percent – almost overnight. But with many European countries and the USA imposing travel bans on up to eight South African countries, including South Africa, this was inevitable.

Meanwhile, bookings to the rest of the world have remained surprisingly strong. The swift action of the South African authorities to share what they know has enabled many countries to take pre-emptive actions and identify the few instances of the variant within their borders. This has helped to maintain travel confidence.

Furthermore, so far, countries haven’t reimposed wider travel bans. Travellers are expected to take pre-departure tests in many cases, but this is a manageable inconvenience for most.

As a result, while there has been a small drop off in bookings to Europe and the United States, the fall has not been as dramatic as seen previously.

Latest news on flights into the USA

So far, President Biden has implemented stricter travel rules but not made major changes to who can travel. This is great news for European visitors who have only recently had travel open back up to them.

The new rules mean that, from next week, all international travellers to the USA – including American citizens – must take a COVID-19 test one day before travel. This must be completed regardless of your vaccination status.

Furthermore, mask requirements on planes, buses and trains will be extended until mid-March.

We will keep an eye out on updates to the situation. At the moment, experts are still working to understand what the variations in Omicron will mean in terms of transmissibility and the seriousness of the effects. Until we know more, it is hard to predict what will happen in the short term, either in terms of travel restrictions being ramped up or relaxed or in terms of any effect on bookings.

We will keep you posted!

Strategies to boost booking

In the meantime, we will continue to be flexible in our approach to booking, so that we can maximise occupancy rates and revenues for you.

#1. Communicating clearly about the cleaning procedures we have in place

We’ve always been known for our immaculate cleaning procedures and we continue to emphasise this to guests, including detailing the enhanced cleaning procedures we’ve implemented during the pandemic.

#2. Contactless check-in

As well as enhanced cleaning regimes, we’re doing a few other things differently at the moment to shore up guest confidence. We continue to highlight these standards to ensure guest confidence when they stay at your property.

#3. Marketing to customers within driving distance

Local bookings have been really important throughout the last two years and we are continuing to look at new ways to reach this market. These bookings held strong even when flight restrictions were imposed, so they are an important part of building resilience in your rental income.

#4. Discounts for longer stays

With the increase in remote work holding strong for many people, this is opening the door for travellers to stay for longer. And who wouldn’t want to work poolside? Travellers can take their families away without needing to book extra vacation, so offering discounts for longer stays can be a good way to serve this market and boost occupancy.

#5. Lowering minimum night stays

We know this isn’t for everyone but lowering the minimum night requirement can help to boost bookings. For one, you’ll show up in a greater number of searches in the listing sites.

#6. Adaptive pricing

We’ve seen over the last year just how effective dynamic pricing can be in maximising bookings and revenue. Thank you for working with us on this over the last 12 months. Options include lowering your minimum price, increasing last-minute discounts and offering some special deals. We’ll continue to tweak our activities on this to ensure that we are maximising occupancy without jeopardising maximum rates.

Reach out to our team

If you have any concerns, or would like to talk through anything raised in this blog, please reach out to our team as normal.