Furnishing your short-term rental property to appeal to a wide variety of guests can be intimidating. To ensure you’re providing an all-encompassing experience, aim to design with the five senses in mind.
What does designing for the five senses mean?
- Sight: Do you have visual interest with colors, patterns, and pieces that immediately grab guests' attention?
- Smell: Does your property smell fresh and give an inviting ambiance?
- Sound: Can guests play music or remove unwanted sounds depending on their preferences?
- Taste: Do you welcome guests with snacks and drinks for a memorable first impression?
- Touch: Are your textiles soft, and do they promote a relaxing environment?
Consider approaching your design strategy this way to ensure you’re not missing the mark on key details. Read on for specific product recommendations from Holly that are sure to check all these boxes.
Sight – Art & Decor
Guests love walking into a space that showcases fun design risks that they may not take in their own homes. These brands have many statement pieces that serve both style and function..
MoMA Design Store
MoMA is a great one-stop shop for functional art pieces that are sure to add visual interest to your property. Check out these items that put a fun and artful spin on the norm.
Phaidon
Books can serve many purposes at short-term rentals - from styling shelves to providing guest entertainment. Coffee table books do both! Use inspiration from your property’s location or theme to add conversation pieces like these books to your space.
Samsung
Love high quality electronics but not the look of them? The Samsung Frame TV makes one of the most used tech pieces at your property look like a piece of art. Show guests photos of nearby attractions or features of your property when the tv is not in use.
Smell – Diffusers & Fragrances
Scent is arguably the most powerful sense, and a smell - good or bad - can leave a lasting impression. When guests walk into your property and are greeted by a signature scent, they will immediately be put at ease.
Brooklyn Candle Studio
Reed diffusers add scent to a space without requiring much work, and these particular diffusers last 4-5 months. We love the unisex Palo Santo scent as it appeals to the masses and keeps your property smelling fresh with minimal maintenance for hosts.
Canopy
Candles aren’t the safest option in short-term rentals, so hosts should consider diffusers from Canopy. Canopy specializes in pure essential oils that target specific needs like relieving stress or boosting your energy!
Sound – Speakers & Record Players
Sound plays a more important role in your short-term rental property than you may think! Give guests the option to play some music, stream a podcast, or ensure they’re sleeping well with white noise with products like these.
CB2
A Marshall Classic Bluetooth Speaker is a sophisticated way to provide guests with the option to play music. Whether it’s used once or every single day, this piece also looks stunning at your property.
Snooz
While speakers help add sound, absence of unwanted sound is just as important. Sound machines like this one from Snooz will help guests tune out any noise and get an uninterrupted night of rest.
Taste – Food & Drink
If you’re a host that’s not already providing a welcome basket with snacks and drinks, you’re missing a huge opportunity to impress your guests! This is a simple gesture that goes such a long way and means a lot to guests..
RTZN
RTZN is one of Minoan’s wholesale partners that have any snack under the sun that you can think of, including popular brands like Hippeas and Tate’s. Minoan members have the opportunity to purchase in bulk so they can curate thoughtful snack baskets that add a special touch to the guest experience.
Spindrift
Having an option for guests besides water is a nice touch that will go a long way! Spindrift comes in a variety of flavors that last for months so you can buy in bulk and replenish as needed.
Chafinity
It’s easy to cater to both coffee and tea lovers when you stock up with products from Chafinity! If you want to do something a little different, we recommend this matcha set - a great beginners tool for guests that are looking to try matcha and enjoy the full experience!
Touch – Linens & Blankets
It’s important to provide linens and blankets in the softest materials that will promote relaxation! We have several Minoan brand partners that will turn your property into a cozy sanctuary for guests.
Boll & Branch
Selecting bedding is easier than ever when you opt for a full bedding bundle from Boll & Branch. They have several different materials to choose from, including standard percale and sateen options which are common linen choices among STR hosts.
Need help deciding what linen material is best for your property?
Check out our linen buying guide!
FluffCo
Nothing screams luxury like a hotel robe. Guests will feel so pampered at your property when they can lounge and dry off with a soft robe. This particular robe by FluffCo was voted best robe by Architecture Digest in 2022, and is produced by the same manufacturers that supply robes to high end hotels around the world.
Parachute
Layering your bedding is a great way to make your STR seem more high-end, and adding the Cloud Cotton Quilt from Parachute will do the trick! This particular product is a Minoan team favorite.
Designing to the senses is essentially a checklist to an all-encompassing experience at your short-term rental. Each of the five senses is equally important - from small details like welcome snack baskets to hitting the mark on big-ticket items like bedding. Guests want to feel like the money spent on staying at your property is worth it. When you hit the mark on all five senses, you’re sure to impress guests and improve bookings at your property.
Ready to shop for the five senses? Minoan members can use one checkout process to order exclusive discounted products from all of the partners listed in this blog article.
Join Minoan today!
