Background
Ezio Secci is a vacation rental owner in Costa Rei in Sardinia. In 1975 in a conversation with friends, he found out by chance that there were a series of affordable houses under construction in the area. After some persuasion, he went to visit some of the properties. For Ezio, it was love at first sight with one particular property, not because of the house itself, as this was still under construction, but because of the breathtaking view.
After purchasing his dream home in Costa Rei, Ezio decided to start renting out this property as a vacation rental as he didn’t use the house the whole year round. Aside from not wanting it to be unused throughout most part of the year, he liked the idea of having an extra income from his vacation rental business and saw it as an investment. As someone who enjoys socializing and meeting new people, Ezio has never regretted his decision to become a vacation rental owner, as he enjoys welcoming travelers from all around the world into his home.
“I like being a vacation rental owner as it allows me to socialize and meet people and exchange opinions. I’ve met some really great pe
ople since I started hosting guests, and I always really enjoy this.”
At the end of 2019, Ezio joined Bookiply. Although most of his time working with Bookiply has been throughout the corona pandemic, Ezio still describes his experience as very positive and tells us how he has managed to secure multiple bookings for his vacation rental during this time.
“Working with Bookiply has been great. Last year we received many bookings through Bookiply and had a strong summer season from the beginning of July to the end of August despite the circumstances.”
Costa Rei
Costa Rei is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful beach and its proximity to other secluded beaches, both of which are especially desirable for travelers during the current pandemic. Competition for vacation rental owners is also particularly high in this area, which meant Ezio was even happier about the multiple bookings he received through Bookiply over the last months.
“Costa Rei is a very sought-after location because it has a beautiful, long, sandy beach. In just 10 minutes by car, you can also reach completely deserted beaches. This is definitely an advantage of the area, particularly now.”
A Focus on Guest Experience
There are few things better for Ezio than hearing that his guests have enjoyed a wonderful holiday in his vacation rental. He loves to receive feedback from guests on how they found their stay in his home. He recalls one experience in particular, which still sticks out in his mind, when a family was blown away by the view from his property.
“The best experience was when a family from Turin lingered on the terrace before entering the house, looked at the view and said this was the first time the view in real life was just as beautiful as in the pictures.”
Ezio not only focuses on positive feedback but also always strives to be better and asks guests after every stay if they have any suggestions to further improve his vacation rental business. He always makes sure to look into his guests’ suggestions and see if it is feasible to implement these. Guests feeling comfortable in his vacation rental is of utmost importance to Ezio and he always does his very best to make them feel at home.
“I like when guests can experience what I experience in my home. For example, I have animals in my home, so animals are also allowed in my vacation rental. I’m delighted when they tell me they had a great time after their stay. I also always ask them if they would improve anything to make staying in the house even better.”
On top of making them feel at home in his vacation rental, Ezio ensures his guests have all the information they need before arriving at his property. To do this, he prepares a brochure for them with details about everything the area has to offer, such as restaurants, hiking trails and different entertainment options. He also is happy to give recommendations on places to eat or shop during guests’ stay.
“When guests arrive, after chatting a bit, they usually ask for recommendations. I give suggestions on restaurants or places to shop for food as I know of small business owners who sell fruit, cheese and oil in the area.”
Clear communication
For Ezio, clear communication is key to successfully running his vacation rental business and is an important part of providing an excellent guest experience. Therefore, he makes sure that guests know exactly what to expect of his property and sends a list with details of everything in his vacation rental in advance. This way, he can avoid any miscommunications or potential guest complaints.
“As a vacation rental owner, I always try my best to avoid misunderstandings. I don’t hide anything and always send guests a list of things that are in the house. This way, guests get no surprises when they arrive at my vacation rental and already have all the information about the rooms, furniture, amenities and extras such as towels and sheets. Being clear about these things is so important.”
As someone who values good communication and interacting with people, the friendly treatment and designated contact person are just some of the reasons why Ezio enjoys working with Bookiply. He appreciates the personal connection he has with the team in Sardinia and that he can always reach out to his account manager, with whom he has managed to build a very good relationship despite having only met each other virtually.
“I decided to work with Bookiply after I had a meeting with the team and found them to be very friendly. Although I haven’t had the chance to meet my personal account manager in person yet due to the covid crisis, I still feel like we have built up a friendship over the phone. This is something I really appreciate.”
