With its bustling atmosphere and picturesque harbor, Puerto Banús, located just a few kilometers west of Marbella, has become a popular holiday destination for travelers from all over the world. High-end restaurants and clubs, top shopping facilities, and, of course, its beach which stretches for one kilometer are just a few of the attractions that await you in this coastal resort.
Background
Rene Hermann is a vacation rental owner from Denmark with 2 spectacular villas in Puerto Banús. After traveling a lot in the south of Spain and specifically in Marbella and the surrounding areas, he decided to invest in some property there. As he did not want to live in Spain full time, renting these properties as holiday homes was a logical decision for him. Rene’s 2 holiday homes are a popular choice for tourists due to their central location and high-quality amenities. On top of that, Rene’s top-notch service, which is mentioned again and again in his reviews, means he enjoys an influx of guests to his villas.
For 10 years, Rene managed his villas in Puerto Banús through the Spanish-based platform Spain-Holiday until its merger with Bookiply in the summer of last year. In late 2021, Rene transitioned his properties to Bookiply, a move which in his experience has been a great success.
In our interview with Rene, we chatted about his secrets to becoming a successful homeowner, his experience transitioning to Bookiply, and how working with Bookiply has had a positive impact on the running of his vacation rental business.
A Focus on Guest Experience
Rene prides himself on giving his guests the best experience in every way possible, and this is certainly reflected in his good reviews. Not only does he ensure guests have everything they need, but he also places great emphasis on keeping his villas fresh and up-to-date. Several times a year he comes from Denmark to make sure his houses are ready for the season and are looking brand new – whether that means freshening up the paint or buying new furniture.
“Guests are always impressed with the quality of my houses and the fact that they are always clean and like new. Ensuring my houses are always of a high standard is vital to me and my team. It is important to us that the property looks as it does in the photos on the internet. I think if you invest in your house it will pay off in the long run. ”
Rene doesn’t just focus on keeping his holiday homes modern but also makes sure that his guests can contact him at all times. The fact that Rene is easily reachable, as well as his quick reply time, are just some of the further advantages of booking a vacation in one of his villas.
“When my guests arrive at Malaga airport they send us a text and then we know they are on their way. When they arrive, we have someone ready to hand over the keys and show them the house and how everything works. If there are questions upon arrival or during their stay we let them know that they can always send us a WhatsApp. They really appreciate this.”
The location of Rene’s properties is also a major selling point for travelers, with everything they need just a stone’s throw away. With an ideal location and Rene’s excellent service, it is no wonder guests return year on year to his villas.
“You can easily get to the center where you have everything – restaurants, clubs as well as golf courses. And the harbor is beautiful. All my guests say they want to go to Puerto Banús because it is near everything and they especially enjoy my properties because they are within walking distance of all shops and services.”
Transitioning to Bookiply: Less Work and More Bookings
After Spain-Holiday joined the Holidu Group, Rene decided to transition his vacation rentals to Bookiply. Nevertheless, after being with Spain-Holiday for 10 years Rene was a bit apprehensive about switching companies and how this could potentially affect the managing of his holiday homes.
“It was definitely difficult to transition to a new company after working with Spain-Holiday for 10 years. You need to see how everything works and determine if it is ultimately the right decision for you – how the service and the working relationship are and if you can progress together. So far it is going really well. I have had a really positive experience.”
Rene attributes his positive experience with Bookiply to many things. From dealing with inquiries to preparing offers and contracts while with Spain-Holiday, one significant advantage of working with Bookiply is that Rene and his team no longer have to take care of all the administrative work.
“When I worked with Spain Holiday, my team and I did everything. After receiving an inquiry we would make the guests an offer and then send the booking contract that our lawyer had approved. That is why the switch to Bookiply has been great. Bookiply takes care of all administrative work and it is no longer necessary for my team in Denmark or France to do this.”
In the last few months, Rene has also seen a steady increase in bookings which he attributes to being present on multiple channels through Bookiply. This has further confirmed for him that making the move from Spain-Holiday was the right thing for his vacation rental business.
“Making the move to Bookiply has given my properties huge potential. You are present on many different portals and therefore have a greater number of potential customers from all over the world. We looked at our bookings today and one of our properties is already 7% booked – this is wonderful!”
After a successful start with Bookiply, Rene now looks forward to continuing to work together with the team in Malaga and is excited about his future with Bookiply and what it has in store for his vacation rental business.
“I am sure after the high season this year we will sit down together, drink a coffee and say that this was 100% the right decision. I can just see the cooperation with Bookiply getting better and better! If we had known about Bookiply five years ago it would have definitely been something we would have considered then.”
If you fancy a trip to Puerto Banús and would like to stay in one of Rene’s villas, you can check them out here – Scandanavian Star Villa and Scandanavian Design Villa.
