Our Technical Director, Mike and his wife Andrea, own Sea Breeze, a delightful cottage on the shores of Lake Ontario. Since buying the property in 2010, the techniques they have used to create and prepare a feature-filled vacation rental have attracted a large number of guests, many of whom have returned several times.

The Sea Breeze guest book is filled with comments about the 'warm welcome' they give their guests so I asked what their secrets of a great first impression are.

Welcome Board
When guests walk into the cottage they see a chalkboard on the wall. It's a wood-framed board that Andrea has decorated with sea shells and a hand drawn sailing boat (the Sea Breeze logo), and has a simple welcoming message using the guests first names. It's a lovely personal touch.

Welcome Letter
The Cottage Guide is left open on the dining table with a personalized note that welcomes guests, reminds them of the phone number to call, and invites them to explore the cottage and get in touch if there is anything missing.

Welcome Phone Call
Mike makes a brief call to the guests a few hours after their expected arrival time to check that all is OK and everything is to their liking. This usually elicits a few questions guests might have about the local area, and gives him the opportunity to share some suggestions on maximizing their enjoyment of the property.

Given the owners don't meet their guests face-to-face, the consistent comments about the warmth of the welcome are interesting and show these methods are effective and easy to implement. Let us know if you have any other practical ideas for welcoming your guests.

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