Marine Link Tours - Lodging Newsletter September 30, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 09/30/23 Topics: Boats Comments: 0

Travel comes in many forms. Tourism is a subgroup, including enjoyment, learning, observing. And specialty lodging has its own niche, starting with vacation rentals but including inns, resorts and now even freight boats offering one of a kind experiences.

Marine Link Tours delivers all kinds of freight up and down the Salish Sea in British Columbia from Campbell River to Port Hardy and Seymour Inlet. There may be stops in Loughborough Inlet, Kelsey Bay, Broughton Archipelago, Port McNeil, Powell Lake and whatever other stop needs delivery.

They even take along travelers searching for the unusual. These are not passengers going from stop to stop, but inquisitive folks on a 5-day trip longing for an out-of-the-ordinary thrill.

Years ago, the ship owners acquired a barge-like boat, flat bottomed, extended it and added six state rooms for those travelers willing to pay a pretty penny to get the unusual.

Traveling at a whopping 7 knots (8 miles per hour) the captain nestles the boat up long and winding inlets, which in Norway would be called fjords, going miles without sight of houses, cabins or boats. Delivering to logging camps, fish farms, small communities and First Nations' villages.

The Marine Link trip is nothing like what passengers experience on the huge cruise ships that may pass silently speeding to Alaska. There are no cabarets, no night clubs, no water slides, no gambling. But the freighter does provide gourmet meals from the live-onboard chef, an attentive steward, and a visit in the wheel house with a captain who has spent 37 years visiting every corner of the sea.

It all comes with peace and quiet as humpback whales, orcas and porpoises swim around and alongside. Grizzly bears lounge in meadows and mountains thousands of feet directly above the boat. Deep in Knight Inlet, a waterfall plunges over 800 feet directly into the sea on this longest and most spectacular coastal fjord. The captain grins as he noses the boat directly under the waterfall.

In our small world of vacation rentals, we are reminded that every guest who visits us hopes for a unique, intriguing and memorable experience. It is also our job to deliver.

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As summer wanes, we take time to be thankful. In case you don't spend day and night following the lodging industry - like we do - here is a summary of some recent travel industry and market developments.

SEASONALITY - Around the country and in drive-to destinations like the Northwest, occupancy now mimics seasonality as it was before Covid.

FIRES - Luckily, our markets have not had rampant fires, even though smoke has and may continue to lessen travel enthusiasm. Sorry to say, but a half-dozen times over the years we have learned how to deal with these interruptions when they arise. The goal is to build guest satisfaction and retain rents for owners.

ADVANCE - Over several decades the amount of time in advance that guests book dates has ranged from a year down to days or weeks, when bookings resumed after Covid. Early summer was slower and now bookings are occurring in a more normal timeframe.

RATES - Rates have been depressed because so many competitors panicked and plummeted rates in a "race for the bottom" on prices. It is necessary to compromise to get bookings. But last minute bookings are filling dates and we can hope that continues as usual into September.

PRICING - Our rates experts evaluate rates up to 13 months in advance and make changes most days based on current market volatility. The AI telemetry we buy for our S2D2 algorithm may lower rates on a last minute basis, then real humans intervene to raise rates at every opportunity. Their success has beat industry trends.

CHANNELS - AirBnB, VRBO and other advertising websites are saying business is good, but they achieve that by expanding the number of rentals between 10 and 20%. Contrary to their crowing, that doesn't mean more income for each individual owner.

ONSITE - A giant shout out to all of our wonderful market managers, housekeepers and maintenance staff who have toiled 7 days a week, weekends, holidays and sometimes well into the evening. Most have been part of the team for years and every property owner should give them kudos. We certainly do.

TECHNOLOGY - Working behind the scenes are a whole group of software, advertising, marketing, photography, graphics and other tech experts. They too work overtime in summer to adjust to market conditions that are changing faster than ever before.

HISTORY - As the vacation rental industry has grown for decades, we have always advised owners to only buy a second home for the best of reasons. Our competitors lure in owners with a pitch that owning a vacation rental is a "Get Rich Quick" success.

History says that over years homes usually appreciate, producing profits when they are sold. But today, operating a rental has become a time consuming and intricate undertaking which can be expensive and exasperating if done innocently.

Most homes don't make a cash-on-cash return annually, but with our skilled vacation rental management owners can get maximum income with minimum fuss.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0966 – 09/30/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Shakespeare - Lodging Newsletter August 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 08/31/23 Topics: Education, Events, Lodging Newsletter, Things To Do Comments: 0

Years ago my wife and I jumped into our trusty Volvo and drove eight hours straight to Ashland, Oregon for my first glimpse of the Oregon Shakespearian Festival with its replica of the Globe Theatre from Shakespeare’s lifetime. It’s an outdoor Elizabethan Theatre that seats 1,190 people each night April through October.

We rushed into our seats just as the lights went down, to be immersed in a magical night of King Lear in which, at last, the genius of William Shakespeare revealed itself in ways that reading the text did not.

In the stunning cocoon of theatre under the stars, and along with what surely must be the most beautifully functional indoor theatre seating anywhere, in an intimate 200 seat playhouse, we gorged on 8 plays in 5 days. 2PM and 8PM.

The festival sells 360,000 tickets between April and December each year providing the quaint town of Ashland, Oregon an economic foundation that supports world class restaurants and bars, and a variety of other arts offerings, too. It is the largest not-for-profit theatre organization in the country.

Wonderful inns, hotels, vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts (the real kind not the faux AirBnB kind) dot the town and the valley.

All together some 2,800 people fill every seat every day so strolling around town and the Lithia Park that meanders up the small valley below the theatre never feels crowded and helps burn off dinner before a night of drama.

If you think you don’t like stuffy old Bill Shakespeare’s plays, I wonder if you have ever seen his unforgettable stories of love, tragedy and spiritual transformation of people as they were meant to be seen and felt.

In the world of business, and in lodging in particular, there are things to learn from the Ashland organization. Having started in 1935, it proves that wondrous things can be done by spirited people who love what they do.

Every day we try to think just like that.

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How about I try to connect live theater to live vacation rental management with a few quotes from plays four centuries past.

All the world’s a stage. (Preparation) Ninety percent of vacation rental work is done before the guests ever arrive, just as it is with a play. Perfect practice makes perfect. Advertise absolutely everywhere, answer the phones and provide guest service everyday of the year, with 24-7 support.

What’s past is prologue. (Continuity) The joy in watching guests depart happy just means a new group is soon to arrive. No time to celebrate knowing the process is to be repeated endlessly.

The play’s the thing. (Writing) In lodging, managers must compose every policy, method, and responsibility well in advance. No ad libbing, no seat of the pants. Determine what to do before attempting to do it.

This blessed plot. (Planning) Managing vacation homes of every size and shape, in various locations and seasons is greatly intricate. Hundreds of things can happen. Everyone of which must be learned, planned for and - most important - documented for training and policies.

Merely players. (Casting) The actor chosen to play King Lear must be 80 years old. Likewise hospitality staff must be born to the calling - of being hospitable. It can be taught by experts, and learned, but is often best from people born to help others.

Experience is by industry achieved. (Staffing) Lodging requires industrious cleaners, resolute reservationists, innovative advertisers, attentive accountants and guest services open 24-7-365 (just like ushers helping patrons find their seats).

Proceed in practice. (Pursuit) Perfect practice makes perfect. It can never stop and never waiver. Review what is done, make corrections, align to the future. Homes must be well kept, always maintained and repaired quickly.

What’s timely done. (Scheduling) The play must start on time. The homes must be cleaned and ready for arrivals on time 40 to 100 times a year. No matter the weather, or traffic, or interruptions.

He smiles, methinks. (Serving) Not every consumer is a nice person. Most are, which is what makes the industry so enjoyable. But anticipating what customers may want allows us to be ready to be helpful. But no matter what, we must smile and be grateful.

Tickled with good success. (Results) When we complete the neverending lodging tasks, duties, and effort, the rewards are financial gains for property owners and smiles from slumbering guests. The endless list of obligations makes it happen.

All’s well that ends well. (Success) Step-by-step, part-by-part, business in general, travel, and lodging in particular can only be judged after each stay, to see homes perform as investments, to see guests enjoy their stay, and appreciate what we have done.

A very serious business calls. (Ending) Like all good plays, even newsletters must end. There is other work to be done. You have probably had enough already of things Shakespeare uttered now twisted to this purpose.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0967 – 08/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Gear Box - Lodging Newsletter July 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 07/31/23 Topics: Aberdeen Washington, Education, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

At age 14 my best friend and I were conscripted. My father ran a Kenworth brand truck dealership in Aberdeen on the coast of Washington State which promised "Parts, Sales & Service". He was moving into a new building in the town's port dock area. Hundreds of heavy metal racks had to be assembled and wrestled into position. It was a big job and took weeks.

At 15 I started to deliver parts all over Washington's Olympic Peninsula, driving a one-ton pickup with no power steering. It was like wrestling a steer down the road. No problem, because I loved listening to the scratchy AM radio that played rock and roll for hours on end.

Arriving from school at 2:30 pm, Dad might say, "You go to Port Angeles today" and hand me a list of 10 to 20 truck shops, logging yards and government warehouses to visit. The truck was loaded to the gills with big, greasy heavy parts. I was expected to wrestle them out at every stop.

I would say, "I won't get home until midnight." And he would say "Ah, it ain't gonna kill you." "But I have class at 8 in the morning." And he would say, "It still isn't gonna kill you. Best start and go now."

Monthly, I drove three hours to the company's headquarters in Seattle. Behind its shiny corporate offices were 20 bays where giant trucks could be serviced at once. It was a beehive of activity.

On the south of the building was a quiet mysterious place called "The Gear Room" where men slinked about working on transmissions, rear-ends and even steering boxes. Other mechanics did not speak to "Gear Heads" and they didn't speak to each other. They tinkered and worked as if doing open-heart surgery.

If you have never looked inside the transmission of your own car, you have missed a work of art. Inside are gears of all sizes, and bearings spinning at enormous speeds on one axis, and others in another. If you stuck your finger inside it would be sliced and diced instantly.

Gear boxes are a whirling indecipherable maze that only the experienced, skilled and studious experts could disassemble and reassemble correctly. It has dawned on me that lodging management of Inns, Resorts and Vacation Homes is a bit like that. One can pretend to be a manager, but only those with a the right mentality are truly Gear Heads.

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Vacation Rental Management is like a Gear Box, with everything running in many directions. Renting out a private vacation rental home is a seemingly simple concept but there are more moving parts, gears, stresses and strains than imaginable. We do it well by employing experts just like the Gear Heads. So many people and things to deal with.

- Guests are the folks who kick in the money to pay rent on properties.

- Property owners are clients because they have an investment at stake.

- Neighbors are clients because they have the potential to be clients in the future.

- Staff members are also clients because their input & performance are critical.

Generally guest goals are much alike - go on vacation, bring the family, rest, relax and recreate and all for the lowest price they can find.

But our other clients, the property owners, have goals that differ from those of guests. Landlords are aware that making guests happy is what brings them back to rent again.

Property owners who try to self-manage their homes remotely get a rude introduction to the world of dealing with consumers, with houses that need maintenance, and with advertising channels that are overbearing and monopolistic.

Engineers, Architects, Doctors and even Lawyers make good clients because they too live in a professional world where the nuts of bolts of performing are often invisible to their customers. Their time is valuable and they leave transmission repairs and vacation rental management to the experts.

Owners who are new to landlording, unaccustomed to business, or have invested too much in their homes, live on pins and needles. They worry about the home and want to make every decision.

When they use a manager they bug the manager with questions, concerns and emotions never realizing that every minute they demand is time stolen from the manager's primary duties - to take care of homes, take care of guests, and spend long hours advertising, marketing, reservationing and pursuing money, most of which goes to the property owner.

There are still Gear Heads in every truck shop in the world, working quietly and uninterrupted. Now they have many high tech tools, but it is their experience and concentration that ensures the gear box will work flawlessly for hundreds of thousands of miles. To disrupt a Gear Head is to risk a slight mistake that could cause major problems. So truck shop managers are careful to let their scientists do their work alone.

Wise Vacation Rental Owners use their lodging managers like Gear Heads. They let them work alone to fine tune every vacation rental gear and bearing of every vacation rental home. They set rates, scrub toilets, advertise everywhere, persuade guests and coordinate cleaning every home 50 to 100 times a year come rain or shine.

In the end vacation rentals can perform like a well-made giant Gear Box which causes the entire process to run smoothly.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0965 – 07/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

History of Hi-Tide Resort's Moclips River

By Ron Lee
Published: 07/10/23 Topics: Comments: 0

Once upon a time, in the small coastal town of Moclips, Washington, there was a creek known as Moclips Creek. 
 
This creek, originating from the slopes of MacAfee Hill, flowed west for 12 miles until it reached the mighty Pacific Ocean.
 
In the early 1900s, Moclips was a bustling tourist destination. The wealthy from the Pacific Northwest flocked to the town, drawn by the promise of a healthy getaway from the stresses of city life. 
 
The town was home to grand hotels, restaurants, and even a theater, all built along the new city streets.
 
One of the most prominent figures in the town was Dr. Edward Lycan, one of the first landowners in the area. Dr. Lycan had a dream of building the grandest hotel of them all, and in 1905, he did just that. 
 
The Moclips Beach Hotel, a two-story building with 150 rooms, stood proudly on the dunes, just a few dozen feet from the high-tide line. However, within two months of its opening, the hotel burnt down.
 
Undeterred, Dr. Lycan rebuilt the hotel by 1907, this time even more spectacular. The new Moclips Beach Hotel was the crown jewel of the Washington Coast, standing three stories tall and stretching for an entire block in length. 
 
It was considered perfect by the wealthy guests who frequented the area.
 
However, in 1911, a series of storms hit the town, causing significant damage. The Moclips River flooded, with a current reported to be 30 miles per hour. 
 
The storm toppled the school, numerous buildings, and the ill-fated Moclips Beach Hotel. The damage was reported to be $40,000 in 1911, which is nearly $1,000,000 today.
 
Despite the devastation, the spirit of Moclips remained unbroken. The town, like the Moclips Creek, continued to flow, embodying the resilience and strength of its people. 
 
Today, the story of Moclips Creek serves as a reminder of the town’s rich history and the enduring power of nature.

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Author: Ron Lee – Hi-Tide Resort, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0969 – 07/10/23

Sponsor: Hi-Tide Resort – You can't get any closer to the beach than this. comfy, cozy, modern condos at Hi-Tide-Resort on Moclips Beach WA State. – Hi-Tide-Resort.com

Eloise Rocks Out at Hi-Tide Resort

By Wm. May
Published: 07/10/23 Topics: Art, Fishing, Hi-Tide Resort, Photography, Vacation Comments: 1

No one knows exactly how it all got started. Maybe it is a myth.

The dreamy story goes like this. Long ago a young guest brought along a painting set to the beach.

The plan was to create a Vincent Van Gogh worthy painting of the sundown just as the mythical magical but very real great green flash that winks when the sun disappears completely. And just for a second.

Her name was not recorded at the time, but for now we have come to call her "Eloise". There is no record of whether she successfully caught and depicted the momentous moment. But it is something that can be frequently be seen year round from the condos at Hi-Tide.

After wandering the beach, exploring the Moclips River and digging a full limit of Razor Clams , Eloise decided to use her leftover paint to leave a message and art on a small round river rock.

The portrait of her dog, who had accompanied her to HI-Tide, included the dog's name "Picasso" and these lovely words, "I love it here. I will be back."

She placed the rock gently into a flower bed just outside the entrance to the resort office. What happened next started slowly but has grown to become a must-do activity for visitors from all over the world.

Travelers journey to Moclips Beach, staying at our lovely Hi-Tide Resort , and enjoying the very same peace and quiet and stunning beauty of the North Beaches of Washington State.

Some stay for just a few days. Others stay for a week or two or longer. But before they leave, they can ask for paint and a brush with directions were to find a suitable rock on which to paint their message for posterity.

Today, the gardens of HI-Tide Resort are filled with painted rocks and messages of love and life. Better yet, most visitors return year after year. To paint a new rock or to touch-up those which have graced the gardens for decades.

You are invited to make your own memory here and rock out at Hi-Tide.

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Author: Wm. May – Rock Out at Hi-Tide Resort, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0940 – 07/10/23

Sponsor: Hi-Tide Resort – You can't get any closer to the beach than this. comfy, cozy, modern condos at Hi-Tide-Resort on Moclips Beach WA State. – Hi-Tide-Resort.com

Oh Canada - Lodging Newsletter June 30, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 06/30/23 Topics: Education, Hotels, Housekeeping, Inns, Lodging Newsletter, Reputation, Vacation Comments: 0

"Management by wandering around" explains a style of business administration which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace to check with employees, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work.

There may be no other industry as appropriate for MBWA than travel and lodging.

Great managers must keep their fingers on every aspect of every dang little thing. Nothing can be taken for granted, everything must be inspected, schedules must be maintained and, no matter how diligent a company, some guests will want more than they pay for.

But you'll only know that if you talk to guests, staff, vendors, competitors and even the government. All this in hopes that changes can be detected to find opportunities or to avoid problems in the future.

That idea can be stretched to walking around other businesses too, so for a few weeks we have been wandering around British Columbia and Alberta, staying at or visiting great lodges, speaking to staff, and just watching their world go around.

It has been said that Canada and the US are countries born of common ancestors, separated by a common language. The differences in lodging management are subtle but noticeable.

Businesses cooperate together to promote their destination in ways that can seem lacking elsewhere. Employees seemed authorized to make good decisions.

This letter isn't to say that Canada has everything figured out. Turning on the television shows some of the same political skullduggery that exists in every country. People just don't agree on everything.

As we departed one lodge we saw the attractive young manager, who had taken time to talk on several occasions, walking around the property, policing the area, straightening things up.

Walking around Canada provides new insights we can use to make our business better every day.

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The pace of change is accelerating. Here are some changes we noticed in Canada, specifically in the stunning mountain towns of Banff and Jasper.

TEXTILES: Each property had daily housekeeping an "option." Some said, "Call us if you want maid service or just towels." Or here is a $5 coupon for each day you don't ask for housekeeping.

COUPONS: The coupons were to their in-house restaurant. They save far more in cleaning labor than the cost of the food, probably $20.00 or more. And guests lined up early to cash in.

STAFFING: Half of the lodging and restaurant employees who served us were young Aussies. Companies recruit in Australia for seasonal staff. Young folks love the travel and come back year after year.

COSTS: Staffing in this way is not cheap, as employers pay for food and housing. At the incredible Columbia Ice Fields (www.BanffJasperCollection), where you can ride onto the glacier on giant wheeled vehicles, over 250 staff room in what they laughingly refer to as "The Ice Palace", but looks more like a very old college dorm stuffed with people.

WELCOME BOOKS: None of these pricey places had an in-house welcome book - but they all had gorgeous printed materials about all the other things they were anxious to sell you - boat trips, gondola rides, museum walks and, of course, their restaurants.

CUSTOMERS: Canada has a fast growing immigrant population and the diversity of travelers is everywhere. Many languages, styles of dress and behaviors. Some cultures travel in big family groups, while others dominate the ever present tour busses.

GENUINE: Every business wants every staff member to exude friendliness. Although there are dozens of restaurants in Banff alone, from fast food to fancy food, employees provide quick service without seeming to be hurried. This is management honoring their people.

HONOR CODE: Most businesses had famed "Codes of Honor" proclaiming how well they would treat you and including how well you must treat fellow customers and staff. We bumped into them in fancy hotels, low-cost restaurants, in bike shops, in museums and even in Starbucks.

GUEST TERMS: Having started as vacation rental owners, we have always felt that a clear set of terms was essential to foster good guest behavior. We have wondered if we ask too much, but then we seldom have a problem guest. Perhaps, we should call them the "Codes of Honor."

STRESS: Banff sees 4 million visitors a year and the small business core is alive with visitors. Jasper welcomes 2.5 million per year. Together this is a non-stop stream of inquisitive travelers who could overload a system, but there is little stress because both towns admit that tourism is what pays the bills. (And pays them well.)

In U.S. locations, there are always curmudgeons who want visitor income but would prefer that people stay away. American cities and counties who are chasing vacation rentals out of town are myopic.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0960 – 06/30/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Hi Tide Resort Nearby But Far From Seabrook

By Wm. May
Published: 06/11/23 Topics: Hi-Tide Resort, Moclips Beach WA, Ocean Shores WA, Pacific Beach, Seabrook Resort, Wildlife Comments: 1

We love our neighbor to the south. Seabrook Resort has brought more visibility and new visitors to Washington State's North Beaches from Ocean Shores to Moclips.

Now with 500 new homes perched on a cliff to the south of the town of Pacific Beach, it boasts stores, restaurants, a town hall for weddings, and thousands of neighbors. Newspapers have extolled its virtues and praised the developers for this "New Urbanism"

We are not sure what that means, but praise of our beaches is nothing new. Over 118 years ago, Seattleites hopped trains to "Visit The Shore" at Moclips Beach. and to stave off the city's sweltering summer heat in our warm clime moderated by the refreshing Pacific Ocean.

Since the advent of the automobile, families have zipped to the North Beaches to jump the waves, dig razor clams, collect shells, make sand castles, and watch the sun sink slowly in the west. This is where folks come to getaway, to relax and to invigorate their souls.

At Seabrook, you can pay big money to rent a vacation home for a week or weekend. Or you can rent a moderately priced oceanfront condo at Hi-Tide Resort directly on Moclips' Moonstone beach. And there is a difference here...

From Seabrook town center you will get to trudge 2,000 steps and then descend 200 steep stair steps just to reach the sand, with the ocean another several hundred feet beyond that. While at Hi-Tide you only need to stroll a pleasant 99 steps directly through the level dunes to the ocean. (No steps.)

Of course, if you want to stretch your legs further, you can walk for miles down the coast. And never need go back up any stairs.

Most homes at Seabrook don't have a view, while every one of our condos looks directly out to the rolling surf. The few Seabrook homes that do have a peek-a-boo view may provide binoculars or telescopes, in hopes guests can catch a fleeting glance at seabirds and boats on the horizon.

But you won't need binoculars at Hi-Tide. You can sit on the deck, put your feet up, smell the salty air and marvel as thousands of seabirds swoop and soar directly overhead.

In some seasons there are actually millions of acrobatic Rock Sandpipers, Wandering tattlers, Surfbirds and Black Turnstones migrating from Arctic feedings grounds far to the south. They pass directly overhead and just off the shore.

We must admit Hi-Tide has no swanky restaurants and no tony stores. But if you just can't wait to spend lots of money, take the 8 minute drive to Seabrook. Then after blowing all your cash, zip right back to Hi-Tide to spend all day and all night listening to the ocean and the birds.

Maybe you'll even see that legendary green flash as the golden sun drops below the westerly horizon each evening.

So how about this for a plan - Make a short pit stop at Seabrook to jostle with all the tourists and spend all your money. But stay directly on Moclips Beach at Hi-Tide Resort to rest, relax and recreate.

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Author: Wm. May – Why Stay Anywhere Else, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0954 – 06/11/23

Sponsor: Hi-Tide Resort – You can't get any closer to the beach than this. comfy, cozy, modern condos at Hi-Tide-Resort on Moclips Beach WA State. – Hi-Tide-Resort.com

Vacuum Cleaner - Lodging Newsletter May 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 05/31/23 Topics: Housekeeping, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Maybe it is the same in all industries nowadays. Maybe technology has changed everything. Or maybe 3 years of Covid discussion has just tuckered us all out.

But as we go into another spectacular sunny summer season, our super-pro staff will buckle up, hunker down, take a breath and jam out work 24/7/365. So we will separate the necessary details from the smiling reality. First the fun -

So is it time for a bit of housekeeper respect and appreciation?

If you take time to clean your vacuum, does that make you into a vacuum cleaner?

What did the broom say to the vacuum? I’m so tired of people pushing us around.

Salesman: “Ma’am, this vacuum cleaner is so great that it will cut all your work by half!” Housekeeper, “That’s fantastic! Give me two.”

Why was the broom late? Because it over-swept.

When two housekeepers could not decide whose turn it was to do the laundry, one threw in the towel.

Housework won’t kill you. But why take the chance?

To make cleaning festive, housekeepers build speaker boxes out of used laundry bottles. They sound super clean.

One of our housekeepers recently got a Ph.D. in washing machines. Now we call her a spin doctor.

What did one toilet say to the other toilet? “You look flushed.”

If you want to know housekeeper puns, be advised we have loads of them.

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After all those corny housekeeping jokes, now some necessary monthly news.

Staffing - Our long-tenured partner managers are raring to go for summer, and with so many experienced and trained field staff we are ready for summer to ramp up.

Support - Office staff, too, are highly experienced and we have added some wonderful new people with specific skills. The goal is quicker response and even more advertising. Already more than anyone else.

Videos - Now that we have built up drone photos of geographic areas, we are compiling "establishing" videos of geographic areas such as mountains, lakes, rivers, oceans. The first step will be to install home page videos on many market websites. They are compelling.

Rates - Rates are not on a roller coaster. They are on more of a tilt-a-whirl ride. Covid caused both rates and occupancy to soar. Most markets have returned to normal seasonality, a few are still adjusting some in unusual ways.

Comparable - We are using extra comp-sets to see occupancy and rates for competing rentals. And we employ our ancient "drive by" survey in early evening to see which are booked and which are not. We seem to be ahead of the curve.

Topsy Turvey - AirBnB announced 50 improvements to their platform, shifting focus to room rentals. Seems odd for the focus to be on room rentals, but many things they do seem strange. They are reporting a decease in number of properties and their stock has plunged.

Corporate Managers - Large firms are also reporting a large "churn" rate of owners leaving their service. Their stock was already in the basement.

Fingers in Dike - Surprisingly there are hundreds of details that ensure safe, comfortable and profitable rentals. But we keep adding tools. The latest are further posted instructions on elocks and lock boxes, to ensure our 24/7 phone number cannot be missed and guests can always get inside.

Marquees - We are focusing more pop-up promotions on website home pages, along with email blasts. Although, we are the only manager still using conventional ticklers like post cards to bring home happy guests.

Help Desk - For owners and guests who need assistance, calling the main office number is always best. Emails are slower but we do answer them or get back ASAP.

- - - - -

And to sum it up (sorry, can’t help myself) - It has just been announced that the official anthem of housekeepers is - Another one fights the dust.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0959 – 05/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Permit Anarchy - Lodging Newsletter April 30, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 04/30/23 Topics: Government, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0958 – 04/30/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

The Hampton Wines Scholarship

By Wm. May
Published: 04/11/23 Topics: Aberdeen Washington, Education, Music, People, Self Improvement Comments: 0

Even after taking band for years, when new students entered Weatherwax High School’s band room for the first time, they still had much to learn. Mr. Hampton Wines was the man to teach them.

The sheet music was on the stands, the older students already seated stiffly, instruments out at the ready and the room was quiet. 80 musicians waited. Then the bell rang starting class.

Instantly, Mr. Wines stepped to his stand, raised his baton, gave the beat, and the music raced forward until, when it ended, his review began.

The third chair trumpets were a bit out of tune, the clarinets were entering each stanza a bit early, and the drums – well the drums – were far too loud as usual.

The critique was never personal, then he said “Again, from the top.” The rehearsal went forward all hour, then for days, weeks and months until – every player had learned every tune flawlessly.

Quickly new students became better musicians. But only years later did they realize how much else they had learned.

And it had nothing to do with music.

Students were required to attend “Sectionals” where each type of instrument practices together, sometimes there were evening sessions, and for the marching band, time on the field traipsing to and fro in the rain until the marching and the playing was perfect.

Personal instrument practice was required if a student was to avoid being reprimanded during rehearsal.

Being a trumpet player himself, Mr. Wines (who students and parents would never have dared to call Hampton) challenged every player to complete the dreaded “37 Weeks to Double High C” program of drills, repetition and even calisthenics. For some it took years instead of weeks.

Born in Wisconsin, Hampton spent three years in the Air Force during World War II, and while stationed in Fresno, California met and married his lovely wife Ruth. Together they had 3 children – John, Terry and Candy, all musicians.

After the war, Hampton graduated from the renowned Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 3 years with degrees in Piano and Music Education. He then spent 4 years teaching band in the mid-west, and 7 years as band leader at the Kennewick, Washington high school.

There he devised a 7-foot tall bass drum, pulled along on a cart, while the band marched during parades. During a Portland Rose Parade his superb musicians, along with the giant drum, caught the eye of a school superintendent who recruited Mr. Wines to come to Aberdeen to “Build the best band ever.”

For the next 22 years, Mr. Wines oversaw band programs at 8 grade schools, and 2 junior high schools while leading the Weather High School Concert Band, Marching Band, Stage Band, Pep Band and other ensembles. They marched at every football game and played non-stop tunes at every basketball game. His bands won contest after contest, delivering perfect score after perfect score.

Mr. Wines invited nationally known professional musicians – such as Bill Page, George Roberts and Sergio Mendez to travel to Aberdeen to play concerts with the high school band.

In the 1960's, he arranged to have the bands record an album, at a time when doing so was new and expensive. Doc Severinson, the nationally admired leader of the Tonight Show TV band, was the guest soloist. When asked, why Aberdeen? Wines said, “Because our kids were that good.”

On four occasions, Mr. Wines arranged to take the entire band, along with chaperones on month-long international concerts tours including to Europe, Mexico and Scotland. They were trips no student will ever forget.

When the Bobcat basketball team made it to the state high school final-four championships one year, Hampton and his 24-person pep band arrived early, and almost marched to the North end of the Seattle Coliseum’s basketball court. There was no clowning around, no chit chat. They were there to do business.

They watched as their rivals the 100 person Renton Washington High School band sauntered in, slapping backs, laughing and lounging haphazardly to the South of the court, 100 feet way. Finally, their instructor coaxed and corralled his players into their seats, where they sat sloppily.

With his back to the court, Mr. Wines faced his band, grinned and whispered, “We'll wait and play after they do.”

The Renton played a song haphazardly, producing a clatter that was out of tune, out of time and barely decipherable. When the music petered out, a few basketball fans clapped politely.

Immediately, Hampton leapt to the front of his Pep Band, the musicians jumped to their feet instruments ready. He brought down his hand (no baton here) to start the music, and then walked away (as was his custom). The Pep Band burst into a fight song that rattled the rafters.

He risked nothing by sauntering away, having drilled his students well, some for 8 years. For every concert, he also started early, stayed late and doubled practices before big appearances.

The entire crowd, including Renton fans, jumped to their feet to clap along. All cheered when the Bobcat song ended and the band bowed. At the end, the play-by-play arena announcer exclaimed, “And that was a Pep Band.”

Mr. Wines stood behind the band unnoticed but beaming. The Renton band leader stared at his shoes, his band members slumped in their seats.

Thousands of students were lucky enough to go through the Weatherwax band program taught by this fellow Mr. Hampton Wines. All of them still love music, many still play, while others went on to great success in other fields.

And all because those young musicians, were lucky enough to have met a man name Hampton Wines who taught them more than music. He showed them how to work diligently and what it felt like to do something great. And to be recognized for it.

- - - - -

The Hampton Wines scholarship is awarded to a student who has or wants to learn how to do something great. It is preferred you love music and already have a start on being a superior player, but being a superior person is more important. Apply today for this scholarship.

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Author: Wm. May
Blog #: 0831 – 04/11/23

Why Rules - Lodging Newsletter March 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 03/31/23 Topics: Education, Guest Behavior, Guest Management, Lodging Management, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

It’s a good question. A fair question. Guests ask and property owners ask, too. Why are there rules?

In a perfect world we should expect that people would behave well without teaching them manners. In fact, in the hospitality industry (lodging, food service, events, activities) most consumers do comport themselves fairly well.

But not everyone.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine which customers will be respectful and considerate and which one of them might not be.

So, like all organizations, it is necessary to outline rules and regulations, to communicate to those guests (repeatedly), to include those requirements in legal terms, and then - very rarely - to enforce them. These rules can be thought of as "Fingers in the Dike".

The tale. "A little Dutch boy saw a small crack in a dam. Knowing the crack, if not repaired, could cause the dam to break, he put his finger in the hole, staying all night in the cold until adults found him and patched the hole. He saved the entire village."

Over decades of managing guests, by learning to plug every little weakness that a visitor might find to do something negative, we are less likely to suffer from that unknown one person who misbehaves.

To avoid offending well-meaning guests, rules must be presented in a friendly manner and explained should they ask. To the vast majority of people who don't need to be told, properly presented regulations are not offensive and barely noticeable.

But to that one person who might pose a problem, our methods of communicating can decrease the chance of negative outcomes.

In the attached newsletter are a list of just a few of the fingers we put in the dike.

==================

Call them "rules" or "house-rules," or "guest rules", or legal "terms and conditions," Vacation Rental Managers who use proven mechanical procedures, produce safer operations.

Advertising - Describing a property affectionately and in full detail attracts guests. But it also should inform guests of details which make the property unique, helping them to select the property most appropriate for them - the property that best meets their needs.

Disclosures - If a home has security cameras, nosey neighbors or a front-desk check-in, these comfort some guests but warn others they will be watched (we highly recommend against doorbell cams because they result in negative reviews).

Channels - AirBnB, VRBO and others are slowly distancing guests from properties. They want to make a commission on the booking but worry guests will book direct.

Book Online - Guests love to make reservations on websites or mobile devices. Whether on our websites or thru channels, our staff telephones or emails guests to offer friendly services, but also nicely notify guests they are to follow the rules.

Sleeps Normal, Sleeps Maximum - We explain occupancy as "Normal" (how many can stay for the rental rate). "Sleeps" is for the places for people to sleep. "Maximum" is if babies and toddlers can be above sleeps. Together these subtly inform customers that the number of occupants is being counted.

Per-Person-Cleaning (PPC) - A base rate for normal occupancy, with a small additional fee per night per disclosed guest generates a bit of income. Better yet, the legal terms can specify a much higher fee for "undisclosed" guests . This is to dissuade guests from knowingly violating occupancy.

Registration- This euphemism describes the kind of "sign up" that hotels required when guests check-in at a front desk - to know the registering guest's name, address, phone and email. Guests should not be anonymous.

E-Contract - Where not prohibited by the channel, guests are required to click and easily sign for their stay, done instantly on our websites and requested via email for channel bookings. Other Managers who shun e-signatures put their properties at greater risk.

Check-In - Guests are to confirm bookings 24 hours in advance, and to telephone upon arrival. Many do not, but this impresses upon them that their behavior is being observed.

Notices - House rules are posted prominently inside the property. Additional, small professional signs warn of no-smoking, quiet-hours and more.

Devices - Sound, Wi-Fi and mobile phone signal detectors are an option that can legally monitor guest occupancy and sound without being obvious.

Terms - In most states, guests who stay for less than 30 days are not "Tenants", and if necessary can be ordered to depart on immediate notice. Doing so is rare, but Managers know the law and will take action to have guests removed if necessary.

As with any public business, Managers can guarantee that all these steps will prevent a difficult Guest from violating the rules. But Managers who skip steps put homes at increased risk.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0957 – 03/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Vacation Rental Life Guard Lessons

By William May
Published: 03/07/23 Topics: Behavior, Education, Lodging Management, Sports, Weather Comments: 0

Most people should never attempt to rescue a drowning swimmer.

This seems counterintuitive, but drowning people will do anything to get above the water. Approached by a rescuer the swimmer will jump on top of the other person and drown them both.

You see the problem.

At age 15 I took classes to become a "Junior Lifeguard". At 18, more classes to become a "Senior Lifeguard." In college I barely completed a strenuous 13-week course to earn a "Water Safety Instruction" certification.

In addition to even more lifeguard training, a "WSI" requires the student to become proficient at every swimming stroke and how to teach them.

I took my WSI training while in college at age 21 while (I must say) I was in the best physical condition of my life. The final exam almost drowned me. Repeatedly.

Lesson Learned

The octogenarian female drill sergeant instructor set up one final task to convince students that the only right way to respect water was to pound into us a respect for the water that bordered on absolute terror.

Her message - no matter your physical skill, the ocean, lake, river or pool can kill you quickly if you don’t know what you are doing. It can even kill you if you do know.

And drowning people drown those who try to save them.

Life Lessons

Oddly, all these years later it is safe to say that many aspects of life -- specifically related to careers and business -- are exactly the same. You must know what you are doing or you are taking unnecessary risks.

In the lodging industry, after the gratefully appreciated surge in occupancy, rates and bookings the inevitable has happened.

Travel -- especially drive-to destinations and especially here in the Northwest United States -- is returning to pre-Covid seasonality, affected by all the things which have always affected travel:

• The economy
• Employment
• Regular work weeks
• School vacations
• Weather
• Pesky politics
• The ever present drum beat of TV, radio, newspapers and the good old internet media anxious to push negative stories.

Unfortunately, that means some property owners will panic, just as a drowning person does. Especially those who bought thinking Covid income would continue forever, even though they were well warned long ago.

Those owners that are desperate for more income are likely to drown their lodging manager, just as the drowning person kills their rescuer. They demand answers to questions they don't know, when there are none.

How We Help

Just like a lifeguard, we are not allowed to turn our backs and ignore a drowning client. So we must push. Persevere, and be patient. We must help in all possible ways.

Unfortunately, the care and hand-holding of these clients diverts time better spent pursuing every possible advertising, pricing and service tool that we full-stack managers have in our quiver. As well as tightly administering all other services.

We do that of course. But we also must politely ask property owners to leave us to our craft and to judge us by our work ethic, not by the state of the economy.

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Author: William May – Contributor, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0950 – 03/07/23

– VortexManagers.com

Calculate Compliments Criticism - Lodging Newsletter February 28, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 02/28/23 Topics: Guest Behavior, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Successful lodging properties have always understood that hospitality requires a precarious balance of seeking compliments with the equal risk of criticism. Vacation rental managers have also learned these lessons, but there is a difference - guests must be happy, but so must the property owners.

What one guest thinks of as a wonderful amenity can be unattractive to another visitor. Owners purchase homes based on what they like and outfit them as they imagine. In turn, they expect guests to love what they love.

But marketing doesn’t work that way.

The quickest route to failure for a business is to tell customers what they will and will not like. The best route to success is to figure out what consumers want (which can be difficult) and give it to them (which can be equally difficult). All in hopes they will buy what is offered.

One lake front cabin owner spent a fortune to furnish their "White House" with white provincial furniture, white straight back chairs. No couches. White shag carpet, bright white walls, white dining room table, white cabinets, white plates and, even, a white baby grand piano.

Of course, the owner insisted on very stringent rules to avoid damaging this white monstrosity - no shoes, no children, no dogs. Of course, you can’t blame her for worrying and with today’s dynamic range photos, 3D tours and videos, guests could see what a stunning place it was.

Unfortunately, guests don’t come to the lake to sip tea, play tiddlywinks and listen to chamber music. It did not rent well and the guests who did come, didn’t just not like it. They hated it.

That is the lesson. Ask guests what they want and give it to them. This newsletter calculates a kind of formula to show how features that may garner some compliments may also expose the property to complaints. Get out your calculator for the attached list.

Costly mistakes are easy to make.

Lodging Newsletter February 28, 2023
Author: Wm May

Do a little math to calculate the right and wrong pathways to guest satisfaction. Positive scores mean good reviews. Negative scores mean bad reviews.

Hot Tubs - The world’s most requested amenity and can increase your bookings (+25 points), but no hot tub (-200 points).

Video Door Bells - Helpful with arrivals (+ 5 points), but some guests find them creepy (- 100 points). Installing risks rude zero star reviews.

Keurig Coffee Pots - Guests love them (+ 5 points), but not if they aren’t given an unlimited number of expensive pods (- 25 points).

Bottle of Wine - A nice gift to some (+5 points), but wine-snobs complain when your $100 bottle offends them. (- 50 points). Free alcohol is illegal, so Martintelli’s Cider instead, $3 a bottle.

Flannel Sheets - A cozy treat for some (+5 points), but scratchy creepy to others (-25 points). Keep flannels stored for your own use.

Guest Book - Reading prior compliments is nice (+ 5 points), but turns ugly when kids read hidden porno tucked in the book by the prior guests (-100 points). Guests books are risky.

Internet TV’s - Increasingly many guests love streaming (+10 points), but curmudgeons fume when difficult to use and local TV stations are missing (-30 points).

No Dogs - Some just cannot leave Fido home, so allowing pets is good (+25 points). But, if you refuse dogs, some will sneak in Rover anyway (-50 points).

Fireplaces - Guests enjoy burning wood (+ 20 points), but if firewood is limited, they smoke you in reviews (-20 points).

Shampoo & Conditioner - Wall mounted dispensers are handy (+2 points), but impossible to sanitize (-10 points). Wrapped bars and liquid soap? Yes.

Hair Dryers - Good hand held in every bathroom (+10 points). No hair dyers (-20 points).

Wine Glasses - Not fancy, but plenty of them (+15 points). Non-wine glasses only? (-15 points). Remember that wine snob above?

Pots & Pans - Good condition skillets, pots, pans, blender (+ 10 points). Worn or too few? (-25 points).

Fire Pits - They simply love them (+20 points). No fire pit (-10 points). Free wood is a must and propane is even better.

Propane BBQ - Reliable, dependable and cleanable (+15 points). Charcoal is messy and difficult (-10 points). Spare tanks? Of course.

Patio Chairs - Comfy and sturdy (+15 points). Flimsy or uncomfortable (-15 points).

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0956 – 02/28/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

AirBnB Lists Anything Everywhere All at Once

By Ron Lee
Published: 02/25/23 Topics: Advertising, AirBnB, Booking.com, Expedia, Online Travel Agents (OTAs), TripAdvisor, Vacation Rental Association, Vacation Rentals, VRBO.com Comments: 0

AirBnB’s quest to make every home in the world into a "shared’ living space shows their appetite for growth and profitability even at the expense of those they serve.

AirBnB and others are really nothing more than an easily distributed list of classified ads. Albeit with the ability to print more quickly, include more information, display pretty pictures and allow consumers to instantly buy the product.

Because the Internet has simply remove the burden of mechanically compiling, editing and printing a media, like many Internet businesses in most industries, companies like AirBnB entice investors that they can "Scale" without limitation.

Other than governmental intervention, there really is no obstruction to listing every space, everywhere in the world all at once. (My apologies to the movie of similar name)

A close look at comments made by AirBnB’s immature CEO Brian Chesky reveal a fatal flaw in the company’s vision. As the economy has stalled and consumers are traveling less, which means a flattening or downturn in travel expenditures in total.

Some vacation home owners are squealing about dropping rental income which can be directly attributed to negative economic news. These investors are the ones who jumped on the AirBnB gravy train that was running fast and furious during Covid.

But now that demand is lower, what dose the CEO do? He runs a campaign to entice far more people to put their homes into rental. He foists grandiose projects about AirBnB’s income which misleads home owners into thinking they will follow in his footsteps.

It seems as if AirBnB will list any kind of "Lodging" in any kind of area and do so willingly. AirBnB’s argument must be that they have become so much the "Darling" of the lodging industry that they can attract enough new guests to fill every property.

Unfortunately that has never been the case. Smart lodging managers have always used all other possible media - such as VRBO, Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor and many more. But even with heavy use of all possible advertising websites, supply can outstrip demand.

Chesky’s ploy will hurt existing AirBnB properties and short-change those he misleads into listing. But why should he care? The more inventory he gets the better for AirBnB, even if all the "Vendors" make less.

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Author: Ron Lee – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0948 – 02/25/23

Snoqualmie Falls Lodge - Lodging Newsletter January 31, 2023

By Wm, May
Published: 01/31/23 Topics: Advertising, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

The "Country Breakfast" at the Snoqualmie Falls Lodge outside Seattle, Washington consisted of just about every kind of breakfast item you could imagine.

Hotcakes, sausage (patty or links), waffles, eggs (fried, sunny-side up, over-easy or scrambled), biscuits, bacon, berries, french toast, ham, fruit, roast beef, tea, mimosas and Irish cream coffee. It even included dry cereal, granola, yogurt, toast and old-fashioned steel-cut oatmeal..

New diners were always surprised when the servers delivered dish after dish without asking. But what made the meal so famous was when the staff climbed a ladder and poured "honey form on high" onto fluffy buttermilk biscuits. (And of course the honey was from the Lodge's own honey bee hives)

On Sunday's, guests stood in long lines for hours just for the chance to splurge on more food than anyone could possibly eat in a single setting.

The advertising agency, in which I was a partner, learned from the property owner that doing things just a bit different is all it takes to stand-out from the competition.

Of course, the Lodge already had the full foundation of a sparkling clean dining room, an ever-smiling staff, along with food that was hot on delivery and perfectly tasty. But with the creativity of the menu and serving performance, it stood out.

Although the internet now dominates advertising, we still conclude that anything that can be done to make a vacation rental, inn or resort desirable will translate into extra guests and greater income.

==========================

Of course, promoting the positives of each vacation rental attracts guests. But giving them an accurate and intricate view of the homes relieves their worries about renting which makes them comfortable, too.

Everywhere - Properties are listed on hundreds of websites, including the giants like VRBO and AirBnB. Making it easy for guests to find the properties makes it easy for them to book them.

Local - Our destination websites appeal to guests who want to rent local and support local. And we show what's fun, where to eat and what to do.

Unique Spots - By building a full-featured booking website for each individual house, those guests who want out-of-the ordinary can find that. Something just for them. But with all our services.

Private Label - For Inns, Resorts and Communities, the websites we create and administer promote the complex instead of our company. Guests don't rent managers, they rent homes.

Imagery - As early adopters of High-Dynamic-Range photography, guests are fully informed about what every property has (and doesn't have.) Drone photos reassure guests about the property, the neighbors and the area.

Floor Plans - After all this years, it is astonishing to see that competitors still don't provide easy-to-view layouts Where will grandma sleep? And all the kids? Rather than sell, plans show.

Ease of Booking - Making and paying for lodging is swift. Guests get quick confirmation to know their plans are solid. Staff are on duty every day of the year and are easier to reach than all our competitors.

2-Click Signature - With their emailed confirmations, guests click to sign their contract and confirm payment. Safer for owners and fast for guests.

Personality - Every guest is phone while booking to acknowledge their enthusiasm for renting. Callers love people who they can "see" smiling when they talk. They select and book quicker and easier.

Nervous Arrivals - Can they find it, are the keys or codes handy, is there backup to ensure everyone gets in at any time of the day? Yes, yes and yes. Before they get in, they worry. Once inside, they leave stress behind.

New to Town - Inside the place, guests get further instructions about the house, the area and the rules. That makes it smooth for them to enjoy the property.

Instructions - Prior to arrival, visitors get extensive property and area facts and knowledge. The best surprise is no surprise.

Instant Service - Guests can call anytime to reach a live human helper 24-7-365. Questions are answered or staff dispatched to property for most any little thing. Guests expect to be taken care of. So we do.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0939 – 01/31/23

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Year(s) In Review - Lodging Newsletter December 31, 2022

By Wm, May
Published: 12/31/22 Topics: Advertising, Education, Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

I haven't done a "year in review" for many years, so maybe it's time for 2022. Or better yet, a three years in review because the last three years have been strange, startling, spooky and suspicious, too.

In February 2020, Covid arrived to teach us all the definition of the word "Unpredictable."

Although college was long ago, I remember my esteemed English literature professor's delight in explaining Shakespeare's "theory of nothingness." It seems "nothing" fascinated the bard as the presence of absence.

Professor Virginian Younger explained, when there ought to be abundance - of will, or judgment, or understanding - there was nothing. It looms large in the lives of so many of old Bill Shakespeare's characters, so powerful in part because it is universal. Not even kings are exempt.

King Lear: A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

Cordelia: Nothing, my lord.

Lear: Nothing?

Cordelia: Nothing.

Lear: Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.

The scene is one of the tensest, most suspenseful moments in theater, a concentration of tremendous force in a single word - Nothing. It is the ultimate negation, tossed between the old king and his beloved youngest daughter, compounded and multiplied through repetition. Nothing. Zero.

So rather than pretend to predict, let's look back a few years in our little world of lodging. If the past was unpredictable, as Shakespeare wrote in 1505, surely the future will also be.

Don't think of this letter as doom and gloom. The future of our industry is ever upward. While the details are indeed unpredictable and the growth graph will have ups and downs, there is one certainty:

Guests will want to visit wonderful locations, will bring their families and friends, and will often prefer to stay in private vacation rental homes provided by professional vacation rental managers.

=========================================================

Twenty years ago only 10% of the traveling public had stayed in a private vacation rental home, with the majority being in resorts or ski areas. By 2019 it had grown steadily to over 40%. That was predictable.

No one listened as Bill Gates warned the world of what a pandemic could do, until Covid overtook our lives in February of 2020. All business plummeted, especially travel, of course. We hoped for the best, but presumed the worst.

Just a few months later, humans (let's call them consumers) who could not fly around the world, and would not stay in common facilities like hotels, figured out they could break out by renting a private home at the ocean, the lake or in the mountains. They could bring their families, their pets and wander the area, while never seeing a soul.

Vacation rental lodging skyrocketed as did rental rates. Market awareness went to 60% very quickly, a growth of 50% seldom seen in business. Full-stack managers made more money for owners. And then real estate sales soared.

New second-home owners greatly increased the number of vacation rentals. Corporate vacation rental managers suspiciously promised owners ever increasing profit to list the homes. Software companies promoted the ease of being a landlord. It all sounded like a "Get Rich Quick" scheme.

Coincidentally, owner monitoring technology (Home automation) arrived promising noise, occupancy and other controls, all good things, without disclosing that managing vacation rental home requires boots on the ground, a trove of knowledge, and a genuine need to be hospitable.

All this happened while cities and counties continued their onslaught of new egregious and unnecessary regulations and even prohibitions, ignorantly that they were butchering the new tourism golden goose. Their false promise that stifling visitors would cause second-home owners to rent them as "Affordable Housing" was ignorant.

At long last, the "normalcy" of prior years has returned in predictable ways. Occupancy and rates are again subject to weather in the area, the quality of attractions, the inevitable inflation, and home purchase interest rates. Competitor rates, features and flexibility will intrude.

For that reason, full-stack vacation rental managers must again offer specials and discounts, must communicate more often with email and direct mail, can push for direct-bookings, but also must kowtow to monolithic vacation rental advertising websites. All to attract the flow of visitors, which is thinning.

And they must do all of that while retaining the latest technological tools they have adopted in recent years, while paying staff members more, while increasing instant guest services, while providing more guest and owner services and, in short making their "product" better at every opportunity.

Naturally, not all managers will commit to being great at their craft. Some will dawdle, be overly frugal and resist what is inevitable, believing they can live in the past. Some will not keep up. But now more than ever, while the future is as unpredictable as in King Lear's day, it is obvious that only those who embrace every possible opportunity will succeed.

That is what we've learned in the past three years.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0935 – 12/31/22

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Economic Changes - Lodging Newsletter December 16, 2022 Special Edition

By Wm, May
Published: 12/16/22 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Every now and then, we send out letters to property owners with news, information and reminders. This one discusses the effect that economic changes are having on the vacation rental industry. Everyone wants to know - what does it mean to their vacation rental income?

Vacation rental demand has gone up and down for decades. Occupancy, rates and inventory (the number of available homes) has risen for decades. In the past, major factors were the general economy, real estate recession and even 9-11.

It was a surprise to everyone that Covid caused a large jump, faster than ever before. Now that Covid has waned, industry research has begun to show a slow down, especially since September of this year.

Although nothing in life is predictable, we do monitor every possible factor and take steps to achieve the highest possible income for owners no matter the external circumstances.

Nothing diminishes the diligent work all staff members here do. But we do want to share what we observe in the industry over time.

===================================================

It is likely you have heard and read about large layoffs at tech companies in the Northwest, including Google, Microsoft, Meta (Facebook) and others. The giant travel companies, too, have laid off staff, including the large corporate vacation rental management firms, because they are so wildly unprofitable already. AirBnB and other websites are under fire with regulations and host dissatisfaction.

Several months ago, our usual newsletter titled "We Predict" described how inflation, interest rates, home sales slow down, and other factors have now arisen.

It must be said that the future is unpredictable, but our recent newsletter trumpeted the things we can predict - such as our continued dedication to keeping homes clean and safe, advertising absolutely everywhere, and in pursuing top income for owners - no matter what.

But if you are wondering how some of the economic changes are affecting the industry, our region, and our work in particular, that answer is this: Nothing has ever diminished our commitment, since starting decades ago, but by watching the "lay of the land" we can navigate the future better.

VARIABLES

There are general factors which are indeed hurting consumers, causing some to travel less. But there are specific details that are affecting vacation rentals in particular. Here are our observations:

Inflation - Vacation Rentals have always been heavily used by families, who may be sharing the cost. If one family member can't afford the trip, the entire family may decline to come. Vacation Rentals are still a bargain for groups of 4, 8, 12 or more. But no one has unlimited funds. Vacations are easier to cut than food for the family. Eventually, inflation may benefit rentals.

Gas Prices - Most of our guests "drive to" the homes they rent. Compared to the total cost of a 2- to 10-day vacation, the gas is only a part, but gas cost is very visible and some guests will avoid going to save that money.

Layoffs - This is a double whammy for folks affected by inflation who lose their jobs and then watch their living expenses rise. For years, it has seemed that tech travelers were immune to certain downturns. But most are highly paid and dropping 10,000 or 100,000 potential guests out of the Northwest Economy is being felt by every industry. Even the juggernaut that is Amazon, is affected.

Inventory - As rentals surged, many owners put their second homes into vacation rental for the first time (a national trend) and many others purchased homes to get in on the industry. Indeed, profits were high due to Covid and had remained so during the first 2 years.

Rates - During Covid, vacation rental rates were escalated by savvy managers, like us, who have mastered dynamic rates and yield management. Rates jumped, but at the time, guests were determined to travel and happy to pay the going price to rent homes.

Investors - There are always "experts" promoting what is new and, hopefully, good to buy, so they can make a buck. Many of our competitors fell into the trap of promoting homes as investments rather than as treasured family second homes.

Some investors paid more than historical profits. Perhaps those investments will still pay off for people who bought to profit rather than to enjoy. Although it has happened regularly, no one knows if rents will match the inflated home purchase prices.

Rent By Owners (RBOs) - Now as demand decreases another variable harms rates. People who self-manage their homes from afar and who rely on too few vacation rental listing websites, begin to panic and lower rates in hopes of corralling a share of the shrinking visitor pool.

Guests are more motivated by rate than ever and lowering rates becomes necessary to compete. What seemed to some RBOs as a "get rich quick scheme", turns out to be a work-all-the-time reality. Some appear to be in a "race for the bottom."

Markets - Because we operate in a number of regional destinations, we can see what others cannot. Some places are more affected by all these factors than others.

Locations closer to where the guest lives may do a bit better than those an 8-hour drive away. Destinations with festivals and events will draw crowds as usual. Those with lifestyle activities (such as skiing) will still bring in visitors, so long as lift ticket prices don't go into the stratosphere. Urban locations still seem to be getting a reasonable number of visitors, who often come for non-vacation reasons.

In the end, the ups and downs of occupancy between similar locations is impossible to understand or to adjust. But we watch it with a microscope.

COVID SHIFT

Shortly after Covid arrived, and as consumers fell victim to "Cabin Fever" (meaning lock down in their own homes), they figured out they could go to the mountain, lake or ocean to stay in a private home AND never see another human.

The percentage of Americans who had stayed at a vacation rental grew from 40% to 60% in short order, which is a market growth of 50%, a pace previously unseen.

With Covid, people could not travel long distances. Places like Europe, Mexico, Florida, and Hawaii were devastated. But those locations are a tremendous draw for visitors. Some are once-in-a-lifetime trips.

While unable to get to those places, guests stayed closer to home. "Drive-To" places benefitted from this change. But now travelers are anxious to go to places previously closed to them. Perhaps logically, airlines are reporting exploding growth to "Fly to" destinations for that reason. Long delayed trips are being taken - the economy be damned.

Doing the math, it is clear that local places benefitted from the lockdown and fear of Covid. Now the pent up demand for fly-to locations is drawing some travelers away from local vacations.

Over time, it is expected that the balance between drive-to and fly-to trips will adjust yet again.

FOR CLIENTS

So what can clients do to compete in this now more competitive vacation rental industry? The answer is the same as it always has been:

Use a manager who employs every possible onsite, advertising and marketing tool to gain guests. That is what we do and we do it better than others.

Maintain the home in great condition with quality textiles, furniture, kitchen wares and amenities.

Add amenities if you don't have them - like hot tubs, large TV's and more. This tactic has always produced income to pay for the costs and make extra profits.

Don’t shoot the messenger as we work overtime, pushing to maintain income and offset the economy.

THE FUTURE

It has always been our mantra to explain why someone should buy a vacation rental and why not. We don’t want to exaggerate or pontificate.

In our minds - the only reason to buy a second home remains - as it has been for decades - to do so to enjoy and use it. Families get to pick exactly what they want, outfit the homes as they like, bring family and friends together, enjoy activities together and get first pick of the dates.

And then - and only then - the goal is to have the home pay for some or all of the ownership costs. This has been a reliable process over the years. But it must be said, that after decades in the industry, it is obvious that profits go up and down due to many uncontrollable variables.

Nothing has ever decreased our commitment. We have never laid off staff. We advertise in every possible place. We manipulate rates tightly and provide round the clock guest services. Better yet, we have staff who love being in the hospitality business. In the end, that is why clients hire us and what will benefit your property.

But of course, vacation rental lodging managers have no control over any of these market variables, even though we confront and work to offset them vigorously every day. The economy may not be predictable, but our work is 100% reliable.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0936 – 12/16/22

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Booking Window - Lodging Newsletter November 30, 2022

By Wm, May
Published: 11/30/22 Topics: Lodging Newsletter, Websites Comments: 0

In prior newsletters a good amount of space has been devoted to explaining our "Seasonal Strategic Distributed & Dynamic" (S2D2) rate setting super software.

When version 3.0 was released in January of 2020, it proved its mettle by predicting and HUGELY adjusting rates (unfortunately downward) when Covid hit in February. But weeks later, it jumped at the chance to pump up rates as guests flocked to vacation rentals.

FYI, we do govern the algorithm tightly each day to fine tune rates, such as last minute discounts or increases, far-ahead rates, and especially by comparison to comparable properties. It’s all about supply and demand to stay ahead of those trends.

There are several other factors that affect rates. Those include length-of-stay, per-person-occupancy, and even pets allowed. Others are Sales Window and Booking Windows. This letter discusses how we deal with those variables to increase income.

In prior newsletters and in printed materials, we have pontificated repeatedly on property details that make or break rates, occupancy and owner income - like great locations, attractive furniture and fixtures, HDR photos, 3D tours, plus customer service, instant onsite service and more.

The S2D2 system can also see and adjust rates based on length-of-stay, per-person-occupancy, and even pets allowed. But "Sales Window" and "Booking Window" may be other big contributors to profit.

P.S. Last month’s letter adopted the term "Full Stack" manager to describe managers who have every management arrow in their quivers, comparing the job of vacation rental management to that of a "Full Stack" software engineer.

A few engineers carped that there is no way that lodging management could ever be as complex as building a robust software platform or intricate website code.

We beg to differ and invite any of our engineer friends to come work with us for a month to see that what we do is every bit as complicated as what they do. Except that we do it 24-7-365 and in rain, sleet, snow, heat which no coder would ever want to do.

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Sales Window - All home owners want to pay management firms on a commission fee basis to link the manager’s goals to theirs. When revenue goes up, owner and manager both win. So it is necessary to set a length of time during which the management firm is obligated to advertise, market and pursue "Sales" (bookings for the home).

Like most businesses, management requires giant up-front time in meeting with owners and (dare I say) educating them on what to expect and how vacation rentals are operated for maximum results. Onboarding must be carefully done.

The giant listing websites, like VRBO, AirBnB, Expedia and others, want owners to believe that operating a vacation rental is a "Get rich quick" scheme. In fact, earning good profits is best when a professional Manager shoulders the entire role by investing many hours and lots of expense - all up front in anticipation of earning a commission.

Over time, profits for the business owner (property owner) grow, guests return, operations become smoother and interruptions fewer. A longer sales window, allows the manager to offer their lowest commission, then to rely on steady earning as they push the property forward.

Booking Window - The time between which a guest places their booking order, and the day they arrive is called the booking window. Hotels and resorts usually set that between 12 and 24 months, seldom longer for fear rates set far in advance may prove undesirable far in the future.

The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas adjusts rates of their 6,800 rooms every hour, 24 hours a day. What could change that would affect rates in sin city? World news, competitor rates, and even if they booked a 5,000 person convention for a week next year.

Think of the Booking Window as a typical Bell graph that constantly moves forward on 12-month schedule, starting such as on January 1st, 2022. On that day, bookings are received for December, but proportionately only a few. As the year rolls forward the number of bookings for December will ramp up. But then as the number of available dates decrease, the number of bookings will decrease until, on December 31st when no more room nights are available

The bell curve graph changes constantly. During Covid it become terribly short. It has now lengthened but is not back to normal. And it varies by destinations. This means that having a reasonably wide window is how properties secure the maximum number of bookings.

Vacation Rentals - The optimum booking window for home rentals is between 13 and 24 months. Setting a shorter window ignores the bell curve demand. Setting a firm end date decreases bookings by losing guests who insist on planning ahead. Of course, once bookings are accepted it is not considerate and probably illegal to cancel bookings that guests make in good faith.

While a booking window is innately understood by hotels, it is a new idea to vacation rental owners who must plan ahead when they want to stop renting out their homes. It takes time to ramp up and start renting, but it also takes time to ramp down and be done with bookings. Plan ahead.

Managers set commissions based on a Booking Window that rolls forward. If a shorter window is desired, that is to be disclosed to the manager prior to engagement. Changing later could result in higher percentage and retroactive fees. Cutting short an agreed upon existing Booking window would require cancelling legitimate bookings and that must be avoided.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0934 – 11/30/22

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

Full Stack Manager - Lodging Newsletter September 30, 2022

By Wm, May
Published: 09/30/22 Topics: Lodging Newsletter Comments: 0

Today, I would like to introduce you to some brand new terminology. In the software industry, corporations are anxious to hire what are called "Full Stack" software engineers.

Surprisingly most software programmers don't know everything about the hardware or software they are creating, designing or working on. There is simply too much to learn.

Some programmers are skilled at building the interface you see on a website, but cannot create the databases necessary to power it. Other staff members can tweak databases to function fabulously, but don't know how to design a beautiful functioning website users will love. Then there are technical staff who manage the hardware, perform backups, connect to the internet, and speed up performance.

Each engineer spends every day just keeping up on scientific advances of their own narrow niche. Doing more requires excess study, comprehension and mastery.

So, it is the rare individual who can master every skill and grasp how to ensure all those parts work together seamlessly. That person is called a "Full Stack" engineer, the highest paid professional in the group.

Full Stack Vacation Rental Managers - Vacation Renting now requires Full-Stack Managers. Except every newly fledged property manager figures they have it all figured out. Even though they have no experience, no training, no education.

Of course, they did buy a book, they did watch some videos, they did stay in a rental, and they did read all these articles that promote how the vacation rentals are a road to "Get rich quick." (Books are not so foolish as to use those words.)

Is it the rare experienced, studied and intelligent vacation rental manager who has mastered every possible skill sufficiently to be called a "Full Stack" Vacation Rental Manager, and who knows the job requires a never-ending pursuit of more smarts.

This month's newsletter outlines why our partners are some of the few "Full Stack" firms around. And why you should hire us, if you have not done so already.

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Full Stack vacation rental managers study, train, evaluate, innovate and search for what's new and what works.

Hospitality - No one should manage lodging properties unless they love being hospitable. Frankly, not everyone is suited to the job of hosting guests to feel at home in the homes.

Staffing - Finding, nurturing and retaining people willing to work any day of the year, cleaning up messes, and doing it in bad weather while continuing to smile, is what keeps us going, while non-full stack managers have a revolving door of unreliable workers.

Cautious - Serving consumers requires managers to be careful with advertising, booking guests, preparing homes, providing customer service, while requiring guests to behave. Novice managers put homes at risk.

Education - There are books, manuals, videos and seminars for newbie managers (and owners), but they can contain self-serving "guidance" from authors only looking to promote themselves. No one method or philosophy works well in every geographic area, and we can prove that.

Commitment - People new to management learn this is not the usual 9AM to 5PM job. Online websites churn out bookings, inquiries come around the clock, guests text and email at all hours, electricity goes out, appliances fail. Managers who do not wok basically all the time, lose money for property owners. Full-Stack managers are responsible to handle such things 24-7-365.

Technology - Advertising on hundreds of websites sounds good but integrating rates, dates, details and credit cards must be accurate and timely, to avoid double-bookings and unhappy guests. Our on-staff engineers have been mastering this process for decades, while other managers rely on canned inflexible software so their clients lose.

Yield - Dynamic rates, determined by supply and demand telemetry, are new to vacation rentals, but Full-Stack managers use them to create the highest earnings per home. Even though powered by artificial intelligence, yield management is not "set it and forget it." If your manager does not have a rate guru, your income goes down.

Creativity - While others now proclaim the use these, we have used HDR photos, 3D Tours, graphics, printed materials, watercolor floor plans, and a custom booking website for every property well before anyone else. Non-full stock managers are not even aware this must be done.

Feedback - Full-Stack managers know that perfect is not possible, but must be pursued. Houses, advertising, bookings and guests are complicated. We motivate staff by never raising our voices, never belittling. We do great things and fix what needs it. Novices do not follow the Golden Rule, as we do, which is their mistake.

Flexibility - Although other managers have promised "full service" management, with momentous changes to our industry, most never did and still do not. Our services vary from a-la-carte to full service to fit each owners' preferences and with fees equally as flexible.

Our team is not perfect, but we are perfectly suited to strive 365 days a year to do just that.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0927 – 09/30/22

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com

We Predict - Lodging Newsletter August 31, 2022

By Wm, May
Published: 08/31/22 Topics: Comments: 0

Can you believe it has been 1,000 days since Covid-19 erupted? And every vacation rental owner continues to ask, "What is the future?"

Our first office opened in 1964 and many staffers have been in the industry for decades. Well before Covid, we remember the 2008 real estate depression, the 9-11 tragedy, periodic bouts of inflation, and the effect of outrageously high interest rates. Dare I say, some of us even remember how the 1980 Mount Saint Helens eruption shut down the Northwest United States.

But we have always lived by the old slogan, "Be Prepared." And that allowed us to walk through the Covid shutdown, and then to sprint as guests came rushing back, when they realized they could still "get away" by renting a private home.

Since then, there have been fits and starts, with quarantines, vaccines helping, and variants intervening. Then, travelers realizing they could work from home or a rental home! But now, employers are demanding employees return to the office.

Twenty years ago, only 10% of the public had ever stayed in a vacation rental home. Over two decades, by 2019, the market share grew to 40% percent. But since Covid, the share has jumped up to 60% percent. An astounding growth of 50% in just two years.

But the number of homes available to rent has also exploded as interest rates plunged. The desire to own a second home has always been strong and the lure of having guests pay for it draws in an ever-increasing number of property buyers.

A thousand days ago, everyone in the world had to learn that the future is "Unpredictable." So what can be predicted? In this month's newsletter we brag about just a few of them:

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Eat desert future, the future is unpredictable. The economy, inflation, gas prices, more rental homes, and employees returning to the office, are impacting vacation rentals. And yet we can predict these things for sure:

At 2am a guest will call demanding help operating the TV remote control.

When guests get locked up, we'll drive out to help them get in.

When VRBO, AirBnB or the others change the rules yet again, we'll adapt.

When Visa tries to grant an unearned credit, we'll get it reversed.

When snowstorms block roads, we'll listen to guests cuss us out for it.

We will answer hundreds of phone calls about where the nearest bar is.

Garbage will be toted away. How can they eat AND drink so much?

Hundreds of booking websites will be built for every vacation home.

Thousands of miles will be driven to HDR photograph homes year round.

Drones will fly, 3D Cameras will turn, and Floor Plans will be designed.

Staff will climb on roofs to sweep away limbs from storms.

Massive sums will be collected in taxes and carefully sent to the Giovanna.

Experts will evaluate the 100,000 fresh competitive rates we import each morning.

Our S2D2 algorithm will parse rates to get maximum occupancy and income for owners.

Staff training and collaboration will continue. Which is why they earn nice tips.

When electricity goes out in the area, we will politely explain there is nothing we can do.

Guests will sob on the phone when warned to evacuate due to a forest fire.

We will wash thousands of towels, sheets and pillow cases.

Bookings will be audited, accounted for and statements issued accurately.

Phones will get answered every day of the year. The help desk will help.

Staff members will work every weekend and every holiday.

Our proprietary software will generate millions for property owners.

Our Esignature system will remind guests that there are rules.

Maintenance staff will get dispatched for instant service.

Staff will bustle to clean when guests depart late and arrive early.

A few guests will try to extort discounts when it rains.

And forgive me for saying - - -

Yards will be patrolled to pickup dodo from guests' best friends.

Floors, covered with sand and xbdwx! will be mopped.

We will scrape poop off of hundreds of toilets.

And sometimes off linens when youngsters have an accident.

And sometimes from places you don't want to know.

But luckily - - -

Owners will compliment field staff. And thank the help desk.

Owners will bank the extra money we send them.

And we will continue to love being hospitable.

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Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0921 – 08/31/22

Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com