Jay William
Founder | Villa Marketers
25 Years in Hospitality, Direct Bookings, and Vacation Rental Marketing
Direct Bookings • SEO • AI Tools • Branding • Advertising • Owner Acquisition • Growth Systems
- Last Updated
- 2026
- Reading Time
- 9 min read
- Reviewed for Accuracy
- 2026
Sort every amenity into table stakes (what your market expects) and differentiators (what almost nobody nearby offers). Spend where guests feel it every day — the bed, the Wi-Fi and workspace, a hot tub, frictionless check-in. Add a few cheap touches that punch above their cost. Then market them loudly — the amenity you don’t mention doesn’t exist.
More amenities isn’t the answer. The right ones are. Match the market on the essentials, then out-offer it on one thing that’s yours.
Amenities are how you win the click and the booking — but more isn’t the answer, the right ones are. Some amenities are table stakes you can’t skip; one or two are the differentiator nobody near you offers. Here’s which amenities actually move bookings, the cheap touches that punch above their cost, and how to choose and market them so the money comes back.
The amenity you don’t mention doesn’t exist. Choose them for your guest, then market them like you mean it.
1. Table stakes vs. differentiators
Before you spend a dollar, sort every amenity into two buckets. Table stakes are what your market simply expects — skip them and you lose the booking. If every comparable rental near you has a hot tub and yours doesn’t, that’s a hole in your listing, not a savings. Differentiators are what almost nobody nearby offers — have one and it becomes the reason they pick you.
The same hot tub is table stakes in one market and a magnet in another, so study your actual comp set before deciding. It’s the purple-cow principle applied to your amenity list: match the market on the essentials, then out-offer it on one thing that’s yours. The same instinct powers the purple-cow piece on advertising — and it starts even earlier, in which property you buy in the first place.
2. High-impact amenities worth the spend
These are the amenities guests feel every day of the stay — and mention in reviews either way. Under-invest here and no cheap touch will save you.
- A genuinely great bed. The mattress is one of the most under-rated amenities in the business. A quality mattress and real bedding (memory-foam, gel, or a good hybrid) pays you back in five-star sleep; a bad bed is a bad review waiting to happen.
- Fast, reliable Wi-Fi and a real workspace. The remote-worker segment books on this alone — a desk, a good chair, and Wi-Fi that actually holds a video call are now near-essentials.
- A hot tub or pool. Among the most filtered-for amenities on every platform, and a strong differentiator in markets where they’re rare.
- Self-check-in / smart lock. Access friction is one of the biggest drivers of bad reviews, so a frictionless arrival is an amenity in itself.
- Pet-friendly. Opens a large, loyal, under-served segment — and lets you charge for it.
- For larger or luxury properties: a game room, or the amenity managers are racing to add now — a pickleball court.
3. Cheap touches that punch above their weight
You don’t need a bigger budget to raise your rate. Several small, thoughtful touches often beat one big splurge.
- A coffee-and-tea bar. A proper coffee station is cheap and disproportionately loved.
- The backyard as a living space. Turn dead yard into a reason to stay in: cornhole, a hook-and-ring toss (a post, a hook, and a ring on a string — a few dollars on Amazon or a DIY 4x4), a hammock, a fire pit, string lights.
- Outdoor TV or covered lounge. Extends the usable space and photographs beautifully.
- Beach or activity gear. Chairs, coolers, umbrellas, bikes. Include them in the stay as a perk or upsell them; either way it’s a selling point.
- Elevated toiletries. One step past the basics (a nice, even branded set) for a small cost.
- Robes and slippers. A luxury/spa touch: worth it if that’s your positioning, skippable if it isn’t.
4. The Instagrammable moment
One of your amenities should be built to be photographed — a theme room, a mural or feature wall, a fire pit under string lights, a view framed by the right chairs. A spot guests can’t resist sharing does double duty: it’s an amenity for them and free marketing for you, because every guest photo is an ad and standout photos are what stop a traveler mid-scroll. (See the advertising tips for how those photos do the heavy lifting in a listing.)
5. How to choose, without overspending
A simple filter, in order:
- What is the competition missing? Go there. That’s where your differentiator lives.
- What would your specific guest love? Match the amenity to who you’re for — a workspace for remote workers, a hot tub for couples, games and a pool for families. Speaking to the right guest is half the answer.
- Can you deliver it reliably? A promised amenity you fail to provide becomes a bad review, so don’t offer what you can’t keep up.
- Will it earn its cost back? Several small touches often beat one big splurge — especially if you’re also pricing the calendar sensibly (see the rates guide).
6. Market them loudly, or they don’t count
The amenity you don’t mention doesn’t exist. Put your best ones in your listing title, your first three photos, your captions, your own website, and your ads — don’t bury “hot tub” in paragraph four. And speak each amenity to the guest it’s for: the mattress and blackout curtains sell couples, the workspace sells the workation guest, the game room and the pool sell families. Same property, three different pitches. (More on that in the advertising tips .)
Match the market on the essentials. Out-offer it on one thing that’s yours. Then market it like you mean it.
The best amenities also do double duty on the back end: they earn better reviews , make repeat-guest marketing actually work, and give the sales conversation something concrete to lead with. Music and video can amplify all of it — see how sonic branding fits in.
FAQ
What amenities increase vacation rental bookings?
The high-impact ones are a genuinely comfortable bed, fast Wi-Fi with a real workspace, a hot tub or pool, frictionless self-check-in, and pet-friendliness — plus at least one differentiator your nearby competitors don't offer.
What are cheap vacation rental amenities that add value?
A coffee-and-tea bar, yard games like cornhole and hook-and-ring toss, a hammock, a fire pit, an outdoor TV, elevated toiletries, and beach or activity gear all add real appeal for very little money.
Is a hot tub worth it for a vacation rental?
Often yes where there's demand — it's one of the most searched-for amenities. It's strongest as a differentiator when few competitors nearby have one, and closer to essential in markets where most do.
Do I still need robes and slippers?
Only if you're positioned as luxury or spa-like. For a family or mid-market rental, that money is usually better spent on the mattress, the coffee bar, or the outdoor space.
What's the best amenity for remote-worker guests?
Reliable, fast Wi-Fi paired with a real desk and a comfortable chair — the “workation” guest books on that alone.
How do I market my vacation rental amenities?
Lead with them — in your listing title, your first photos, your captions, your own site, and your ads — and match each amenity to the guest it's meant for.
Jay William — The Father of Vacation Rental Marketing
Jay William is the founder of Villa Marketers (est. 2005). For two decades he’s helped owners and managers turn properties into businesses that get found, booked, and remembered.
Choose the right amenities. Market them so they book.
We’ll help you pick the differentiators worth your money, stage them for the camera, and put them where guests actually see them — on your listing, your site, and your ads. BOOM.
BOOM.
Part of one connected body of work
These flagship guides build on each other. Each one is part of the same direct-booking system.
Jay William
Founder, Villa Marketers · Co-Founder, Knokx
Jay William is the founder of Villa Marketers and co-founder of Knokx, with 20+ years helping vacation rental brands grow beyond OTA dependence. His work focuses on direct-booking strategy, SEO and AI visibility, brand positioning, and owned demand systems for hosts and property managers.
Industry peers call him The Father of Vacation Rental Marketing.
- Direct Booking Strategy
- SEO & AI Visibility
- Brand Positioning
- Property Manager Marketing
- Owner Acquisition
