Zion Friends and Family Retreat

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Zion Friends and Family Retreat Book your stay at Zion Friends and Family Retreat through Airbnb and Vrbo and visit Zion National Park and other magnificent features of Southern Utah!

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I wish I could put out fresh flowers for all guests. The truth is, I can't even have a single humble live plant in my S...
14/01/2024

I wish I could put out fresh flowers for all guests. The truth is, I can't even have a single humble live plant in my STR. They would never have a chance to survive.

I spend the month of January in the home, upgrading, repairing, and also just enjoying it. The flowers are just nice. They feel happy. I feel happy. 😊

In the sunny, dry desert of Southern Utah, every gallon of water saved is important. I've converted 75% of the lawn on...
09/01/2024

In the sunny, dry desert of Southern Utah, every gallon of water saved is important. I've converted 75% of the lawn on this property to dryscaping, and mulched around native plants with gravel. But this short-term rental is pet friendly, and I charge a pet fee. Saving a section of lawn in the shaded, fenced back yard is an important feature. Would a spot of lawn be a scale-tipper if you were traveling with your dog?

I just can't even think about running a vacation rental without being able to control the front door virtually! There a...
08/01/2024

I just can't even think about running a vacation rental without being able to control the front door virtually! There are no keys to keep track of, my software creates a new code for each guest, those codes expire when the guest checks out, I can lock and unlock the door from my phone, and I can let in maintenance without compromising security. It's a total game changer that I cannot live without.

I inherited this dishwasher (with its broken tray and cotter pin repair) in my Airbnb. It's slowly disintegrated, and i...
08/01/2024

I inherited this dishwasher (with its broken tray and cotter pin repair) in my Airbnb. It's slowly disintegrated, and its surely annoyed every guest. What do I replace it with? Should I buy quality or "good enough"? Last year I made the choice to upgrade the AC and furnace. $25,000 later I have a a new system but it wasn't broken. It was just...annoying. Should I cut into profits and buy quality, or just replace it with "good enough" as the previous owners did. (Spoiler: I bought a freakin' workhorse dishwasher that may outlast me. )

I'm willing to try new things. This year I'm moving my house manual to Touch Stay, a digital version that I can share ...
06/01/2024

I'm willing to try new things. This year I'm moving my house manual to Touch Stay, a digital version that I can share with guests before they arrive. What are you trying, and what will you continue to use from last year?

I stay in my Short-term rental home for an entire month, once a year, during the slow season. This is when I notice cha...
04/01/2024

I stay in my Short-term rental home for an entire month, once a year, during the slow season. This is when I notice chairs that need tightening, batteries that need to be replaced, cracks that need patching, etc. The To Do list grows each day as I inspect every nook. But...it's also when I get to stop, breathe, and notice the magic of this place...The quiet and beauty in the desert...The reason this home is such a great place to stay!

Short-term rental guests appreciate having options, ways to relax and recharge. My STR property is near a national park...
03/01/2024

Short-term rental guests appreciate having options, ways to relax and recharge. My STR property is near a national park, which is a stellar nearby attraction, and after a long day of hiking in the park, many take advantage of the low key activities I suggest. There are lots of puzzles and games to choose from, a wide variety of books for casual reading, musical instruments to play, karaoke, Corn hole, suggestions for star gazing, a hot tub to soak in, a fire pit with lots of outdoor seating, and more. It's something that nearly every guest mentions in their review.

Short-term rentals, hotels, and novelty stays have grown tremendously since Zion National Park made 3rd place on the mos...
02/01/2024

Short-term rentals, hotels, and novelty stays have grown tremendously since Zion National Park made 3rd place on the most popular national parks list in the US. How do I compete with the glamping, tiny house, charming cabins, and "popularly priced" hotels that have popped up nearby in the last year? I don't. I provide the very best home I can in single-family home rentals, and I do not lower the price just to get clicks. I use dynamic software to determine the best pricing, which automatically updates daily, and aim for stellar reviews. "Heart-centered Hosting" is the secret sauce. I'm not going to win every potential guest, and I won't ever compete with someone determined to spend their visit in a novelty parked Air-Stream experience, nor a charming tent. Zion Friends & Family Retreat is a real home and it's perfect for those looking for a real home away from home.

I would never claim to know the difinitive answer to this question, but it's valuable to consider all of the reasons pot...
10/01/2022

I would never claim to know the difinitive answer to this question, but it's valuable to consider all of the reasons potential guests might not find a listing.

Can you think of more reasons a listing is not being found?

-Listing is not on a popular site
-Listing is not optimized on the site
-listing is not optimized on Google or other search engines
-Not a Super Host
-Property is not in the immediate vicinity of a popular feature
-Listing is not regularly refreshed
-Listing has unprofessional photos or description
-Listing does not have an attention-grabbing title
-Listing is priced to high or to low
-Host has negative reviews
-Host has delayed response rates
-Listing does not have enough bookings or reviews

Yes, you need a charging station! I like this one that I found on Amazon. It's heavy-duty velcroed to the desk so it do...
08/01/2022

Yes, you need a charging station! I like this one that I found on Amazon. It's heavy-duty velcroed to the desk so it doesn't get pinched. And it's set up with three different types of plugs, since different devices need different plugs. Every once in a while a guest will comment about how they appreciated it since they left their charging cord at home.

A friend was staying for a week at a very nice Airbnb, one that cost over $1,000 per night and slept 14 people. They fo...
07/01/2022

A friend was staying for a week at a very nice Airbnb, one that cost over $1,000 per night and slept 14 people. They found one roll of TP in each bathroom, 2 dishwasher pods, one spare trash can liner, and no laundry detergent. I feel angry just telling you about this! Simply inexcusable.

If you are a host, the quickest way to sour your guests experience is to force them to run to the store while on vacation for toilet paper!

Guests should not have free access to the supply closet, but they will certainly have a better experience if they don't have to buy a bunch of household supplies that they can't even take home with them.

We've brainstormed, talked it out, took a vote, and decided a name change may work to capture the attention of our targe...
06/01/2022

We've brainstormed, talked it out, took a vote, and decided a name change may work to capture the attention of our targeted audience.

Zion Artists Retreat is now "Zion Friends and Family Retreat".

Sometimes I see my competitors and I wonder what they are thinking!? In the competitive world of Short-term rental properties, image REALLY matters. I'm rethinking details continuously, and this year we decided it was time for a new name.

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