Ana Santiago - Hospitality Consulting

09/12/2020

Hey Everyone! Alive? These are certainly strange times, forcing us to crank our minds around this new normal and re-think our business models to match the rapidly changing times and landscape. When the pandemic hit NYC in March, the vacation/temporary rental market evaporated, tenants lost jobs, wanted a quick exit, and the only people coming to town were essential workers. But...they'd need housing, right? How could I reach them? Calling around to Hospitals and speak to the HR person? During a pandemic??? No way. Instead, spent the next 40 minutes finding and joining travel healthcare pages and groups, then started posting, Within hours inquiries started coming in and within a week I'd found suitable renters and provided a much needed service when it was needed most. Adding some special extras that spoke to Healthcare professionals (Waived security deposits w proof of contract, provided bikes and taxi vouchers, pick up and drop off laundry service) got their attention and immediately created good rapport for understanding and meeting their needs. What changes were you forced to make to keep your business afloat? share below! Stay safe everyone!

01/18/2020

UPGRADES
Thoughtful upgrades breathe new life into your space, re-arranging the energy to keep things feeling fresh. Even if you're just starting out, make sure your space feels fresh (and of course, CLEAN). Let the generous notion of giving your guests the best experience possible always be your guide. For me, my concept is a clean slate, where they can relax with a minimum of distractions and everything is clean, comfortable and easy. Your concept may be completely different, but these upgrades apply to everyone's rental property.

Check the Walls
Hand prints? Foot prints? Scuff marks? Almost anyone can do touch ups or apply a fresh coat. Don't get drastic, repainting the same color is an easy, economical and time saving way to freshen up the walls, giving the space an overall new and clean vibe. Keep a gallon or more of it around for touch-ups or new coats to refresh.

Bedding
When was the last time you bought new white or off white sheets (the only color your sheets should be)?There is a lady in Mexico who scrubs your laundry on a rock like she's mad at it, definitely adding more soap than is necessary, then hangs it in the sun to dry. Those whites come out blinding and beautiful, better than new! Unless she's the actual person doing your laundry, your sheets likely need to be switched out annually and sometimes sooner if there are any noticeable flaws. Are they dingy or browning? Stains? Threadbare or holes anywhere? If they're good sheets and have retained whiteness and are getting softer with age, go you! Please comment below where you purchased these unicorn bed linens. If not, get rid of them
*SIDE NOTE: Old sheets make great cleaning cloths that are wildly satisfying to make. S*x is great and all, but have you tried ripping sheets into beautiful straight strips? Then into squares that make an endless pile of perfect cleaning rags for around the house?!?!?

Are your pillows dead? If they are yellowed or stay folded when you halve them, then they've done their duty and it's time to put them to rest and replace.

Bathroom
Invest in white, high quality, anti-mildew shower curtains that can be bleached, washed and re-used. They're a bit pricier than plastic liners, but they have a lot of life and can be bleached clean, ultimately saving you money and reducing waste.
Give you towels the sniff and snuggle test. Do they smell fresh or...not? You can get creative and colorful with towels, but buying the same brand all the time will makes it easy to order more. That's why white towels are so popular w hotels. Even if they change suppliers, the white maintains a consistent and clean motif.

Deep Clean
In my Brooklyn place, I started with a deep clean. Like, 13-hours-scrubbed every-corner-from-top-to-bottom clean. I replaced the beds from Amazon, bought some new rugs, and a used couch from a shop I know and trust and made sure every last thing I needed was delivered to my door because I'm lazy, but i still want what I want. I re-upped on the basics from the list above and the overall effect feels great! New and re-charged!

These small investments pay real dividends. Giving guests as many little reasons as possible to subtly fall in love with your space means great reviews, authentic and glowing recommendations to friends and colleagues, repeat business and new clients. What are the little investments you make to make your rental better?

12/09/2019

No need to look any further...

No need to look any further.

09/20/2019

The B46!!

The MTA on Thursday announced that it will be cutting service on one of the city’s busiest bus routes in an effort to save money.

06/29/2019

In the spate of recent stays in various places, I'm shocked at how hosts miss the basics. The 2 #1 rules of any vacation stay are:
1. The place has to be SPOTLESS
2. The beds have to be sublime
2a. Blackout curtains

Dirty rooms or apartments make your guests tense, making it harder for them to relax when they need it most.

Beds should be firm with a pillow top, a mattress cover, white cotton/bamboo/or brushed microfiber sheets, 1 blanket per person, blankets should be white with cotton ticking and down or down blend fill. Pillows should be standard size, ideally a mix of down and foam pillows. Down is best, but some people are allergic.

If your rental is clean enough to eat off of every surface, the beds are beautifully made, and the windows are treated with blackout curtains, your guests will enjoy their stay and overlook anything else that may not be perfect.

04/12/2019

Easter gifts for VIP's and Easter guests!

come in beautiful sets together. Http://czecheggs.com

03/25/2018

Beautiful 2 bedroom sublet available in Crown Heights brooklyn. Available throughout the year for 1 month stays or longer.

01/20/2018

Mission Control
So, if you're running your business from afar, as I often do, it's vital to have a local home team ready for the invariable emergencies of guests. This team includes:
1. Cleaning person - possibly the most important member of your team. They are your main eyes, ears and hands of the operation when you are gone. DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR CLEANING PERSON. Really, this is not the place to go budget. The cleaning person must be totally trustworthy, and do a compulsively good job cleaning. She/He will likely check in and/or check out your guests, provide cleaning services for them when requested, and is the beloved local contact person if anything goes awry. Pay them and treat them well, as they are difficult to find and a pain in the neck to replace. An agency is a great option. People think they're more expensive, but these days, they dont charge more than a cleaning person with the added bonus of never being stranded of your cleaner is sick or not around.

It's also a must to have a list of maintenance people to call in case of emergencies. This is true weather you run your business from near or far. Having a list of quality people on hand when it hits the fan makes the whole situation MUCH less stressful. If a pipe bursts and you're spending half a day just trying to locate a plumber, everyone's stress level just turned up to 11.

A clean space is a huge qualifying factor for lots of guests, in the slow season or highly competitive markets, offer weekly or biweekly-monthly cleaning services for free. Not only will this increase your profile, your reviews will be magnificent, as maid service is one of the main reasons people pay extra to stay at hotels and not condos or other high maintenance options. What do you think? How do housecleaning services rank on your list of must-have's while traveling? Sound off below.