Identifying Who Your Holiday Home Truly Attracts
by azulomo | 9 min read
Know Your Guests
From Data to Insight: How to Know Who Your Holiday Home Attracts
Hosting a holiday home today is a rewarding yet complex venture. While it might seem straightforward to open your doors and welcome guests, the reality is far richer — and more nuanced. Your property isn’t just a place to crash; it’s a carefully curated experience shaped by the people who choose to stay. Understanding exactly who those guests are — their habits, preferences, and motivations — transforms hosting from a numbers game into a personalised, profitable journey.
Far too many hosts rely on assumptions or broad categories like “families” or “couples” without digging deeper. But knowing your guests on a granular level opens up a world of opportunities: from tailoring your space and amenities to communicating more effectively, to attracting repeat visitors who genuinely appreciate what you offer. This post explores practical ways to uncover your guest profiles by analysing booking data, decoding guest communication, and reading between the lines of reviews. We’ll also show you how various booking platforms provide useful insights to guide your understanding and strategy.
Whether you’re new to hosting or a seasoned pro looking to elevate your approach, this guide will help you turn raw data and subtle cues into meaningful guest insights — and in doing so, transform your rental into a place where the right guests keep coming back.
Why Knowing Your Guests Makes All the Difference
Imagine opening the door to a guest who feels like they truly belong in your space — someone whose expectations naturally align with what you’ve thoughtfully created. That’s the power of really knowing who your guests are. Hosting isn’t just about filling your calendar or chasing the best nightly rate; it’s about crafting an experience that feels personal and memorable. When you understand the people walking through your door — their needs, preferences, and what drives their travel choices — you can personalise every aspect of their stay, from the welcome pack to the small thoughtful touches that make them smile.
This insight also helps you communicate clearly and honestly before they arrive, setting expectations that reduce confusion or disappointment. On top of that, it guides you in attracting guests who are the right fit for your home, which means less stress, fewer issues, and more positive reviews. Over time, this deep understanding builds a loyal guest base — people who don’t just visit once but keep coming back because they feel truly seen and valued. Without it, hosting can feel like guesswork, where mismatched expectations and last-minute fixes become the norm. Instead of vague assumptions like “I think mostly couples stay here” or “probably families,” you want to develop clear, actionable profiles that help you make smarter decisions and create stays guests love.
1. Mining Your Booking Data: Your Guest History is a Goldmine
Your booking records are the easiest place to start. Most booking platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, and your own PMS) hold a treasure trove of information — if you know where to look.
Look for Patterns in:
Guest demographics: Age ranges, family sizes, group compositions.
Booking lead time: Do guests book months in advance or last minute?
Stay duration: Weekend escapes? Week-long vacations? Month-long stays?
Origin: Are they local, national, international?
Purpose of stay: Business, leisure, events, relocation, or a mix?
Practical Example:
After reviewing recent bookings, a coastal cottage host found that 60% of guests were UK-based families booking during school holidays, 25% were couples booking short weekend getaways, and 15% were solo travellers staying for longer periods. This information helped the host optimise cleaning schedules and customise welcome packs with family-friendly games for families and romantic touches for couples.
How to Do It:
Export your booking reports to Excel or Google Sheets.
Categorise bookings by date, guest type, stay length, and origin.
Use filters and simple charts to spot trends over time.
Compare high review scores with booking types to find your “best guests.”
2. Decode Guest Communication: What They Say and How They Say It
Every message from a guest is a clue. Beyond the surface, the way guests communicate reveals their personality, expectations, and what they value most.
Spotting Guest Motivations Through Messages:
The Planner: Sends detailed questions about local activities, check-in procedures, and amenities well before arrival. Likely values structure and clarity.
The Relaxer: Messages tend to be casual and fewer, often confirming basic details last minute. They want a laid-back, fuss-free stay.
The Social Butterfly: Asks for local restaurant recommendations, nightlife, and events. These guests want to immerse themselves in the local scene.
The Business Guest: Inquiries focus on workspace, wifi quality, and quiet hours. Likely staying for work or remote tasks.
The Event Attendee: Asks about parking, group capacity, or noise policies — often attending weddings, family reunions, or conferences.
Practical Example:
Guests who asked numerous questions about hiking trails and outdoor gear tended to be active explorers booking longer stays during spring and autumn. Providing an outdoor activity guide in the welcome pack resulted in positive reviews mentioning helpful local tips.
Tips to Listen More Closely:
Read messages twice and note tone and content.
Keep a “guest communication log” summarising key requests and personality hints.
Reflect on recurring questions or concerns that reveal guest priorities.
3. Read Between the Lines of Reviews: Guest Feedback as a Mirror
Guest reviews — both the ones you receive and the ones they leave on other listings — offer rich insight.
What to Look For:
Repeated praise or complaints: Is there a pattern around cleanliness, location, amenities, or host responsiveness?
Guest language: Are reviews formal or casual? Detailed or brief? Enthusiastic or reserved? This reflects guest temperament.
Mentioned activities or reasons for stay: Do guests talk about family time, work trips, romantic weekends, or adventure?
Practical Example:
Reviews from couples often mentioned the “peaceful garden” and “romantic sunset views,” while family reviews highlighted “kid-friendly space” and “proximity to playgrounds.” This helped the host create two different listing descriptions — one focusing on tranquility, the other on family amenities — to attract the right guests more effectively.
4. How Hosting Platforms Help You Identify Your Guest Types
Today’s hosting world is shaped by powerful online platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, Hostaway, and others. These platforms don’t just handle bookings and payments — they also provide valuable insights into the kinds of travellers choosing your property. Learning how to read and interpret this data can give you a head start in understanding your guests, even before they arrive.
Airbnb
Airbnb offers hosts a Host Dashboard that summarises booking trends, guest demographics, and review insights. For example, if the majority of bookings come from guests aged 25–35 and with “couple” or “solo traveller” as their typical group, you’re likely attracting young professionals or adventurers. Messages might reveal interests in local experiences or nightlife, signalling a younger, experience-driven crowd. Frequent family bookings might show guests with children, indicating a need for kid-friendly amenities.
Vrbo
Vrbo tends to attract families and larger groups looking for whole-home rentals. By checking the number of guests per booking and stay length, you can infer whether your property is popular for family holidays, reunions, or events. Longer stays with many guests suggest multi-generational family trips, while weekend bookings for small groups may be couples or small families. Vrbo reviews often mention family-friendly features or event hosting, helping confirm typical guest types.
Booking.com & Expedia
These platforms attract a wide range of travellers — business visitors, couples, families, and solo adventurers. Business travellers often book mid-week stays, while families and tourists book longer, weekend-centred trips. Checking guest origins can reveal emerging markets or repeat visitor regions to target.
Agoda
Popular with travellers from Asia and the Pacific, Agoda often brings international tourists and long-term stays. Analysing booking lengths and guest nationalities here can reveal seasonal trends and guest expectations, helping hosts prepare culturally relevant amenities or multilingual communication.
Hostaway and Other PMS Platforms
Property Management Systems (PMS) like Hostaway consolidate booking data across multiple channels, giving a clearer picture of your guest base. They can segment guests by origin, stay purpose, and booking behaviour. For example, spotting a growing number of corporate bookings can signal a shift in your guest profile. Automated messaging tools also help capture guest preferences early, allowing personalised communication and services.
Spotting Clues in Booking Details and Messages:
Beyond dashboards, booking inquiries often contain hints about your guest’s needs:
Booking length: Short stays often mean weekend travellers or event attendees; longer bookings may indicate remote workers or families.
Group size: Larger groups tend to be families or reunions, smaller parties might be couples or solo explorers.
Message content: Guests asking about wifi, workspace, or early check-in are often business or remote workers. Those asking about schools, playgrounds, or parks are likely families. Questions about nightlife might point to younger or social guests.
Practical Example:
A countryside cottage listed on both Airbnb and Vrbo noticed many young couples booking short weekend trips on Airbnb, asking about hiking trails and local eateries. Meanwhile, Vrbo bookings were mostly families reserving week-long stays during school holidays, often enquiring about children’s safety features and nearby attractions. Understanding these patterns allowed the host to create two different welcome guides — one highlighting romantic walks and cosy dinners, the other focused on family activities and safety tips.
5. Spot Your Ideal Guest: Align Your Space with Their Needs
Once you know who your guests are, start thinking about who you want to attract. Not every guest fits every home, and that’s perfectly fine. We will deep dive into this matter in a separate section in a bit.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
What kind of guests do you enjoy hosting?
Which guests leave your home in great condition?
Who appreciates what you’ve worked hard to create?
What kind of bookings align with your lifestyle and income goals?
If you attract party groups but prefer quiet couples, you can tweak your listing and policies accordingly.
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Your Next Step: Dive Into Your Guest Data Today
Your holiday home is more than a space; it’s a stage where stories unfold. Knowing who your guests are — and why — gives you the backstage pass to crafting unforgettable stays.
Take time to explore your booking data, listen to your guests, and learn from their feedback. The clearer your understanding, the better you can design, communicate, and host with intention. Attract guests who truly fit your space and hosting style — and watch magic happen in guest satisfaction and your bottom line.
Ready to take the leap? Grab your latest booking reports, messages, and guest reviews, and carve out an hour in your schedule just to explore. As you sift through this valuable information, jot down patterns, surprises, and insights about who is really walking through your door. You might be amazed at what you uncover — and how these discoveries can shift your entire hosting approach from guesswork to strategy.
Understanding your guests at this level is the foundation for designing stays that resonate deeply and leave lasting impressions. It’s also the secret sauce to attracting the right guests, creating personalised experiences, and building a thriving, soulful hosting business.
To help you along this journey, we invite you to explore our other detailed guides and blog sections on guest personas, emotional guest journey maps, and tailored hosting strategies. These resources dive deeper into the psychology of different traveller types — from the Remote Nomad and The Beach Wedding Couple to The Slow Traveller and The Business Guest — and how to meet their unique needs with warmth and precision. By combining the insights you gather from your own data with our expert guidance, you’ll be equipped to craft authentic, memorable stays that not only boost bookings but turn first-time visitors into loyal return guests.
Don’t just host — host with heart and clarity.
Sign up below to receive our exclusive hosting toolkit, including guest persona templates, communication scripts, and checklist bundles — everything you need to turn insight into action and make your holiday home the go-to choice for your perfect guests.
With warmth,
azulomo
Hosting the slow living coastal way—wherever you are.
“Great hosting begins with truly knowing your guests. When you understand who they are, you don’t just book stays—you create a welcoming community that keeps coming back. This deeper connection transforms every visit into a meaningful experience, turning your holiday home into more than just a place to stay.”
