Why "Looking Nice" Won't Get Your Vacation Rental Booked

There's this misconception that if your rental looks nice, it'll book. But "nice" is subjective, forgettable, and doesn't differentiate you from the hundreds of other rentals in your market.

Nice doesn't make people stop scrolling. Nice doesn't make people feel like they have to book your place or they'll miss out. Nice gets you lost in the noise.

Hot tub setup designed around what guests value and will pay for when they visit “The Scenic City”. 

Your Rental Doesn't Need to Look Nice

It needs to look like an experience your ideal guest can't get anywhere else. It needs to make them feel something the second they see it. That's the difference between a rental that books at average rates and one that commands premium pricing with strong occupancy.

The Scroll Test

Look at your listing photos (or your comp's photos). Do they make you stop and say "whoa"? Or do they just look okay?

If it's the latter, your design isn't doing its job. Your photos are competing with thousands of other listings, and "fine" doesn't win that competition.

What Actually Makes People Book

People book experiences, not furniture. They book the feeling they'll have when they're there. The moments they'll remember. The stories they'll tell their friends.

Your design needs to create those moments. Not just document a space that looks acceptable, good enough to sleep.

A vacation rental bedroom design where comfort was the driving factor for why guests book.

Why I Design With Photos in Mind From Day One

This is why I design with photos in mind from the very beginning. Because your listing lives or dies on scroll, and nice doesn't cut it anymore. Every design decision is filtered through: Will this photograph in a way that makes someone stop scrolling? Will this create a moment worth remembering?

That's how you design for bookings, not just looks.

"Nice" won't differentiate your rental or justify premium rates. Design for scroll-stopping impact and memorable experiences instead.