Host Planet – Details, episodes & analysis
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Host Planet
Host Planet
Frequency: 1 episode/4d. Total Eps: 139
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Use AI to create marketing content for your short-term rental
Season 3 · Episode 30
mardi 8 avril 2025 • Duration 20:02
Kay Walten is a hospitality and AI expert who has merged her two passions to create a growing business: Smart Pineapple.
On today's episode of Host Planet Bitesize, sponsored by Hostfully, Kay explains how short-term rental hosts and managers can utilise AI to create marketing content for their properties.
Key takeaways:
• Your prompts must be clear, direct, and full of detail
• Try various AI platforms to see which is the best fit for your business
• You must review and edit the content
1:25 Be clear and direct
2:39 Add detail
7:07 Keep the conversation going
9:06 Review and edit
12:57 Try different AI platforms
14:34 The AI platforms Kay recommends trying
15:42 Smart Pineapple: https://www.smartpineapple.ai/
Links:
Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/
James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/
Kay Walten: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaywalten/
Smart Pineapple: https://www.smartpineapple.ai/
Episode to check next:
Airbnb do not want you to listen to Mark Simpson: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6AW5aNPaOWvtoizOA9Rd1U
The Host Planet Mortgage Podcast is presented by James Varley – a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including almost a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 organising committee.
Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club
#AI #Content #ChatGPT #SmartPineapple #HolidayLets #ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #SelfCatering #Property #PropertyInvestment #PropertyManagement #Airbnb #BookDirect #DirectBookings #JamesVarley #Bookingcom #Vrbo
Airbnb does not want you to listen to Mark Simpson
jeudi 3 avril 2025 • Duration 41:09
Direct booking champion Mark Simpson is the man Airbnb do not want their hosts to listen to.
In today's episode of the Host Planet Podcast, Mark explains why he is Airbnb's nemesis and shares some quirky direct booking strategies (bin advertising, anyone?!) that you have probably never considered.
Mark also shares his business story – including how close he came to selling Boostly last year. He also talks about dealing with online trolls in Facebook groups and Trustpilot after being forced to quadruple prices for some of his most loyal customers.
There are shout-outs for yhangry, Mount, Siddhi Mittal, Madison Rifkin, and Jodie Odlin during the episode.
Key takeaways:
• Airbnb hosts need to learn about direct bookings.
• There are so many quirky and effective direct booking strategies – and they start with knowing where your target guests are.
• Mark was weeks away from selling Boostly in 2024 after losing 1,000 customers.
• Despite a tough year, Boostly is now more profitable than ever.
1:06 Why Mark Simpson is Airbnb’s nemesis
4:16 Don’t build your house on someone else’s land
6:22 Can direct bookings be a false economy?
9:37 The best direct booking websites have this in common
11:00 Weird (but effective) direct booking strategies
15:44 Challenges and opportunities in 2025
20:36 Wild times running Boostly
32:51 How close was Mark to selling Boostly?
34:54 Dealing with online trolls, including 1-star Trustpilot reviews
37:35 Favourite brands: yhangry and Mount
38:57 Individual shout-out: Jodie Odlin
39:39 Number one lesson learned from the last year
Links:
Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/
James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/
Mark Simpson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmarksimpson/
Boostly: https://boostly.co.uk/
Episode to check next:
Why stamp duty is stalling the UK property market: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt2H9LWDwT4
The Host Planet Mortgage Podcast is presented by James Varley – a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including almost a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 organising committee.
Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club
#HolidayLets #ShortTermRentals #VacationRentals #SelfCatering #Property #PropertyInvestment #PropertyManagement #Airbnb #BookDirect #DirectBookings #MarkSimpson #JamesVarley #Bookingcom #Vrbo
Optimise your presence on the OTAs
mardi 11 mars 2025 • Duration 16:29
Welcome to HCH Bitesize, the podcast series brought to you by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Hostfully!
In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Bevan Thompson from Hostfully sharing his top five tips to supercharge your short-term rental listings on major platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.
1:50 The OTAs every rental should be listed on
2:35 Google Vacation Rentals and direct bookings
3:55 Tip No. 1: optimise the content in your descriptions
6:08 Tip No. 2: know your target guest
7:12 Bonus tip: fresh is best – make your listing stand out
9:17 Tip No. 3: put guests in the picture
11:13 Tip No. 4: mystery shop your listing
12:09 Tip No. 5: review to get reviewed
14:47 Find out more about Hostfully (your first guidebook is free!): https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1
Are you looking to streamline your operations and amaze your guests? Look no further than Hostfully! Try their top-rated property management software and award-winning digital guidebooks today (your first guidebook is free!). Join the thousands of satisfied property managers who trust Hostfully to grow their business: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1
Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/
Hostfully: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1
James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/
Got a comment or interested in being a guest on the show? Get in touch: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! Your support helps us bring more industry experts like Bevan to the show.
2024 trends and the growth of Booking.com
vendredi 15 mars 2024 • Duration 39:54
This week’s special guest is Sally Henry, Vice President of Business Development at Key Data, the global leader in market intelligence in the short-term rentals industry.
Sally talks to HCH Founder, James Varley, about 2024 trends – shining a light on supply, occupancy, and rates. She also discusses Airbnb losing market share to Booking.com in Europe and the UK, how to get your pricing right, and how strict your cancellation policy should be.
Sally’s favourite brand shout-out went to cottages.com, while Simon Law (her fellow ‘radiator’) earned her individual mention.
3:30 Sally’s career in the STR world, which started in the brochure era!
7:35 The growth of the industry has been massive
9:14 Innovative tech is prevalent in the STR space
10:08 Elevator pitch for Key Data
11:43 The onboarding process for Key Data customers
13:03 The cost and platform: Key Data website
14:08 What the data is telling us in 2024 so far (more supply, lower occupancy, lower rates)
17:51 Have we hit peak supply?
19:36 Airbnb has lost market share to Booking.com (2% drop in the UK and 4% drop in Europe)
22:03 2% and 4% swings are quite significant
23:22 Sally’s top tips to navigate 2024
27:11 Price is everything. People are taking more trips but stays are shorter
30:17 Working out the optimal cancellation policy
33:15 Favourite brand in the STR space: cottages.com
34:40 Individual shout-out: Simon Law
36:39 No. 1 tip to STR hosts and managers in 2024: utilise your data!
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
Why now is the perfect time to launch HCH Financial Services
vendredi 8 mars 2024 • Duration 35:12
This week’s special guest is Howard Reuben, from HCH Financial Services – the new home of holiday let mortgages.
Howard discusses his career as a mortgage broker and financial advisor, founding HCH Financial Services (in collaboration with Holiday Cottage Handbook), and how the growth of short-term rentals has boomed since the pandemic.
Howard picked the Principality Building Society for his favourite brand shout-out, while Samantha Turmaine took the individual shout-out for her outstanding work in managing HCH Financial Services.
If you need any type of mortgage or financial product, contact HCH Financial Services:
Call: 0333 1234 536
Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Visit: https://www.hchfs.co.uk/
3:46 Howard’s career as a mortgage broker and financial advisor
9:20 Why this is the right time to launch HCH Financial Services
12:51 The customer journey – we aim to deliver your long-term goals
15:56 A range of options: holiday let, buy to let, residential mortgages, and much more
17:13 There are lenders who will consider all sorts of circumstances
19:09 The holiday let market has boomed since the pandemic
23:38 The state of the market right now
28:26 Favourite brand shout-out: Principality Building Society
30:01 Individual shout-out: Samantha Turmaine from HCH Financial Services
31:39 No. 1 lesson learned: the only constant is change
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
How Beyond can boost your revenue by 40%!
vendredi 1 mars 2024 • Duration 25:58
Beyond is the global revenue management system for the vacation rental industry and prides itself on helping customers increase their annual revenue by a whopping 40%.
During this week’s episode we hear from Beyond CEO Julie Brinkman about her career, the dynamism and innovation of the short-term rentals industry, and future trends we should all be looking out for.
Julie also offers a deep dive into the Beyond platform, outlining why it stands out in the dynamic pricing tool landscape.
Julie’s favourite brand shout-out went to Host & Stay, while her individual shout-out went to Fiona Campbell, CEO, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers.
3:32 Business, travel, and growth: Julie’s career journey
5:47 The dynamism of the short-term rentals industry
7:16 Where the STR space stands currently
8:19 Where the industry is heading
10:11 Why hosts and property managers should be using Beyond
11:20 A dynamic pricing tool like Beyond keeps you up-to-date with shifts in demand
12:43 Beyond can help you boost revenue by up to 40%!
13:53 Why Beyond stands out in the dynamic pricing tool landscape
17:12 The onboarding journey for new Beyond customers
18:30 It’s easy to set minimum and maximum nightly rates
19:02 The first 5,000 bookings with Beyond are free!
19:48 Trends in the short-term rentals industry
20:59 Julie’s top tip: know your market
21:57 What’s next for Beyond?
23:03 Favourite brand shout-out: Host & Stay, Dale Smith
23:32 Individual shout-out: Fiona Campbell, CEO, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers
24:03 Number one lesson learned from being CEO of Beyond
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
Mark Simpson: Direct booking tips and what I really think of Airbnb
vendredi 23 février 2024 • Duration 59:32
This week’s special guest is industry expert Mark Simpson – the direct booking king, Founder of Boostly, and the man Airbnb don’t want you to know about.
Mark spoke to James Varley about being born into the vacation rentals industry, founding Boostly, his top direct booking tips, marketing tactics, and what he really thinks about Airbnb.
Mark’s favourite brand shout-out went to Mount, while his individual shout-out went to HCH Founder, James Varley.
3:44 Born into the STR industry
15:47 The Boostly elevator pitch: the ultimate direct booking solution
19:05 Why are direct bookings so important?
28:12 Mark’s top three direct booking tips
39:21 What Mark has learned about marketing
45:27 ‘I love Airbnb’ – but you have to make the OTAs work for you
49:32 The future of Boostly
50:42 Top tips for hosts and property managers: start with a great bed!
51:20 Top trends in 2024
55:14 Favourite brand in the STR industry: Mount (shout-out for Madison Rifkin)
56:39 Individual shout-out: James Varley(!)
57:04 Biggest lesson learned: get a great accountant!
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE!
vendredi 16 février 2024 • Duration 24:43
This week’s episode is dedicated to Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE, which will be held in collaboration with the Property Investor Show on 19-20 April at ExCel London.
Property Tribes Co-Founder Vanessa Warwick – an ambassador for Property Investor Show – is the special guest and she explains why this is a must-attend event in our industry.
Tickets for Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE are FREE! All you need to do is register via the Property Investor Show website.
Hope to see you there!
3:55 Why the Property Investor Show is a must-attend event in our industry
5:54 The importance of valuable (and free!) property education
7:41 Understanding what’s going on in the short-term rentals space
9:22 Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE exhibitors
9:46 There will be something for everyone – whether you're a new investor or manage hundreds of properties
11:30 Portfolio landlords are shifting towards short-term rentals
14:02 Industry events will help you become a better investor and property manager
16:06 The audience is made up of experienced property investors who are looking to scale
19:26 Property investors are feeling optimistic in 2024
21:17 The event is FREE. There is no excuse not to attend!
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
#HCHLIVE exhibitors:
Sykes Holiday Cottages
The Aparthotel Revolution
Interested in exhibiting? Email: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
Take SuperControl of your rental!
vendredi 9 février 2024 • Duration 30:58
This week’s special guest is Robert Kennedy, the Co-Founder and Product Director of SuperControl – a long-established property management solution based in the UK.
Robert charts his journey from hosting in Scotland to developing a simple booking channel and eventually creating a PMS which takes £50 worth of bookings every second.
Robert’s favourite brand shout-out went to Premier Cottages, while his individual shout-outs went to Fiona Campbell, from the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, and Alistair Handyside, from PASC UK.
3:42 The story of SuperControl
9:11 What makes SuperControl stand out
11:51 The growth of PMS options on the market
14:15 Will we see consolidation in the PMS space?
15:53 Why hosts should consider SuperControl
17:52 Starting out as a host has been key to the success and growth of SuperControl
19:40 Tips for hosts: pricing, presentation, and partnerships
21:37 Head to www.supercontrol.co.uk to sign up for a free trial
23:13 Favourite brand shout-out: Premier Cottages
25:04 Individual shout-outs: Fiona Campbell and Alistair Handyside
27:01 Best advice to a new company
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
The story of Speedy Wi-Fi
vendredi 2 février 2024 • Duration 18:46
This week’s special guest is Philip Pickard, the CEO and Co-Founder of Speedy Wi-Fi. Philip talks to James Varley about how short-term rental hosts and property managers can advertise and leverage high-speed Wi-Fi in order to attract more bookings and boost revenue.
Philip’s favourite brand shout-out went to Plum Guide, while his individual shout-outs went to Boostly’s Mark Simpson and Airbnb CEO and Co-Founder, Brian Chesky.
3:39 The story of Speedy Wi-Fi
4:29 Helping property managers advertise and leverage high-speed Wi-Fi
5:21 What speed is high-speed Wi-Fi these days?
5:56 Consistently capturing Wi-Fi performance data
7:33 Guest demand for high-speed Wi-Fi is unquestionable
7:48 If you have great Wi-Fi, shout it from the rooftops
9:03 Targeting larger property managers
10:24 Guests are 84% more likely to book a property with verified Wi-Fi data
11:04 Speedy Wi-Fi pricing and sign-up info
11:56 Philip’s career before founding Speedy Wi-Fi
13:20 Being customer-obsessed is key
14:39 Favourite brand in the STR space: Plum Guide
15:18 Individual shout-outs: Mark Simpson from Boostly and Brian Chesky from Airbnb
16:25 Best advice: focus on what your customers want
Links mentioned:
Holiday Cottage Handbook LIVE (download your free e-ticket)
HCH Financial Services Call: 0333 1234 536 Email: advice@hchfs.co.uk
Holiday Cottage Handbook website
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
Download our free e-book for investors, hosts, and property managers
Enjoy the show?
Please subscribe, rate, and review!
Email the show: james@holidaycottagehandbook.com
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