How to make your holiday home family-friendly?

When it comes to rental properties, families in particular are increasingly choosing rental houses rather than hotels. This is because if you are a large group, holiday homes are more comfortable, functional and less expensive. But what we must not forget is that most families are groups with children and teenagers. Therefore, it is essential to make your property a family-friendly holiday home that is suitable for hosting guests of all ages and is comfortable not only for adults but also for the little ones. 

Make your holiday home a place where families make unforgettable memories 

To make your house welcoming to multi-generational groups, you don’t need to spend a lot of money… 

These few simple tricks will help you make your holiday home perfect for families!

1. Make your home flexible, spacious and clutter-free 

The first tip is to use the spaces, wherever possible, to their full potential. This especially pertains to the sleeping area where the addition of a few beds should be possible when necessary. Children’s bedrooms, particularly, should have ample space for them to be able to play around and, if possible, then all bedrooms should be on the same floor so parents can reach their young ones quickly in case of an emergency.

2. Go with ample seating and simple furnishings in the living area

The living room must be welcoming and equipped with plenty of seating space that can accommodate many guests. It should have furnishings that can be cleaned up easily because, let’s admit it, as much as children can be fun to be around, they are also messy! Besides, if your living room is one of those cosy family spaces centred around a fireplace, securing the area with a fireguard is a must.

Cosy family living room with ample seating and a secured fireplace (Happy. Rentals: ID 4039)

3. A child-friendly holiday home means entertainment amenities 

Creating a playroom with activities of various kinds can be a winning move. The little ones will definitely want to go back to that house! But maybe there isn't enough space to spare an entire room for fun activities; in such a case, there are less bulky alternatives such as buying a console that connects to the TV or those nostalgic board games for creating pure moments of fun for the whole family!

4. Stock up on beach amenities if yours is a lakeside or beach holiday home

Speaking of playful things, if your holiday home is, for example, in a lakeside or beach-front location, you could keep various useful things in the house such as beach games, accessories for the sea, sun creams for younger children, and the like. Plus, a few personalised beach kits will surely make everyone happy! 

5. Make the most of your home’s outdoor space

Do you have a big outdoor space? Make the most of this desirable feature by adding simple amenities like football goals or croquet equipment that the whole family can enjoy or you can go for a classic play area with sandpits and swing sets. 

A big outdoor space allows lots of opportunities to provide a fun space for all ages (Happy. Rentals: ID 4384)

Tip: Check out our handy ultimate amenities checklist to make sure that your home is perfect for families!

6. Create a hamper with detailed brochures and itineraries

If none of the above suggestions apply to the type of property you have, don’t worry! You can still make your holiday home family-friendly by leaving detailed brochures/information packages of possible itineraries; tourist attractions, recommended restaurants, theme parks, and places, etc., in the proximity of your holiday home that suit every generation and type of traveller in the family.

7. Hygiene first 

In addition to these useful little things for a pleasant stay, we must not forget to make the following items available to families that will make their self-catering holiday truly carefree. 

First of all, let’s have a look at personal hygiene: leaving towels, bed linen, and cleaning equipment are always well appreciated. As for the bathroom's fittings, having a full family bathroom with a bathtub is a sure way to invite more family stays; parents of little ones will especially thank you for this thoughtful amenity. 

Meanwhile, for the kitchen area, it would be appreciable to include a dishwasher and microwave among the essential kitchen amenities so parents of young ones can easily reheat or cook food and also make sure that all crockery is sterilised before using it.

A dishwasher and microwave are perfect additions for a carefree family stay (Happy.Rentals: ID 5659)

8. Security is important too, especially with babies and toddlers

For basic safety, it is advisable to keep a first-aid kit ready and in easy view of the guests.

Outside the holiday home: Having a swimming pool or garden is already a huge plus as many guests with children book holiday homes precisely for these amenities. But to make sure that all’s well that ends well, the outdoors should be properly fenced as kids are known to be master escapists. This would also be appreciated by families who love to travel with their furry ones too–on that note, it might be worth making your home pet-friendly!

Tip: If you are thinking of building a swimming pool to make your holiday home more tempting, then a shallow swimming area would be ideal for children. But if you don’t want a proper swimming pool, then an inflatable one for toddlers and babies works too.

A small paddling or inflatable pool is a great addition to family-friendly homes (Happy. Rentals: ID 4582)

Inside the holiday home: As for the interiors, baby equipment like a cot and high chair–basically, flexible and safe sleeping and seating spaces secured with railings– are highly recommended. 

You should also secure the stairs if your house has multiple levels, and if there are any heavy doors that might easily trap those little fingers, installing door closers or door stops can be a good way to ensure child safety. Windows at a low height should be secured, too, so they cannot be easily opened by the little ones who are always curious and on the lookout for things outside their reach. 

These are a few tips to make the home family-friendly for an unforgettable stay! However, if you are unsure about which amenities you might want to add to make your holiday home stand out and become a favourite among guests, then adding some of the top amenities searched by guests is a good starting point.

Want to know how to make your holiday home digital-nomad friendly too? Check out all that you need to know right here.