The UK has always had plenty to offer international guests, but for holiday let owners, welcoming visitors from overseas comes with a slightly different set of expectations.
Someone travelling from the other side of the world may have spent months planning their trip. They might be visiting Edinburgh for the first time, driving through the Highlands, exploring Cornwall‘s coastline or combining several destinations in one UK holiday. For them, the accommodation is not simply somewhere to sleep. It is an important part of the overall experience.
At mySTAYINN, we manage holiday lets across destinations including Edinburgh, Fife, the Isle of Skye, the Highlands, Cornwall, London, Bristol, Bath, Oxford and York. That gives us a useful perspective on how guest expectations can vary from one location to another.
The good news is that preparing a property for international guests does not necessarily mean making major changes. Often, it is about removing uncertainty, making information easier to understand and helping guests feel confident from the moment they book.
Make arriving as easy as possible for international guests
For an international guest, the journey to your property can feel more complicated than it does to a local visitor.
They may not know which railway station to use, whether public transport is reliable, how far the property is from the airport or whether they should hire a car. Even something as straightforward as finding a property after a long flight can become stressful if instructions are unclear.
This is why arrival information deserves more attention than simply sending a postcode and a key code.
Consider explaining the best route from the nearest airport or railway station, where guests can park, how long the journey typically takes and what they should expect when they arrive. If a property is in a rural location, explain whether a car is recommended and whether there are supermarkets or shops nearby.
At mySTAYINN, digital guidebooks and message automation can help owners provide guests with useful information before and during their stay. Full Management also includes self check-in or in-person meet and greet, alongside 24/7 guest support.
The objective is simple: guests should feel that someone has thought about their journey before they arrive.
Think beyond the property itself
International visitors often want more than accommodation. They want to understand the destination.
A guest staying in Edinburgh may want to know how to reach the Royal Mile, where to find a good Scottish breakfast or which areas are worth exploring beyond the obvious attractions.
A guest staying in Cornwall may be more interested in beaches, coastal walks, local restaurants and where to hire equipment for outdoor activities.
Someone staying on the Isle of Skye might need very different information. They could be planning scenic drives, walks and visits to some of the island’s best-known landscapes.
This is where a well-prepared digital guidebook can add real value. Rather than overwhelming guests with a generic list of tourist attractions, think about the questions they are likely to ask.
Where is the nearest supermarket? What is the easiest way to get around? Which restaurants require booking? Where can guests find a good coffee? What should they know about local roads, parking or weather?
These small details can turn a functional stay into a much more memorable one.
Presentation matters even more when international guests are travelling far
Photography and property presentation are important for every holiday let, but they can be particularly influential for international guests.
When someone is booking accommodation for a trip they may have been planning for months, they want reassurance that the property looks as good in reality as it does online.
Your photographs should therefore give a clear impression of the entire property. Show the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living areas and outdoor spaces rather than relying on a handful of attractive photographs.
It is also important to make sure the property itself matches what the listing promises.
At mySTAYINN, our Full Management service includes professional photography, professional cleaning and laundry, hotel quality linen and amenities, as well as property maintenance. These elements work together to create the consistent standard guests expect when they have travelled a long way to stay.
Understand that Edinburgh and Cornwall attract different international guests
One of the advantages of managing properties across different parts of the UK is seeing how differently guests use them.
Edinburgh is a city break destination, so international visitors may prioritise walkability, transport links, comfortable beds, good Wi-Fi and easy access to attractions. They may also be combining their stay with other Scottish destinations.
Cornwall has a very different proposition. Guests may be choosing a property because of its proximity to the coast, beaches, countryside and outdoor activities. Practical features such as parking, outdoor space, drying facilities and a well-equipped kitchen can therefore be particularly valuable.
The same principle applies across the wider mySTAYINN network. A city apartment in Oxford has a different selling point from a rural property near the Highlands, while a holiday let in York may need to focus on heritage, culture and access to the city centre.
The key is not to create a generic listing that could belong anywhere. Your property should immediately communicate why it is the right base for that particular destination.
Make communication clear and consistent
Good communication is one of the easiest ways to improve the international guest experience.
Guests may be dealing with different terminology, unfamiliar roads, another currency and a different approach to accommodation. The more questions you can answer before they need to ask, the smoother the stay is likely to be.
Pre-arrival messages can confirm check-in arrangements, directions, parking information and anything guests need to bring with them. During the stay, automated messages can provide useful reminders without making communication feel intrusive.
Afterwards, a simple follow-up can check that everything went well and provide an opportunity to encourage a review.
mySTAYINN’s Channel Manager includes a unified inbox and message automation tools, while Full Management provides 24/7 guest support. This means guest communication can be managed consistently across different booking platforms rather than relying on an owner to keep track of every conversation manually.
For international guests in particular, that consistency can make a real difference.
Get your listing in front of international travellers
It is difficult to welcome more international guests if your property is only visible on one booking platform.
International travellers may use different platforms depending on where they are travelling from, the type of accommodation they want and how they normally book their holidays.
mySTAYINN’s Channel Manager allows properties to be marketed across multiple platforms from one place, with a unified calendar and single inbox. The website currently states that properties can be listed across more than 60 platforms.
This can give a well-presented property a much wider audience without creating the headache of manually updating multiple calendars.
For owners, it also means the focus can remain on the property itself, while the systems handle much of the day-to-day administration.
Pricing should reflect international demand
International visitors do not necessarily book in the same way as domestic guests.
Someone planning a major UK trip may book well in advance, particularly if they are travelling during a popular period. This creates an opportunity for owners to think carefully about pricing rather than relying on a single nightly rate.
Edinburgh during a major festival will have very different demand from a quiet winter week. Cornwall’s summer market behaves differently from its shoulder seasons, while a Highlands property may attract guests looking for longer stays outside the busiest months.
mySTAYINN’s pricing service combines four pricing software systems with human expertise to adjust rates according to market conditions and demand. The company states that its comprehensive pricing service is expected to generate 20-40% additional revenue, although actual results will vary by property and market.
For international demand, this kind of flexibility can help owners capture both early bookings and changes in demand closer to the stay date.
Make the UK feel easy to explore
Ultimately, international guests want the same thing as most holidaymakers: they want their trip to feel enjoyable and straightforward.
The difference is that they may need a little more help getting there.
Clear arrival instructions, useful local information, professional presentation, responsive communication and sensible pricing can remove many of the small frustrations that can affect a stay.
At mySTAYINN, we see this across the different locations we manage. A guest arriving in Edinburgh needs a different experience from someone arriving at a coastal Cornwall cottage, but the underlying principle remains the same. Good holiday let management is about understanding what the guest needs and making the experience feel effortless.
For owners, that can also create a valuable opportunity. Scotland alone recorded almost 4 million international tourist visits in 2023, according to figures featured by mySTAYINN, demonstrating the scale of the international market.
If your property is capable of welcoming international guests, the next step is making sure your listing, pricing and guest experience are ready for them.
At mySTAYINN, we support owners with multi-platform marketing, pricing optimisation, guest communication and, through Full Management, everything from cleaning and photography to maintenance, compliance and guest support.
If you would like to attract more international guests to your UK holiday let, get in touch with mySTAYINN to discuss how we could help your property stand out, wherever it is located.
