La Serenite Villa in Aveyron France

6 Expert Tips to Writing Engaging Copy for Your Holiday Rental Description

by TRW Marketing Services

Your holiday cottage promotional listing or home page on your website has less than 8 seconds to grab the attention of prospective customers. Is your holiday cottage standing out from the rest?

With a great headline, striking imagery and property highlights you can hook your ideal customer. Once you have their attention it is time to ‘wow’ them and make sure your holiday home is on top of their short list.

Here are 6 expert tips and important considerations when writing good engaging copy and attracting the ideal guests to your holiday cottage.

Hit Your Prospective Customers with an Attention Grabbing Title

Your headline will need to grab the attention of your ideal guest. In order to achieve that, you will need to make your headline as informative, engaging and enticing as possible.

“Contemporary Holiday Home with Spectacular Sunset Views, Walking Distance to Croyde Beach”

You may have a ‘Two Bedroom Self Catering Holiday Home with Terrace’ but bring it to life and tell more of what it is like and what delights guests can expect. Highlight what set you apart, your key features, and headline them. It can be a good idea to write a couple of headline titles and test them for their effectiveness.

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

You have your striking headline, now back it up with a great photograph or imagery. Showcase your best photos either as a gallery or slideshow. If you only have one photo option, then make it the one that is most captivating. This could be the spectacular view, bubbling warm & welcoming hot tub, aerial view of the cottage and immediate surroundings, proximity to the sea or lake.

Make sure your photography is of good quality, display your images on your website with a large format option and make sure they positively represent your location and property.

Bullet Point Your Key Features (6-8 Key Points)

Most visitors would like to know quickly what the highlights are. An ‘At a Glance’ short list of bullet points achieves this. What do your previous guests love most about your holiday cottage?

These highlights can include the key features of your cottage, your location and any local highights. For example: close to beach, open fire or log burner, hot tub, lake views, great local pub, ‘Welcome Hamper’, watersports etc.

Short & Punchy Property Description

Now write a couple of paragraphs bringing your holiday home all to life for the reader. This is your chance to wax lyrical and describe more about your cottage, its location and the key features. Make its short and punchy but enthusiastic, give examples of what can do, see or enjoy when staying there.

If you are writing for 3rd party listings it is probably best to create two versions. Some 3rd party listings have limits on the amount of text characters or words available for the property descriptions. Compose one that is quite short but covers the main highlights (one paragraph) and a longer version of 2-3 paragraphs where you can add some more great reasons to visit.

For your website it is still a good idea to have a short but catchy description on the home page to whet the appetite. You can be more detailed and descriptive in your website’s ‘Accommodation’ page.  

Quick Links to Additional & Important Key Information:

  • ‘More Information’ – Link to Detailed description of property
  • ‘Property Facilities’ – Link to Summary of facilities in property
  • ‘Gallery’ (Image Library) – Show off your holiday cottage (internal & external), location & local highlights
  • ‘Map Location’Display a Google map with directions
  • ‘Location Highlights’ – ‘Things to See & Do’ & Recommendations
  • ‘Guest Reviews’ – Links to your customer reviews
  • ‘Availability Calendar’ – Prices & Booking Options
  • ‘Interactive Map’ Create a Map Highlighting Local Activities, Pubs, Restaurants, Points of Interest etc.

Does Your Copy Content Appeal to Your Ideal Guests?

Once you have drafted your copy content for your website or listing, walk away from your work. Leave it for a few hours or overnight, then once more check and edit your written content as though are the guest and look from their point of view. Does it answer their likely questions and tick the boxes they may be looking for.

Ask one of your friendly previous guests or friends to critique your description and ask for their their opinions and ideas. Make your final amends then update your website and listings.

Example Copy Text for Website or Web Listing :

Pennine View Barn, Dufton, Cumbria

View of Dufton Pike from Pennine View Barn

“Stylish Barn Conversion Cottage with Hot Tub set in the Peaceful Village of Dufton in Cumbria with Stunning Views of the Pennines”

– Sleeps up to 6 in 3 bedrooms
– Pets Welcome (£20.00 each)
– 2 Bathrooms (1 bath/shower & 1 shower room)
– Pub & Café a Short Walk Away
– Luxury Hot Tub on Decking
– Garden with BBQ & Great Views
– On the Pennine Way & Great Walking Routes
– Prices from only £450 / Week
Property Description:

Welcome to Pennine View Barn, set in the heart of the Eden Valley and on the edge of the Lake District. Enjoy many superb walks nearby including the Pennine Way and the classic and spectacular ‘High Cup Nick’ circular walk straight from your door.  

Situated in the picturesque village of Dufton, Pennine View Barn is only a short walk to the popular Stag Inn pub and the ‘must visit’ Post Box Pantry tea room. Explore the spectacular Lake District (only 20 miles to Ullswater) or head into the beautiful rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, there is so much to see and do.

Pennine View Barn with its inviting hot tub and wonderful Pennine views offers the perfect luxurious getaway choice for couples friends & families.


6 Expert Tips to Writing Effective Descriptive Copy – Summary

Whether you are writing for you own website homepage or wanting to make sure your property stands out on 3rd party web listings the same basic fundamentals apply. Make your website or listing engaging, attractive, easy to read quickly and encourage readers to want to read more.

Clearly Display the Following On Your Website Or Web Listing:

  1. Property Name – Name, Village / Town, County or Region
  2. Attention Grabbing Headline – 10-15 words that make your cottage stand out
  3. Your 5* Star Rating – Guest reviews or testimonials
  4. ‘At a Glance’ Property Highlights– Ideally 6–8 short bullet points
  5. Short Property Description – A couple of paragraphs highlighting the key features.
  6. Quick Web Links to All Key Property Information – providing simple one click access to more useful information & details

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