Finding the Right Fireplace Substitute for Your Rental
As we get into the thick of fall and the holidays approach, cold weather is becoming a constant. This means guests need rainy day activities to stay busy with, including a comfortable space to watch movies.
They will also want to bundle up and get cozy, and where better to do this than around a fireplace!
But unfortunately, not every rental has one, and it isn’t an item you can just go and buy. However, if you don’t have one, you are in luck because Modern Innkeeper found five alternatives.
Read about them to learn which is the perfect fireplace substitute for your vacation property.
Electric Fireplace
You never want to deceive guests, but there is no harm in unintentionally causing them to think you have a real fireplace, when in reality, it is electric.
Guests may mistake it for being real because of its looks, but also because an electric fireplace will provide them the warmth they seek.
Enough to further make them question if where they’re staying has a real fireplace.
Before purchasing one, you should know the best fireplace impersonators are the most costly. If your property is a cabin or in some place chilly, the demand may be worth the cost, but you also have to consider they tend to look modern.
If it won’t match your interior décor, then continue reading to find another fireplace substitute.
LED Fireplace
If your vacation rental’s location experiences inconsistent temperatures during the year’s colder months, the LED fireplace could be the one for you. This is because the majority of them include remote controls that control their fabricated flames and heat.
So, on relatively warm fall and winter evenings, when your guests want a fire for the ambiance but not the heat, they can have it!
The downside of LED fireplaces, they are pricey, but you can find affordable ones like this.
Fake Fire Logs
Vacation properties in places where it is warm year round may be why someone invented fake fire logs, since many are strictly for aesthetics.
They create a cozy atmosphere without giving off heat to accommodate your guests’ not-so-cold-cold-month vacation.
Which makes you the superstar for providing the ultimate guest experience.
Ethanol Fireplaces
Ethanol fireplaces bring the great outdoors inside without all the mess because they are vent-free. Plus, they’re the first fireplaces on this list with real flames!
But they do not release any smoke or odor, hence why they are safe to have inside. Several of them are also free-standing, so you can get creative when it comes to deciding where you want to put it.
Just remember to purchase the alcohol-based fuel, or else your guests will be severely disappointed.
Also, remind them the fire is real. They must remain aware of this so they can be safe with and appreciate a vent-free fireplace inside.
Gel Fireplace
Last on our last is the gel fireplace, an actual portable fireplace with real flames!
Similar to ethanol fireplaces, they use alcohol-based fuel you need to buy separately, but unlike ethanol fireplaces, guests can take them wherever they please with ease because they’re small. So, if guests want to spend time outdoors despite the cold, this portable fireplace can accompany them.
Their popularity is dwindling, but if you want something unique and affordable, a gel fireplace like this may be the one for your vacation rental.
Provide a Spark
Even if it is not real, your rental’s fireplace will give your guests something else to enjoy during their stay. Be sure to include it in your rental’s pictures and point it out in the amenities, and above all else, be certain guests are aware of how to use it safely and what to do if something were to go wrong.
Keeping guests safe enhances the experience.