The Power of Travel Scents in Your Vacation Rental
The olfactory nerve’s sensory nerve fibers transmit odor-related nerve impulses to the body’s central nervous system.
In words we can all understand, these fibers allow the brain to process smells, and then the brain imprints them in your memory.
Scents have a significant impact on how we categorize and remember different experiences. Like when you walk in a bakery and the smell of the fresh-out-of-oven chocolate chip cookies remind you of your grandmother’s baking.
You want guests to experience this sort of feeling when they breathe in the same travel scents from your vacation rental after their trip. Depending on your vacation rental’s vibe and other factors like location, the scents you choose will vary. Modern Innkeeper picked out five you can use, or at the very least, inspire you to find the right scent for your vacation rental.
Pine
The smell of pine alleviates stress. This is reason enough to have pine in your vacation rental, as it could help guests feel more at ease during their stay and dive deeper into vacation mode.
Pine is a common scent (Christmas trees are pine trees), therefore, there’s a good chance your guests already associate pine with a pleasant memory. See if you can find a place for pine in your vacation rental to keep the good times coming!
Vanilla
Vanilla can improve one’s mood. Adding it to your vacation rental can boost guests’ spirits during their stay, and when they smell vanilla after their stay, it could bring up memories that inspire them to come back.
Pumpkin
As pleasant as pumpkin smells, this one is definitely more situational, as it is an aphrodisiac (meaning it’s most appropriate in a romantic atmosphere). Maybe you decorate your place with pumpkin-scented candles next Valentine's Day, or have them out if you know a couple is coming to celebrate an anniversary. Your vacation rental’s pumpkin scent may make your guests lovey-dovey weekend that much more special.
Lavender
Lavender is so good at promoting sleep, it’s a treatment for insomnia patients. Even though your guests may be vacationing to escape real-life responsibilities, catching some quality sleep still may not come naturally. Help them leave their worries behind during vacation by leaving lavender in the bedrooms. Knowing they’ll feel well-rested staying at your place might be enough to inspire them to book another trip there.
Ocean
Most people don’t have the luxury of being near the ocean on a regular basis. If your vacation rental is, keep its refreshing scent in your vacation rental to enhance the guest experience.
Providing guests the smell of the ocean can remind them how close the real thing is. Imagine if every time guests went to the beach after their stay, they thought of your vacation rental!
Ways to Put These Scents in Your Vacation Rental
Aside from choosing the right scent for your rental, you also must make sure you provide the right amount: not too much, but not too little. The following result in the perfect balance:
● Soaps
● Candles
● Diffusers
● Air fresheners
● Scent dispensers
Smell the Memories
You don’t want your vacation rental to be just another stop for your guests. You want to create an experience they’ll remember forever and love so much, they’ll want to experience it again. See how you can include any of these travel scents in your vacation rental to help your guests create memories they’ll cherish forever.
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