Welcoming guests in Les Sables-d’Olonne

Article contents

Two guests, two ways of arriving
Self check-in, without leaving guests on their own
A personal welcome in an exceptional home
The digital welcome guide
Being nearby changes everything when something goes wrong
Being there outside the season too
How Yes Conciergerie welcomes your guests
Frequently asked questions about welcoming guests
Further reading

Key points

Guests in a short-term rental now expect to be welcomed the way a hotel welcomes them, and no two guests want quite the same thing.
Guests in a hurry want to arrive when it suits them, with a smart lock or a key box, and find the home ready.
In a high-end home, a personal welcome is part of the stay.
A concierge team a few minutes from the home can sort out on the spot what no app ever can.

For many owners, welcoming guests comes down to handing over the keys. Yet it is the first moment of the stay, the one guests will remember when they write their review. An Airbnb booking today feels much like a hotel booking: guests expect the home to be ready when they arrive, a quick answer if something goes wrong, and clear information before they even leave home. Here is how to welcome guests well, depending on who they are and on the home itself.

Two guests, two ways of arriving

The first travels often, sometimes for work. He does not want anyone to meet him: he wants to arrive at a time that suits him, with no appointment, using a smart lock or a key box. He has received all the information in advance. What he expects is a flat that is ready when he opens the door, and someone he can reach if there is a problem.

The second has booked a prestige home, a large house or an upmarket flat. She wants to be welcomed. Someone is waiting for her, shows her round and explains how everything works. Both expectations are fair, and a good concierge knows how to meet both.

Self check-in, without leaving guests on their own

Self check-in does not mean guests are left to fend for themselves. It rests on three things: reliable access (a smart lock or a key box), a spotless home at check-in time, and a team that can step in quickly.

Concierge teams now also have digital check-in inventory tools. Guests record the condition of the home when they arrive, and if something is not right, the concierge knows straight away. Because the team is local, it can come round within the hour instead of letting the problem spoil the stay.

A personal welcome in an exceptional home

In a high-end home, the arrival is part of the experience. Guests want someone there to greet them, and it is the details that stay with them: the fire already lit when they reach a chalet, a bottle of champagne chilling, the home at just the right temperature. That care in the first few minutes sets the tone for the whole stay, and it almost always shows up in the review left at the end.

Guests in a hurry want to arrive when it suits them. Guests who chose an exceptional home want someone there to welcome them. You have to be able to do both.
The Yes Conciergerie team

The digital welcome guide

A digital welcome guide gathers everything guests need to know about the home: how to get in, the wifi code, how the appliances work, what to do on departure. It goes further than a folder left on the table: it recommends good spots in the neighbourhood, the little local restaurants, outings worth taking, and transfers from the airport or the station.

Guests receive it before they arrive and find it again on site through a QR code in the home. They can also use it to request a service: a private chef, a babysitter, a reservation. The concierge takes care of it.

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Being nearby changes everything when something goes wrong

An app can send a message. It cannot replace a broken hob. A few real situations from the Yes Conciergerie network show why being close by is far from a minor detail.

At 5 in the morning, a guest calls the concierge: the flat’s fuse box has caught fire. The concierge calls out an electrician. The guest heads off on his day trip as planned. During the day, the electrician puts everything right, and the team cleans and airs the room. When the guest returns around 6 in the evening, everything works and he can enjoy the rest of his stay.

Another, more common case: a hob stops working. Between the owner ordering a new one and having it fitted, it takes four days to a week. The concierge brings in a spare electric hotplate. The guest carries on cooking, and the stay is not ruined.

Being there outside the season too

A concierge team that is around all year is also useful when there are no guests. Many owners do not live near their home. Take an owner who waits until the end of the season to replace the sofa and orders a new one online. The concierge has the old one taken away and receives the new one. On unpacking it, the team spots a large tear: they take photos, let the owner know and send the sofa back. When the replacement arrives, they check it again, set up the sofa bed and clean up afterwards. The owner never had to make the trip once.

How Yes Conciergerie welcomes your guests

At Yes Conciergerie, every home is looked after by a local team. We are never more than 30 to 40 minutes from a home, and most of the time between 5 and 15 minutes away. Our team in Les Sables-d’Olonne knows the neighbourhoods where your guests stay.

Depending on your home and your guests, we arrange self check-in or a personal welcome, prepare the digital welcome guide and remain reachable throughout the stay. See how we look after your guests.

Frequently asked questions about welcoming guests

Does every arrival need someone there in person?

No. Many guests prefer to arrive on their own, at a time that suits them, with a smart lock or a key box. A personal welcome is mainly expected in high-end homes.

What happens if a guest has a problem during the stay?

They contact the concierge, who deals with it on site. At Yes Conciergerie, the team is usually 5 to 15 minutes from the home and calls out a tradesperson if needed.

What is a digital welcome guide?

It is an online guide that brings together information about the home and local recommendations. Guests receive it before they arrive and can find it on site through a QR code.

Does the concierge help outside the season?

Yes. Taking delivery of furniture, letting in a tradesperson, checking the home: the local team goes on your behalf all year round, so you never have to come.