Behind the Scenes: How We Support Every Holiday Home Owner, From Enquiry to 5-Star Review

At Red Kite, we’re proud to manage a growing portfolio of stunning homes across the Cotswolds and surrounding areas. But what we’re most proud of is how we support the guests who stay in them and the people who own them.

Whether you’re managing your own Airbnb, working with another agency, or just beginning to explore the idea of letting a holiday home, we know there’s a lot to think about. You want a partner who’s knowledgeable, proactive and transparent, someone who’ll treat your home like their own and help you get it guest-ready without stress or guesswork.

This post offers a look behind the scenes at how we support owners from the very first enquiry through to welcoming happy guests and earning 5-star reviews.

Step 1: An Open, Honest Conversation

Everything starts with a conversation. When a prospective owner gets in touch, we begin with an open, no-pressure chat, usually over the phone.

We’ll take time to understand what you’re hoping to get out of short-term letting, what your home is like, and what kind of support you’re looking for. We’ll also explain how the industry works, how our service works, and whether we think there’s a good fit.

This is a thoughtful, two-way conversation grounded in transparency, professionalism and a genuine interest in what’s right for you.

Step 2: Meeting You at the Property

If things feel aligned, we’ll arrange to meet you in person at your property. This is one of our favourite parts of the process, walking through the home, getting to know you, and beginning to build a relationship around the space itself.

Seeing the property first-hand helps us offer better advice and plan more effectively. It also gives us a chance to listen carefully to what matters most to you, whether that’s maximising your return, preserving a certain aesthetic, managing neighbour relationships, or ensuring guests treat your home with care.

Step 3: A Thoughtful, Thorough Onboarding

If you choose to work with us, we’ll get to work onboarding your home with the level of detail it deserves.

We’ll gather all the information we need to manage the property well - your preferences around maintenance, communication, housekeeping products, and any locked areas or important notes. We’ll also ask you to share anything you can about the home itself, since no one knows it better than you.

From there, we’ll go much further. Our team will document key details like appliance models, linen storage, and how guests should operate things like heating and hot water. We aim to take as much off your plate as possible, so we’ll source this information ourselves where we can.

We also work through our internal 100+ item onboarding checklist. Some of these items are essential, some are highly recommended, and others are smaller touches. but together they shape the kind of guest experience that leads to five-star reviews.

Need artwork, kitchenware or replacement furnishings? We’ll sort it. Need a gardener? We’ll organise one. Lockboxes? We install two, with two full sets of keys, just in case.

One of the most important steps is finding a great housekeeper. We recruit someone specifically for your home (or occasionally a small two-person team), and they’re the same people who visit every time. This consistency ensures high cleaning standards and that your housekeeper becomes familiar with how your property should look, feel and function.

We also surveyed every owner after onboarding. So far, we’ve never received a score lower than 8 out of 10 — and most feedback has been 9s or 10s. On top of that, we’re proud to have a perfect five-star rating on our Google Business Page.

Step 4: Creating a Listing That Works

Once the home is ready, we organise professional photos, write and optimise your listing, and share a first draft with you for feedback.

We know how to craft listings that don’t just look good, but actually convert to bookings, and we welcome your suggestions to make sure the listing sounds like your home, not just any home.

We also create a digital guest guidebook using Guidey, packed with everything your guests need to enjoy their stay. It includes arrival instructions, appliance guides, videos, manuals, and trusted local recommendations. Guests can search it easily from their phone, meaning fewer questions and a better experience for them.

Step 5: Welcoming Guests and Keeping Standards High

As bookings start coming in, we keep a very close eye on the early guest experience.

Your dedicated housekeeper will visit for every clean and follow a thorough, custom checklist. We also spot-check housekeeping during the early weeks to make sure everything is meeting the high standards we’re known for. Meanwhile, our guest support team is available 24/7, 365 days a year, responding to queries quickly and warmly.

We’ll share the first few guest reviews with you and make sure everything’s off to a strong start.

Behind the scenes, your dedicated Account Manager is available Monday to Friday and will be your main point of contact going forward. If anything urgent arises outside of those hours, our emergency line is available at all times.

Each month, we send you a clear, line-by-line statement covering all income and costs, with your payout transferred on time and without surprises.

Step 6: Supporting Every Element of Your Property’s Success

Once your home is live, our job is just beginning.

With many large management companies, owners may never hear from anyone who’s actually seen their home, and in some cases, no one ever does. That’s not how we work.

We have people on the ground in every area we serve, including your dedicated Account Manager. We carry out property inspections, communicate with your housekeeper, follow up on maintenance, and ensure the experience stays in great condition, not just for guests, but for you.

We continue to support every aspect of your holiday let’s success, including:

• Maintenance: We manage all non-structural issues (e.g. plumbing, heating, electrics, furniture repairs), with owner preferences respected on how and when to be contacted.
• Housekeeping: We schedule all cleans, track supply usage, handle eco or specific products as requested, and plan deep cleans based on your preferences.
• Guest Support: Our guest experience team replies quickly and clearly 24/7. We also handle the collection of deposits or damage waivers to protect your home.

We also use smart tools like Breezeway to manage housekeeping and maintenance efficiently, ensuring that nothing gets missed and every task is followed through.

Final Thoughts

We’ve grown through trust, detail, and doing the work others don’t, by being hands-on, consistent, and committed to long-term results over short-term gains.

If you’re thinking of letting your property and want to explore a more thoughtful, personal and professional approach to management, we’d love to hear from you.

→ Get in touch with our team

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