A real fire in your holiday home?

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And I don’t mean the type you have to call 999 for, I mean the real fire, in the fireplace, that guests just love!

And sitting here in winter, wrapped up in my home office, with a rug on my lap (and sadly no fire in sight), I can understand why!

A real fire or log burner or wood burning stove (whatever you want to call it) is very often the reason why guests would choose to stay in one holiday rental over another.  It’s such a popular feature to be able to offer.  A real fire is not just for winter but for spring and autumn too. And what’s not to like about lighting a fire on a chilly summer’s evening?

So you need to harness the power of this popular feature in your marketing and ensure that any future guests understand just how fabulous it can be and how it will enhance their holiday with you.

Here’s how to shout about your real fire in your marketing:

Emotive Words

When talking about your open fire in your marketing use emotive words such as cosy, toasty, warm, snug, glowing, flushed, aglow, crackling, flickering, blazing, embers, roasting rather than “we have a wood burning stove”.

a cosy real fire in your holiday cottage

Imaginative Images

Take pictures of your log fire alight and share on your social media. Evoke the feeling of being in front of the log burner.  Using objects in the foreground such as a cup of tea, a plate of biscuits, a glass of wine, a reading book placed on the coffee table or walking boots drying out in front of the fire.

put a real fire in your holiday cottage fizz in front of the fire

Think different uses for the fire

Be creative – staying warm (obviously),  roasting chestnuts, toasting marshmallows, playing scrabble in front of,  watching a scary film with only the fire to light the room, drying your freshly washed hair in front of the fire (who needs a hairdryer), snuggling up with a loved one etc etc. Share these on social media.

Create a buzz

Ask guests to email photos of their fire and how they used it.  Create a Pinterest board or run this as a competition, for the most creative use of your log fire (just ensure it’s safe and you’re not putting guests at risk!).

Why have one when you can have two?

A brazier or fire pit on the patio can enhance those long evenings in the garden.   Giving guests the choice of an indoor or an outdoor fire and giving your holiday home the edge over others.  Just ensure you leave safety instructions on how and where to use it!

real fire in your holiday rental - outdoors

Here are some simple pre-prepared instructions you may want to pass onto your guests. Feel free to copy, print, laminate or put in your welcome folder.

How to set a fire

  • Ensure previous ash is removed (use a poker to push ash into the tray below)
  • Put the ash on your compost (this doesn’t help the fire but is good for your garden!)
  • Use newspaper, 4 sheets max. Crumple it tightly into balls and position in the centre of the stove
  • Use dry kindling (approx. 5 pieces) and lay in a criss-cross pattern on top of the crumpled newspaper
  • Place one larger log and two smaller pieces of wood on top of the kindling
  • Open all the vents on a wood burning stove
  • Strike a match and light the newspaper
  • Let the flames take hold
  • Snuggle up in front of your log burner

How to roast chestnuts on an open fire

  • Put chestnuts on a roasting pan
  • Cut an X into the flat side of the chestnut with the sharp knife
  • Put pan over fire
  • Listen for popping
  • Check for doneness
  • Peel and eat

How to toast marshmallows on an open fire

  • Use a thick wooden skewer
  • Poke the skewer through the centre of the marshmallow
  • Hold the skewer just above the fire.
  • Rotate to ensure even toasting
  • Let the marshmallow cool down before eating