There are many types of buildings for providing Short-term rental (STR) accommodation for guests. Take a look at the list here, as a guide to what you may offer for short term rental. Most people will only stay 2-3 nights but people may stay in summer for up to a week. The offering must be easy to clear, robust and look well on the site.
One considerations you have take in Ireland is the weather. Some accommodation will be occupied for shorter length of time in the year as not as suited to damp of poor weather. Once you take this into consideration as part of your business plan on occupancy rates.
ddition of other facilities such as Jacuzzi, a sauna, yoga space or other associated business will increase occupancy. IF your business is near an activity centre, a visitor attraction or a greenway then this will affect occupancy and length of stay.
Recommend having a communal space if plan to have multiple units. Can have reception, toilet, shower block with office, linen room, laundry and optional wash room facilities for guests. A self-service shop or honest box for guests.
Accommodation options
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Renovated Farm Buildings |
The mosts sustainable way to provide STR accommodation. Re-purposing old buildings is Ecological. Planning Permission easy to get as existing buildings. Can also add to the buildings there to make a more economic business.
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May not have the best views or need a lot of work to make habitable. Covering a house with Thatch will be beautiful but very unlikely to get insurance on the buildings. |
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New Built Woodframe houses |
Greenfield site – wood framed house with high efficiency rating |
More expensive and less eco friendly that other methods |
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Log cabins |
Can be built on site once foundation is in place. Lifespan of … Can have increased insulation added. Decor is mammal and the wood gives a warn feel to the |
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Shephards Hut |
Most Suited to couples rather than larger numbers of people. Needs a hard base to site on, and small external cooking facilities |
Needs to have en-suite facilities or communal toilet and shower facilities |
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Glamping Pod |
Can buy pods from suppliers in Ireland or UK. Can build own pods with high level of insulation |
Need to be fitted out before start business Need to position carefully, so protected from weather and wind. More seasonal with May to September being main season in Ireland. |
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Metal Pods |
Can build own pods with high levels of insulation, using locally sourced/ recycled windows and doors and built to the requirements of the site. Cab gave en-suite facilities in each one Can be used all year around – as costs and warn and not affected by weather. |
Can be intrusive on landscape – so need to soften with planting or cladding externally. Need a high degree of insulation to diced a comfortable unit. |
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Self-Built Glamping Pod |
Can be built on site as required. |
Can use re-cyled materials |
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Off Grid Units
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Specialist companies provide off-grid units which have great appeal to customers. Need planning permission for these – which can be difficult go get. There are companies which provide units and manage bookings, giving some of profit to land owner. Need to have a wild site, with great views to use this type of accommodation Solar panels provide power, so will need batteries to store power which cannot be sold back to the grid.
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Green tiles have to be emptied each month. Off grid means no wifi, power or water supply, so takes more maintenance and management between bookings |
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Repurposed metal unit |
These may be parts of Aeroplanes or Shipping containers – which are renovated in a factory and put on site. Can be easy to put in place, and moved if required. Long lifespan with guarantees of 20+ years |
More expensive to get part of Old Aeroplane but will last. Units made from Shipping containers need a lot of insulation and work to make them blend in with the landscape. |
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A Frame Building |
A Frame buildings are easy to build on a base, with light at either end and vellum windows as well. |
Noise of rain on galvanised roof. |
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Glamping Tests , Teepee or plastic pods |
Look great and in demand from younger generation. Needs a foundation for tents, pods teepees which makes units waterproof. Build on a site with a view, but protection from wind.
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Need to b u put ip a start of season, with a lot of man hours involved. And taken down at the end of the season. Need re-waterproofing and cleaning. No en-suite facilities normally, so need to build a toilet block and shower block. Difficult to get insurance for facilities in Ireland, due to lack understanding by Insurance companies |