This week let’s meet Konstantinos 😊
Konstantinos is from Greece. Originally born and raised in Athens, but soon he discovered that his deep love is the city of Kalamata, where he mostly spends his time. With a passion for his city and a dedication to delivering exceptional guest experiences, he dons the dual hat of owner and manager. Konstantinos places immense value on guest respect, quick communication, and problem-solving. He’s expanded his reach across multiple booking channels, boosting revenue and ensuring a steady flow of guests throughout the year. Leveraging modern technology like remote key locks and CCTV, he’s streamlined operations. Konstantinos thrives on word-of-mouth recommendations and sees hosting not just as a profession but as a rewarding hobby. His boutique hotel, featuring seven unique suites, is a testament to his commitment to offering guests a memorable stay.
Let’s hear his story! 🔊
So Konstantinos, tell us, how long have you been hosting? How and why did you start? How many properties do you manage?
I have been a travel addict for as long as I remember. I’ve traveled in many countries and stayed from 5* hotels to cottages and hostels. I always remember thinking that being a host is a profession that I would like to be engaged in. So, I utilized my love for Kalamata City in Greece, and after 3 years of extensive research, I found the perfect property to invest in and convert it to a boutique hotel with 7 suites, fully renovated from scratch. K2 Suites started their operation in mid-August 2023 and although I almost missed the summer high season, the results are more than satisfying.
Are you an owner or a manager? Is this a part-time or full-time occupation for you?
I am the owner of the boutique hotel and also the manager. Hopefully, I designed it to be as self-operational as possible with minimum engagement from me. This is the second full-time occupation that I have, as I am an entrepreneur with one more company based in Athens, in a different business sector.
What is the best thing about hosting, and what are the biggest problems you face?
I cannot see hosting as a profession. I only see it as a hobby, as a challenge to create a framework that I would personally like to stay, enrich it with amenities, and create an overall experience that will make the guest feel that the price requested, is money well spent. So, the best thing about hosting is exactly that feeling. It is the emotional reward that the project I had in mind, designed, implemented, and operated, is approved and loved. The biggest problems had to do with day-to-day jobs and maintenance, but they were mostly problems due to the fact that I was new in the hospitality sector. Hopefully, I have found my steps and each problem that arises will be eliminated immediately.
What is one thing you wish you knew when you started hosting?
I remember when I was renovating the suites, I was in a very stressful situation with a lot of nerves and I was struggling to cope with the required financial expenses, along with my other company in Athens, making me unable to sleep well and find peace for several months. At this time, I was constantly thinking if all this effort was worth it and if my guests would like the suites. If I knew then the resonance that the suites have now, I would be way more calm and relaxed.
What is the most important advice/tip you would give someone interested in becoming a short-term rental host?
Respect your guest. Undoubtedly. It does matter if you rent a villa, a suite, or a single room, but what matters the most is to respect your guests. Immediate communication, willingness to find a solution if a problem arises and small but clever amenities that will make the guest feel like home are all you need. Guests can see the type of rental before rental, but the experience you create is something that guest feels upon arrival. You should use this experience to create a win-win situation.
Besides Hosthub, are there any tools, devices, or software (eg. Remote keylocks, cameras, local guide apps, power meters, etc) you use? What is your experience with them?
As the initial design was to have a self-operated boutique hotel, I installed remote key locks and CCTV to ensure flexible check-in/check-out procedures and security for both the hotel and the guests. The experience with both gadgets is seamless, as there are many installed companies in the market with stable and operational applications.
Which channels do you list on? How much has your revenue increased since listing on multiple channels?
I started with Airbnb and after one month of using only this platform, I got to Hosthub to manage multiple channels. At this time, I have a presence on Airbnb, Booking, Tripadvisor, Vrbo, and my website where my guests can book directly. The revenue from multiple channel presence has raised significantly, but more significant is that the multiple channels give you resiliency in high and low season booking. For example, Airbnb works perfectly in high season and stops in low season, where Booking has a stable flow of bookings regardless of the season.
Besides listing on multiple channels, what other things can a host do to increase his/her bookings and revenue?
The advertisement is a very important factor, but I believe that word-of-mouth advertising is the most important of all. If the host is taking care of the guest and tries to offer quality that exceeds the competition level, things are pretty easy.
You can find out more about Konstantinos’s properties here:
Direct Booking Website
Airbnb
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 1
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 2
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 3
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 4
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 5
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 6
- K2 Suites Kalamata – Suite 7
Booking.com
Here are some photos to give you a better vision of Konstantinos’s properties (click for larger versions) 🧐
