Article updated in October 2026.
Starting a holiday rental in the Azores is never easy without a strong online presence. In São Miguel, as on any other island, managing a holiday rental means investing in what attracts people travelling to the Azores.
So think carefully about how you manage your property. One negative review can outweigh many positive ones. With these six tips, you can improve your property’s reviews.
1. Use real photos of your property
Imagine guests arriving and finding that the house doesn’t look like the photos. It would be a big disappointment.
Use photos that truly show the house. Capture the details that will stay with your guests. Photograph the outside too: guests tend to choose houses with a nice garden or a pool.
If your house doesn’t look like the photos, guests will feel misled and quickly post a negative review.
2. Give your holiday rental a unique decoration
A pleasant atmosphere makes every guest feel good. Try to combine modern decoration with a classic touch typical of the region.
Everyone likes to arrive somewhere new and feel at home. Offer your guests a comfortable and, above all, cosy holiday rental.
3. Keep it clean and tidy
Nobody likes to arrive at a messy house. If your holiday rental is shared by several people, hire someone to clean.
Prepare the bedrooms. Keep the bathroom clean and the kitchen tidy. And don’t forget clean towels on the bed.
No detail is too small when you want everyone to feel comfortable.
4. Be an available host
Always be ready to help. Remember that your guests don’t know the house, let alone the island. Stay in close contact: after all, you manage the property.
Help, answer questions and even suggest the best places to visit. Give your guests a unique experience, and you will almost certainly get positive reviews about the house, and maybe about you too.
5. Encourage guests to leave a review
Good communication from the start shows you which guests are happiest with their stay.
Encourage them. Talk to your guests and ask them to leave a review. It is important to ask.
Happy guests won’t hesitate to write something positive about your property.
6. Communicate well
You will meet more demanding guests. Communication is always the key to any business, including your holiday rental.
Always be friendly, pay attention to the details of your house and be available to every guest.
Communication is the start of your property’s success. Also leave some local products in the house: small gifts make a big difference to people on holiday in the Azores.
Would you like us to take care of everything?
AzoresBeds has managed holiday rentals in São Miguel since 2016. We handle your listings on Booking, Airbnb, our own website and other sites, as well as pricing, guests, cleaning, maintenance and guest registration with the authorities (SIBA). Meanwhile, you follow everything in the owner dashboard. See how we work or ask for a free assessment of your property.