How To Prepare Your Dubai Vacation Rental for Peak Season

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…where the…okay let’s stop there. This isn’t a Christmas blog.

It’s peak season babyyyyyy!

Preparing a vacation rental in Dubai for peak season requires starting preparations months in advance. You’ll need to focus on essential maintenance, ensure all guest amenities meet luxury standards, and many more — which you’ll discover in this blog. 

Come along, let’s show you how to get your property ready for maximum bookings and great reviews.

When to Start Preparing Your Holiday Home for Peak Season

In Dubai, the ideal time to start preparing your vacation rental for peak season is about 3 months before the anticipated rush. 

Dubai’s peak tourist season runs from October to March, with December and January experiencing the highest demand due to perfect weather conditions and major events like the Dubai Shopping Festival.

This means starting your preparations in July or August at the latest.

Think of it like preparing for a championship game – you wouldn’t start training the day before, would you?

Here’s an actionable timeline to ensure you’re fully prepared for peak guest season:

• Plan and book renovation services in advance
• Review and update your pricing strategy
• Schedule major maintenance checks
• Deep clean
• Coordinate and brief your team 
• Test/update smart home systems
• Assess your current inventory for supplies/welcome baskets

The key is to avoid the common mistake of last-minute preparation, which often leads to rushed decisions and overlooked details. 

How To Prepare Your Vacation Rental for Peak Season 

Photo by Liliana Drew

Your first priority should be your property’s cooling system. Dubai’s climate can be hot, and AC issues are the number one cause of emergency callouts, negative reviews, and immediate booking cancellations during peak season. 

Schedule a comprehensive AC service, including duct cleaning and thermostat calibration. Don’t wait until you hear that first concerning rattle – by then, it might be too late.

Next, tackle any repairs or upgrades. 

That slightly loose cabinet handle or occasionally flickering light? Fix it. During regular season, these might be minor annoyances. During peak season, with back-to-back bookings and premium-paying guests, they become major headaches. So fix them NOW (yes we’re screaming on top of our voices lol).

Focus on three key areas:

1. Essential systems (AC, water heating, electrical)
2. High-wear items (door handles, locks, kitchen appliances)
3. Guest comfort features (WiFi, smart home devices, entertainment systems)

Homevy Tip: Run a test booking. Stay in your property for 24 hours and use everything as a guest would. You’ll be surprised at what you notice when you’re living in the space rather than just inspecting it.

Essential Supplies To Provide Airbnb Guests During Peak Season

Here’s what short term rental hosts should consider during peak season:

For bedrooms and bathrooms, the magic number is three. Why three sets of everything? One in use, one in the laundry, and one ready as backup. This system is crucial during peak season when turnovers are frequent and laundry services might be delayed.

For the Kitchen

• Quality dinnerware for maximum occupancy (plus two)
• Electric kettle and coffee maker (with backup filters) 
• Full cookware set suitable for longer stays 
• Basic pantry items like oil, salt, and seasoning

For Bathrooms

• Three sets of towels per guest 
• At least three rolls of toilet paper per bathroom 
• Hand soap, sanitizer, and hairdryer in each bathroom
• Premium toiletries that match your property’s standards 

Cultural Essentials

• Prayer mats and Qibla direction indicator for Muslim guests 
• International power adapters for various socket types.
• Local area guides in common languages
• Bidet attachments or handheld sprayers 
• Arabic coffee sets

How to Create an Effective Cleaning Protocol for Peak Guest Season

During vacation rental peak season, you need a thorough cleaning protocol. This is because you’ll be handling several guest turnovers in tight timeframes. You don’t want to be caught cleaning during a guest check in.

Photo by cottonbro studio

But then…what should a peak season cleaning protocol include? 

An efficient vacation rental turnover system requires:

• Complete sanitization of all high-touch surfaces and bathrooms
• Professional bathroom descaling and deep cleaning
• A methodical room-by-room cleaning sequence
• Fresh linens and towels ready for quick changes

Also, your core team should include a primary cleaning service with backup options, a 24/7 maintenance contractor, and a property manager or check-in assistant if you’re not personally managing the property.

Look for a team that can guarantee:

• Consistent cleaning standards
• Same-day turnovers when needed
• Flexible scheduling for late checkouts
• Quick response to emergency cleaning requests

To maintain consistency during rapid turnovers, use a checklist system that cleaning teams must complete and photograph after each service. This ensures no critical areas are missed, even when working under peak season time constraints.

Checklist for Conducting a Final Property Check For Peak Vacation Rental Season

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

Before peak Airbnb season begins, conduct a final property check to ensure guest satisfaction and prevent potential issues. If you’re already outsourcing property management to one of the top management companies in Dubai – you wouldn’t need to worry at all. If not, then this 10-point checklist should be completed 48 hours before your first peak season guest arrives, so you have enough time to address any concerns.

1. Test all AC units at maximum setting for 2 hours to ensure they maintain consistent cooling throughout each room – this is absolutely critical for Dubai’s climate and guest comfort.
2. Run hot water in all bathrooms simultaneously for 5 minutes to verify water pressure during full occupancy situations.
3. Verify WiFi speed in all rooms with multiple devices connected, ensuring it meets minimum 50Mbps for peak season streaming or work demands.
4. Check all guest access points, including door codes, property access cards, and spare keys – create backup copies and test each one.
5. Verify all essential appliances are working efficiently, particularly the washing machine, dishwasher, and kitchen equipments.
6. Count and inspect all linens, towels, and guest supplies, ensuring you have triple sets for quick turnovers during busy periods.
7. Test every smart home feature, from digital locks to thermostats, confirming they can be easily operated by incoming guests.
8. Run a complete AC maintenance check, including filter cleaning and thermostat calibration – the most common cause of guest complaints during peak season.
9. Verify all emergency contacts are current and response times are confirmed with your maintenance team for peak season availability.
10. Check all essential amenities against their expiration dates, including welcome packs, basic supplies, and any consumables provided to guests.

Outro Thoughts: Make Your Peak Season Count

Great preparation doesn’t just reduce stress, it transforms your entire peak guest season and helps you provide guests with a great experience — even when you’re operating at maximum capacity.

You’ve got the checklist. You know what needs to be done. Now walk into peak season knowing your property can handle whatever comes its way – from last-minute bookings to rapid turnovers. 

See ya in the next one! Xoxo, Gossip Homevy girl.