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Dear Property Owners, We hope this message finds you well! We're writing to share some important information about a new legal requirement that will affect your visitor accommodation in Wales. What's Changing? The Welsh Government has introduced the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025 , which means that from autumn 2026  (registration opens October 1st), anyone taking bookings for overnight stays in Wales must register their property with the Welsh

Discover how Guesture transforms properties in Newport, Cardiff, and Bristol into thriving short-term rentals. From professional onboarding and cleaning to dynamic pricing and 24/7 guest support, we handle every detail so you can enjoy hands-free hosting. Learn how our full management service maximises your property’s visibility, bookings, and returns — and what truly sets Guesture apart in short-term rental management.

Guest identity verification sits at the uncomfortable intersection of hospitality and security. Done poorly, it feels intrusive, bureaucratic, and actively hostile — the kind of friction that sends potential guests looking for alternative properties. Done well, it's barely noticeable, building trust rather than resentment whilst protecting your property from genuine risk. The challenge isn't whether to verify guest identity. In 2026, operating without meaningful guest vetting

By Nia, Communication & Guest Experience | Strategic Input: Pedro Reis Introduction Here's something I see all the time in property management: a single Instagram account flooded with dozens of different properties, all pushing the management company's logo front and centre. The caption reads "Book with [Management Company Name]!" and somewhere in the corner, barely visible, is the actual property. Sound familiar? This is what I call the umbrella branding trap—and it's everyw

Managing a successful Airbnb in Cardiff requires more than great interiors — it requires a clear seasonal strategy. Demand fluctuates dramatically throughout the year due to events such as the Six Nations, summer tourism, stadium concerts, and quieter winter periods. In this guide, we break down Cardiff’s seasonal short-term rental patterns  and show how experienced hosts maximise revenue during peak periods while protecting cash flow in slower months. Drawing on over 8 years

By Pedro Reis, Founder & Managing Director, Guesture When Opportunity Knocks—And You Must Decline Over the past eight years building Guesture across Cardiff, Newport, and the wider South Wales region, I have been approached with countless rent-to-rent proposals. Some have been excellent—genuine partnerships where risk and reward align, where historic performance data supports projections, and where both parties share a commitment to long-term success. Others have been somethi

By Nia - Guest Experience & Local Insight at Guesture | Published February 2026 | 15 min read About the Author:  Nia is the Guest Experience & Local Insight at Guesture, bringing over a decade of hospitality experience to short-term rental property management across England and Wales. She, together with Pedro specialise in revenue optimisation strategies that enhance guest experience whilst improving property returns. Most property owners approach revenue optimisation the wro

The check-in process is the most critical operational moment in any short-term rental. Get it right, and you've set the tone for a five-star review. Get it wrong, and you're managing complaints before the guest has even unpacked. After managing thousands of arrivals across our portfolio in Bristol, Cardiff, Newport, and throughout Wales, I've seen every variation of the check-in experience — from the sublime to the catastrophic. The difference between amateur and professional

Cardiff Airbnb Insurance & Liability (2026) – What Hosts Actually Need If you’re running a short-term rental in Cardiff (or anywhere in Wales), one of the biggest hidden risks is being unknowingly uninsured . Standard home insurance is usually invalid once you start hosting paying guests , and relying on Airbnb’s AirCover alone can leave serious gaps — especially around liability, exclusions, documentation requirements, and non-Airbnb bookings. This guide explains the insuran

The Question We’re Asked Most Often “So if we onboard with you, we don’t need to pay Airbnb and Booking.com fees anymore… right?” It’s a fair question — and a very common one. Platform commissions can feel substantial, and the idea of removing them altogether is naturally appealing. However, there’s an important distinction to understand about how Guesture actually works. We Work With OTAs — Not Instead of Them Here’s the simple truth: Guesture does not replace Airbnb, Booki

Target Keywords:  Bristol short-term rental market 2026, Airbnb regulations Bristol C5, Bristol property management ROI, serviced accommodation Bristol trends, professional Airbnb management Bristol. Executive Summary: The 'New Normal' for Bristol Hosts As we move into 2026, the Bristol short-term rental (STR) landscape has transitioned from the 'wild west' of casual hosting into a sophisticated, professionalised asset class. With the introduction of the National Registration

Managing a property in Newport can be both rewarding and challenging. Whether you own a cosy serviced apartment or a larger rental property, optimising your property management approach is key to maximising income and minimising stress. At Guesture, we understand the unique demands of the South Wales market and are here to share practical tips and insights to help you succeed. Understanding the Newport Property Market Newport is a vibrant city with a growing demand for qualit

Managing vacation rentals can be both exciting and challenging. Whether you own a single property or manage multiple listings across South Wales, from Cardiff to Newport and Bristol, staying organised and efficient is key. That’s where vacation rental software comes in. It simplifies your operations, boosts your bookings, and helps you maximise rental income without the usual hassle. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about vacation rental softwa

Security Deposits for Short-Term Rentals: A Practical Guide for Owners Security deposits are one of the most effective — and most misunderstood — tools in short-term rental management. Many property owners either avoid them entirely or implement them in ways that frustrate guests and create unnecessary friction. This guide explains how modern, pre-authorised security deposits work, why they differ from traditional upfront deposits, and how they protect properties across Cardi

In 2026, Cardiff’s event calendar is packed — from stadium shows and castle concerts to Six Nations weekends and summer festivals. In this post, Nia at Guesture breaks down what’s coming and what it could mean for short-stay demand and nightly rates across the city. If you own a property in Cardiff—or you've been considering entering the short-term rental market—I have some genuinely exciting news to share with you. As we've been mapping out what's ahead for our Cardiff prope

Cleanliness is the single most important factor in short-stay guest satisfaction and 5-star reviews. This guide breaks down the professional, hotel-grade cleaning standards Guesture uses to consistently achieve exceptional cleanliness feedback across a large portfolio of short-term rental properties. Written by Pedro Reis, Founder of Guesture , the article explains what “professional cleaning” actually means in practice — from room-by-room checklists and linen standards to in

This case study shows what happens when a strong Pontcanna property is managed with professional systems instead of ad-hoc self-management.  We break down an anonymised 3-bed Victorian terrace in Pontcanna, Cardiff—its baseline performance, what was holding it back, the exact improvements we implemented, and the verified gross performance achieved over 12 months. Written by Pedro Reis (Founder of Guesture) , it covers the practical levers that moved performance: listing and p

Furnishing is one of the biggest drivers of nightly rate, review score, and long-term profitability in Cardiff short-term rentals.  This room-by-room guide breaks down what to buy, what to prioritise, and how much to budget if you want strong returns without wasting money on the wrong items. Written by Pedro Reis (Founder of Guesture) , it includes realistic budget ranges for a typical 2-bed property (budget, recommended mid-range, and premium), plus practical tips on mattres

Cardiff Short-Term Rental Insights from Real Operators Guesture shares practical, evidence-led guidance for property owners across Cardiff, Newport and Bristol. These articles are written from hands-on experience managing short-term rentals at scale — covering compliance, pricing, guest standards, channel strategy, and operational systems that protect reviews and maximise net performance. Start with the essentials If you’re new to short-term rentals, begin with regulation and

The Hotel Manager Who Built Guesture: 6 Years Unpaid