The Recreation Guarantee: Why We Put Our Fee on the Line to Protect 5-Star Guest Experiences
Most vacation rental managers talk about guest satisfaction. We tie our management fee to it.
At Recreation Stays, if we don’t earn a 5-star review from your guest, we don’t earn our fee. It’s that simple.
In the luxury vacation rental space, “good enough” isn’t good enough. Guests paying premium rates don’t just expect quality—they expect consistency, responsiveness, and flawless execution. They’ve stayed in some of the best hotels in the world, and they bring those expectations to your doorstep.
That’s why we created the Recreation Guarantee.
Why We Created the Recreation Guarantee
When I founded Recreation Stays after years in luxury hotel management, I noticed a fundamental misalignment in the vacation rental industry: property managers got paid the same whether a guest had an exceptional experience—or a mediocre one.
That creates a clear problem:
- Guests remember service—whether brilliantly executed or deeply flawed
- In luxury hospitality, near-perfect reviews drive visibility and pricing power
- Most property managers face no financial consequences for service failures
Put simply, the traditional model isn’t aligned with what owners actually need: consistent 5-star experiences that protect and enhance their property’s reputation and earning potential.
Recreation Stays was built on a different foundation—one where our success is directly tied to yours. The Recreation Guarantee isn’t a marketing gimmick. It’s the standard we’ve operated by since day one, because accountability shouldn’t be optional in premium hospitality.
What the Recreation Guarantee Covers (and Doesn’t)
Let’s be transparent about exactly what our guarantee means:
✅ The Guarantee Covers:
Any reservation where a guest leaves a rating below 5 stars due to a service failure within our control, including:
- Slow response times to guest inquiries
- Cleanliness issues or missed details
- Unaddressed maintenance concerns
- Lack of communication clarity
- Unmet expectations we should have managed
When these situations result in a sub-5-star review, we waive our management fee for that booking—without hesitation.
🚫 The Guarantee Doesn’t Cover:
- Reviews that are demonstrably inaccurate or retaliatory
- Platform glitches or technical issues outside our control
- Acts of nature (e.g. power outages, severe weather)
- Guest misconduct or violation of house rules
- Bookings where the homeowner made changes that prevented us from following our standard service protocols (e.g. blocking pre-arrival inspections, overriding our guest messaging, or disabling key systems)
- Properties not meeting our minimum standards for guest experience
We don’t offer this guarantee because we never make mistakes. We offer it because we believe property managers should stand behind their work financially.
Real Examples: When the Guarantee Has Been Triggered
Transparency builds trust. Here are a few real-world examples where we’ve honored the Recreation Guarantee:
Case #1: The Delayed Check-In
A scheduling miscommunication between housekeeping teams led to a property not being ready until 90 minutes after the promised check-in time. Despite proactive guest communication and a welcome gift, the guest left a 4-star review citing the delay. We waived our full management fee for that booking.
Case #2: The Hot Tub Issue
A pre-arrival inspection missed that the hot tub wasn’t heating properly. The guest reported it on the first night. We had a technician on-site the next morning, but they lost one evening of relaxation. They left a 4-star review—and we waived our fee.
Case #3: The Perfect Recovery
Not every issue results in a waived fee. When a coffee maker malfunctioned at a mountain property, our local team delivered a replacement within 45 minutes, along with fresh local pastries and premium coffee beans. The guest mentioned the hiccup—but also praised how it was handled and left a glowing 5-star review.
This last example illustrates an important truth: the Recreation Guarantee isn’t about perfection—it’s about owning the guest experience and making it right when it matters.
Why This Builds Trust with Both Owners and Guests
The Recreation Guarantee creates a rare alignment of incentives that benefits everyone:
For Property Owners:
- You have a manager with skin in the game
- Your review history and brand reputation are protected
- You gain a true partner—not just a vendor who collects a fee regardless of performance
For Guests:
- They experience a level of service that exceeds typical short-term rental standards
- They get faster, more thoughtful resolutions when issues arise
- They feel the difference in how we respond—because we’re invested in the outcome
When everyone’s incentives point toward the same north star—a flawless guest experience—remarkable things happen.
At Recreation Stays, we’re not just managing homes. We’re managing reputations—both yours and ours.
It’s Not a Gimmick. It’s a Standard.
We rarely mention the Recreation Guarantee in our initial conversations with prospective owners.
Why? Because we don’t see it as a sales tool. We see it as the only appropriate way to do business in luxury hospitality.
We don’t advertise it on every flyer or lead with it in every pitch—because it’s not a tactic. It’s our default operating standard.
Most property managers would never risk their income on guest experience. We believe that’s exactly what builds a premium, sustainable brand worth trusting with your most valuable asset.
The Recreation Guarantee reflects the foundation of our company culture:
- Hospitality-first – Guest experience drives every decision
- Outcome-accountable – We tie our success directly to yours
- Premium by design – Excellence is our only acceptable standard
In an industry where promises are plentiful but accountability is rare, we’ve chosen to put our money where our mouth is. Every time.
If you’re an owner who values peace of mind, service-first thinking, and aligned incentives, the Recreation Guarantee was built with you in mind. Let’s Talk →
