Is Your Hospitality Unreasonable or Unfeasible? Delighting the Guest Without Drowning Your Team
Michelle Fonvielle
3/2/2026
In “Unreasonable Hospitality,” author Will Guidara shares how his team at a top-tier restaurant made it their mission to consistently exceed expectations and create extraordinary, personal experiences for every guest. That level of service didn’t happen by accident; it was built on a foundation of systems, structure, and a shared mindset. You can’t go above and beyond all the time unless you plan for it carefully and thoughtfully.
The same is true in vacation rental operations. Whether it’s an early check-in, a surprise birthday setup, or an unusual guest request, going the extra mile is a great way to stand out. But when a guest or homeowner wants something outside the norm, meeting that request can create ripple effects throughout your staffing, scheduling, and team morale if you are not prepared. This is especially true if managers or front-line phone teams commit to very last-minute requests or one-offs that go outside normal job duties without first checking with the team to confirm it’s possible. While the intent to create a great guest experience is good, overpromising without fact-finding puts unnecessary strain on staff. If you’re not intentional about how you handle these moments, your team can end up overwhelmed and burned out.
So, how do you keep delivering incredible experiences in a manageable way? The goal is to create systems that support flexibility without enabling chaos and protect your team while still delivering standout service. One of the first steps is to look at the kinds of special requests you get most often and make decisions about what rules should govern them. Defining what your team can reasonably do (and when) is critical. What can you say “yes” to without advance notice? What needs 24 hours or more lead time? What are the costs involved? Will these services be complimentary or offered for a fee?
Examples of requests that you may want to define rules for ahead of time could include:
- Same-day housekeeping (outside of callbacks)
- Full deep cleans on a back-to-back turn day
- Services an owner promises to a guest without telling you
- Personal shopping or grocery delivery
- Babysitting or dog walking
- Arranging flowers, watering plants, or weeding gardens
- Impromptu organization of closets or cabinets
- Putting up birthday or other celebratory decorations
If you’re seeing the same types of requests repeatedly, it might be time to build them into your standard offerings or create add-on packages that guests can book in advance. This gives you the opportunity to clearly define the service, pricing, timing, and staffing involved. It also takes the guesswork out of your team’s day-to-day. Be sure to get input from the people doing the work, especially field staff who are responsible for delivering these services. Depending on what you offer, you may need to make adjustments to your team or schedules to keep things running smoothly.
Once your policies are set, make sure every staff member understands them. Training is key, as are consistency, clear communication, and transparency. Guests and team members alike will benefit from clear information shared at the time of booking (or at least before check-in) that helps manage expectations and gives your team time to prepare. Even when last-minute requests seem small, they can still impact housekeeping schedules, inspection checklists, and maintenance workloads. A solid communication plan ensures everyone involved knows what’s expected and can adjust when needed.
Finally, make sure to recognize and reward team members who handle special requests with creativity and care. A little positive reinforcement goes a long way in helping staff feel appreciated and motivated. Equally important is giving your frontline team permission to occasionally say no or to escalate the request when needed. Empowering staff to use their judgment, while providing a framework for how and when to accommodate guests, helps prevent the burden from falling solely on housekeepers, inspectors, or techs in the field.
Handling special requests is part of delivering a standout guest experience, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of your team’s well-being. With clear policies, good communication, and a supportive workplace culture, you can let your team say “yes” when it matters without feeling overwhelmed.
Michelle Fonvielle
Michelle Fonvielle is the chair of the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals (VRHP), is the general manager of Atlantic Vacation Homes in Gloucester, Massachusetts. VRHP, part of VRMA, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of back-of-the-house vacation rental professionals. For more information on becoming a VRHP member, visit vrhp.vrma.org.