If you manage a holiday rental or vacation rental property, you’ll know that hosting is both rewarding and demanding. On one hand, you’re offering guests a memorable place to stay—somewhere that can become part of their holiday story. On the other, hosting is work. Real work. From answering enquiries and greeting guests, to organising turnovers, maintenance, cleaning standards, pricing, and marketing—every detail needs attention.

Many owners soon discover that managing a holiday rental is not a passive income situation. It requires presence, planning, consistency, and quick responses. And when you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, multiple listings, or simply living far from your accommodation, the pressure increases. It’s easy to fall into the pattern of constantly trying to “keep up,” rather than actually growing your business strategically.

That’s where Hoster, the hosting collaboration system built into the Search and Stay platform, steps in. Hoster is designed to simplify hosting by allowing property owners to delegate day-to-day tasks securely—while still maintaining full ownership, oversight, and financial control.

This blog walks you through what Hoster is, how it works, and why it may be one of the most valuable tools available for property owners who want to run a successful holiday rental without burning out.

The Reality of Hosting Today

Holiday rentals and vacation rentals have become a highly attractive choice for guests looking for more space, comfort, and personality than standard hotels. This shift has opened up meaningful opportunities for property owners worldwide. However, hosting today is also more complex than it once was.

Guests expect:

• Prompt replies to questions
• Clear check-in instructions
• A perfectly clean space upon arrival
• Smooth and stress-free communication throughout their stay
• Local recommendations that make the destination feel special
• A sense of professionalism matched with friendly warmth

On top of this, listing platforms reward hosts who consistently:

• Respond quickly
• Maintain high ratings
• Provide clear and accurate listing information
• Offer reliable availability

This can make hosting feel like a continuous to-do list—especially if the property is not located where you live, or if you manage more than one listing. For many owners, the difficulty is not willingness—it’s bandwidth.

Some owners turn to full-service property managers to relieve the load, but this often comes with:

• High commission fees
• Loss of control
• Reduced profitability
• A disconnect from the guest experience

Hoster provides an alternative that supports owners without requiring them to hand over their business.

What Is Hoster?

Hoster is a built-in feature on Search and Stay that allows property owners to invite trusted helpers—such as co-hosts, cleaners, caretakers, family members, reception staff, real estate professionals, or dedicated local hosts—to assist with managing daily operations associated with a guest stay.

However, unlike traditional arrangements where owners may need to share passwords, banking access, or listing management permissions, Hoster offers controlled and secure delegation. You decide what your helpers can see and what they can do, while protecting essential owner-level access such as payouts and listing authority.

Hoster gives you the ability to:

• Share responsibility without losing ownership
• Assign tasks without risking security
• Maintain oversight without micromanagement

It is hosting—made collaborative.

Why Search and Stay Created Hoster

The Search and Stay platform has always encouraged a more personal and fair hosting ecosystem—giving property owners independence and direct booking benefits without the inflated commission fees and restrictive platform rules common elsewhere.

However, Search and Stay also recognised a core truth:

No owner should have to manage every detail alone.

Hosting is not just about providing a roof and a key. It’s about providing an experience—and experiences require time, care, and responsiveness. But life is unpredictable. You may have:

• Work commitments
• Family obligations
• Travel plans
• Time zone differences
• Personal emergencies
• Or simply, the need for a break

Hoster was created to give owners the freedom to expand, breathe, and grow—without sacrificing guest experience or financial control.

Staying in Control While Delegating

One of the strongest features of Hoster is that you remain in charge.

You decide:

• Who can manage guest conversations
• Who handles turnovers and cleaning schedules
• Who oversees check-ins and check-outs
• Who has access to guest information
• Who can update calendars or booking details
• Who supports on-site maintenance or inspections

But importantly:

Only you maintain control over your listing settings, branding, property identity, pricing, and payouts.

This protects your business. Your listing remains yours. Your earnings remain yours. Your voice remains the voice of your accommodation.

Delegation should empower you—not compromise you. Hoster ensures it does exactly that.

Working Smarter Rather Than Harder

Many property owners start hosting because they love hospitality or want to build a meaningful, flexible source of income. Yet hosting becomes overwhelming when routine tasks start filling every spare moment. Hoster reduces that burden by allowing others to assist in a structured and reliable way.

Imagine your hosting life when:

• A local host can handle guest arrival when you are travelling
• A cleaner can confirm property readiness without needing to call or message you
• A caretaker can organise repairs without waiting for your intervention
• A co-host can answer guest enquiries during busy periods
• Daily logistics no longer rest entirely on your shoulders

Instead of reacting to tasks as they arise, you move into a leadership role—guiding, overseeing, improving, and scaling.

Hoster doesn’t just help you manage your holiday rental—it helps you grow it.

Improving Guest Experience with Confidence

A memorable stay is what turns first-time guests into repeat guests. Consistency is the foundation of great guest experience. The details matter:

• A welcome message that feels warm and personal
• Clear directions so arrival feels effortless
• A sparkling clean property every time
• Rapid answers to small questions
• Solutions to unexpected problems without delays

When you’re the only person overseeing these elements, even a single busy day can disrupt the guest experience. Hoster ensures continuity. There is always someone available, informed, and ready to step in.

Guests feel cared for.
Reviews improve.
Your accommodation gains stronger reputation credibility.

Better experience leads directly to better business.

Hosting When You’re Not There

Many holiday rental owners do not live near their property. Some are in other towns, other regions, or even other countries entirely. Hoster is particularly valuable in these situations.

When you aren’t physically nearby, responsibilities like:

• Checking the quality of cleaning
• Responding to mid-stay guest needs
• Replacing broken items
• Coordinating check-ins
• Managing key handovers

become difficult—unless someone local is involved.

Hoster allows you to build a reliable local support network you can trust. You remain the owner and decision-maker—your helpers simply carry out the on-the-ground operational tasks that ensure every stay meets the standard your listing promises.

Scalability for Owners Growing Their Portfolio

Some property owners begin with one holiday rental and then discover the opportunity to invest or manage more. Growth is exciting—but without a structured system, it can quickly become overwhelming.

Hoster enables owners to scale gradually and sustainably.

Instead of outsourcing to expensive property managers, you can:

• Assign different helpers to each property
• Develop repeatable routines for guest management
• Expand your stay offerings without expanding your stress
• Maintain centralised oversight over all listings

Hoster becomes the operational backbone of your holiday rental business.

Taking Care of Yourself as a Host

Hosting can be joyful—until it becomes relentless. Even the most dedicated hosts need time to rest, travel, recharge, and simply live life.

The beauty of Hoster is that your business continues running smoothly even when you take time away. Knowing everything is being handled with care allows you to step back without fear that bookings, ratings, guest satisfaction, or housekeeping standards will suffer.

Your guests are supported.
Your listings remain active.
Your business doesn’t pause when you do.

This ability to rest is not a luxury—it is essential for long-term sustainability.

Ready to Make Your Hosting Easier?

Hoster allows you to operate that business confidently and sustainably. It gives you support without compromise, collaboration without risk, and growth without overwhelm.

You don’t need to do everything yourself. You only need the right system.

You can activate Hoster directly inside your Search and Stay dashboard and start delegating tasks with confidence today. Prefer to talk it through first? Book a call with our specialist team and we’ll walk you through how Hoster works.