What sets vacation rentals apart from hotels is the homey feel they offer their guests. By making your guests feel more at home, you show your hospitality and thoughtfulness, which leads to glowing reviews. Adding board games to your vacation rental is a great way to entertain your guests and their easily bored kids, enhancing their overall experience.
Board games will bring the following benefits to your vacation rental and your guests:
- Board games keep your guests entertained when the weather doesn’t play ball. They can also make up for the lack of nightlife or indoor activities in your area.
- Family vacations and trips with friends are perfect opportunities to unplug from electronic devices like mobile phones, laptops, and video game consoles. So, board games are needed badly to make everyone engaged and make bonding experiences with the ones we love.
- Board games use little physical energy, making them perfect for unwinding after a busy day of exploring on vacation.
- Board games are budget-friendly, space-efficient, and a great addition to your vacation rental’s bookcase, compared to larger items like pool tables or foosball.
- These games have an incredible impact on your guest experience, especially if your vacation rental targets families with kids. Board games help you win more positive reviews and make loyal guests who return to your home.
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Tips for Selecting Board Games for Your Holiday Rental
- Choose board games for your holiday rental as if you’ll be playing them yourself.
- Pick simple games that are easy to learn or classics that everyone knows.
- Choose games that best fit your holiday rental’s atmosphere.
- Don’t rely solely on sellers’ descriptions. Check online reviews to ensure the games are engaging, easy to understand, and family-friendly.
- Include a selection of board games or puzzles so that everyone can find something interesting to play.
- Pick games with a quick set-up and a relatively short play session. Most holidaymakers prefer games with simple rules unless they’re avid tabletop enthusiasts.
- Pay attention to the quality of the games you choose. There are often several versions of the same game on the market. Pick the most durable ones and try to select games with fewer small pieces to lose.
- Every holiday rental should include basic games like multiple decks of playing cards, a chessboard, poker set, backgammon, and draughts. In addition to these classics, choose a couple of must-have board games for kids and families from our list of recommendations.
- Try to make a combination of classics familiar to both kids and their parents and new games on the market. Some people like to play something they are well-versed in, while others prefer trying something new. You might also opt for new versions of familiar games. Just toggle the table of contents below to check out our top picks!
Treasured Classics
Monopoly
Monopoly is a popular game for the whole family, and almost everybody knows how to play it. The players buy and sell properties, build houses and hotels and drive their friends to bankruptcy. Even the wealthiest players can quickly find themselves deep in debt and laughing off their bad luck.
The Game of Life
The game of life is an American game of luck dating back to 1860. In this game, the players travel the road of life, pass different stages from college to retirement, and have a lot of fun. Everyone wants to play this game.
Sorry! Family Board Game
It takes two to four players of ages six and up to play Sorry. As the pawns move around the board towards home, they can send other players’ markers to the start and slow down the progress of each other. So they must keep apologising to each other by saying “Sorry!”
New Populars
Codenames
Codenames is described as easy to understand and fun to play over and over by the game reviewers. It calls for a bit more thinking than your other typical party games; however, it draws everyone in. Any number of players can join in the middle of a thrilling game.
Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
Published in 2008, Pandemic’s name still draws players to the exciting new version of the original game.
Pandemic is an engaging game where players must collaborate to cure four global diseases and save humanity. It takes groups of 2-4 people to play this engaging and entertaining game.
Azul
Azul is a beautifully designed tile-drafting game where players collect and arrange colourful tiles to score points. They must artfully decorate the walls of their palace with the most beautiful tiles to impress the king. Azul is easy to learn and play, absorbing and comforting.
Games for Kids
Chutes and Ladders (or Snakes and Ladders)
Keep the little guests at your property entertained and giggling by giving them the Chutes and Ladders or Snakes and Ladders game. This is a worldwide classic and an ancient game of ups and downs, still popular with young children. The game is a straightforward race based on luck that requires no reading and minimal counting skills. Children ages three and up can play this game.
Candy Land
Candy Land is another simple racing board game requiring no reading and is particularly popular with children. In this game, players race along the candy road to be the first to reach King Kandy’s castle. Without the need for special strategies, players move their gingerbread markers by drawing cards and following the directions on them.
As they progress, players traverse the colourful track of the sweet world of Candy Land in their quest to find King Kandy. The game accommodates two to four players and is suitable for ages three and up.
Exploding Kittens
This game is easy to explain: avoid exploding, and you win. Therefore, the players must do whatever they can to avoid exploding! This exciting game is quick to learn but hours of fun to play. Use clever strategies to make other players draw the Exploding Kittens card. Children ages seven and older can find it highly strategic.
Spot It
Also known as Dobble in Europe, Spot It is an easy pattern recognition game where players search for matching images between two cards. As there are no in-game texts, this game is suitable for the entire family, especially young kids. The players race others by being sharp-eyed and quick to gather more and more cards.
As a super-host, exceed your guests’ expectations by offering fun and exciting game nights to elevate their experience. Offer your guests a curated selection of diverse and high-quality board games. Check on your collection regularly and update it frequently to keep things fresh.
For those seeking a more interactive experience, consider adding game consoles to your amenities. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
Perfect Game Consoles for Family Fun in Your Vacation Rental
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo entertainment system can be used as both a handheld and a docked device, making it great for family fun. It offers a wide range of family-friendly games, like Mario Kart and Animal Crossing.
PlayStation ⅘
With a vast library of games, including favourites like Minecraft and LittleBigPlanet, PlayStation consoles are perfect for families. The multiplayer features also make it easy for everyone to join in.
Xbox Series S/X
Known for its impressive graphics and strong online multiplayer options, the Xbox Series S/X provides a variety of games that are suitable for all ages, offering both cooperative and competitive play.
