We actually looked into this ourselves because we were curious. We did an analysis of every short-term rental in the U.S. and correlated review ratings with the number of properties each manager oversaw. If you look at the graph on the right below, you’ll see a clear trend: as the number of properties increases, ratings start to decline. This is important because the left chart shows the correlation between reviews and revenue. Even just moving from a 4.7 – 4.8 to a 5.0 can help a property earn 20% more revenue.
The drop in ratings is especially noticeable in two key areas—cleanliness and communication—both of which are essential to a luxury stay. It shows in stark detail why large national players who are trying to grow as fast and as big as possible struggle to maintain high standards.
In our view, that model doesn’t work. We like to say: Hospitality doesn’t scale. You can have thousands of McDonald’s—but only a few Michelin-starred restaurants.
Ultimately, it’s important to have a property manager who combines the operational sophistication of a larger firm—clear processes, strong vendor relationships, and modern tech tools—with the intentional, curated approach of a boutique operator. This means they’re selective about which homes they take on and scale responsibly, ensuring each property gets the care and oversight it needs to succeed.
When you find a manager who strikes that balance, you get the best of both worlds: personalized attention backed by professional systems that actually drive results. And that’s how your property doesn’t just feel cared for—it performs better too.
At Vinifera Homes, we believe we bring that balance and our average reviews across all properties of over 4.95 proves that. Our decades of experience in the hotel industry and managing top-performing vacation rentals have equipped us with the systems and expertise you’d expect from a larger firm. But we didn’t build Vinifera Homes to collect as many clients as possible—we built it because we genuinely love doing this work. That’s why we’re intentionally selective about which properties we take on, ensuring we can deliver the focused, personalized attention each one deserves.
Written by Anish Patel, Head of Owner Relations at Vinifera Homes (anish@viniferahomes.com)
