What a villa needs before its first rental season

The first rental season sets the tone for a villa: the first reviews, the first photographs and the first lessons about what guests actually use. Preparing well means thinking about more than furniture. Below is the checklist we use with owners and property managers in Mallorca, room by room, followed by advice on timing and budget.

Before you start, make sure the property's licence and registration are in order. Our guide How to furnish a holiday rental in Mallorca summarises the main rules with official sources.

1. Start from the number of guests

Everything follows from the number of registered places. Beds, dining chairs, sun loungers, towels and glasses should all be planned for full occupancy. A villa that sleeps eight but seats six at the table will collect the same comment again and again.

2. Bedrooms

• Good-quality mattresses and mattress protectors on every bed.
• Bedside tables and reading lamps on both sides of double beds.
• Blackout curtains or shutters that close properly.
• Wardrobe space, or at least a rail, hangers and a luggage rack.
• A mirror, hooks for bags and swimwear, and a small chair or bench.
• Spare pillows and a light blanket for cooler nights in spring and autumn.

Our bedroom sets combine the main pieces for a main bedroom or a guest room in one order.

3. Living room

• A sofa with a hard-wearing, preferably removable cover, and enough seating for the whole group.
• A sturdy coffee table and side tables within reach of every seat.
• Layered lighting: ceiling, floor and table lamps.
• A rug that can be cleaned easily.

See our living room sets.

4. Dining

• A table that seats the full occupancy; for larger villas, an extendable table.
• Comfortable chairs that are easy to wipe clean.
• A pendant or good overhead light centred on the table.

See our dining sets, including an extendable set for eight.

5. Terrace and pool

• Outdoor dining for the full occupancy – in summer, most meals are eaten outside.
• Lounge seating in the shade and sun loungers by the pool.
• Parasols or a pergola, with secure bases for windy days.
• Outdoor rugs, side tables and lighting for the evening.
• A dry place to store cushions overnight and in bad weather.

Choose materials that cope with sun and salt; our guide to outdoor furniture for Mallorca explains the options. See our outdoor sets and outdoor collection.

6. Linen and towels

• Two to three complete sets of bed linen per bed: one in use, one in the laundry, one in reserve.
• Bath towels, hand towels and a bath mat per guest, plus pool or beach towels.
• Tea towels, tablecloths or placemats.

Choose white or neutral colours that can be washed at high temperatures and replaced easily. Our textiles collection covers cushions, throws and rugs.

7. Kitchen

• Crockery, glasses and cutlery for full occupancy plus about a third extra for breakage.
• Pans, oven dishes, knives, a chopping board, kettle, toaster and coffee maker.
• Basic cleaning equipment and a first-aid kit.

8. Lighting

Many villas are under-lit in the evening. Plan for a ceiling or pendant light, plus at least one table or floor lamp in every living space, reading lamps in bedrooms and soft lighting on the terrace. Browse our lighting collection.

9. Storage and the owner's cupboard

• A lockable owner's cupboard for personal items, spare linen and supplies.
• Space for the cleaning team's equipment and consumables.
• Shelves or hooks at the entrance for keys, hats and bags.

10. Final details

• An inventory list with photographs of each room, shared with your property manager.
• A welcome folder: Wi-Fi, appliances, recycling, emergency numbers.
• Professional photographs once everything is in place.

Common mistakes we see

• Furnishing for the owner, not the guests: delicate pieces and personal collections rarely survive a season of changeovers.
• Too few seats outside: the terrace is where guests spend their evenings, so plan it for the full house.
• Dark rooms at night: a single ceiling light per room makes even a beautiful villa feel flat.
• No storage for the cleaning team: without a place for linen and supplies, changeovers take longer and things go missing.
• Ordering too late: waiting until spring leaves no margin for delays, assembly or photography.

Timing: work backwards from the first booking

Most pieces from our collection arrive within about 3–4 weeks of ordering, with free delivery anywhere in Mallorca. On top of that, allow time for decisions, assembly, styling and photography. A realistic schedule for a full villa:

1. 8–10 weeks before the first guests: agree the brief, the number of places and the room-by-room plan.
2. 6–8 weeks before: confirm the order so that delivery falls well ahead of the deadline.
3. 2–3 weeks before: delivery, followed by assembly (available on request and quoted separately), linen, kitchen equipment and styling.
4. 1–2 weeks before: photographs, inventory and a final check.

For Easter or early-summer openings, start in winter: it is easier to plan calmly than to catch up in May.

Budget: plan by room, not by item

The simplest way to keep a budget under control is to allocate it room by room: main bedroom, guest bedrooms, living room, dining, terrace and pool, then linen, kitchen and lighting. Give the outdoor areas a fair share – in Mallorca they are often the most used and most photographed part of the house. Our Room Sets make this straightforward: each combines the main pieces of a room in one order, at around 6% less than buying them separately, so you can see the cost of each room at a glance on the shop. Keep a reserve for replacements during the season.

Working with a property manager or agency

If a property manager will run the villa, involve them early: they know what breaks, what guests ask for and how changeovers work. Property managers and agencies that furnish several homes can ask about our professional programme. Our page on holiday rental furniture packages explains how we work, and you can also read about furnishing a holiday villa.

Ready to plan? Send us the number of bedrooms, plans or photos and your target date: WhatsApp +34 671 417 487, email design@loniuhome.com, or visit our showroom in Palma by appointment.