How I’d Start a Holiday Rental in Bansko

If I walked into an apartment today that needed to become a holiday rental, the first thing I would look for would not be the price of the furniture or how good it might look in photographs.

I would look for something personal.

A painting, an object, a small detail — something that can tell a story and set the place apart from yet another apartment that feels like a hotel room.

But actually, there is something even more important than the apartment itself.

The owner.

For me, the potential of a place starts with the owner’s willingness to create a home and offer a home, rather than simply a bed for a few nights.

Of course, a lovely terrace, a view and good natural light are wonderful. But they come after the attitude behind the place.

A furnished apartment is not the same as a ready apartment

Sometimes we think: there is furniture, heating, water and internet — so we are ready.

For me, that is only the beginning.

Warmth, hot water, working appliances and cleanliness are not special extras. They are the basic standard and should never need to be discussed.

The real difference begins after that.

An apartment should have character, but it should not feel cluttered.

I like small accents. A few carefully chosen objects, an interesting picture, good textiles and the right lighting. Details that do not shout, but stay in your mind.

We have an apartment that was dark, grey and rather anonymous when we first started.

We changed the colour, furniture, textiles, decoration, lighting and the small accents.

Gradually, an ordinary room became a lovely, cosy little retreat.

Today, the reviews that make me happiest are about exactly the things I care about most — cleanliness, a comfortable bed and that feeling of being at home and wanting to return.

Cleanliness and a good night's sleep are non-negotiable

There are things I would not cut corners on.

Cleanliness comes first.

I want everything to be genuinely clean — not simply to look good in a photograph.

I also care a great deal about the bed linen. Personally, I prefer white. It should be fresh, beautiful and visibly clean. With white there is nowhere to hide, and perhaps that is exactly why it has always represented cleanliness to me.

Then comes the mattress.

A guest may have had a wonderful day in Bansko, but in the evening they need to come back and sleep well.

A misshapen mattress or springs poking through are completely unacceptable to me.

A comfortable bed is not a luxury. It is part of the promise we make to the guest.

The little things that sometimes save the day

I care about the practical details too.

The kitchen does not need to be huge, but it should have the small appliances people actually use — a coffee machine, kettle, toaster and the things needed for a normal morning.

I always leave coffee, tea, coffee creamer, sugar, salt and seasonings for guests.

There are other little things too — a toothbrush, hair ties, dental floss, even a small sewing kit in case something tears.

Someone might say these are only details.

For me, they show whether you have really thought about the person who is going to arrive.

One Strong Season Is Not Enough.

If an owner wants the apartment to perform well but never wants to invest in it again, I would try to explain why that is difficult to sustain in the long term.

Every busy season also brings wear and tear.

Textiles are used. Mattresses are used. Furniture and appliances are used too.

That does not mean carrying out major renovations or making large investments every year.

It means looking at the apartment in good time, seeing what it needs and making a sensible, measured investment.

For me, that is a much better way to protect both the property and its results over time.

When Do the Photographs Come?

At the end.

Photography is one of the most enjoyable parts, but for me it comes only when the apartment is completely ready.

Furnished. Cleaned. Arranged.

And absolutely everything has been checked.

Does the heating work? Is there hot water? Do the appliances work? The internet? The lighting?

First, the place needs to be ready for the guest.

Then we make it ready for the camera.

And when we do reach the photography stage, I want to show the apartment at its very best.

But the presentation also has to be honest.

We cannot say there is air conditioning if there is not. We cannot promise something in the listing that the guest will not find when they unlock the door.

For me, that is not even open to discussion.

Trust begins before the first message.

I Remember My First Booking.

It was over New Year.

A young family.

It was incredibly exciting for me. I wanted everything to be right, we left champagne for them, and afterwards I waited for their review with enormous anticipation.

They said they had had a wonderful time.

And that made me genuinely happy.

I think I took everything personally from that very first booking.

Even now, before a guest arrives, I check again.

Cleanliness. Towels. Bed linen. Shampoo and shower gel. Supplies. Coffee and tea.

Everything.

The guest should not have to check whether everything is all right. That is my job before they unlock the door.

And if something still goes wrong?

Then I respond.

I have had a leaking water heater and sent a technician straight away.

I have had an internet problem and helped a guest restart the router.

Sometimes, though, before a problem even reaches me, it reaches someone who is there on the ground.

For me, that person is Ina.

Not because this is her regular job, but simply because sometimes she happens to be closest to the situation. She has helped with a check-in, answered a guest’s question, or simply let me know in time that there was something I needed to deal with.

And sometimes those small things solve a problem before it becomes a big one.

We cannot promise that nothing will ever happen.

What we can promise is that a guest will not be left alone with the problem.

And to Ina — thank you. For simply being there when it matters.

For me, good hospitality sometimes shows itself most clearly precisely when something does not go to plan.

And before we even get to Booking.com...

If a friend said to me:

‘I have an apartment in Bansko and I want to put it on Booking.com tomorrow,’

I would first tell them not to rush.

Before listing, there is an administrative side that needs to be organised — the required registration as tourist accommodation, ESTI, taxation and anything else that applies to the particular case.

After that come the preparation of the property, the photographs, description, pricing and the platforms.

I would not skip the first steps simply to make the ‘Book’ button appear sooner.

How I Imagine Working with an Owner.

So far, my hands-on experience has been with our own apartments, and it matters to me to say that clearly.

That is where I have built the way I want to care for somebody else's property too — personally, transparently and with attention to every detail.

I want the owner to feel at ease.

To be informed.

To be able to ask me at any time how the apartment is positioned, what is happening and what bookings it has.

I want everything to be transparent.

For me, it is not about achieving one quick result and then stopping.

What matters more is the trust we build and the possibility of working together for a long time.

With Full Management, I want the owner not to have to deal with the day-to-day details around the apartment — communication, preparation, cleanliness and the situations that arise.

But I want something more than that.

I want them to feel happy and proud of what we have created together.

Not every apartment is the right fit. And that is fine.

The poor condition of an apartment on its own would not put me off.

That can be fixed.

A place can be renovated, refreshed and transformed.

What matters more is the owner’s attitude and expectations.

If those expectations are unrealistic, I would start with a conversation. I would calmly explain what I believe is possible and why.

But if, after that conversation, it turns out that we are looking in completely different directions, then we are probably simply not the right partners for one another.

Because for me, managing a holiday property is neither ‘easy money’ nor some impossibly difficult process.

Everything starts with the mindset.
With respect for the property.
There is a person behind every booking.
And there is ongoing care behind every good apartment.

And when do I know we are ready?

When I walk in and feel genuinely happy with what I see.

When the apartment has developed its own character.

When it is clean, bright and cosy.

When the bed makes you want to rest and the small details feel as though they naturally belong there.

That is when I know we have created another place that carries the feeling for which I created Mila Stays.

Not simply somewhere to sleep.

But somewhere a person can put down their bags and, for a little while, feel at home.