Lighting a holiday let: sturdy, simple and photogenic

Lighting a holiday let is not like lighting your own home: guests arrive at night, do not know where the switches are and leave with an impression that ends up in a review. Good holiday let lighting must be sturdy, obvious to use, flattering in photos and warm in the evening. Here is how to get all four right at once.

A studio on Airbnb, a holiday home or a graded holiday let: light sells the property through the listing photos, then makes the stay comfortable from the very first evening.

1. Lighting a holiday let: what light needs to achieve

At home, you get used to the flaws. A guest does not have that time to adjust. So every room must offer three things from the first evening: general light that switches on from the door, comfortable light where people sit or lie down, and a warm atmosphere that makes them want to stay.

It is the principle of the three layers of light in a well-lit room, applied with one extra constraint: everything has to work without explanation.

2. Sturdiness: lights that can take a lot of guests

A holiday let sees a stream of children, suitcases and quick cleans. First reflex: limit anything that can fall or tip over, starting with lamps on a narrow bedside table.

Fixed lights, wall lights and pendants, solve most of this: they do not tip over and they do not end up in a suitcase.

For fitting, the article on the weight of a stone wall light details the right wall plugs. If you are yourself renting the property you sublet, see instead the no-drill wall light solutions.

3. Ease of use: everything clear in 10 seconds

A light that nobody knows how to switch on is more annoying than an ugly light: a lost remote control, a dimmer with three modes, a switch hidden behind a curtain.

The rules that avoid nasty surprises

A switch next to every door, at the usual height. A switch reachable from the bed for each sleeper. No light that can only be switched on with an app. If a light has a built-in switch, choose a clear control, rocker or pull cord, rather than an invisible touch area: the comparison pull cord, rocker or touch switch helps you decide.

4. The entrance and arriving at night

Arrival often happens late. Outside, a wall light next to the door, ideally with a sensor, makes things obvious. The guide to the motion sensor wall light shows where to place it so that it comes on at the right moment.

Inside, the first switch must turn on a generous light, not just a night light. To get that first look right, lighting an entrance gives guidelines on height and intensity.

5. The bedroom: a light for each sleeper

One reads, the other sleeps: each side of the bed needs its own light and its own switch. Bedside wall lights are ideal in a holiday let: they free up the bedside table and do not fall over. Allow for the bottom of the wall light to sit about 60 to 80 cm above the mattress, with an adjustable head if guests read.

For general light, a pendant at 2700 to 3000 K is enough. The article on the guest bedroom wall light covers exactly this case of a room used by people who do not know it.

6. The bathroom: mirror and safety

This is where guests judge how clean the property is. A ceiling light on its own creates shadows under the eyes and gives a grey complexion in the mirror. Add well-diffused light on either side of the mirror or above it, at 3000 to 4000 K. The full method is in lighting a bathroom mirror without shadows on the face.

For safety, respect the bathroom zones in the wiring regulations (BS 7671): near the shower or bath, a light must have a suitable IP rating, at least IP44 in zone 2. It is all summed up in bathroom zones explained simply.

7. Living room and kitchen

The living room is the room for photos and evenings: a pendant above the table, one or two wall lights and a lamp next to the sofa make it more welcoming than a ceiling light on its own.

In the kitchen, clear light on the worktop matters more than a spectacular light in the middle of the room. See lighting a worktop with wall lights.

8. Outdoors: terrace, balcony, path

A lit terrace extends the living room and often makes the difference in evening photos. Choose wall lights designed for outdoor use: at least IP44 under an overhang, IP65 if they are exposed to driving rain. The article lighting a terrace with wall lights details heights and spacing.

Also think about the path between the car and the door: steps and edges must be visible without a torch.

9. Listing photos: the light that gets bookings

Take photos in the daytime, on a clear day but without direct sun, with all the lamps switched on. Daylight brightens, the lamps that are on add warmth. Add one photo taken just after sunset.

Match the bulbs: a room where cool white and warm white sit side by side looks greenish on one side and orange on the other in the picture. The guide colour temperature: 2700K, 3000K or 4000K helps you choose a single shade per room.

10. Bulbs, stock and upkeep between stays

A bulb that blows during a stay often ends up in a review. Standardise the fittings throughout the property so you only need one or two models in reserve, for example warm white E27 LED bulbs. The choice between integrated LED or replaceable bulb also comes up: a replaceable bulb can be changed in two minutes by the cleaner.

11. In short

To light a holiday let, choose fixed, sturdy lights, an obvious switch at every door and on each side of the bed, a single warm colour temperature per room, and a well-lit entrance for late arrivals. Take care with photos using daylight and lamps switched on, and keep a consistent stock of bulbs. To take the atmosphere further, the ideas in the article on hotel style work very well in a rented property.

Frequently asked questions