Sports Guests in Your Vacation Rental: Cyclists, Runners, and Hikers Who Pay Well

Sports guests are a silent but highly profitable market: they book in low season, take care of the house, and return. I tell you how to attract them, what they need, and how much more you can charge without complicating your life.

If you have a vacation home in mountain areas, on the coast, near BTT routes, cycling ports, or famous trails, you're leaving money on the table if you don't position yourself for this type of guest. Let’s get to the point.

Who are sports guests (and why they interest you)

We’re not just talking about professional athletes. We’re talking about:

• Road cyclists doing routes over legendary passes (Angliru, Tourmalet, Mallorca passes, Sierra Nevada).
• Mountain bikers (BTT) looking for trails and bike parks.
• Runners and trail runners training or preparing for a race.
• Hikers doing the Camino de Santiago, GR-11, GR-10, routes through Picos de Europa.
• Climbers near climbing zones (Chulilla, Siurana, Margalef, Riglos).
• Surfers in northern coastal areas and the Canary Islands.
• Skiers and freeriders in winter.

Why are they top clients?

• They book in low or mid season. A cyclist doesn’t want to pedal in 40-degree heat in August. They come in April, May, September, October.
• Longer stays. 4-7 nights on average, not just weekends.
• They pay more for customization. If your house is equipped for them, they accept higher rates without complaint.
• They are clean and respectful. They go to bed early, don’t throw parties, don’t break things.
• They return. If you treat them well, they come back every year.

What they need according to the sport

Each tribe has its quirks. To attract them, you need to understand them.

Cyclists (road and BTT)

Minimum expectations:

• Secure place to store the bike. No "leave it in the hallway". They want a garage, storage room, or locked room. A road bike costs between 2,000 and 10,000 euros. They don’t leave it in sight.
• Bike washing area. An outdoor tap with a hose and a place where they won’t make a mess.
• Basic tools. Floor pump, Allen key set, repair stand if possible.
• Washing machine. The bib shorts and jerseys are washed daily. Without a washing machine, they don’t book.
• Covered drying rack or dryer. If it rains, they need to dry their clothes.
• Decent WiFi to upload routes to Strava, Komoot, check weather.
• Early breakfast or equipped kitchen. They leave at 7-8 am. If they can’t have breakfast at home, they leave.

Extras that make a difference:

• Trainer or rollers for rainy days.
• Map of local routes, with difficulty and elevation.
• Contact of nearby bike workshop.
• Contact of a transport service to take bikes to the starting point.

Runners and trail runners

• Washing machine mandatory.
• Area to leave dirty/wet shoes (porch, entrance, storage).
• Running route map with distances and elevation.
• Early breakfast or kitchen to prepare something quick.
• Fridge with space for gels, bars, isotonic drinks.

Hikers and pilgrims

• Area to leave dirty boots (essential).
• Dryer or covered drying rack.
• Washing machine.
• First aid kit with blister plasters, bandages, anti-inflammatory.
• Early dinner or kitchen. They arrive exhausted, don’t want to go out looking for a restaurant.
• Good bed. This is sacred after 25 km walking.

Climbers

• Outdoor area to leave ropes, climbing shoes, chalk (which stains).
• Tolerance to dust and chalk.
• Info about nearby climbing sectors.

Surfers

• Outdoor shower (or at least a spot to rinse wetsuits).
• Area to hang wetsuits to dry.
• Rack or space for boards.
• Washing machine for clothes.

Skiers

• Drying area for boots and snow clothes.
• Lockers or space for skis/snowboards.
• Powerful heating. Nothing worse than arriving frozen and the house being cold.
• Hot food or equipped kitchen.

How much more can you charge

It depends on the area and level of equipment, but here are realistic figures:

Equipment	Surcharge over base rate
Basic (washing machine, WiFi)	0% (the minimum)
Adapted (bike garage, washing area, route info)	10-20%
Specialized (tools, rollers, nearby workshop)	20-35%
Premium (airport pickup with bikes, local guide, equipment rental)	30-50%

In areas like Mallorca during the cycling season (February-May), there are "bike-friendly" apartments charging double the normal rate. In Sierra Nevada in summer, the same applies to cycling and running teams training at altitude.

Important. Do not put "bike-friendly" in the listing if you don’t have at least a secure garage, washing area, and washing machine. Negative reviews will quickly sink you in this niche because they talk among themselves.

How to position your listing

Sportspeople don’t search for "apartment with pool". They look for very specific terms.

Keywords in the title and description

• "Bike-friendly" / "Apartment for cyclists"
• "Cycling hotel" (widely used in English)
• "Garage for bikes"
• "Near the Camino de Santiago" (if applicable)
• "Base for BTT routes"
• "Cyclist training zone"
• "Surf house" / "Near X beach"
• "Climbing accommodation" (if applicable)

Specific photos

Include photos of the bike garage, washing area, tools, covered drying rack, outdoor shower. This converts much better than just another photo of the living room. Check our guide on professional photography for vacation rentals.

Niche platforms

Besides Airbnb and Booking, look at niche platforms:

• BikeBookings, CyclingFriendly, Hoteles Bikefriendly (cycling).
• Camino de Santiago.gal, Gronze (pilgrims).
• Surfhouse.com, Stoked Surf Adventures (surf).

More ideas in platforms to promote your vacation rental.

Minimum investment to position yourself

You don’t need to renovate the house. With little money, you can make a big leap.

Item	Approximate cost
Wall mount for 2-4 bikes	40-100 euros
Good floor pump	30-50 euros
Set of Allen keys and basic tools	30-60 euros
Quick-connect hose	20-40 euros
Covered drying rack or dryer	100-500 euros
Simple outdoor shower	150-400 euros
Printed route map / local guide	20-50 euros
Good lock for garage or storage	60-150 euros

Total: between 300 and 1,300 euros depending on the sport. You recover it in one season.

Communication before arrival

Sports guests value practical information highly. In the pre-arrival message include:

• Exact address and how to arrive with bikes/large equipment.
• Where to store bikes or gear.
• Nearby sports store hours.
• Weather forecast.
• Recommended routes with level.
• Contact of workshop/mechanic if you are in a cycling zone.

See how to do it right in what to communicate to your guests before they arrive.

Common mistakes that cost you bookings (and reviews)

1. Claiming "bike-friendly" without being it. Leaving the bike in the living room doesn’t count.
2. Not having a washing machine. Automatic loss of cycling or running clients.
3. Not allowing breakfast before 8:00. If you have strange rules like "no noise before 9", you lose 80% of athletes.
4. Bad beds. After 150 km cycling or 30 km running, a bad bed is a commercial suicide.
5. No route info. It’s free and makes a difference.
6. Poor WiFi. They can’t upload routes to Strava. Bad.
7. Prohibiting bikes inside without offering a safe alternative.

Peak seasons and hot zones in Spain

Zone	Sport	Season
Mallorca	Road cycling	February-May, September-October
Girona	Road cycling	March-June, September-October
Sierra Nevada	Cycling, altitude running	June-September
Picos de Europa	Hiking, BTT	May-October
Camino de Santiago	Pilgrims	April-October
Chulilla, Siurana	Climbing	October-April
Zarautz, Mundaka	Surf	September-April
Fuerteventura	Surf, kite	Year-round
Pyrenees (Baqueira, Formigal)	Skiing	December-March
Canary Islands (Lanzarote)	Cycling, triathlon	October-April

Notice something: almost all these seasons coincide with low or mid season for traditional tourism. That means filling months that would normally be empty. More ideas in strategies to fill your vacation rental in low season.

How Autoregistro fits in

Sports guests often arrive late (after training) or very early (late-night cheap flights). Doing in-person check-in with them is almost impossible, and they are autonomous people who prefer to manage everything themselves.

With Autoregistro, you send them a link before arrival, they fill out their details from their phone in 2 minutes, and we send everything to SES Hospedajes automatically. You don’t have to do anything. They arrive, pick up the keys (or open with the smart lock), and go train.

It costs 1 euro per month per property. Less than a coffee. And it takes off the most tedious part of check-in so you can focus on what really makes you earn more: preparing the house well for your niche.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I charge a supplement for bike storage?

Yes, but it’s not common. It’s best to include it in the rate and market the house as "bike-friendly" with a slightly higher price. Charging extra for bike storage looks bad and deters bookings.

What insurance do I need if I store expensive bikes in my garage?

Your home insurance usually doesn’t cover guest bikes. Mention in the listing that the garage is secure but the guest is responsible for their gear. More info in what insurances you need for your vacation rental.

Is it worth investing in a trainer or smart trainer?

Only if you’re in a very pro cycling zone (Mallorca, Girona, Canary Islands) and your target audience is serious cyclists. A basic smart trainer (compatible with Zwift) costs 300-500 euros and can be a huge selling point on rainy days.

Can I put "only for athletes" in the listing?

You can’t discriminate, but you can make clear that the house is designed for that profile ("ideal for cyclists", "perfect base for hikers"). Customers who don’t fit will self-exclude.

How do I detect if a guest is really an athlete or just says so?

No need to detect it. If you’ve positioned your listing well, the one who books already comes with that intention. And even if they’re not an athlete, what you’ve set up (washing machine, outdoor area, good bed, WiFi) works just as well.