Dear owners,
I am writing to share how the third quarter went, what we can expect from the winter and what I am working on in the coming months.
Summer 2026: the strongest since 2020
To find a summer this strong from start to finish, I have to go back to 2020, right after Covid. Between July and September (by arrival date), the number of bookings grew by 69 % and rental income almost doubled compared with the same quarter of 2025. Part of this growth comes from new properties, but occupancy also rose clearly:
- June: 32.5 % (2025: 22.6 %)
- July: 63.3 % (2025: 55.1 %)
- August: 47.2 % (2025: 47.2 %)
- September: 32.5 % (2025: 18.6 %)
The start was very strong, August held steady and September almost doubled last year's occupancy. October, on the other hand, was weaker (17.4 % compared with 25.8 %), a trend I have been seeing for several years.
How our guests have changed
For many years, summer was a weak season in Arosa, until the trend turned in 2019 and 2020. Traditionally, guests used the lower summer prices to book larger, higher-end apartments. Comparing the same apartments as last summer, the data shows that this pattern has changed:
- Studios and one-bedroom apartments doubled their nights (+101 %), at a practically unchanged average nightly rate (−4 %). Across the whole portfolio, they now account for two out of three booked nights, compared with half in 2025.
- Apartments with two or more bedrooms grew their nights by 54 %, and at a 9 % higher average nightly rate.
- The average stay rose from 4.7 to 5.5 nights, and one in three bookings was for a week or longer (2025: 28 %).
- Seven guests booked more than once during the summer (2025: two), one of them as many as five times.
This was largely due to the strong heatwave Switzerland experienced this year, which was clearly felt even in Arosa. Overall, the average nightly rate remained stable: as I announced in the last report, I responded with a moderate strategy, without drastic price cuts.
More direct bookings, less dependence on Booking.com
In the third quarter, 29 % of all bookings came directly through our website and our own booking system, compared with 20 % the year before. Measured by rental income, the share reaches 34 %, because direct guests stay longer on average.
Airbnb, where I hold Superhost status, brought in 30 % of bookings, and Arosa Tourismus (incl. E-domizil) 12 %. Booking.com fell from 46 % to 29 %. Today, almost six out of ten bookings come through channels where I can directly shape the contact with the guest and the quality of their stay.
Guest reviews have remained stable, and I have kept my position among the best-rated hosts in Arosa.
Winter 2026/27: a very good starting point
This is where winter bookings stand today, measured by rental income and compared with the position on 11 November last year:
- December: +41 %
- January: +14 %
- February: +25 %
- March: −23 %
And this year's figures are from 30 October, almost two weeks earlier.
March is behind because this year I kept the weekly-stay restrictions in place for longer, to give priority to those bookings at the start of the month. I have started to lift them, as the main booking period begins right now, in November. In recent days, many short stays for March have already come in, as usual outside the school holidays and at a high nightly rate.
Why does this matter? Guests who book early rarely cancel and usually pay more. Last-minute bookings, which are very strong between mid-November and January, always fill the remaining gaps, but we are starting from a very good position.
The deep cleaning scheduled for November is already under way, so that your apartments are ready for the winter season.
Guesty: transition complete
Guesty is now fully set up, and all past and future bookings are in the system. You also have access to the new owner portal, Owners by Guesty (you will find the link at the end of this letter).
The next steps are details on the website, such as showing only the booking calendar on each apartment's page. I am already working on this with the Guesty team. If it is not possible, I have alternatives to help guests book more quickly.
Our office at Poststrasse 24
The landlord has confirmed that we can stay in the office until September 2027; after that, we will see how the situation develops. So far we have not found an alternative, and the location is excellent for visibility. Even so, I would like to find a stable option that we can fit out entirely to our liking and use to its full potential.
Next steps
More direct bookings with Guesty
My main goal remains to increase direct bookings, which was also a key reason for moving to Guesty. When it comes to following up with guests, the difference from Hostaway is like night and day, and I want to make the most of it:
- Guests can already choose between different cancellation rates directly on our website.
- The CRM keeps a profile for each guest with their booking history. This lets me offer a more personal service and, later on, a loyalty programme, which had only moderate success with Hostaway.
- I am looking into opening next winter's calendars to direct bookings only for a reasonable period, without affecting visibility on the channels. To support this, I will also start using newsletters seriously, thanks to the CRM.
- I am continuing to develop our guest app, with more additional services.
New channels
I am considering several new channels, some of them suggested by you, and I want to test whether they are worthwhile.
Internal processes
I am improving our internal processes, from guest communication to accounting, to gain efficiency and quality, possibly also with new collaborators.
Consolidating rather than growing
Arosa Vacations is in a phase of consolidation: I want to further improve the efficiency and quality of the service I offer you. I am not looking for growth at any cost, and I am carefully reviewing the requests from new owners that I currently have on the table.
Arosa Wäscherei & Reinigung, the other company that forms a large part of this project, is following the same path: it is reducing its client base and negotiating with new clients. Besides cleaning your apartments, it offers caretaking services (Hauswartung) and cleans the offices of partner companies such as Property One, of the Gemeinde Arosa and of buildings managed by the Gemeinde. It is all about efficiency, consolidation and quality.
Arosa Vacations never set out to be a large management company, but rather a small, personal boutique agency that also offers professional services on an occasional basis to anyone who needs our help.
Useful links:
- Our website: https://arosavacations.ch/
- Owner portal (Owners by Guesty): https://arosavacations.guestyowners.com/login
Thank you very much for your trust. As always, I am at your disposal for any questions.
Kind regards,
Carlos Álvarez Arosa Vacations by BlueHills
