How profitable is seasonal rental in Guadeloupe?
And how some villa owners have doubled their income thanks to a few strategic adjustments.
🌴 A popular destination, but profitability varies widely
Guadeloupe remains one of the most attractive Caribbean destinations for French, Canadian and European travelers. Guaranteed sunshine, picture-postcard landscapes, accessibility from Paris, advantageous tax framework... all the ingredients seem to come together for a profitable seasonal villa rental.
But in reality, the differences in performance between two equivalent villas can be enormous. From €10,000 to over €100,000 in annual sales, for properties of comparable size and standing. How can such a difference be explained? And above all, how can you be one of the winners?
💡 Profitability = (Price x Occupancy) - Expenses
The profitability of a seasonal rental is based on three pillars:
- The price level charged
- Fill rate (occupancy rate)
- Controlling fixed costs (cleaning, maintenance, platforms, etc.)
Each lever can be optimized, but it's the combination of the three that makes all the difference.
🔎 Case study #1: Luxury villa for 6 people in Les Saintes - +30,000 € in revenues thanks to a redesigned pricing structure
When they first came to ZeWelcome, the owners of this villa were displaying prices well above the market. The result: very few bookings, mainly on weekends.
After recalibrating their pricing grid according to local market data, and ZeWelcome's advice, here are the results:
- Before forecast annual sales of €10,000
- After adjustment 40,000 in sales
👉 Estimated gain: €30,000 without work, simply by optimizing prices and bringing them back to the market price, i.e. the price that tenants are willing to pay - based on a competitive study, and our unique ZeWelcome price prediction AI model in Guadeloupe.
🔎 Case study #2: 6-person villa in Marie-Galante - +36,000 in sales by rethinking duration and pricing strategy
Another example: a beautiful, well-designed villa that was stagnating at €14,000 annual income. Thanks to :
- a new seasonal segmentation
- from dynamic pricing rules (last-minute discounts, short-stay surcharges, long-stay discounts)
- a aggressive pricing policy in low season
The projection is €50,000/year. Or +250 % profitability.
🎯 Levers to optimize the profitability of your villa
Here are the levers we recommend to all owners, depending on their strategy (maximizing margin vs. maximizing sales):
1. Fine tariff adjustment
- Rely on market data and professional advice such as ZeWelcome, not on feeling. Revenue management is a science and a highly specialized discipline requiring detailed knowledge and precise mathematical skills.
- Don't rely on what your neighbors tell you, who may not be telling the whole truth or may be confusing public prices with sales figures.
- Be rational and base your decisions on figures: 2 weeks at €1,800 is better than 1 week at €2,200 or 0 weeks at €2,500.
2. Dynamic pricing rules
- Last minute Think about offering discounts when a property is not rented and dates are imminent.
- Long stay offering discounts for long stays helps avoid rental vacancies and financial losses
- Short breaks Accept shorter stays in exchange for a higher price. Be careful, however, to set an adequate minimum stay to avoid parties and problem tenants.
3. Flexibility and visibility
- Be present on all platforms (Airbnb, Booking, Abritel, VRBO, HomeToGo, Havas Voyage, Google Vacation Rental etc.) - often by entrusting its management to a pro agency like ZeWelcome which allows you to publish on more than 30 different platforms for maximum visibility
- Renew your photos regularly (perceived quality = perceived value) and try to optimize your eye-catching photo to make your customers fall in love with you!
- Offer a flexible cancellation policy based on the nature of the property (small surface area vs. large surface area)
4. Global occupancy strategy
- Aim for a occupancy rates between 40% and 60%
- Below = loss of earnings
- Above = risk of accelerated wear or lower-quality clientele
- Adapting to booking windows by period (Christmas ≠ September)
🔎 Case study #3: Villa Vue Mer in Saint-François - A late start but impressive results
Launched only in March, the villa did not benefit from the most dynamic months (January/February). And yet :
- Reserved nights: 103
- Actual occupancy rate: 45 %
- Sales: €38.4 K
- Average rating: 5/5
All thanks to good adaptation to local demands, well-enforced dynamic pricing rules, and excellent presentation.
This example shows the importance of location: certain areas like Saint-François offer particularly high rental potential, thanks to their tourist appeal, infrastructure and proximity to beaches
🧮 Estimate: How much can a homeowner expect in Guadeloupe?
| Property type | Low annual sales | High annual sales |
|---|---|---|
| Studio with pool | 8 000 € | 15 000 € |
| Apartment with pool | 15 000 € | 30 000 € |
| Villa with pool | 25 000 € | 70 000 € |
| Prestige villas with sea view | 60 000 € | 100 000 €+ |
Would you like a precise estimate? Contact us on https://zewelcome.com/fr/contact or by whatsapp at +33 7 56 97 01 03
💬 In conclusion
The best-performing villas are not always the most luxurious - they're the ones that are the best positioned, the best presented, and the best managed.
At ZeWelcome, we've helped more than 180 homeowners optimize their profitability in Guadeloupe and the surrounding islands. Our mission? Find the perfect balance between booking volume, customer quality and long-term profitability.
To delegate management effectively, find out how to pay a local concierge in our article on remuneration of a concierge in Guadeloupe.
🚀 Would you like to estimate the potential of your villa?
Use our profitability simulator or contact our team for a personalized diagnosis.
Your villa deserves to be profitable. And it can be.
