Track Amenity Categories

Method to the madness: why amenities are grouped into certain categories, when they are displayed or hidden on a website, and an introduction to the criteria guide for when to select them.

There are several categories underneath the "Amenities" tab in a Track unit profile. Here is a quick overview and explanation of them, as well as best practices for using amenities to optimize our home listings to ensure happy guests and owners.

Amenity Categories Public and Hidden

Categories displayed on owned websites (public):

Categories hidden from websites (used internally only): 

How, What, Where, When, Why:

How are these amenity groups used, What are they to be used for, Where do I check the amenity, When are they used on a property, and Why is the rule so strict for use?

• Accessibility
  This is a holdover created automatically by Track. The Track engineers placed it in the PMS when Airbnb made a big push to label specific wheelchair/handicap-accessible amenities for all homes that had them. Since then, it has been downgraded to one or two amenities that connect through the API and fold into other more important Airbnb amenities. As a result, we are phasing this out and reconciling any that apply to certain units.
• General
  This is a catch-all for amenities that we aren't quite sure if there was a past reason they were created. It's the holding space for amenities to be removed or a place for internal filters such as "Do Not Request Reviews" or "Offboarding PRIME VACATIONS." You should not need to utilize anything here, for the most part.
• Website Search Engine Functions - Marketing Use Only
  DO NOT TOUCH, unless Sarah Evans directs you to. These connect to the website search functions and have very specific criteria that must be met for consistency across our brands and many websites.
• OTA - Vrbo & Airbnb
  This is the space for all random (and usually variable) OTA amenities. They change frequently, and most are related to nearby amenities with certain rules. For instance, "Zoo." A Vrbo listing states the nearby things to do as "Nearby Attractions within 15 minutes," which does not apply a Zoo to any of our current listings. We select these at a location node for consistency; please do not select them on individual listings.
• Reservations Team - Search Filters
  This section is for our Reservations Team to easily filter and search for frequent guest requests or must-haves. 

• Essentials
  The Essentials category contains amenities that are frequently searched for and considered necessary when a user is browsing our website to book. We are taking a page from how Airbnb labels these (for SEO purposes and also a sense of visual familiarity if we snag guests away from looking on Airbnb or Vrbo to rent). Things like air conditioning, beach towels, or a washer and dryer.
• Community Amenities
  The Community Amenities category checkboxes are only to be used when the unit is in a complex with shared amenities. 
• Location
  The Location category highlights the unit's location and views. Some of these amenities have very subtle differences, so be sure to check that the specific criteria are met before selecting.
• Home Safety
  The Home Safety category encompasses the "musts" that are selected at a high-level node: carbon monoxide detector, smoke detector, and fire extinguisher. Additional safety features can be selected per unit. You will also find the security camera and ring doorbell amenities in this space.
• Kitchen
  The Kitchen category holds all kitchen-related items and is another straight-from-Airbnb category. We tailored the list to common items that will connect to channels and display on listings like Vrbo. Adding new kitchen amenities will be considered by marketing only if enough homes have them present to warrant it. Do not create a new one yourself under any circumstances.
• Fun & Entertainment
  The Fun & Entertainment category is for calling out everything fun! Think pool table, ping pong, private putting green, and television, for instance.
• Interior
  The Interior category includes items like ceiling fans, a living room, and a dedicated workspace — all the amenities that are inside and should be featured on unit listing.
• Exterior
  The Exterior category includes items like a backyard, private pool, and water slide— all the amenities that are outside and should be featured on a unit listing.
• Parking
  The Parking category is important for all teams: Compliance, Reservations, and Guest Services. Incoming guests must know how many vehicles can park overnight. Before the garage is selected as an amenity, ask for the specifics, such as: "can a car park in the garage?" "How many cars will have a spot in the garage?" Also, if the garage is present but taken up with a ping pong table, for instance, we should omit checking off garage under "Parking" as it cannot count as a parking space at the unit. Accuracy is vital here.

How To Choose Appropriate Amenities in Track

This project came about in response to the need to standardize our amenities and how we classify them and also to optimize our home listings across all booking platforms and websites. Clear, concise, and accurate is our goal always.

Thank you for your time; we know this is a long article, but we appreciate your attention. Please reach out to Sarah Evans or marketing@primevacations.com with any questions or suggestions.