Rupert Springfield and Franck van der Hooft are the proud owners of Le Mas & Le Mazet, two very successful gîtes in the stunning countryside of the Dordogne, but even they admit that when it comes to gîtes, there’s a lot to get right. When it comes to the all important question of how to get more bookings for your holiday home or gite in France – there are a few ‘musts’ says Rupert.
“We thought we came into this with our eyes open. Before launching our gîtes in 2016 we did extensive research and designed every detail meticulously to provide an exceptional product and service, but in reality, we still had a lot to learn and were quite naive.”
Factors to consider for gîte success
Rupert explains that a successful gîte requires a strong foundation and equal attention given to the building blocks. The three parts to the foundation are already determined when you purchase your gîte property: your own involvement, the property itself and where it is located.
“First, is your gîte a second home away from where you live or is the property going to be your primary residence?” says Rupert. “Living away from the property will require you to set up a team to manage and clean the property, welcome guests and deal with problems that crop up. Living on site is completely different, you will manage all that yourselves and have more contact with the guests, building a relationship with them.
“Then, of course, you have the unique character of your buildings and its land. Yes, you can add a pool, renovate bathrooms, landscape the garden. But some things are already set in stone. For instance, is there are view, is the architecture characterful and charming, is there enough space to create the number of bedrooms you need to generate your required revenue? Decide on these criteria when property hunting – and stick to your guns.
“The third part of the foundation is often underestimated – your gîte’s location. Does it provide your guests with what they’re looking for? Tourist attractions, local markets, restaurants and travel hubs that make it easy for them to access your gîte. If your département doesn’t attract many visitors, how are you going to? These three parts of the foundation are all pre-determined by your property, but there are building blocks that you can shape and form yourself.”
Consult your own gîte guru
If anyone knows how to make a success of a French gîte business, it’s Rupert and Franck. They qualify their success by their annual revenue and how much of it is generated by returning guests (61% in 2025), the length of their season (29 weeks in 2025), and the publicity they generate (9 articles in The Sunday Times and counting, reviewed by The Telegraph and given 9/10, and featured in numerous magazines). In 2020 they received a request to help some fellow owners, so they set up Gîte Guru to offer professional advice to those who are just starting out, or who are looking for ways to improve their accommodation business.
“This is not a competition to see who’s best. It’s about showing aspiring gîte owners the potential in running a gîte and being part of a community helping each other. The work we do with clients falls into four building blocks,” explains Rupert, “and these are interior design (getting the most out of the layout and look), business matters (rules, regulations, terms and conditions), communication (telling the story of your gîte) and marketing (making it visible to your target groups). We’ve helped many fellow owners over the years, here are some case studies that might help other readers.”
Gîte Case study 1: Communication
Helena and Mutlu run a four-bedroom gîte based in a traditional farmhouse in the Dordogne, and they knew that they needed expert insights from the start.
“One of our very first conversations with Rupert and Franck was about naming our gîte. Together, we brainstormed a range of ideas before we settled on La Mouy, a lovely nod to our hamlet, La Mouyssarie. They gave great advice for our website: the information that’s most important for guests, content structure, and software to make the booking process seamless. The end result is a website and a communication plan that I’m genuinely proud of.
“They also introduced us to a fantastic local photographer, who even gave us a discount for being Gîte Guru clients! We are very grateful for all the knowledge they shared about rules and regulations, and the updates we receive about any changes. Rupert and Franck are experts in simplifying complexity and building confidence, and you feel that you have someone supporting you every step of the way.”
Gîte Case study 2: Marketing
Neil and David moved to the Dordogne in 2017, where they set up Domaine de la Banne. They had already been running their gîte for a year when they first called on Rupert and Franck, seeking advice on how best to boost their business and how to go about creating a successful marketing strategy.
“Once we started working with Gîte Guru, that’s when everything really began to click. As we set out to refine our marketing plan, they zeroed in to help us define our ideal guest profile and how we could make Domaine de la Banne truly visible to our target market.
“They built a clear strategy that combined the strengths of online travel agents —platforms that take bookings on our behalf — with smart tactics for generating direct bookings. Over the years they’ve also advised us on new marketing opportunities and challenges, to ensure we get as many risk-free bookings as possible.”
Case study 3: Business matters
Becky and Gareth own the 18th-century Château du Rayet in southwest France, which they hadn’t originally considered letting it as holiday accommodation.
“When we first bought Rayet and began renovating it, we didn’t really think of renting it out when we weren’t using it. Once we decided to explore the business side of that option, Rupert and Franck stepped in and made the whole process feel effortless.
“They mapped out the fiscal landscape for us. They guided us through the registration process and created a rental agreement tailored to our own terms and conditions.
“The icing on the cake was that they found several clever ways to cut our running costs, including one that now saves us thousands of euros each year.”
Case study 4: Interior design
In 2020, New-Zealander Catherine, and Neil from Devon in the UK, moved to Dienné near Poitiers, where they now run La Guillonnière.
“Originally, we’d planned to convert a long building on our property into three one-bedroom gîtes all sharing a pool and outdoor space,” explains Catherine, “but when Rupert and Franck came to see it, everything changed. They studied the site and did some research, then told us that a single, larger family gîte would actually work better in our location.
“They proposed a completely new brief — a four-bedroom layout with the right flow, features, and facilities to really make the most of the space, inside and out. We took their criteria and turned it into a design that we absolutely love. Neil is now in the thick of bringing it to life, and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests.”
Rupert recognises how complicated the rules and regulations for fellow gîte owners are, and how staying up to date with the continual changes is difficult. He posts regularly on Instagram @gite.guru with updates and important info to help you, and in The Gîte Podcast (on YouTube youtube.com/@TheGitePodcast and all good podcast platforms) he discusses the ups and downs of running gîtes with other owners. All this information and inspiration is free!
However, for advice tailor-made to your gîte and plans, you can find out more or book a consultation with him at giteguru.com
