How do I take good photos and write a good description for my holiday flat?

Photos: what shows your flat at its best?

• Daylight: Take photos in bright weather, with all the lights on and the curtains open.
• Tidy: Keep charging cables, toothbrushes and post out of shot. Make the beds with fresh linen.
• Every room: Take a landscape photo from a corner, at hip height. Include the bathroom, kitchen and entrance.
• Your strongest photo first: A view, a living room with a fireplace or a balcony, depending on what makes your flat special.
• Details guests ask about: Ski storage, parking, washing machine, cot, workspace.
• Two seasons: In holiday resorts, include a winter and a summer photo of the property and the view.
• Route and location: Public transport stop, winter access, distance to the ski lift or lake.
• No misleading photos: Use a wide-angle lens only if it shows the true size. Don’t use filters that change the colours or the view.

Who owns the photos?

Since 1 April 2020, photographic images have been protected works, even if they have no individual character (Art. 2 para. 3bis CopA). These simple photos are protected for 50 years after they are taken (Art. 29 para. 2 letter abis CopA). This means you should:

• Ask your photographer to confirm in writing where you can use the photos: on all platforms, your own website and in brochures, with no end date.
• Use photos from the tourist office, mountain railways or the internet only with permission.
• Show identifiable people, including children or neighbours, only with their consent. Otherwise, you may infringe their personality rights (Art. 28 CC).

Title and description: how to structure your text

1. Title: Location, type of flat and a special feature, for example «Grindelwald: 3.5-room flat with Eiger views, 5 minutes’ walk from the station».
2. First sentence: Who is the flat right for? A family with young children, a couple, a group of skiers or someone working from home.
3. Rooms and beds: Rooms, bed sizes, sofa bed, bathrooms, floor area.
4. Facilities: Kitchen, Wi-Fi speed, washing machine, parking, lift, balcony, pets allowed or not.
5. Location: Walking times to public transport, shops, ski lifts or hiking trails. Include advice on getting there in winter.
6. Costs: Cleaning, extras and tourist tax per person per night. Show them before booking.
7. Rules and check-in: Arrival time, key handover, quiet hours, smoking, rubbish.

Why honesty is essential

Anyone who gives false or misleading information about their services or prices acts unfairly (Art. 3 para. 1 letter b UCA). And because the holiday flat is rented, guests have rights if there are defects: if something you promised is missing, they can ask for a price reduction or compensation (Art. 259a CO). So write «Pool open in summer» rather than «Pool», and «20 minutes’ walk to the ski lift» rather than «near the ski lift».

What details do cantons and cities require?

• Ticino: Since 1 February 2022, every accommodation has needed an identification number from the Agenzia turistica ticinese; listings may not be published without one.
• Lucerne: In the city of Lucerne, every listing and your own website must show the city’s identification number.
• Your own website needs an imprint with your name, address and email address (Art. 3 para. 1 letter s UCA); see direct bookings.

Which languages should you use?

In 2025, holiday flats recorded 4.25 million overnight stays by guests from Switzerland and 3.12 million by guests from abroad (FSO). So write in the main language of your region, add English and, depending on the location, French or Italian. Ask a speaker to check your translations briefly.