HOW PERMANENT PLAY CREATES COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND REPEAT BOOKINGS
In the short term rental world, most properties compete on the same checklist. Clean photos. Good furniture. Fast WiFi. Decent coffee maker. Maybe a hot tub.Those things matter. But they rarely create loyalty. What creates loyalty is memory.
The properties that generate repeat bookings are the ones where guests do something together. Where kids and parents laugh. Where friends stay up late talking. Where someone says, “Remember when…” months after the trip ends.
Permanent outdoor games are one of the most reliable ways to create those moments.
For owners who think long term, the right outdoor games are not an expense. They are infrastructure. They turn a stay into an experience. They turn a weekend booking into a yearly tradition.
At Stone Age Concrete Games, we have seen this pattern play out across parks, resorts, campgrounds, multifamily housing, and increasingly, private vacation rentals. The same principle holds true everywhere. If people play together, they come back.
WHY OUTDOOR PLAY IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN SHORT TERM RENTALS
The STR market is crowded. Many homes look similar online. Standing out matters more every year. Outdoor concrete games create differentiation in several ways.
They Pull People Away From Screens
Families book trips to reconnect, but screens follow them everywhere. A permanent ping pong table or cornhole set gives guests a reason to step outside and engage with each other. It becomes the natural gathering point.
They Use Space That Already Exists
Most vacation homes have underused outdoor areas. Patios, side yards, lakefront clearings, gravel pads, or open lawn sections. Permanent games convert unused square footage into value without adding interior cleaning or maintenance burden. Temporary tables require much more maintenance, storage, space and long term costs.
They Photograph Extremely Well
Game installations become hero images in listing photos. A family playing ping pong at sunset sells better than another living room shot. Experiences book better than square footage.
They Create Repeat Customers
Repeat bookings are where STR profitability really grows. When a family tradition forms around your property, you are no longer competing on price alone.
THE STONE AGE ADVANTAGE: PERMANENT, ZERO MAINTENANCE PLAY
For STR owners thinking long term, maintenance is everything. Portable games get lost. Nets break. Boards warp. Pieces walk away. Owners or cleaning crews end up managing equipment constantly.
Concrete outdoor games eliminate that cycle. They are weather proof. They are vandal resistant. They are permanently installed. They require zero seasonal storage. They have no fragile parts.
Two players minimum, spectators join naturally. Works for couples, families, groups, and retreats. Strong listing photo performance. Usable year round in most climates.
In resort environments, ping pong is often the single most used outdoor game. That same behavior carries into private rentals.
If an owner installs only one permanent game, ping pong is almost always the right first choice.
2. CONCRETE CORNHOLE
Cornhole shines because it is approachable. Guests can play within seconds of walking outside. It naturally creates social circles and casual tournaments.
STR advantages:
Easy for all ages and skill levels.
Works in small or large outdoor areas.
Pairs naturally with fire pits and patios.
Excellent for group bookings and celebrations.
Concrete cornhole removes the biggest weakness of traditional boards, which is weather damage and theft. Owners never have to worry about boards blowing away, swelling, or disappearing.
3. CONCRETE CHESS AND BOARD GAME TABLES
Chess tables change the tone of a property. They signal thoughtfulness, permanence, and quality. They are especially strong for lake houses, wine country homes, mountain cabins, and design forward properties. They attract couples. They attract multi generation families. They attract longer stay guests. They attract guests seeking slower, intentional experiences.
They also photograph beautifully, especially with natural stone, landscape design, or water views nearby.
Many high end resorts use outdoor chess as a visual and experiential anchor. That same design language translates extremely well into premium STR listings.
4. CONCRETE FOOSBALL
Foosball works best for properties that host multi family groups, youth sports travel groups, reunions, or camp style bookings.
Outdoor concrete foosball tables remove the fragility of indoor versions. They become permanent gathering points for high energy play.
THE REPEAT BOOKING PSYCHOLOGY MOST OWNERS MISS
Most STR operators focus on amenities. The highest performing properties focus on ritual.
If families play ping pong together every night of a vacation, that activity becomes associated with that location. Next year when they plan a trip, they are not just choosing a house. They are choosing a tradition.
This is the same reason resorts invest in permanent recreation infrastructure. They are not selling rooms. They are selling memories.
We have seen this across Marriott resort installations, family campgrounds, urban parks, and multifamily communities. The psychology is the same everywhere. Shared play builds emotional connection to place.
WHY NICHE OWNERS WIN THIS STRATEGY FIRST
The biggest opportunity right now is not mass STR operators. It is niche owners who think like land stewards. These owners tend to hold properties long term. They invest in infrastructure, not trends. They care about guest experience beyond reviews. They attract repeat family bookings. They market through story, not just price.
These owners often overlap with boutique resorts, fishing lodges, ranch stays, camp style retreat properties, eco tourism stays, and faith or education retreat environments.
For these groups, permanent play fits naturally with their mission and brand story.
OUTDOOR GAMES AS STORYTELLING AND MARKETING ASSETS
Permanent games also become marketing assets. Owners often see stronger social media engagement. More guest photos shared organically. More listing saves and shares. Better word of mouth referrals. When guests post photos playing together, they are marketing your property for you.
LONG TERM ROI: THE INFRASTRUCTURE MINDSET
Portable amenities are consumables. Permanent concrete games are infrastructure.
If a game lasts decades, the cost spreads across thousands of guest stays while continuing to differentiate the property every single day.
For owners thinking in ten to twenty year timelines, this is an obvious move.
WHERE THIS TREND IS GOING
We are seeing permanent outdoor play move from parks and resorts into private property design. Landscape architects are beginning to treat games like they treat fire pits, patios, and outdoor kitchens. Not as accessories. As core property features. Short term rental owners who adopt this early position themselves ahead of the market.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The best short term rental properties are not just places to sleep. They are places where families reconnect.
Outdoor concrete games help create that environment with zero maintenance, no storage, all weather performance, strong visual marketing value, multi generational appeal, and proven repeat customer behavior. For owners who think long term, permanent play is an investment in recurring rentals.