Which credentials to look at
when choosing a manager
for tourist flats.

In 2019 MyRentalHost was named Best Apartment Rentals Management in Barcelona by the Lux Global Hospitality Awards. It sounds good — but what does it actually mean? This guide is for owners interviewing managers: which credentials the good ones look at, and which are marketing smoke.

The problem with "management agencies""

In Barcelona and Madrid there are hundreds of companies advertising themselves as tourist rental managers. The barrier to entry is low: a website, a Hostaway or Guesty account, a couple of cleaners on contract — and they are up and running. The difference between good and bad does not show on the website. It shows in the credentials.

The 4 credentials that genuinely matter

1. Membership of APARTUR

APARTUR (Associació d'Apartaments Turístics de Barcelona) is the only official industry association in Catalonia. Membership requires complying with a code of conduct, keeping up with regulations, and contributing to the regulatory dialogue. Serious managers are in it. Fly-by-night operations are not.

How to check: apartur.com, the "Associats" section.

2. Official member of Barcelona Turisme

A partnership with Barcelona Turisme (the city's official tourism promotion body) means the manager is recognised as a formal counterpart to the City Council. It is not handed out to just anyone and it is renewed annually.

How to check: barcelonaturisme.com.

3. Biosphere Responsible Tourism

An international responsible-tourism certification based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It requires an external audit of environmental, social and governance practices. For a rental manager it signals a serious, long-term operation rather than short-term tourist extraction.

How to check: biospheretourism.com, search for certified companies.

4. Independent international awards

Not paid-for awards (they exist — agencies that charge you to appear in a "Top 10"). The real ones:

• LUX Global Hospitality Awards (United Kingdom) — "Best Apartment Rentals Management" category in Barcelona, won by MyRentalHost in 2019. See the original edition.
• Airbnb Superhost ×6 consecutive — the Superhost rating is algorithmic (Airbnb objectively measures cancellations, response, rating, number of stays). 6 consecutive periods = sustained operational consistency over 3+ years. It cannot be bought.

What is not a credential

• "More than X years of experience" with no real association memberships
• Airbnb/Booking logos on the website (everyone puts them there; it does not mean a partnership)
• "Top 10 in Barcelona" — check who produced the ranking. If it was them, or an outlet with no published methodology, it does not count.
• Anonymous, unverified testimonials on the website

What I would ask if I were an owner interviewing a manager

1. How many flats do you manage, and since when? If they say "300" but have only been going 18 months, scaling that fast means operational problems. Steady growth is worth more than volume.
2. Can I speak to 2 current owners? If they say "of course, here are some contacts", good sign. If they dodge, bad sign.
3. What happens if I want to leave in 6 months? Long lock-ins with penalties = a manager who knows that if you find out how the others work, you will leave.
4. How do you handle the national regulation RD 933/2021? If they name it as "already covered" without going into detail, that is a poor answer. A good one is: "we have system X integrated, we transmit within Y, and you can see the log".
5. What does your revenue management team actually do? If they say "PriceLabs and that's it", not enough. A good answer: "PriceLabs + manual seasonal adjustments + quarterly portfolio reviews".

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