There are so many aspects to hosting but one that gets so much attention seems to be the never ending drive for that all treasured “5 star review”. Most of us as host have special things that tend to make our Airbnb’s unique and special. But I think it’s some basic things that really help keep those stars flying in our direction. Guests want to experience that WOW effect in most all their adventures. And staying in an Airbnb can be slightly scary for many first timers (they say) so the quicker they feel comfy and relaxed or at home the better.
1] Chalkboard Greeting - In our cottage we turned the A/C door into a chalkboard with a personal Welcome, Wi-Fi password and recommendations for eating and my must see things in Pensacola. Seeing their names on the large chalk board appears to be a real delight for almost all guests. And they know they are special and belong right here! (We just feed those egos a little bit)
2] Keyless Entry - For most of the Pensacola guests going to the beach and having to deal with keys can be rather tricky. Plus who wants to have to make extra keys and be on the alert at any hour to let a guest in your place when they’ve lost the keys – so the keypad code system is a great answer - just 4 numbers - no keys, no hassle, just freedom. Makes for a streamlined super easy check in as well. We keep it secure by changing the codes after each guest. Our Schlage keyless entry holds 15 codes at one time so we can assign a number and delete it immediately after check out. Many hosts use the last 4 numbers of someones phone. The new guest has their code which is different. Safety first.
3] Mattress Protectors - Recently a friend said she always strips the beds in her Airbnb work travel stays. She said on a recent stay somewhere the mattress had many awful stains so she felt the bed was dirty and really wished she had not seen that. It spoiled how she felt about her stay up to that moment. Making sure everything is sparkling clean is maybe the most important deal (star) breaker! Some guests think they are doing the hosts a favor by stripping the bed (m friend did) or sometimes there are stained sheets and maybe embarrassment or not? So make sure your mattress is not stained (if it is a zippered protective cover will help). I use 2 mattress protectors at all times – to make certain and protect the mattress which I think is the most important furniture in an overnight stay. We have a fabulous Muse sleep bed that everyone seems to totally adore.
4] Lint Rollers - Did you know that most people typically lose between 50 - 100 hairs a day? Any guest will tell you a stray hair/s on their pillow or bed will spoil things very quickly so my “go to” in managing this challenge is Lint Rollers – I lint roll the bedding before stripping and laundering and then after I make the bed I lint roll once again. Making sure to find every single hair. I buy lint rollers in a 4 or 6 pack because more is definitely more and better!
5] Extra Towels - If you search out really good towels at great lower prices you can be generous with guests and leave extras and most often they are not all used. I’d rather have to wash a couple towels after check out than having to deliver more at any given hour. This seems to work out super.
6] Toiletries - Something most hosts work to balance, is what toiletries to put in the bathroom so we decided large pump bottles of body wash, shampoo and conditioner would be eco-friendly, much cheaper and less hassle. No soap bars for the cottage and less clean up.
7] Extra Pillows - The sleep/play experience is the most critical since a large amount of time is typically spent in the beds we all offer. So I believe it pays to offer extra pillows for each guest – 2 per person, plus a few décor pillows. It looks terrific and adds a touch of luxury for little expense and work. All pillows are first covered in hypoallergenic protective zippered covers and then we use extra soft cotton pillow cases.
These are a few things that work for us and seem to keep those 5 star reviews coming.
With over 125 - 5 star reviews in 2 yrs, I totally enjoy hosting in Pensacola Florida and learning from and sharing with others about their hosting experiences. The Community Center has been a real blessing of people, information and advice, a wonderful community we can all celebrate being part of. Please share any of your tips, and life hacks you have found, below.
Happy Hosting and Many Blessings, Clara
