How can we set boundaries for kitchen use with guests?

[Katherine861]

Our kitchen backs right up to our master bedroom. Our air bnb guestroom and guest bath are in the other side of the house. We have refrigerator space in our 2nd fridge in the attached garage. We have coffee and tea set up in the formal dining room with place settings and everything they need. Up until now, I have always offered fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola because I found it people don’t like breakfast breads or bagels. It seems like even that can be difficult because of peoples food complexities. I would really prefer not to offer any food because we are very close to town and there are many wonderful restaurants around. I have found that our guests seem to think it’s OK to come into our kitchen and start cooking and opening cabinets which awakens my husband and I up. How can we do this in a way where we are still perceived as being caring host and hostess, but have some better boundaries? We don’t charge a lot and it’s clear it’s not for the whole house. We have excellent reviews but feel taken advantage of at times. 

[Title updated by Community Manager for relevancy]

[Marie8425]

@Katherine861 

I have found setting the Airbnb Listing Quiet times  has assisted me in managing any  house traffic late at night because I have multiple  Guest bedrooms and  my usual guests   are  very  early risers.  For food actually I think you will  find not offering  food  eliminates the guests feeling obligated   to  eat  it.  I do offer coffee or  tea.  I have  a Keurig machine in the shared kitchen, but if they  prefer  a  drip  coffee  maker or electric kettle, I offer to provide for their room.  Each of my guest rooms has a nice  mini fridge (Amazon delivers  fridges  lol)  The  Guests love a private fridge and for me again reduces  kitchen traffic.  I  do ask  if anything would be  a plus during their stay.  I  have a tortilla press and an electric juicer but  better investment than  a  banana.  I just set the expectation, make it easy to follow my rules and I don't say you  can't use my kitchen at  midnight so maybe they do  but   since they are aware  nobody has  been  woken  up  this year.

[Helen3]

I agrée make it clear in your house rules what times guests can use the kitchen and when you show your guests around on arrival. No need to provide breakfast. 

[Bhumika]

Hi @Katherine861 , How are you thinking of navigating this concern with future guests? 

Did you get a chance to read wonderful tips from Helen and Marie? It seems like a useful tip to add quiet hours to your listing rules and also adding Helen's tip to reinforce the kitchen usage timings when you show guests around your listing. Have you considered these options earlier?

Sharing an article about house rules if it helps. 

Do keep us posted of your preferred solutions for such situations. It'll help Hosts visiting this thread who're facing a similar dilemma🌻

[Kia272]

@Katherine861  Super easy: you set boundaries for kitchen use.