Kitchen staples for guests

[Lisa8805]

Hi, I'm just wondering how many hosts leave kitchen staples, like flour, honey, etc. I think one of the nice amenities of my home is the well equipped kitchen. I know that my family and I like to cook together in homes that we've rented and appreciated the staples left for us to use.

[Bhumika]

Hi @MandM-Homes0 , 

Do your guests often cook at the listing or do they prefer to enjoy local food and delicacies?

[MandM-Homes0]

Majority of our long stay( >1 week) guests cook at the listing since ordering in becomes more expensive however, short stay guests have a tendency of ordering in their choice of local foods and delicacies.

Those who cook express more overall satisfaction during their stays attributing some of it to the kitchen experience.

[Bhumika]

That's great to hear @MandM-Homes0 🎉 Do you have any restaurants nearby that you usually recommend guests?

[Mattias57]

I have quite a lot since we also use the ourselves. People are sometimes not sure if they can use it. Many appreciate not having to shop every tiny thing needed to cook decent meals. I also try to create premium (and charge at a rate too) living and then I market that they can cook with everything they can expect in terms of utensils.  Personaly I detest renting a nice place that has one wonky saucepan and a dull knife as only alternative... that happen again to us last summer in  Italy. 

[Bhumika]

That's great to hear @Mattias57 ! 

I would love to hear more about how you create "premium living" for guests? How did you come up with that idea?

Regards,

[Lorie157]

Hi,

I have 2 properties. In my smaller property (studio), I leave olive oil, salt & pepper, coffee, tea and sweeteners that are single serve packets. In my larger property, where I anticipate poor cooking, I have all of the same stuff and additionally, I also have spices, honey and flavored syrups for the coffee. Personally, I would be hesitant to use a product that others have had full access to, like a container of flour or sugar. But that may be because I’m a bit of a germaphobe 😊, so I assume the same for my guests. 

[Bhumika]

Hi @Lorie157 , thanks for sharing your strategy! 

Have you ever received any feedback or reviews from guests about the kitchen supplies you provide?

[Kristin1918]

I provide coffee to get them started salt pepper and olive oil.  The rest I don’t.  I don’t use things left in places and you never know how old they are or what people have done to them.   So I feel like it’s untidy to leave a bunch of stuff.  And never do I leave condiments in the fridge.  Just think it looks dirty 

[Bhumika]

@Kristin1918 , you've made a great point about hygiene! 

Do you usually prefer to mention your minimal approach to kitchen supplies in your listing? Have you seen guests asking for kitchen supplies during their stay?

[Saba208]

I like to leave basic essentials that are individually packaged from a safety and health perspective. I do not use anything left open when I stay in airbnb and I always like to extend that same courtesy to my guests.  I hope this helps

[Bhumika]

Hi @Saba208 , your approach is both thoughtful and guest-focused! Which type of packed items do you prefer to provide?

[Mark5779]

Hi @Lisa8805 , Our cabin is listed as a romantic get away.  Although we have a well equipped kitchen, we only provide coffee, tea, creamers, sugar, and sweetener for the first morning. We also have basic spices, black pepper, salt, and cooking oil.  It's been our experience that either the guests will go out for food (eat there or bring back), or they will bring everything they need with them. We've only had a few guests that have actually cooked a whole meal. One was the guests over Thanksgiving, and the other was a couple that had planned on not going anywhere and they brought everything they needed to cook.  

Mark & Ruth

[Bhumika]

Hi @Mark5779 , it’s great to hear how you’ve tailored guest amenities! 

What kind of cookware do you ensure to provide in the listing so that guests can cook their own meals if they wish to?

[Mark5779]

We originally purchased a complete set of pots and pans and then added additional items to it, buying them from local shops. Our thought was, "if we were at the cabin and wanted to cook a few meals, what would we need".  We cook at home so we just used our normal cooking needs as a guideline.  So far, everyone who has cooked at the cabin has said that we had everything they needed.  

[Bhumika]

That's a big compliment from guests @Mark5779 ! I am glad to read your efforts in making a guest stay comfortable has paid off. 

While some hosts may prefer ceramic cookware, some prefer to go with stainless steel. Do you have any such preference for utensils, considering there could be regular wear and tear of these items? 

Regards,