Little things guest look for

[Barbara3817]

We’ve used AirBnB quite a bit and these are little things, and I do mean little, but a couple of things I would like to see is:

1.  Bigger mugs for coffee and tea
2.  Dishtowels
3. Adequate supply of silverware (I’ve been in places where there are only servings for 4, which means after each course if you use something, you have to wash before dessert.

4.  Same as above but for dishes.
5.  Maybe an extra blanket or two.

Cleaning supplies are always there and very much 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.  As I said, we’ve used AirBnB in the past and have been very pleased, but just a couple of ideas. 

[Rebecca]

Hi @Barbara3817 👋

Thanks so much for sharing some ideas from a guest point of view, and I must say... I have to agree with the first point. I LOVE a really big cup of coffee or tea! 😍 

@Elena4390, @Lorina14, @Nash-Cottages-LLC0 and @Andrew-and-Jeremy0 - Would you add anything to this list from a host perspective? 👀

[Barbara3817]

Thank you.

[Barbara3817]

@Rebecca At first I couldn’t think of anything to add, not sure where this was an appropriate forum.  But something came up today that would be helpful.

We are both young (in our 70s) senior citizens.  One thing we did notice where we are is that there are no railings going up house entry steps.  There are only two or three steps but nothing to steady us.  (That new hip sometimes needs babying😂)

Thanks again for the opportunity to comment.

[Rebecca]

Thanks for bringing up the steps and railings @Barbara3817 - that's something a lot of people might not think about until it's needed! I think there is the option to view accessibility features of the properties. @Lorina14 might know more than me on that one though. 

[Lorina14]

@Barbara3817 

Thanks for your insight! It’s always helpful to hear from the guest’s perspective. Bigger mugs are relative… What size are you thinking? One of my listings has a small kitchen so space is a premium so we can’t have really large mugs there. I agree about silverware, I aim to provide more than the number of seats in a space - so our garden suite of 2 has settings for 4 (plates, bowls, mugs, cups) and much more utensils and more plastic and glass cups, kids utensils and cups. I personally tend to use a lot of spoons in my own house so I had to buy more.

I have an extra blanket and a throw available. In our Gold suite I have a liquid cotton woven blanket (that’s how it is advertised), a soft warmer throw and a lighter cotton throw. 

I also leave a lot of cleaning supplies for guests to use and they appreciate it.

I offer a lot of other items but the few that come to mind as being appreciated: natural products, pads/tampons, oopsie poopsie or essential oil spray for the bathroom, a small hamper (for longer staying guests), phone charger, floss, cotton swabs, make up removing wipes (helps prevent the makeup stains on towels), cooking oils, variety of spices, large selection of teas and coffee types, filtered water, bedside caddie (slip under the mattress for a place to put your book, tablet, small items), touch bedside lamps, a silicone cover for the couch arm to hold a cup or mug and your phone or the remote. 

[Barbara3817]

@Lorina14  - Thank you.  I guess what I mean by bigger mugs are coffee/tea cups larger than what comes with a set of dishes.  

I am pretty impressed by all the extras you provide.  Especially the for personal care.   Small hampers are nice.  We usually stay more than a week (sometimes a month at a time) so that is really helpful.  (Like now, we are in So Cal for a month).

Never been to Bellevue, but if we ever go, we will make sure to look for your place.

[Lorina14]

@Barbara3817 

Thanks for the clarification on mugs, yes larger than 8oz of course but I’ve seen some friends with 16oz mugs and there is so much variation. We have a mug at home that one could eat soup out of. Unfortunately we are a little tight on cabinet space for one listing so we only have a 10oz and 12 oz mug in addition to the normal size mugs. 

Bellevue is in the greater Seattle area (just east of Seattle). We try hard to provide amenities that are useful for guests.

[Rebecca]

@Lorina14  I would happily drink coffee from a soup-sized mug 😆 I have an array of mugs at home and my preferences change depending on what I'm drinking. They are all mismatched too! 🙈  

I think a great way to counter cupboard space, is to have a mug shelf or a mug tree! Have you seen those before? 

[Lorina14]

@Rebecca Thanks for the suggestion but counter space is also a premium.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Barbara3817 

We were told that we should supply twice as many sets of dishes/silverware as there are people in the listing.As you say any less is just irritating.

On cleaning supplies we also believe the more the better - Leave a decent cleaner and many guests will actually vacuum the place. Likewise with bin (trash) bags and dishwasher/sink detergent and scrubs - If decent ones are supplied then most guests will clean stuff properly. Also it is a right pain in the backside to have to buy 7 dishwasher tablets when buying them by the hundred is cheap as chips (fries).

Finally my big bugbear - Toilet paper - Should be enough for the stay and more. The vast majority of guests leave what is not used - Perhaps 1 in 20/40 take every last roll but they are in the minority.

Oh and back to mugs - Yes BIG BIG BIG - Only one family I know uses standard size mugs. We did however provide (as additional) tea sets in our listings because we had some Victorian sets going spare and it was nice to provide 19th century equipment in our 1850s apartments.

[Ricardo766]

I completely agree—these “little” touches make a big difference to the guest experience. In our listings, we’ve made it standard to provide:

- Larger mugs for coffee and tea

- Plenty of dish towels

- Adequate silverware and dishes for the home’s capacity (with extras)

- A couple of spare blankets

We’ve received many reviews praising that our kitchens are fully equipped with everything guests need, and it truly reflects in overall satisfaction. Thank you for raising this—great reminders that the basics, done well, matter most.

[Rebecca]

Oh @Ricardo766 - dish towels! I completely forgot about those! It's very annoying if there is only one, but two or three are definitely ideal. 

Where do you stand on the large size mug debate? 👀 

Thank you so much for sharing with us. Well done on your wonderfully equipped kitchen. 

[Richard3358]

I must be an outlier. I like a medium coffee mug so coffee is fresh and I add more as needed ha ha!  I just approach it based on my travels and what I find lacking.  One of the main things is a very easy thermostat for the AC so the guests can set it as cold as they wish with no restrictions.  Nothing worse than being in a hotel where its a "smart" thermostat that shuts off based on body movement!

Bedding should be high quality.  We have only the highest quality mattress to give the best sleep.  I cannot tell you how many times we've stayed at Airbnb locations where the mattress was horrible and we will never ever go back.  I think that should be on the top 5 list.

[Barbara3817]

Thank you.  I would love to return to the UK again.  We spent 2 weeks there last year, in Cirencester, and loved every minute.