Hello Airbnb Hosts,we are successfully renting our lake cott...
Hello Airbnb Hosts,we are successfully renting our lake cottages and would love to host in the winter season.There were long-...
On a recent extended trip to Ireland, Scotland, the US, and Mexico that stretched over a five month period my partner and I stayed at 22 Airbnb locations and in approximately the same number of hotels. Our stays ranged from one night to one month and we had a variety of different experiences. Among them were a renovated farm house on 28 acres with sheep at our bedroom window, a stay in a Casino in Nevada, a coverted shed on a farm with horses, cows, and chickens (even fresh eggs were provided), a mobile home, a 12th floor luxury apartment in the middle of a city, and a home with pet chickens in the middle of LA. We stayed in private rooms in people’s homes as well as fully equipped houses. Our views included ponds, hillsides, cities, lochs, and the ocean. For the most part our hosts were very hospitable and did all they could to make our stay as pleasant as possible. Some accommodations were absolutely pristine and beautiful and some were - well, we would rather not go there.
Here are some things that we learned that we would like to pass along to our hosts. Kitchen equipment is important. Basics like a coffee maker, toaster, and can opener should go unmentioned but somehow they were forgotten in some of the nicest accommodations. If guests want to cook it is nice to have sharp knives, a garlic press, a cheese grater, and a colander. Ever try to drain hot pasta using only your fingertips? Even if you don’t have a washer/dryer, an iron and ironing board will keep your guests happy.
If your water is not good for drinking by all means provide bottled water and a dispenser. Kleenex, extra toilet paper, paper towels, and zip lock bags are all essentials. And extra light bulbs in case they burn out (and they do burn out). In many places we stayed we could tell that the hosts never consulted a “pre-flight checklist.” It made us feel as if nobody cared. We liked meeting our hosts but we also enjoyed our stays just as much when even though we didn’t meet it was evident that the host had taken the time to make sure everything was in place, then left us a code to get into the room.
Dishes and silverware. Just like Goldilocks - not too much and not too little. If you only provide two spoons, forks and knives, what do you do after dinner when you want dessert and everything is dirty? And if you want the dishes washed, you need to provide the tools to do that - particularly extra dish towels.
If you don’t have adequate electrical outlets then please leave a power strip or two so that things like computers can be charged. If pets have been in the space, please let us know in your profile so that we can choose if we want to follow them into our bed. More than one set of towels per person is also necessary.
And here is a biggy - the instruction book. It should include not only the best restaurants to visit, but also how to find the nearest pharmacy and the name of a doctor and a dentist in case of emergency. But more importantly it should include the how tos. Not only where you put the trash, where do we find the extra trash bags, but how do things work. Especially considering that travelers these days cross international borders and appliances don’t work the same way in a strange country - how do the washer/dryer, stove, hot water heater, coffee maker, microwave, wood stove, oven, dvd player, tv, and locks work? Including this information in your packet is so helpful. And a map of the area helps as well.
There are some food basics that are nice to have in the kitchen. As we traveled for some time on a motorcycle, we could not carry these basics with us. Salt, pepper, sugar, a small amount of flour and oil. Even a few spices and other condiments like mustard, mayo, ketchup and vinegar are useful. If you are a bachelor who has only made microwave popcorn and ramen noodles in the kitchen, don’t leave a packet of the stuff out as a welcome gift. Tea bags and coffee are essential as well. And, of course, we loved the stays where they left us cookies and candy and even a beer!
Every Airbnb host should stay in at least three Airbnb homes prior to hosting so that they can see for themselves what hosts include and what they fail to think about.
Our award for the best equipped in terms of food goes to Tim and Holly in Tucson who stocked the kitchen with canned goods and the refrigerator with absolutely everything you could possible need. We didn’t actually believe all this stuff was for us - pasta and sauce, soups of all kinds, milk, cheese, popcorn, the list went on and on.
Best selection of dvds award goes to Molly and Arthur in Baja. Best use of small space award goes to Sherry and Barry in Mancos. Best towels award goes to Aunt Bea in Buena Vista.
Our award for the best private room goes to Monica in San Diego. She even provided make up remover pads. The room was spacious, the bath delicious, the coffee fragrant, and the private entrance welcome. Although we never met Rani in LA, we loved the room and the chickens. Not only did Rani give us the names of the chickens but she explained to us their behavior so that we knew what to expect. Well behaved chickens in a very clean chicken house were fun to be associated with. Another close contender for best private room was Jan in Tiburon - the snacks were to die for.
Best complete house/apartment award and best award overall goes to Gordon and Maureen in Argyll, Scotland. We arrived after a motorcycle accident, surgery, and other losses. They were gracious and loving. Their studio overlooked a beautiful loch with many stone circles nearby. Maureen stocked the fridge with butter, cheese, bread, milk, and all the basics that we might need, including pleasant conversation and a healing presence. We were truly sorry to say good-by.
So there you have it, hosts. Thank you one and all for your hospitality and kindness, your comfy beds, and all the other amenities you provided for two travelers who set out to see the world and ended up back at home in Mexico, for the best place of all to be is always home. And the best you can do as a host is make your guests feel as if they are already there.
"Every Airbnb host should stay in at least three Airbnb homes prior to hosting so that they can see for themselves what hosts include and what they fail to think about."
I absolutley agree with this! My guests often comment that I've thought of everything (not true as I still add things to my space!) and one asked me how I came to be so thorough. It's very simple. I've stayed in every type of accommodation from primitive camping to 5* boutique hotels. I've taken notes of what made my stay good or bad. Of course, editing to apply to ones own space is important. My single room doesn't require dishes, lol.
Thank you for the input Robbin! As a host that is always looking for ways to improve my guests' experiences I value this information very much.
Dear Robbin 🙂
Thank you so much for inspirational story and of course your great tips 🙂
I love to travel as much as possible myself and I`m planning my big adventure – 1 year long vacation exploring new country each month and the plan is to stay mostly in Airbnb!
It`s the little things in life that makes the difference 🙂 When travelling it`s so nice to arrive at your Airbnb and see that host has done some extra effort!
I always try to provide for my guests as much simple little extras and surprises as I can but it`s up to the situation. I love to bake cake, cookies and prepare some delicious meals. Only thing sometimes I wish there would be more than 24h a day to bake more cakes and make more surprises 🙂
Dear Robin Big Thank You again for sharing so detailed and inspirational story 🙂
I wish many happy adventures to all great hosts and awesome guests 🙂
Happy & Sunny Regards from Riga 🙂
Liga
Thanks for these tips. As a host I leave the local phone book out and have made up a folder of leaflets from the local Information Centre with a map of the town as well as tips on the best cafe's and pub etc. Guests need to know where the supermarket is and what time it opens and closes, where the bakeries are and any local event that is on.
I only leave basics in food such as oil and flour, sugar, tea, coffee and milo (cannot afford at Airbnb prices to leave food that may not be eaten) Most people either bring food or eat out as they can walk to cafes and pub etc from my cottage.
Have printed off your list of tips, most of which I already had in place, but hadn't thought of garlic press or extra light globes. Thankyou. Regards Ruth
What a great list of suggestions! As a new host I am trying to think of everything my guests might need. I definitely agree that being a guest through airbnb before has at least helped to some degree!
To add to the advice list for hosts, I wish all the hosts stayed in the space they offer for rent for a few days; sleep, cook, relax in the space, you will quickly know what is missing, what is not up to snuff, etc.
I love this!! Thank you so much for all of this information.
I kept asking myself; what was the nightly rate and fees for each airbnb referenced.
In my opinion I DO NOT expect a Host to have so many things you listed! It seems you are expecting way too much. I DO APPRECIATTE what they leave though.
You can go crazy trying to leave things that please a guest and find out this guest was a Tabasco and Lea & Perrins lover guest and you did not please him.
Then you have those guests that take EVERYTHING you leave! EVERYTHING! They think if there are Tylenol , Alka Seltzer a BULB it is paid by their fee and they are entitle to take it! I do leave Alka Seltzer , Tylenol cotton, Q-Tips etc but what I leave I know they will take it! And 50 % take them, they take even all the toilette paper!
Also a used Ketchup bottle, a used Mayo , Lea &Perrins, Tabasco looks TERRIBLE , makes a clean refrigerator look dirty , no matter how you place it . You would not be placing a brand new one everytime!
....at the end all that you leave for them to use is added to the price .
Reading over your message makes me feel that I am doing everything right. I have only been doing Airbnb for about 2 1/2 months. I based my hosting criteria on what to me seems like common sense. I do like the tip about the makeup remover and I might just steal that idea.
Thank you very much. OK. I am going to write my guide book next and buy a garlic press some tea and some more sharp knives and get a book for guests to write in. I love that idea !!!!! Is a garlic press that important? I will go get one . I guess I must be a bad cook because I just use chopped garlic..and that's what I leave for my guests.
Is it important to have a converter even if I haven't had a foreign guest yet? I will in January and I'm really excited!!!!
Karen and Jeff
Thanks for taking the time to share with us. Sounds like an amazing trip! I am going to use some of your ideas.
An amazing adventure!! Great tips. You’re making me feel good about getting individually wrapped makeup remover sheets and eye make up remover sheets! If you come to Nashville, TN please consider [link hidden for safety reasons - to view profile, hover over profile image and click 'View Profile']
Excellent tips, Robbin! They validate and add to my limited hosting experience in Glendale, CA. Thank you very much!
Manu
Thanku for your tips on hosting it was really helpful !!