What’s for breakfast? Hosts share tips, plus an important update from Airbnb

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What’s for breakfast? Hosts share tips, plus an important update from Airbnb

Homemade muffins, eggs, coffee and tea—we love that hosts go the extra mile to welcome guests. So many Airbnb hosts enhance their stays by offering breakfast items, ranging from grab-and-go cereal bars, to continental breakfast, to homemade buffets with local ingredients. It’s not required, of course; but, adding breakfast details to your amenities and listing description can help show off your hosting style, improve the guest experience, and make your property stand out in search.

 

Starting this week, adding breakfast details will be even more important because Airbnb has new criteria for classifying property types such as bed and breakfasts. Many hosts have asked us to help them distinguish their listings from professional listings such as hotels and traditional B&Bs—as those businesses require specific licenses and have different tax implications, depending on where you live—and we’re responding. If you’re a host who has selected “Bed & Breakfast” as your property type, we’re asking you to confirm your business license or adjust your listing in the next 30 days to help us clearly separate your listing and set expectations for guests.

 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to adjust your listing and make the most of Airbnb’s breakfast amenity, as well as some tips from hosts like you.

 

3 easy steps to add breakfast details

 

  1. Update your listing

Go to Airbnb.com, and click on your listing. Next to “Rooms & guests,” click “Edit.” If you have a licensed hospitality business, you’ll see a notification to review your listing and enter your business information. If you don’t have a license, change your property type from “Bed and breakfast” to “Apartment,”“House,” or another category listed in the drop down menu. 

 

  1. Add breakfast as an amenity

Under “Amenities,” next to “Additional,” click “Edit.” Then check “Breakfast” if you offer it. Breakfast isn’t a requirement, but some hosts find it can go a long way to help guests feel at home:

  • I check off breakfast because I stock the kitchen with breakfast staples, including coffee (French press), tea, hot chocolate, organic oatmeal packets, cold cereal, an assortment of yogurts, a dozen eggs, and fresh fruit. I let guests know in my welcome message that this will be provided and also ask them to tell me which kind of milk (whole, almond, etc.) they prefer so I can stick it in the fridge for them. But the most popular thing is the homemade muffins I bake for all guests.

—Susan, Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A—Susan, Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A

  • We don't have breakfast checked, but we do have ground coffee, tea, hot chocolate and instant oatmeal in the pantry.—Mark, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A.

 

  1. Share details

Next to “Title and description,” click “Edit” to add any information or photos of what guests can expect. When writing about what you offer, use it as an opportunity to showcase your hosting personality, tell guests what’s on the menu, specify what time breakfast is available, or, if you don’t offer breakfast, let guests know there are grocery stores or cafes nearby. These hosts offer up some great examples**:

    • I provide breakfast of tea/coffee with fruit juice, cereal, fruit, toast or freshly baked croissants (from our wonderful local bakery) in the large, bright kitchen diner which opens out onto the garden, or at the table in the garden on warm days. Breakfast is available between 7.00am and 9.30am, although I can provide it a little earlier if you have a plane or train to catch, or work commitments. I can provide a gluten free breakfast plus nut or soy milk if required. Please mention any dietary requirements when booking.—Rachel, London, United Kingdom
    • We provide a 24 hour "Refill Station" in the dining room where guests can get coffee, hot chocolate, tea and light snacks 24/7. In addition, we serve a "Light Continental Breakfast" of various cereals, yogurt, toast, fruit and baked goods along with beverages.—Francesca + Dave, East Burke, Vermont, U.S.A.
    • Breakfast with coffee, juice, toasted bread, etc. A good start to the day!

                   

—Yuliana, Madrid, Spain—Yuliana, Madrid, Spain

 

      • Our legendary breakfasts, with homegrown and homemade preserves***, are served from 6 to 9 a.m. in our dining room or on the veranda in summer

                                                                                  

—Mary + Buster, Sandton, South Africa—Mary + Buster, Sandton, South Africa

 

When you’re ready, click “Publish.”

 

With the updates to property-type classifications, hosts have an opportunity to set expectations and stand out to potential guests by confirming or adjusting their listings. Plus, adding breakfast details can also help foster personal connections with guests and set the table—pun intended!—for a five-star stay.

 

Just take it from host Alan, of Angaston, Australia: “It’s rare to find accommodations [in the Barossa Valley in South Australia] that doesn’t supply cooked breakfast provisions. A little extra work for the host makes a happy guest—the smile on their face says it all!”

 

*Listing photos courtesy of hosts.

**Host tips have been edited for length and clarity.

***If you are preparing homemade food for your guests, consult your local rules around food service and safety.

90 Replies 90
Elaine35
Level 2
Wellington, New Zealand

in total agreement - in NZ. Only continental brfast, and people are very happy

 

Andrea1063
Level 10
Collingwood, Canada

I find that travelers In my area want to get out early to hike or ski,  and heading out for breakfast is their way of doing that.  I share my home and ask ppl if they want room in the fridge for food and drinks.  Tea, coffee and juice is always available if they want it, and they are welcome to oatmeal or some other easy self catered something I may have around.  With all the allergies and specials diets and other restrictions  ppl have these I don’t know how we are supposed to keep up with that.

 

also, I’m wondering if Airbnb appreciates that all this costs more money for us hosts - I’m sick of the endless emails encouraging a race to the bottom that too many people fall for and thereby cheapening everything overall.  

 

Hoyels and motels in my area cost from $110 for motels to over $500 a night for hotels and I’m asked to lover my rate to $45 which is crazy but some do it because someone they see as ‘the authority’ on such things has to them to. 

 

If I offer a full-on breakfast I’d have to charge more and most definitely put myself out of the runing, and I’d still get emails to lower my price!!

I completely agree with you. I am tired of the emails too . They keep asking me to lower my rate to $45 which doesn't even cover my mortgage at the end of the month. Crazy indeed. 

Elaine35
Level 2
Wellington, New Zealand

roral agreement in experience here in NZ

Maybe they should figure out the 'cleaning fee' which is totally wonky.   IF you stay one night and the cleaning fee is say $25.00, you only pay $25.00 if you stay for a week or several months.  Strikes me this should be an easy enough thing for their accounting alogrithm to figure out.  

 

Also I can't seem to get anyone to understand that its cheap to host someone for a day or a weekend.  When you're talking longer term, the costs go up for all the utilities;  water, hydro, gas etc etc.  Why would I give a 50% discount when its going to cost me so much more money to have someone stay longer term.  And when you're sharing the space, you have to twist yourself into knots, put up with some odd people and lose so much of your privacy.  With the right person it can be great, but, when things aren't going well, its a pain in the behind.  Losing my privacy for months a time comes with a premium, and I'm worth it. 

It has to be as much about our investment and sustainability at the guests IMHO. 

Nola8
Level 2
Atlanta, GA

Totally agree. I rent out full apartments, since I don't live in the house I am not available to make breakfast. However I provide coffee, creamer and tea. In the past I have stocked my place with milk and eggs and I ended up thrashing it because different guests have different choices. so I think just going with basic coffee,  creamer, sweetner and tea is good enough. 

Sandra369
Level 2
Athy, IE

I used to supply everything from fresh organic fruit, breads, muffins, cereals, coffee, teas, organic eggs etc. However daily I'm getting messages from Airbnb telling me guest's choose another location as it was cheaper by $1-4.00.  I'm checking the local competition I'm providing way more plus guests are arriving with a weeks worth of laundry.  Removing everything. Accomodation availablity is up 148% in my area this year and I'm empty 50% of the time compared to last year even though I have a better product. I find guest's are looking to used this as a permanent way to live and I'm getting these requests regularly. 

I agree with NOLA8 and Sandra 369 in Atlanta, GA.  When we first started we supplied grits, oatmeal, cold cereals, orange juice, 6 fresh croissants, coffee, teas, water and soda and fresh fruit!!!  We ended up throwing out or giving away most of the instant oatmeal, grits and cereal as it wasn't being used.  We keep the coffee and teas, water  and soda for guests.  
Additionally, most guests NEVER mentioned or said thank you for the breakfast items in their reviews.  My neighbor across the street from us who had a back apartment (small) was shocked that we provided so much for guests.  

If guests stay for a week or more, I do provide orange juice and eggs and now will consider yogurt.  No matter what, we still get notices to reduce our prices.  They don't mention the number of Airbnb that are now in the area and that we are cannibalizing each other.  I understand why cities are upset,

 

exactly and well put. I welcome city regulation and I wish Airbnb would get more professional in the way they approach listings and the quality of them. 

Debbie128
Level 2
Wildwood, MO

I leave a griddle on the counter with pancake mix and syrup. Also, dry oatmeal to mix with hot water, granola bars, bottled water, etc. For an additional fee, I will make them a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon & biscuits.My guests really enjoy not having to worry about going out for breakfast in the morning.

who cleans up after this ? or are you always home

Linda1620
Level 1
Perry, MI

Under Amenities I used to check off breakfast provided since I leave OJ, bagels, cream cheese and a dozen eggs for guests to prepare if they want those items. It created all kind of confusion! People wanted to know what was for breakfast since they didn’t like certain foods or had allergies and others wondered what I was cooking for them. Geez! Maybe this will help clarify. 

Mary1525
Level 2
Hendersonville, NC

I have given fresh muffins, granolas, juice or fresh fruit, bottled water, coffee, soft drinks and a bit of candy.  I published this in my photo offering.  They are on their own. Everything is there on check in. My table is beautiful and cozy.  This is a gift, pure and simple.  I have no desire to cook. Mary Tyndall

We have been doing breakfast for years in northern Michigan. We have had about 235 guest here and love the interaction with them. Mine are not simple, there a full breakfast to send them on their way to Sleeping Bear Dunes or wherever they're going. It is in most of our reviews, and I am very OCD. It's fun and creative. I would suggest it to anyone you want to get to know their guests. After 235 I have memories with all of them!

Connie4
Level 1
San Francisco, CA

I don't like to share my kitchen. It's near our bedroom and the guest room is at the other end of the hall. So, we take a cart to the guest door with coffee or tea, toast, jam & butter. It keeps people from needing to come to "our end" of the house. Most people like it and appreciate the extra service.