Clarification on essential amenities: Hosts can choose

[Airbnb]

Earlier this year, we announced that hosts will soon be required to provide a specific set of amenities in each listing that we consider “essential” to a comfortable stay.

Since then, we heard it was impacting some hosts’ ability to host successfully. So now, we’re giving you the choice.

You can choose whether or not to include the essential amenities in your listing. Having said that, we strongly encourage hosts to include them. Guests come from regions all over the world, and many tell us is that these five items are the minimum that they expect to find in a listing.

The five essential amenities include:

Toilet paper

Soap (for hands and body)

1 towel per guest

1 pillow per guest

Linens for each guest bed

We’re currently exploring the best way to keep guests informed about which amenities are provided in each listing so that accurate expectations are set.

Please, only select the Essentials option if you really are providing those items in the listing. Keeping listings as accurate as possible is a really important part of building trust with guests and setting you up for success as a host.

Listings that have Essentials selected but don’t actually provide the five items listed may be subject to penalties, including removal from Airbnb. 

Read this Help Center article for more details on essential amenities.

Thanks for being a part of the Airbnb community and for everything that you do to provide great guest experiences!

[Marcia-E0]

I, too, usually do not provide linens. Most of my guests like to bring their own and save money. I do have some available for a small charge if people are coming from far away. I provide all sorts of amenities other than linens.

Therefore, I hope you develop a checklist that would include amenities such as paper products, shampoos, etc. that allows exclusion of linens.

[Lizzie]

Thanks for your input here @Marcia-E0, it's good to see you like the update. 

In terms of your suggestion, how do you think this could be displayed on your listing, therefore if you took away linen from Essential Amenties, how would you make this clear to a guest?  

[Julianne15]

I provide clean bed linen and towels in three bedrooms even if there is only one or two guests using just one bed. As it's not always clear which bed/s have been used or which towels have been used I end up washing them all. It would be good to be able to ask guests to indicate which beds and towels they have used to save unnecessary laundering. 

[Sebastián10]

Great news! When you have more than one house and lots of beds, providing linens and towels is an extra cost, and you need to consider more things. Im happy to hear that host can choose whether to offer linens and towels or not.

[Joyce167]

Essential Amenities should not be all lumped together in the listings.

I feel that we should have a choice to itemize and individually list our amenities.

Sheets and towels have never been and are not expected in our beach town.

For long distance and last minute guests, I have no problem supplying linens as a courtesy.  

[John1080]

This conversation is really an eye opener. I had never considered that linens and towels would not be an essential part of a stay. I find it very interesting that in different parts of the US this is so different - very intriguing!

[Tsigie0]

I  agree with you Patrick. I think we should make our guests comfortable. I provide toilet paper, hand soap, body soap, linens, towels, pillows, iron, ironing board, coffee, tea, water, hair dryer and first aid kit. I  think those are essential for them to feel more comfortable . 

[Deborah393]

We do not opertate in America and do not get American visitors, we have Local city visitors  to a regional area. Airbnb is an American company that does not understand the regional Australian experience. 1 size does not fit all just because it does in some parts of the USA, very arragant  controlling  process !

[Lizzie]

Hello @Deborah393,

Thanks for sharing more of your experience around this.

As this update is highlighting that hosts have the option to select whether to offer Essential Amenities or not, based on the complexities and norms associated in different regions across the world – based on your comments here I just wanted to see if you had additional thoughts on what you would like to see with reference to Essential Amenties?

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Rich76]

Thank you for the positive results.  I had been looking at other sites for attracting guests.  I email every guest an information sheet explaining in detail what is and is not provided.  I provide my phone # and e mail address and tell them to ask questions.  In our beach resort it is not common to offer sheets and/or towels.  Clear communication is key. 

[Silvana5]

Lizzie,

There are touristy townships where the water supply is either scarce, or vulnerable, that hosts are encouraged to reduce the polution.  As others have said, the deffinition of Family Friendly have less to do with the amoung of linen offer, and much to do with the space offered and who can occupy it.  I do offer the essentials, but linen and towels for an extra charge to encourage guests to bring their own therefore reducing the impact on the environment.  We can't approach this with a One Size Fits All. 

Silvana

[Nina95]

I think that all super hosts should not just provide the minimum required essential amenities, but additional ones, and it should be standard for superhosts: tea and coffee, (and everything guests need to prepare it like filters, grinder ig beans, milk and sugar etc), napkins, shampoo and condiitoner, hairdryer, bottled water (if tap not safe) and a few welcome snacks. I have stayed in several places with the superhost badge, and I have had to go out on my first evening to buy these items, even if I am just staying for three nights, and have travelled overseas. In this airfare climate when the best way is to travel with only a carry on, one should be able to have these basics in place. That is what being a superhost should include, in addition to great ratings, prestine cleanliness and local advice and suggestions.   

[Jennifer1129]

I agree that one size doesn't fit all as the comments point out. Although we supply linens and towels, why would a host be excluded from the category of "family friendly" solely on the basis of that requirement?  It may be more "family friendly" and "environmentally friendly" to allow families to save money on linens by bringing their own.  Perhaps include a page on the reservation for guests to check before they pay about whether the rental includes linens or not so hosts can best serve their clients. Thank you for listening AirBnb.  

[Carla140]

At the Jersey Shore, it is common practice to bring your own sheets. However, I leave Beach Tags, boogie boards and toys for children. We have a short window (only a few hours) to turn the rental property over from one listing to the next and only a 10 week season. In order to make hosting optimal on Airbnb everything needs to be efficient. 

[Blanca77]

I discourage guests from bringing their own linens since I feel like that may raise the risk of a bed bug infestation. Ugh!