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!

[Suresh7]

So sorry but I beg to differ , providing linen for beds , towels , toilet paper , soap are basic necessities that is naturally expected and should be provided .

Your room rate costing should include cleaning charges wherein laundry cost are built in using the max charge - we are providing sleeping quarters which at this day and age should not be compromised with pettiness and not well thought of basics. 

We are a hospitality service and and  as such should abide by a decent standard of etiquette or opt out .

[Cynthia346]

 New to Airbnb I've been trying to go above and beyond for my guests. I provided a bar of almond soap for the first four months only to find a row of full bars of soap lined up in the shower.  so I'm switching to body wash because I can't stand the wastefulness and think people should just bring that bar of soap home !  Your thoughts ?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Cynthia346,

Welcome to the world of hosting. It is fantastic to hear you trying to go above and beyond for your guests. Perhaps you might like to take a look at this topic here in the Community Center. 

It's also a great question about wastefulness, would you mind starting a new topic in the Hosting board,  as it will make it easier to reply to and it's a great subject.

Happy hosting. 🙂

Lizzie

[Ellen241]

Oh my God! I can’t believe that toilet paper and towels and sheets would not be included as an essential amenity. I’m sure there are exceptions to this rule but I would think they would be few. As much Airbnb hosting and traveling as I do I certainly wouldn’t stay anyplace they didn’t provide me a pillow, clean sheets, and a clean towel. So keep up the good work AIRBNB

[Jim-And-Jo-Ellen0]

We agree with all who are still concerned/confused about the Essential Amenities policy. We offer unique off-grid cabins and most of our guests are happy to bring their own linens to help offset the cost. We still offer linens for those who choose to pay a little extra for them. We think we can say that we offer these amenities, because we do for those who request them. Is it against the rules to be listed as offering the amenities?

[Richard539]

I was disappointed that Airbnb backed away from the essentials. I recall years of renting in Cape Cod, MA and having to either drag along linens and towels or after we moved further, rent them to add to the cost of our stay. Then to things even more fun we would usually have to make a trip to the pricy convenience store for toilet paper and kitchen towels. 

When people are staying somewhere where I don’t believe they should have to think about these things. Especially if they’ve taken flights in to reach their destination. 

We host and believe the onlh things our guests should have to bring along are themselves. 

I know there are always exceptions out there but my opinion is that the guests shouldn’t be adding another bag for essentials. 

[Phil-and-Dion0]

Why linen. We have always provided 100% cotton or cotton polyester and so far after more than 70 reviews no guest has complained.

[Tracie25]

This is all so strange to me. It never occurred to me to offer less amenities than are offered to me at hotels. In each of my 3 homes guests have at least 2 bath towels and 2 wash cloths; shampoo: conditioner; body wash; toilet tissue; paper towels; case of soda; case of water; chips; wine or beer; coffee; and tea. Doesn’t cost much. I buy in bulk. I’m booked all the time and I have 5 star reviews for all of my bookings. Food for thought. 

[Sandra368]

This subject of "essential amenities" to qualify for "family trip" has been a thorn in my side since it was introduced.  95% of my guests are families.  Most are my groups are family reunions, families celebrating their parents/grandparents golden anniversary, celebrations for milestone birthdays, church groups of families getting away for a retreat, and recently we had a wedding at our cottage. A cottage is a quintessential family vacation experience. 

Ive only got 5 out of 5 star ratings (Ive received 52 reviews) since listing with Airbnb.  I have an extremely high rate of return guests.  Ive been a Super Host every since qualifying, and never lost my status.  I take my role as Host very very seriously. I work very hard to ensure my guests are happy and I go way above and beyond to ensure they have an enjoyable stay at my cottage.  My cottage is booked 12-18 months in advance for summer months. I'm booked solid from mid May - mid October and almost every weekend in the months in between.Cottage rentals in our region DO NOT include linens... 

So I ask myself... why can't I qualify for "family trip" status just because I don't provide linens? (I provide comforters and pillows but no bedsheets or towels)

My problem...  in our cottage area, we have very few  cleaning professionals who do a job. And the few that do, charge a lot of money... $25/hour.  Because my cottage property is big (1 acre lot) , with 3 buildings on it (main cottage, coach house above garage and loft above the boat house)  and my cottage sleeps 20 people, with 13+ beds ... it takes about 4-5 hours to clean (6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 kitchens/kitchenettes).  ...  NOT including linens.  98% of my guests come from locally, ie driving distance to our cottage.   If linens were to be included, it would take 8-10 hours to clean and do linens (Ive tested how long it takes with making and stripping 13 beds ).  I cannot find a cleaning lady who can give me 8-10 hours of their time and take care of their other cottages they clean. Its impossible.   

So as a result of this "essential amenities" rule, I had decided Id cancel my listing with Airbnb, because providing linens is just not possible in my case. I hardly receive any enquiries or bookings from Airbnb anymore because of this issue and because I refuse to do "auto booking" , because I need to have the authhority to decline any groups that are high school/university groups/party groups or stag/stagette groups.      So it seems listing isn't compatible with the direction Airbnb wants to take their business 

[Tracie25]

And of course the beds have linens; 4 pillows, blanket and bedspread; pillow shams.  It’s just nice to have!

[Phil-and-Dion0]

This is an unreasonable requirement. 100% of our guests have been very happy with our 100% cotton and premium polyester/cotton, so much so that many have actually mentioned how comfortable the bed was.  We ourselves have the same brand sheets and bed  as we provide our guests and we are picky and we are happy, so why shoukd we spend $300-to $700 on linen for guests when no one has complained?

[Pacita0]

When we travel, we never bring towels or soaps or shampoos because we expect that these would be provided wherever we're staying. They're just as essential as toilet paper. So providing these to our guests is, has never been  and won't be a problem. We're an alternative to hotels --- and we're supposed to provide better services. These essentials, not amenities, don't cost that much -- just need to shop where one can get them for less (TJ Maxx, anyone?)   

Also, when we travel, we are always delighted to see other amenities, like bath slippers, coffee maker, etc. As hosts, we aspire to duplicate those pleasant surprises. We make it easy for guests to feel immediately at home by providing as many homey things as we can, like basic spices if they decide to cook, coffee/tea and creamer tubs, sweetener packets. We even provide books, games, beach mats and even a yoga mat.

Depending on the guests ----we  learned not to provide wine to Mormon guests 🙂 --- we provide extras to folks celebrating special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Those extras are usually wine and flowers. We've provided English muffins and orange juice. And there are always packets of jams and jellies to choose from. 

From our point of view, we like it when we find such things when we travel. So we want to replicate the same good impressions and appreciation when we provide them to our guests.

[Sheila225]

First I said 'Who does hotel without linens?' Especially in CT and MD.

Then I recalled AirBnB's deep house-share ethic that might not have provided linens.

Sounds like a Branding solution.

[Gail182]

I am a new host so it was my decision to provide with my listing the things that I enjoy and expect on my travels.  Personally, I do not want to pack sheets and towels or multiple toiletries.  I want fluffy towels,  sheets, WIFI, soaps, shampoos, hair dryer, T.V., coffee maker, access to washer and dryer and a continental breakfast.  Every listing is unique and since we are a universal network spanning many countries each property provides different amenities, which can include outstanding views, recreation, shopping, events and unique lodgings.

What is provided at one place and not another is really up to the individual that chooses a particular listing.  It should be clearly stated what is provided and not provided and let the guest decide.

[Mabel54]

I agree with what everyone else has said. We are new this year to air bnb with our holiday home. We can offer linens and towels as an extra because it obviously costs extra and is a lot more to arrange for us. Having already let it out for the summer at a listing price which was without bedding/towels then the requirement came in and we had to suddenly provide bedding which meant it was costing us a lot of money that hadn’t been factored in when we advertised it. People can still choose bedding for the laundry fee which is fine.