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!

[Deborah393]

Please do not come from America with your bed buggs and sheets because , we supply clean sheets etc. but not towels so we do not comply with god Airbnb not.

[Deborah393]

But if you read our replys and request towels we certainly can supply towels at no extra expence but (no bed buggs included) unfortunately the Airbnb system will not allow us to advertise this. A very controlling inflexable system. 1 size does not fit all !!!!!!!!

[Deborah393]

Go to the local store and by extra toilet paper , we are not a hotel !!!!!

[Deborah393]

We do not want to be a hotel , feel like a local Ha Ha

[Deborah393]

Hi Karen & Chase,

pLease come to Copcabana NSW and let us know if you need us to suuply towels as we are not able to advise this through the Airbnb process because its so generic. We are happy to accommodate your needs  regardless of the limited Airbnb process. Please do not hold this against us cheers Deb

[Deborah393]

We would love to be able to gage how much toilet paper you require as long as you do not bring your bed buggs, but unfortunately we are not a hotel and we do not have the stitistics to acomodate your ablusions so sorry, we simply rent our house out as a short term rental not a hotel.

[Boris4]

I am in this business already 15 years and from the very start we offer pillow, toilet paper, towels and linen for each guest - big towel for after shower and small one after washing hands  in sink.From this summer we offer liquid soaps for- body - shower and hands - sink.Besides - as the beach is just 2 minutes walk from the apartments - we offer towels for the beach for each guest what has additionally  increased satisfaction of our dear guests.It was a small investment but with huge positive feedback

[Olga279]

I fully agree that in every listing, except campers, tents etc, bedlinen and towels should be provided among the essential amenities.

If for some reason a host is unable to provide them, this should be clearly stated in their listing, so people who do not feel like dragging along another suitcase filled up with a few sets of linen and a pile of towels would not book with them. Offering these amenities as an option at an extra cost would be OK though there is a tricky loophole that noone seems to have considered so far: what if a guest in trying to reduce the costs of their stay decides not to take the bedlinen and towels offered at an extra cost, but then fails to use their own and sleeps on a bare mattress, uses pillows without pillowcases and covers  themselves with a bare blanket or comforter...? Personally, I find it much easier to wash the bedlinen and towels after each guest than bother about drycleaning, disinfecting or changing ever so often the bedding (mattresses, comforters, pillows etc.) that cannot be cleanes in regular way because they are just too dirty. If for no other reason, we have to provide bedlinen and towels for the sake of hygiene and out of respect for any guest that uses our facility. Well, in my case, laundering is no problem; I own a studio that I rent out on the Airbnb simply to cut on the maintenance expenses and make some modest income on the side, but I admit this can be a problem for hosts that run several different listings. However, in this case this is no longer a hobby but a regular business, and as such it requires professional approach.

[Nick14]

We accommodate up to 16 guests at each of our waterfront vacation homes  (NOT A SHARED HOME) and we have 3 ... so up to 50 guests at any 1 time,  popular and Pretty much booked solid year-round (4 season resort community) rentals thru Airbnb and our own means. with all the constant preasure from Airbnb to lower your rental rates ( all the Time) we hold our own, we disclose upfront  if guest actually do "read more" on prebooking disclosure. These added guests services for a FLAT fee payable on-site with the host ( MOST TIMES deemed illegal charges by Air case managers) I am entitled without being dogged by Airbnb. we provide 28 beds and our Guests have options too, if they want to bring their own so be it, we are a class act appreciated by most all our guests with these add-on provisions, the less they have to worry about, fully loaded fully functional and most understand everything extra services/amenities cost money and are Not part of the rental paid. extra amenities and services provided by the Host at a cost is value added consideration for our large group rentals.

[Joan245]

I can't imagine NOT providing AT LEAST the amenities listed!  It is a small, essential list - things even the cheapest motel would provide.  AND - remember "B & B" means: 'Bed and Breakfast'-  So I also privide coffee, tea, toast, jams and fruit every morning.    I also have other things on hand - I tell guests that if they need anything,  (Shampoo, Hair dryer, extra blankets or pillows, etc.) -just ask.  I tell them they can cook here if they don't like  having to eat 'junk food' out. I have also done laundry for people who stayed a while. What is wrong with being hospitable?  Maybe it's just Southern Hospitality .....

[Patrick79]

I could not agree more-we are in the hospitality industry, I think Airbnb is losing what it was intended for-to provide a place to stay for visitors from all over the world, not from people in your own area only. I can promise that any airbnb that I stay in that does not provide the basics and/or if it isn't clearly stated, then I will be leaving a negative review, so you can choose to cater to yourself as a host, or the guest as a customer.

[Stephen341]

please do not inquire about my house. ty

[Phil-W0]

24Jul18......Molly's Reach At Capri Resort in Yuma, AZ is new to Airbnb.  Can you give some examples of what some scam artists try to do to take advantage of one's property / guesthouse.  Thank you.....pwm

[Robin384]

I think providing the linens and towels is just part of the deal. I think I will begin not making up the beds, but leaving the clean linens on each bed and if they want to use them, they can make up the beds when they arrive. As for the soaps and toilet paper, I think leaving enough for just the first night, then they will have time to go to the store and buy what they need. I have had guests stay for a weekend and use an entire 12 roll pack of toilet paper and empty the soup...I think they really just took it all home with them...this made me so angry...why should I need to provide all the toilet paper when they are taking it home? 

[Patrick79]

---

@Lizzie wrote:

Thanks @Patrick79 for sharing your experience when travelling and as a host, it's really insightful. 

I believe, as I've mentioned elsewhere before, it's  important to manage expectations and that guests know what will be available for them, this way they have the choice whether to book the listing or not. Now there is a tick box on your listing, this should make it easier for guests to see what the host is providing. 

Do you think this will help your guests when viewing your listing?    

I have no problem with guests in my listing, I have yet for guests to complain about me providing the basics. But as a guest in someone elses listing, I will now have to check if there are the basics in it, as I will definitely not be traveling across continents with towels, linen, toilet paper etc in my suitcases-Maybe I'm weird? 

But it does mean that if I find myself as a guest in a listing without these basics, I will leave a negative review, as is my prerogative, just as it's their prerogative not to provide these. It also means that I will not be recommending airbnb to friends-I cant imagine explaining to them that these things may actually not be included. 

---