Going above and beyond to welcome your guests

[Airbnb]

Nothing makes guests feel more welcome than a handwritten note or a bouquet of fresh flowers. And when guests have a memorable stay, they’re more likely to leave glowing reviews, tell their friends and family about your space, and even come back for another visit.

Delighting your guests with a warm greeting can make them feel appreciated, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money. From thoughtful notes to freshly baked treats, here’s how some hosts around the world have gone above and beyond in welcoming their guests:

1. Write a friendly welcome note

When guests are traveling, a personalized welcome can be the difference between feeling homesick and feeling at home. “I have a little chalkboard in each room that welcomes the guests, and I include their names each time,” says host Huma of London. “It's such a small touch, but they really love this.”

You can leave the same sentiment in a handwritten note. “I recently decided to start to leave a welcome treat with a card,” says host Trude of Edsberg, Sweden. In your note, you might include your favorite place to get a coffee or a fun fact about your area.

2. Give your guests a taste of your town

One of the best ways to help your guests get settled is to introduce them to the top spots in your neighborhood. “We have a local bakery that makes a cinnamon cream cake that I happen to love, and I brought one to the first guest,” says host David of San Antonio, Texas, who now treats all of his guests to his favorite cake.

3. Put your own baking skills to work

If you’re a great baker, consider highlighting your hospitality skills by making your specialty for your guests. “I started leaving a few homemade cookies,” says host Beth of Roraima, Brazil. “I get a lot of return business, and the cookies have been commented on multiple times.”

4. Get your guests involved

In addition to offering a sweet treat, host David of San Antonio, Texas, leaves wine for his guests. “There’s a hashtag: #takeabottleleaveabottle,” says David, who encourages guests to replace the bottle they enjoyed with a new one. Over the years, the collection has grown: “We have a wall with five different types of wine,” he says. The one-in, one-out idea makes this an affordable option. You could also try this with books!

5. Create a snack basket

“We realize that people come to have a good time,” says host Jerry of Atlanta. “A lot of times they come back home, and they have the munchies.” So he now stocks his kitchen with a basket of snacks like microwave popcorn, cookies, potato chips, and pretzels.

6. Customize your treat

Get to know your guests, and be aware of their needs. “We leave a treat at check-in,” says host Laura of Frederick, Maryland. “Sometimes it’s local cheese, chocolate, or baked goods. Sometimes it’s local beer or a bottle of wine.” She messages her guests about any dietary restrictions first: “Not everyone drinks or can eat cheese, so I ask.“

If your guests have kids, a packet of stickers or a few juice boxes can be a thoughtful surprise. “If there are children, I leave a lollipop or small bag of candy and a small box of crayons [with a] coloring book,” says host Ann of New York City. And if your guests are traveling with pets, consider having dog treats on hand to share with their furry friends.

7. Show off your local culture

If there’s something inexpensive that your region is known for—such as leis in Hawaii—consider leaving something small to delight your guests at check-in. “One of the biggest things that we provide here is Mardi Gras beads,” says host Jordan of New Orleans. Guests appreciate these souvenirs, which can help them remember their stay long after checkout.

8. Get a little help from nature

From fresh flowers to homegrown vegetables, guests love the great outdoors. “I pick a sweet little bouquet for the guest room from my garden,” says host Sarah of Sayulita, Mexico. Fresh fruit or vegetables from a garden can also work well. Don’t have a garden? Inexpensive flowers from the grocery store or local market can be a colorful way to welcome your guests.

9. Save money by buying in bulk

Stocking up on supplies can save you time and money, but you can still add your special touch. Host Karen of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, buys her cookies wholesale, “which provides us with a super low-cost biscuit,” she says. She also found a quick way to personalize the treats: “We bought a sealer, and we package and seal the biscuits with our own label.”

10. Celebrate special occasions

Whether guests are visiting during a birthday, anniversary, or holiday, you can help make their stay even more memorable. “We had one couple staying for New Year's, so we got them a bottle of champagne,” says host Damon of Atlanta. Host Jennifer of Ontario, Canada, also keeps the occasion in mind. “If a guest is here for a specific celebration—birthday, honeymoon—I leave a little something appropriate to mark their celebration,” she says.

Going above and beyond to welcome your guests is always appreciated but remember: Hospitality doesn’t have to cost anything. A handwritten note can still show your guests you’re thinking of them, which can make all the difference when they’re far from home.

[Juan63]

It's in your pricing settings.

[Kathryn435]

Most of my guests have travelled from overseas so I offer to get some supplies in for them. They send me a shopping list and give me the cash during their stay or I charge through Airbnb. This doesn’t cost me anything and I am always at the supermarket so it really isn’t even an inconvenience, but it makes a huge difference to my guests, especially the ones with children. So this is a small effort, cost free way of improving service in a way that really does make life easier for guests and not just a gimmick. 

[Jean376]

This is such a great idea.

[Wanda76]

I feel this is a valid point. Never thought about it.

[Joann43]

I had offered this service and required the list come to me at least 7 days in advance. Well they misread and became irrate when I provided push back on the 24 hr notice. I agreed to do it and I got a laundry list of items - ingredients more or less from the recipes. So for instance, garlic would be repeated a few times thru the list. I had to spend over an hour translating this into a normal shopping list and spent hours at the supermarket trying to find all the items. NEVER AGAIN.

[Juan63]

Agree, sounds great for the guest not for the host. By my estimation, this type of service is not "little effort."

[Harun24]

Very valuable advice.

[John_Claire0]

If Airbnb lowers their extra 20% to guests’ fees, instead of pressuring hosts to lower our prices, guests won’t arrive at our home with high expectations of ‘value for money’. Going into our 3rd year of hosting on Airbnb, we have added many comforts to the home (Nespresso coffee machine, patio lounge, BBQ, Netflix, etc), but have only increased nightly fees by $6. With costs of electricity and water charges increasing yearly, we are just breaking even. What happened to the original concept of ‘hiring out a couch’ to a stranger? 

[Giuliana142]

People, hosts, are getting carried away with these Airbnb new pushy suggestions. Upgrade this, add that, bake bread, cut fresh flowers, buy small appliances for guests, blah blah blah... at my place, I am renting a room in the basement, it has a futon bed, next to the storage room with its own bathroom. All the furniture was existing. As long as it’s clean and relaxing it’s ok. I didn’t buy anything new, nor am I planning to. Airbnb is not a hotel, the price is already a steal. If someone wants cheaper, then there are hostels. Every time a guest books Airbnb makes pure profit of my property.  I see no point in reducing my price and offering goodies. Utility bills, supervision and maintenance of my rental that have to be paid. Plus I need to make a profit. Otherwise, what’s the point of renting? That’s right, stranger on a couch sounds right.

[Juan63]

I agree with a large part of what you say, but we did the opposite, everything is new and our rates, occupancy, reviews show the result. There are plenty of tourists who want a budget deal but there are others who want an experience and will to pay for it. My investment will be paid off in a year or so and not too mention the huge increase of equity.

[Juan63]

How are you only breaking even? I checked your listing and it seems to me you are way under priced. Of course this is looking in from the outside and not knowing the area. If you can't raise your rates, maybe this property isn't a good fit for Airbnb.

[John1438]

Greeting guests and showing them through my studio always works well to help them settle in and meeting them personally. I provide Nespresso coffee and a selection of chocolates, filtered rain water is appreciated. When sending a greeting message I provide highlights info of our area and the closest and best restaurants. Parking and entry info is always appreciated.

The results are great reviews and recommendations. 

[Cheryl40]

I always greet my guests, give them a little talk about the local area and provide a welcome of coffee, tea, sugar,and milk plus half a dozen eggs from my hens. There are little chocs on the pillows.  What I never provide is a discount!  Anyone who asks for a " best price" doesn't get to book.  I set my prices and that is where they stay. In my experience anyone  asking for a discount is nothing but trouble.  As for Airbnb 's recommended prices, don't make me laugh!

[Jen99]

I absolutely agree with you! When someone asks us for a discount, we quickly decline. We’ve learned the hard way that this person will not be worth our time- we once said ‘no’  the discount request but they booked anyway. Then broke all the house rules including late check out and rated us poorly. Never again. 

[Jeanette153]

But how do you “never again”  if airbnb penalizes  you?