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.

[James-And-Tanya0]

YES, of the few and far between bad experiences, it has definitely 100% been on my reduced rates.  

[Xanthi3]

You're so right! I haven't completed a full year on Airbnb so I had to  have discounts in the beginning to get people to know the listing...The guests themseves in the first bookings actually told me themselves that they thought the price fow too low for what i offered, imagine that!  I had great guests even when the prices became normal, after the 3 first bookings....when I lowered the prices dramatically later after Airbnb's suggestions (and imagine I didnt even go near the suggested prices), I got the worst kind of guests. This happened only twice or three times before I decided to get back to my own way of pricing. Better less guests that indifferent or disrespectful guests.

[Linda1005]

I don't understand airbnb are always suggesting to me to lower my price ,my prices are lower than similar accommodation in my area and i average 5 days a week booked sometimes more ,I too ignore their suggestions .

[Giuliana142]

@Lawrence64 @Airbnb  Hahaha, too funny yet so true! I don’t exaggerate, I let guests do their own thing. Cornflakes and coffee/ tea is the most that I will offer.

[Deanne45]

While my rental home is not directly on the water, it is less than a mile from our shared private association beach. We purchased 2 inexpensive kayaks. We keep them at the beach for guest convenience. Our first year was tough getting rentals, we figured out was due to a lack of reviews since we had a new account. We found we had to lower the rates to draw in the reservations. Be careful with this though. The lower the rates the more affordable your place may become to a type of crowd you may not want. We did experience this resulting in damages to our home. We then increased the security deposit. Once we received a few 5 star reviews we were able to start increasing our nightly rates. We included the kayaks for use with the rental. I also have and continue to do things like leave fresh pastries or muffins from a well known bakery on the way to our rental. We are in Maine. My husbands co-worker makes maple syrup. I bought a case for the fall and leave a box of apple or pumpkin pancake mix with a bottle of maple syrup. For birthday guests, I may leave a small cake or a set of coffee mugs imprinted with the region emblem. For honeymooners, I have left champagne and a small gift bag with some maine made goodies. I try to get creative and customise little things to the reasons that our guests plan their vacations in the region. Some other ideas are to try and provide as much information about activities that are going on  and include a list of restaurants, pubs and stores that your guests may be interested in. I want my guests to experience as much in the area that they can. If they are happy and enjoy themselves they are more likely to become repeat guests or refer our place to others they may know who will be coming to the area. They more you can increase communication throughout the planning process and the more information you can provide, you increase your hosting status.

[Peter-And-Meg0]

Airbnb could stop charging excessive fees and stop pressuring hosts continually to lower their prices !!!!!!!!

[Linda889]

And Don’t forget the personalized notes and fresh flowers .....

[Fanny286]

We feel the same 🙂

[Martina305]

Ha, you make me smirk as I am with you on that. While all those suggestions truly may make an impact on how guest feel welcomed, sadly Airbnb has become a greedy platform for those who want top notch service at close to no cost and then still complain that not all was perfect. It is great that Airbnb now offers the Lux option and higher-end quality accommodation, but sadly guests forget that some of us work it as a business to make a living and still merely seek to rent the low cost rooms but expect the Lux service.  The ones who work out of their home and considered it a hobby with payback it may work well to add wine, chocolates and dinners.  However, hosts like you I assume, that deal with more than one home and operate at a slim margin to accommodate the low ball offer seekers just can't afford all those "shnick-shnacks "  without ending up slave-working 24/7 for free or at a half minimum wage rate.  I have tried it:  I added breakfast and snacks and only slightly increased the  rate to offset the additional cost did not work for me.  I paid more and had less bookings.  
HOW ABOUT also EDUCATING GUESTS  that they should seek in the category for what they want and need to pay for and not for what they can't afford but expecting it all which even higher-end hotels would not offer.  Re-educating guests to come to our homes with the right Airbnb attitude and not with an entitlement mentality would  help us hosts offering lower-cost accommodation greatly. 
In a nutshell: I agree.

[LaRee0]

I agree too!  One thing I do when they book is send a welcome note to let the guests so they know our place is not new and modern, it is a historic property on the Columbia River.  A property with "character," however is simple, clean, and in a perfect location for wakling to everything in town.  We don't have a washer/dryer, don't have off street parking, no hot tub, but more than the owners had over a 100 years ago with an indoor bathroom!  And happy to say, we've had great reviews from those who have realistic expectations.

[Frank-and-Moonyean0]

I put across my listing NO CLEANING FEE but I raised my rates to cover what I was charging so it's a wash but you'd be surprised how many people want to feel like they are getting a "value add" by not paying a cleaning fee.

[Hannah474]

Happy guests are quite often returning guests or even extend their stay and only do it if you need to. We supply wine (from Aldi in 2 whites and a shiraz), tea& coffee, breakfast cereal and a litre of milk we have incorporated the cost into our cleaning fee as well as it being a tax deduction. Plenty of ways to make a profit!!

[Jay16]

Hello Lawrence - We have been watching our bottom line recede into the distance over the last couple of years.  When we were on goodish rates - the extras were a joy to provide.  Now, sadly, we are finding that its cheaper nightly rates, higher costs in every direction, guests with higher expectations though wanting us  "to give our best price",  matters like bushfires, and floods, and now the coronavirus.  Tell me about it. For us the time of plenty is over ....

[Alison55]

Pick a fair price compared  to similar properties in your area and stick to it. I can't stand people who want my "best price:. This is the price for everyone.  I do give discounts for return guests when I know that they will look after my property .

[Jen99]

My worst guests have been the ones that requested a discount (and we would foolishly agree) They give us not great reviews and the truth is, if they expected a discount straight away, they were never going to see the value in our listing anyway.  Also, they continue to see how much more they can get from you. We’ve learned our lesson, now when someone requests a discount we simply decline them. We’re not interested in hosting that type of mentality- ‘sometimes the price is just the price. Accept it or move on.’