Do you upsell any extra services?

[Liv]

Hey everyone, 

A few Hosts have been experimenting with selling extra amenities and services to guests - apart from the stay itself. This got me thinking and I’m curious to know if any of you have ever tried or thought about doing something similar.

It could be an optional meal that you cook yourself, a ride to the airport that you charge for separately or perhaps some paintings made by a local artist.

Either way, I’d love to learn more about extras you might offer guests. Do you upsell anything in your listing? How do you advertise it to guests?

Thanks,

Liv

[Elisabeth40]

I believe Airbnb doesn’t covers stollen art or damaged art. Not sure if I would want to tell people the value of the art in that case. My guests hang sometimes underwear to dry on my framed photographs. Even if we have dryer in the building. 

[Laura2592]

We are trying this out. I paint and am hanging some of my pieces in our space (am working on one now, actually.) But what I would like to do is get local artists to offer work. We would be happy to feature them. Its definitely an "at your own risk" sort of thing so I would not want paintings worth thousands nor anything so small it could easily walk off. 

[Vivek72]

Hey @Laura2592 , Just seeing your post. Was wondering if you are still offering the art and how is it going for you?

[Dan14789]

I have a convenience drawer and mini fridge that are “tips” based. I know the before and after count and is not overly stocked so easy to check. Most people like it and I make a little off it. 
To keep it from feeling slimy I not only mark it as “tips” but I also offer complimentary water bottle and mints. 

[Soltuzu0]

Yeah I tried with beer and soda..it works only for those who stay for a few days..

But it does not worth the effort if you have a nearby market 😄

[Sandor-Miklos-And-Giuliana0]

Depending the circunstances  wehave providd extra services bu we have not charged, . 

 Most our guests are well oganized , have already a schedule and ll the  tours. 

[Starking0]

I usually give out things like my bicycle, umbrellas, local recipe tutorials , these are all given free of charge with no cost, Starking Mansion

[Michele1450]

When a guests books I send them the check in info and guidelines.  I also send them a list of  home made Jams and Jellies, honey, fresh home made artisan bread and Fresh Farm eggs.  Almost every guest takes advantage of it and love them.  I also make wool filled pillows and duvets which are in the cabin and that the guest sleeps on and they are also available for purchase as well.  The Shepherd's Pillow.   I also offer tours of my fiber studio.  I don't upsell but give them the choice and people love it.  I also provide chicken feed and dog treats free so they can feed the animals treats.

[Galina87]

I have also been thinking about this topic recently. And that's what I came to. But note, this is not for the sake of earnings, but for the convenience of the guest. You can buy a card for six months, let's go to a fitness club and give it to a guest if he is interested))

[Jerry-and-Kerrie0]

When we owned a boat we used to take our guests out to experience real Florida beaches - the ones where there are no other people and lots of shells. As time went on, we sold our boat but now offer the opportunity to guests, if they would be interested, we arrange for them to rent a boat from a local marina and we captain it. We do not charge anything for our time - they only have to bear the cost of the boat and fuel. (approximately $250 for the day - it sounds expensive, but the experience is amazing.)

[Heather170]

We do offer extras, but Airbnb makes it hard to charge for them (HINT! HINT!) 2 of the popular ones are a comfy extra bed when they bring a 3rd guest. We have a "unique stay" in a yurt with one king bed. If they bring a 3rd guest it's already a $10/nt add to cover water, cleaning, extra dishes), but for an additional $10/stay we set up a twin and arrange the furniture so it fits.

Also, due to our glamping type of experience, we only have a BBQ and BBQ utensils available, as well as coffee maker and toaster. If they want a full outdoor kitchen set up (2 burner propane stove, pots, pans, mixing bowls, etc) we offer it for $25/stay. We used to include it but found either most people ate elsewhere and didn't use the items so they just got dirty, or they had no idea how to use an outdoor kitchen and were running the items. This allows us to set up the kitchen and give a tiny bit of instruction on use. We also know what to clean afterwards. 

Lastly, we offer doggie day care. We allow pets but during the summer it gets very hot and people can feel stuck because they can't bring their dog to restaurants. Sometimes it's even too hot by the river. So we set up dog runs and offer to care for the dogs in the shade well they enjoy the many hikes that don't allow dogs (California US State parks).

Separately, we do have an outdoor pizza making experience and a wine making experience offered through "Experiences" since that is finally available in our area.

[Chris1818]

No, I do not upset any other services.  Thank you.

[Gord-and-Amber0]

We have a hutch in our guest kitchen with lots of tourist information and hot spots. Most of the stuff has a cost attached to it. It is there for people to browse and take it or leave it. Some guests have even added to the collection places they visited and enjoyed. 

I think it's fine for a host to offer one or two services that I can take advange of while I'm visiting.  As long as it is presented in a casual way, not a long drawn out sales pitch. Some services honestly add value and enhance a guest experience leaving them feeling they had an even better vacation.

We have looked into offering our guests an adventure in the area and there are insurance policies in Ontario that cover that sort of thing. 

It is something to think through carefully though in order to ensure good relations with guests. 

Thanks for initiating such a great conversation @Liv 

[Lacey61]

My Airbnb is my 3rd bedroom.

I had a guest with a 6am flight back to Arizona. She was here because her uncle was in the hospital here and she had no transportation.  I'm a few blocks from the hospital so she walked back and forth the week she was here.

Taxis and Uber are hard at 5am, so I offered her a ride to the airport.  When her cousin came and booked with me a week later, I offered the same.

Both ladies were so appreciative.

One guest went with me to the farmer's market and was so nice and thankful b/c she didn't have a vehicle here and just wanted to get out of the house.

If I make a meal for my roommate and myself, I always offer and most guest eat with us.  Some long-term guests have even made dinner for the house.  It is nice getting to have personal connections with my guests.

[Veronica-Of-Excel-Proper0]

For an extra fee, we offer guests who require this a folding cot (frame and mattress) for use during their stay. Guests use their own linen/bedding as it is the best option for both guests and hosts. This extra is taken up from time-to-time.

However, we've also had a couple of guests staying for over three weeks who have used the cot, but had not paid upfront and we've not asked for payment afterwards.

We are in contact with two local artists working in glass and vegetables, respectively and a photographer who sells postcards.

Toyed briefly with the idea of displaying the works in our apartments, but decided against doing so because of the risk of damage to the items. New plan is to share information about the artists and photographer in a quarterly newsletter.