Tip of the week 2: Welcoming guests

[Jenny]

As we continue with theTip of the Week series, I'm delighted to share this week’s tip on welcoming guests! The first impression can be very important, therefore, the tip shared today, will give you some insights to boost that experience ✨

The following tip was shared by Superhost @Lenore22  in Welcoming guests with gift baskets and kits

"We work to establish ourselves in a higher bracket of hospitality. With this in mind, we offer a pretty good gift basket that gets a lot of compliments in reviews ". 

On this thread, we invite you to share your valuable tips on which actions you take to provide a lovely experience for your guests upon welcoming them to your home 🏡 

Tell us how you make welcoming guests special. Do you, as Lenore suggested, also make an effort to learn whether any of the visitors are celebrating an anniversary or a birthday to add an extra special touch to the welcome?

We’re excited to hear and learn from you all. Let's gather the best practices for ensuring a great guest experience, and don’t forget to give a thumbs up👍 to the best tips shared. 😊

👉 TOTW series

[Jenny]

Love this @Richard2356 - I don't suppose you've got any photos of the ornaments?  I'm sure we'd all love to see them!

[Richard2356]

[Marlene76]

I'm excited to hear what other hosts are doing!

-Marlene

[Cristina2533]

Hello,

I have a condo apartment on the beach in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. Through a new cleaning company, I too am providing a basket of toiletries in each bathroom.  I also provide a large bottle of water and I leave cold bottles of water in the refrigerator. My clients are delighted because they may arrive late and having those things available makes them feel special. 

Cristina Duchesne

Florida, USA

[Jenny]

A cold bottle of water after a long journey is absolutely heavenly, @Cristina2533! Your guests must really appreciate it.

[Shellie16]

I am totally hands-on and the only one that prepares our suite for guests. We live on the top 2 floors of our home, but I host the bottom floor 2 bed/ 1 bath 978 sq ft suite which includes the garden and pool. I leave a personalize welcome letter which has our logo, a good bottle of wine, water, snacks, coffee, bath necessities and make 3-5 fresh flower arrangements from my gardens for each guests (I buy lily’s from TJ’s in the winter time. $5 includes 3 stems so I keep one in the refrigerator for the following guest).  We keep it quiet upstairs (meaning I am the only one that can empty the dishwasher 😉) and avoid opening our garage door (to leave, check the mail, etc.) when we see that our guests are coming or going. No one wants to run in to or hear their host! Check out my listing & and follow me on Instagram for some great ideas! 😊 https://www.airbnb.com/h/buckhead-retreat.   @forrestwayoasis (I also rent our lakehouse…new on Airbnb…which is a lot more work because it is an hour and 40 minutes away)!

[Kathleen971]

I great my guests in person, give them a quick tour, show them where things are and how to access the hiking trails. If they have mentioned a birthday or anniversary I hang up a banner for the occasion and  leave fresh flowers. The banners really please people and make them feel special . I always provide chocolates. My property is Remote so I provide lots of snacks, fruits in season, coffee, iced and gourmet teas, flour, sugar, butter, peanut butter, cereals, a large variety of cooking spices, olive oil, vegetable oil and cooking spray for the grills. Also ingredients for making s'mores on the fire pit. 

I try to think of things that could be forgotten by guests so provide plenty of different soaps, sunscreen, insect repellent, razor and shaving cream, toothbrushes and toothpaste, lotion and feminine hygiene products. The indoor and outdoor fridge are stocked with a large variety of condiments.

I provide coloring books, colored pencils, crayons, markers, board games and lots of books from novels to books about local interests, field guides for birds, wildlife and wildflowers. I keep several bird feeders and birdbaths and the guests really enjoy watching the birds. They always comment on the birds. 

  These extras all add up to enhancing the guests stay and comfort. 

[John7276]

Great idea @Kathleen971 . I don’t know how that would work for people with a large number of units but it’s something I was considering. Your suggestion is affirming. Thank you.

[Kathleen971]

Thank you @John7276 . It is extra work and expense but I have just one rental. It's fun to make it an amazing experience. 

[Jenny]

Wow @Kathleen971 sounds like you've got everything covered!  Got to say though, the s'mores ingredients would be my absolute favourite out of everything!

[Kathleen971]

Thank you Jenny. S'mores are always a hit!

[Susan5170]

We leave cute notes with their names on the card, along with chocolates, nuts, water or wine, and maybe some chips too.

We used to leave them all sorts of breakfast foods like eggs, cereals, bacon, cheese, real half and half, etc.  But we found many would leave much of the food we purchased behind, so we stopped doing that because we felt it wasn’t really appealing to them.

And sometimes we leave gift cards to restaurants in the area.

[Sofia1083]

Hello everyone, I rent out my summer house in southern Sweden for the first time ever; after a couple of grumpy guests I decided to double up, and bought a box of local apple cider. Each guest finds a cold bottle in the fridge, aswell as a personal, handwritten note with a bouquet of flowers from the garden. A string of personal tips - secret roads to the beach, my favorite farmers market and such - also proved very popular.  I also warn them of potential problems (a wasp nest, a broken item), which is much appreciated. So now - no more grumpy guests, only happy smiles. 😊

[Edelmira8]

Hello everyone! I leave a thank you note with guests names ,handwritten and signed ,  Starbucks gift card inside. Also soft drinks , water, snacks . Fully stocked Coffee bar. I also ask guests if they require or need special accommodations.  I also inform them the drinks and snacks are complimentary. Making sure guests are comfortable and feel  welcomed is a continual goal to maintain for sure. I'm grateful when they choose to book my home. 

[Bea2137]

I wanted to share a special touch we've added to our farm listing that's been well-received by our guests. Upon arrival, we welcome them with freshly harvested fruits from our property. It's not just a sweet gesture but also an engaging way to introduce them to the local fruits native to our town. We've found this simple act not only delights our guests but also adds an educational layer to their stay, helping them connect deeper with the land and our local heritage.