[FESTIVAL] Embracing Inclusiveness: Our Journey as Airbnb Hosts at Hidden Gem

[Laurelle3]

When my husband and I first embarked on our journey as Airbnb hosts, we set out with the intention of sharing our home with others. Growing up in Australia, we both were brought with words diversity and multiculturalism. Today, Australia's population is a made up of many cultures from over 152 countries, and the word used today is Inclusiveness.

Our beach cottage “Hidden Gem” is located one street from the beach and as hosts we try to embrace and welcome all our guests, no   matter who they are or where they come from. Just like the beach, it welcomes every wave that comes ashore.

 This year we have tried to spread our “Caring and Sharing” awareness of Inclusiveness. We believe that hospitality begins with welcoming Guests from all walks of life no matter what their background is or language, race, religion, or physical needs.

At “Hidden Gem” we welcome our Guests with the approach is “Hands On” style of Hosting. We send personalised welcome note,

thanking guests for choosing our “Hidden Gem” cottage and assuring them that we will be in touch a week before their stay. Our next message stating on arrival they will be greeted at our main residence, distinguished by its red door.

I consider communication is another important link with our future Guest ensuring that our Guests have our contact information for emergency and encourage them to contact us via Airbnb messages for non-urgent matters.

One practice I find important is asking for the names of family members or guests, especially children and their ages, so we can prepare for their little ones. accordingly. If required we provide essentials like a Porta Cot, highchair, baby bath, nappy bin and bed and extra linen. We also offer toys and books that are suitable for the children’s age to ensure a relaxing stay for their parents.

Accessibility is part of inclusiveness and while our cottage has its limitations, we have made efforts to accommodate guests with mobility needs by offering features like wide doorways, a step free entrance, shower with no hob with an adjustable shower head. The living area is an open plan designed living space for easy movement.

If necessary, we can provide access via our carport with a flat driveway instead of pebble path, ensuring safety and comfort.   

 

                       Wide doorway                                                                             No hob in shower

   

                                                 Open living space with room for mobility aides.

Offering a variety of amenities can enhance Guests stay and make them feel welcome. Such as, books, games, universal charges and cables for international adaptors, personal care products, comfortable bedding, extra pillows and blankets.

We provide information folder with a directory for medical and chemist, supermarkets and eatery and a map of the area with activities.

Language is considered and Airbnb message app has translation, and it tells me after a message that it has been used. An annoying factor is Guest information is not up to date. I now, check their telephone prefix number and as to what country they are from. I now write a welcome note in their language. Their facial expressions or little note left tells me they appreciate the extra effort I have made.

A well-stocked kitchen with cooking tools and utensils are available to use for possible dietary and or cultural way of preparing their meals.

                                                                                                      Kitchen

We enhance our guests' experience by offering thoughtful amenities, such as books, games, universal chargers, international adapters, personal care products, and comfortable bedding with extra pillows and blankets. An information folder is provided, containing a directory of medical services, chemists, supermarkets, eateries, and a map of the area with recommended activities.

We make sure our Guests feel safe and have their privacy. All the doors and windows have secure locks.  If needed, we offer rooms that can be darkened and a quiet space if they have medical reasons. The private garden is for our Guests only, giving them a peaceful place to relax.

 

                                   Back varandah                                                                                  Back garden

At our “Hidden Gem” cottage we strive to create a welcoming space that respects diversity of all our guests. Through our efforts we hope to encourage other Hosts to make inclusiveness as an important approach to hospitality with their Airbnb.

I thought I would leave a little bit of beach art that I have made and put it on our handmade cards for those special occasions.

 

[Dr-Jayanthi1]

Hello there @Laurelle3  Amazing! the details, the clarity, the thoughtfulness, the amenities........what not, Your home is definitely more than a "home away from home". I could take your guidance and improvise my home and also enhance the hosting standards. You are an inspiration to be a part of the hospitality festival. Great going. Happy hosting.

[Paula]

I agree with @Dr-Jayanthi1 —details are very powerful and they definitely stay with us.

@Laurelle3 I recall you mentioning before about leaving little surprises for the kids. While these surprises are wonderful for the children, I believe the parents also feel incredibly fortunate to have chosen your place.

The handmade cards are beautiful. Do you change them frequently, or have you been using these beach pictures recently? ❤️

[Laurelle3]

@Paula yes I do change the photos for the cards and when I walk around the beach the phone camera comes out for the different picture. I also take photos of how the beach changes after storms and I can see changes are happening with tide levels slowly getting higher each year. is this what they call Climate Change?

[Laurelle3]

 @Dr-Jayanthi1 Thank you for your words, our Airbnb cottage was built for ourselves while we renovated our main residence and we lived in it for 18 months. it was designed with simplicity in mind in case we move back in the future when the time comes for unplanned aging conditions.

We had previously stayed in Airbnb's in  England in 2014 and this is where we took the concept to become Hosts and share our home.

It has taken 4 years to improve our cottage to adding items such as extra Amenities, Sustainability and Inclusiveness. 

Laurelle from Downunder.

[Rikke39]

Hej @Laurelle3 

Jeg er Rikke fra Danmark/Skandinavien. Hvor er det bare fantastisk det du gør!!

Jeg bruger den samme “metode” som dig. Sørger for at have GOD kommunikation med gæsterne i ugerne op til. Appen er god til at oversætte og kommunikere med synes jeg. 
Jeg tilbyder dem 14dage før ankomst en linnedpakke 13€ ( sengelinned, håndklæder ) og fortæller dem at sengene er redt ved ankomst, hvis de vælger det. Det vælger de fleste  og er glade for at komme til en seng som er “klar”

Ud fra kommunikationen laver jeg også en velkomstkurv som er tilpasset den enkelte familie. Det er fx chokolade, vin, hjemmelavet marmelade, chips, slik osv. som ekstra til mindre børn er der “sæbebobler”…

Derudover er der et håndskrevet velkomst kort, skrevet på deres sprog, en velkomstbog med praktiske oplysninger om huset og området.  

Vi har også en Gæstebog, som alle gæsterne skriver søde beskeder i.
Jeg elsker at læse de beskeder og det er næsten det som gør alt arbejdet værd. 
Jeg sender en “godmorgen besked “ dagen efter ankomst og spørger om de har sovet godt og er glade for huset. 

God og nærværende kommunikation  er uden tvivl er det vigtigste redskab som vært. På den måde gør vi gæsterne trygge for de ved at vi kun er en besked væk og altid klar til at hjælpe hvis der er spørgsmål. 
Det kan vi tydeligt mærke og gæsterne er glade og meget taknemmelige og passer utrolig godt på huset. 

Det er en kæmpe glæde at være Airbnb vært og Superhost og fantastisk være en del af denne “ familie”

god dag🌞

Rikke 

Google Translation added by Community Manager: 

Hi Laurel

I am Rikke from Denmark/Scandinavia. It's just amazing what you do!!

I use the same "method" as you. Makes sure to have GOOD communication with the guests in the weeks leading up to. The app is good for translating and communicating with, I think.
I offer them 14 days before arrival a linen package €13 (bed linen, towels) and tell them that the beds will be ready on arrival if they choose it. Most people choose this and are happy to come to a bed that is "ready"

Based on the communication, I also make a welcome basket that is adapted to the individual family. These are, for example, chocolate, wine, homemade jam, chips, sweets, etc. as an extra for smaller children, there are "soap bubbles"...

In addition, there is a handwritten welcome card, written in their language, a welcome book with practical information about the house and the area.

We also have a Guestbook in which all guests write sweet messages.
I love reading those messages and that's almost what makes all the work worth it.
I send a "good morning message" the day after arrival and ask if they have slept well and are happy with the house.

Good and present communication is undoubtedly the most important tool as a host. In this way, we make the guests feel safe knowing that we are only a message away and always ready to help if there are any questions.
We can clearly feel that and the guests are happy and very grateful and look after the house incredibly well.

It is a great joy to be an Airbnb host and Superhost and fantastic to be part of this "family"

good day 🌞

Rick

[Laurelle3]

@Rikke39 I think we have travelled similar paths in that we have worked in the operating theatre. My roles were Aneasthetic nurse and a Recovery nurse and we are taught to be aware of another person's needs. 

Communication is another role in that we have to assess if the people understand what we mean, whether it is written or verbal. Today with the internet and computers we can have a quick response, translate and or ask more questions so their stay is tailored for the Guests. 

The beds are made for our Guests on arrival and I leave a clean set of linen if they are staying more than 4 nights (if they want to change their linen). I am the cleaner and washer lady with our Airbnb as I have time (now retired) to do this and save money. 

We also leave a hamper for our Guests withenough food for a continental breakfast and a cooked breakfast. I don't tell that we supply breakfast and they make their own or eat out the choice is theirs.

I don't have a Guest book but often I have messages left which I have saved.  I have trepidation in case they write something that I won't like or they don't leave a review.

I don't send them a message after the first night as we live on the same property and I have shown them through the cottage and say if they need anything or there is an issue come up to the house, or give us a call. If we see them coming or going when I am out in the shared garden I ask how is the ready going and do they need anything and is everything okay. Otherwise we give them privacy and try to give their space and communication is limited.

Laurelle from Downunder 

[Rikke39]

Kære @Laurelle3 

hvor sjovt, at vi kommer fra det samme. En operationsstue. 
Og ja, med det den samme baggrund er vi opmærksomme på kommunikationen og også at den skal være nem at forstå uden misforståelser. 

Jeg ses aldrig med gæsterne og vi har 1 times transport hver vej. 
Jeg ville ønske jeg kunne lave morgenmad også, men det er ikke muligt. 
Jeg er også rengøring og vaskedamen, sekretær og bogholder i vores Airbnb og der skal planlægges og vaskes meget, men jeg nyder den service. 

Det lyder som er dejligt sted I har Downunder. 

kig forbi hvis I kommer til Danmark 

Rikke 🌸

--

Dear Laurelle
how funny that we come from the same place. An operating room.
And yes, with that same background, we pay attention to communication and also that it must be easy to understand without misunderstandings.

I never see the guests and we have 1 hour of transport each way.
I wish I could make breakfast too, but it's not possible.

I am also the cleaner and laundress, secretary and bookkeeper in our Airbnb and there is a lot of planning and washing to be done, but I enjoy that service.

It sounds like a nice place you have Downunder.

stop by if you come to Denmark

Rikke 🌸

*The text was translated by the Community Manager using Google Translate