[FESTIVAL] What is Hospitality?

[Laurelle3]

Hospitality is defined by Collins's Dictionary as a “friendly, welcoming behaviour towards guests or people you have just met, and this builds onto a relationship between a guest and a host”. Hospitality is also anticipating your guests needs, for example; toys and games for a family with young children or guests with different dietary requirements. This extra effort made for guests can leave them with a positive experience, which can benefit your Airbnb reviews. (Information obtained 2/8/2021  www.collinsdictionary.com). 

Opening up, sharing your home and welcoming guests is another style of hospitality. By offering a relaxed atmosphere in your home enhances good communication. Openness and honesty in hospitality allows the Airbnb hosts to set rules, guidelines and boundaries for their guests. Being honest and transparent with your accommodation advertisement can help promote goodwill in your Airbnb business. (Information obtained 6/8/2021 www.minimalsmmadesimple.com) 

Skills in hospitality involve communication, interpersonal skills, attention to detail, multitasking, flexibility time management, problem solving, hazard awareness, teamwork and industry awareness. All of these skills are what we do naturally or have learned for our Airbnb business. (Information obtained 8/8/2021 www.etcltd. com.au). 

Sustainable practice can be cost saving in hospitality when small steps are taken and passed onto their guests. Whether it’s from recycling, reducing and reusing waste, composting, using eco-friendly products e.g., reusable crockery, cutlery, linen. These small steps can help save the planet for future generations and eco-conscious guests. (Information obtained 4/8/2021 www.citronhygien.co.uk). 

Personalisation service has become an important role in the hospitality industry because guests are identified and treated as an individual. Welcoming guests with small personal touches e.g., handwritten welcome notes, flowers, chocolates can enhance the individual presentation. Communication prior to arrival also identifies if guests will require different dietary or cultural needs. Airbnb hosts who assess and adapt to their guests' personal needs can prove to be beneficial for all. (Information obtained 5/8/2021 www.insights.ehotelier.com). 

Interpersonal interaction in hospitality begins with yourself, your guest and how you communicate with them through verbal, listening, writing and body language. By adapting a style that works best for you can enhance honesty, trust and understanding with your guests. A positive experience for your guest can influence growth in your Airbnb business. (Information obtained 8/8/2021  www.collinsdictionary.com). 

Technology in hospitality has changed the way business is performed by guest booking and paying for their accommodation on-line and SMS messaging. Technology in Airbnb lets the host connect to guests by just clicking on a button, an electronic signal is sent, forwarding an instant confirmation of a booking. Airbnb’s digital media promotes homestays with visual views of accommodation for their online marketing. This is beneficial for Airbnb guests by providing them with different choices in accommodation, affordable price and location before making their booking. (Information obtained 5/8/2021 www.hospitalitynet.org) 

Ambience is described by Mirriam-Webster as “when feeling a mood associated with a particular place, person or thing” this can be powerful in hospitality. Ambience in your Airbnb is shown through your marketing photos, which will set you apart from competition in your local area. Again, the first impression of the ambience that you have created in your Airbnb lets guests feel comfortable, relaxed as if they were at home. (Information obtained 6/8/2021 www.merriam-webster.com). 

Leisure, hospitality and tourism work hand in hand providing consumers with accommodation, food, events, amusements and transport. Leisure is described by Collins Dictionary as “time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sport”. Leisure events in your local area means people will require accommodation, and this can be beneficial for an Airbnb. For me, researching calendar events in our local area such as; triathlons, food, wine and art festivals helps me with planning and pricing for my Airbnb business. (Information obtained 7/8/2021 www.collinsdictionary.com  and www.dir.sd.gov) 

Independently owned business in hospitality allows owners to have autonomy, give attention to details in their properties and understand guests and anticipate their needs. Airbnb has encouraged and empowered independence by allowing hosts to advertise, and promote their style of accommodation, be flexible with stay dates, smart pricing and build a relationship with guests. (Information obtained 8/8/2021 www.getonimohospitalitygroup.com and www.clerkhotel.com) 

Travelers today are mainly business and leisure people, and people seeking special interests. With the emergence of Covid travelers are concerned with health, safety, hygiene and how precautions are maintained.  The best way to relay concerns is by communicating to their guest pre-arrival and during their stay can make them feel safer? Also don’t forget the Airbnb 5 step enhanced cleaning  protocols.(Information obtained 9/8/2021 www.hotelmize.com) 

You, I mean, me as to why I became involved in Airbnb hospitality. My rationale is; I was prepared to share my home and able to make a commitment, meeting and conversing with guests, making guests feel at home, making sure they enjoy their stay and my reward was making a little bit of pocket money. Lastly, I do what I do because I love what I do!

Laurelle

[Caroline1857]

Hi Laurelle, @Laurelle3 

I enjoyed reading your post, great advices, thank you 🙂 I loved the first paragraph about Hospitality 🙂 I like to welcome families with kids and babies and I want them to feel at home in my place. As a mum of 5, I know my kids loved to discover a new place where they can find new games, toys, kids friendly space… This summer, as we were transferred in a new country, instead of discarding all their old baby toys, I have made a selection of the best once and brought them to my place. My kids also appreciate to find a block of white papers with pencils & eraser so they can draw, this does not cost anything and bring also peace and quiet time for parents 🙂 we all need it 🙂

As mentioned in another reply, I love your place with white & turquoise, we are connected there 🙂 I love the details like your light house and fishes at the entrance and the bird house in your garden 🙂 Your pictures are so nice, did you use a professional service to take those ? I am curious 🙂

Have a great day !

Best regards,

Caroline

[Gianni265]

Hi @Laurelle3 and @Caroline1857,

Beautiful post, congratulations.

Does hospitality for you mean offering, as much as possible, to help the traveler with the suitcases? I am referring to personal check-ins in an apartment where you welcome the guest at the door of the condominium, accompany him home and enter with him for all the explanations.

[Caroline1857]

Hi Gianni, @Gianni265 ,

Thank you very much for your great feedback.

In my case, I never leave the travellers entering the property without a proper briefing because there are too many security aspects with the pool area that they need to understand and acknowledge. With a personal welcoming you can present yourself and the villa and tell them you are available if anything happen. You also check the numbers of travellers and get a first feeling that everything is going to be ok or not which is really important 🙂

Have a great weekend !

Best regards,

Caroline

[Gianni265]

Hi @Caroline1857,

Thanks for your message.

I totally agree with you, for me a proper briefing is necessary even in most apartments and houses smaller than yours. I don't like remote check-ins, too many times they are just unsafe.

In your case it may not be applicable, you may have private parking right in front of the villa: guests will leave their bags in the car and take them home after check-in. But think of other situations: a parking lot 50 meters from the house, a very nearby but temporary parking that guests have to leave quickly, a flight of stairs. If you see your guests arriving with suitcases and it is clear that your help would be useful, do you think it is normal to help them?

Obviously a host is not a porter, many borderline cases need to be eliminated. So for you hospitality means helping guests with their suitcases? Or is it a service and has nothing to do with hospitality? Or what else?

If you want to reply, otherwise thank you again for your message.

[Caroline1857]

Hi again Gianni, @Gianni265 ,

Yes you are correct, in my case the car park is just 10 m from the main entrance and I have 2 bedrooms at the entrance level so easy to roll suitcases in. As mentioned by @Laurelle3 I am not a porter either, and I am not an hotel, but if I notice a young mum with a baby or an aged lady/man that requires more help, I would do that suitcases carry naturally as if it was my sister or grand-mother/father, I will never ask myself if it is part of the rental or not 🙂 I have no problem with that, it comes naturally, it is the way I have been educated 🙂

Have a fantastic weekend !

Best regards,

Caroline

[Gianni265]

@Caroline1857 , @Laurelle3 as you can see I also wrote that a host, and therefore you, is not a porter. We totally agree. 

I think Laurelle is wrong to say "I'm not a hotel". The vast majority of hotels have only a reception and no porter: check-in is mechanical, not personal and no one greets you at the hotel entrance and accompanies you to your room. The check-in in a home is much more personal and demanding: you are there only for that guest and all the attention is for him. In my opinion you must also be an "half" porter, obviously in situations where it is useful (not in your homes) and when the physicality allows you to do so with tranquility. 

It seems to me we can say that we agree that in situations where it is necessary and possible, hospitality also means helping guests with their luggage. It would be nice to do everything in your spirit, for education, but at least it's fair to consider this option because it's fair business practice.

[Caroline1857]

Hi Gianni,

Thanks for your reply. I was the one saying "I'm not a hotel" 🙂 not @Laurelle3 :-), I must admit that I have been spoiled by the beautiful hotels you can still find in Asia where that porter service is still offered 🙂 but I agree this does not exist anymore in standard hotel in Europe, unless you go for the most expensive ones 🙂

Great weekend !

Best regards,

Caroline

[Gianni265]

Thanks for the message and sorry for the mistake @Caroline1857 and @Laurelle3 .

So, hospitality means anticipating the needs of guests, sometimes being a cook, a tour guide, an architect, a friend, a great communicator, a good psychologist and much more. I agree, obviously it is an ideal and not everyone can or wants to please all aspects.

However, I cannot understand how in this fantastic ideal you don't want to include help to carry guest's luggage home, obviously according to the personal abilities and without any pretense from the guests: exactly as no one should expect delicious jams. It's very strange, I think you have something against portiers! 🤣🤣

Great weekend! 

[Laurelle3]

Hi Gianni @Gianni265 sadly I am not a porter the car park is directly in front of our house a short 40 metre walk to cottage

 But my husband has helped a family with their luggage when it was raining.

I do show them through the cottage and where everything is so that we don't have miscommunication. Seems to work each time so far. Then we give them privacy unless we see them in the shared yard when they are coming and going. 

I know I give maybe too much but also know when enough is enough. But I do what I do because I love what I do.

I forgot to tell you that I make fresh scones jam and cream for afternoon tea made about an hour before arrival.

[Sarah977]

@Gianni265  Why are you so fixated on hosts portering guests' luggage?

Perhaps that is common among Airbnb hosts where you live, but it certainly isn't something most hosts worldwide do, nor do or should the majority of guests expect such a service, just like they can't expect 24 hr. reception or valet parking. 

[Gianni265]

duplicate

[Laurelle3]

@Sarah977 I like your answer thats why I said you know when enough is enough. @Gianni265 I love your sense of humour but after nursing for 37 years I had enough of portering and having to be at the beck and call of my patients and I thought it was time for a change. Gianni I am giving you a big smile. 😀

[Gianni265]

Hi @Laurelle3  I completely agree with you. I'm just talking about "ideals", exactly like your post: we can't expect everyone to be a porter but if there is a need (don't you think it is ideally right to anticipate other types of needs besides those on toys and games?) and you can help with the luggage, you have to help: this also means hospitality. This is the basis, you don't have to study architecture, psychology or anything else. It seems to me that this community likes to think too much of the cool and classy aspects. 

Hi @Sarah977  Two comments from you and others here in this community certainly can't make judgments for the whole world. I have written a lot about it, I don't think we have to be porter. It is a complex discourse, as all experiences, I do not intend to superficialize it: if you want read and of course we can have different ideas. Don't involve the world please. 

Leave the prejudices and see the reality. Most hotels do not have a porter at all: you arrive at the reception, they give you the keys while maybe they give them to 2 others and finally you go to your room by yourself. The check-in in a houses is usually totally different: you welcome the guest at the parking lot or at the condominium door and then you accompany him inside the home. You are there only for him, he has a special service just for him. You are next to him in every move until the entrance of the house. I certainly think that the host is very wrong if he expects to be helped with his suitcases for sure, but I would agree with him if he thought his host is an a........e if he made him go up the stairs twice and not even has touched a suitcase. The guest hardly gets mad at the young woman receptionist in the hotel who didn't help him with the bags: she has other things to do, instead you Airbnb's host came here for him and use your time looking at him instead of helping? A.....e!

[Katja202]

Hi,

Thanks for the great article. I totally agree. It is the small things ... for example if your guests are out eating and left on their flipflops with summer clothing and them it starts raining. You know the come in by car. Give them a message that you left an umbrella where they park the car. Guarantee it gives them a smile even when it rains.