New to the Community Center? Introduce yourself here ‌👇

[Bhumika]

Hello everyone! 😊

Welcome to the Community Center! 👋  I'm @Bhumika , one of the Community Managers for our English Community Center along with my lovely team members @Quincy @Paula @Rebecca @Elisa @Alex @Emilie and we are thrilled to have you join us.

Let's kickstart this thread with a little about us Community Managers:

@Quincy : I'm from the Netherlands 🇳🇱 I have been on the Community Center for 6+ years, and have been an Airbnb Host myself. I love cycling🚲, playing football⚽, and travelling🌏 . I love how dynamic and diverse the Community Center is as we meet Hosts from all around the globe. 

@Bhumika :  🌍 I was born in Gujarat, India 🇮🇳 , and shifted to Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦 last year! 📷 I recently realized my love for photography and aesthetics. I love to capture mundane life and candid pictures. 🌆 When I'm not working, you'll find me binge-watching thriller movies or exploring history.

@Paula : I am from Colombia 🇨🇴 and currently living in British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦. I have a passion for Latin American culture (I love to dance 💃) . I've had the opportunity to visit around 20 countries 🌎 and plan to visit many more. In my free time, I enjoy outdoor activities, especially mountain biking 🚲 and hiking 🏔.

@Rebecca : I'm from Cardiff in Wales originally but being a military child and a veterans spouse, I've travelled and lived in a lot of different places in the UK and Europe. I'm an environmentalist 🌿 and like to minimise my impact on the planet 🌎 as well as volunteering in my local community.  I love sea swimming 🌊 yoga on the beach 🧘‍ and I'm a children's yoga instructor too! 🙌 

@Elisa : I was born in Italy 🇮🇹 and as a lover of unique experiences—from exploring the streets of Rome🇮🇹 , Paris 🇫🇷, and Toronto 🇨🇦 to appreciating timeless art and cuisine—I'm here to blend the old with the new. 

@Alex : I'm originally from Spain 🇪🇸, but my passion for traveling made me move to Toronto🇨🇦 this year to explore the culture and add another unforgettable experience to my journey ✈️. I'm also passionate about all kinds of sports ⚽️ (especially football, in which I played at a semi-professional level) and love to discover new dishes everywhere I go. 🥘

Now it's your turn! Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? And is there something special about the location of your accommodation that you'd like to share?

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

Warm regards,

Bhumika

[Lukas416]

@Elisa I’ve had the chance to visit over 30 countries, each with its own unique beauty.

 One of my favourite destinations is the Greek islands, especially for beach holidays. The islands are absolutely stunning—so visually pleasing! I also regularly visit the Algarve in Portugal. Its dramatic coastline is breathtaking, and I even learned Portuguese there. The people are so warm and welcoming.

Recently, I travelled around Thailand for two weeks, starting in Chiang Mai, known for its beautiful temples. I also explored the islands near Cambodia and, of course, Bangkok, which is famous for its vibrant street life and I think the best street food in the world.

Is there a particular place you love returning to?

[Elisa]

Hi @Lukas416 😊, 

Thank you for sharing all these experiences here!

That's marvelous, you’ve really traveled a lot. Did you also like the food in those countries?

My favorite destinations are always the places where I lived the most: France and Italy.

Warm regards🌻,

[Marcella263]

Hello All! I am Marcella and I am fairly new to hosting. I started in May of this year and I am learning a lot while enjoying the ride! I reside and host in Tallahassee, Florida. Thanks for having me🙂!!

[Rebecca]

Hi @Marcella263, great to have you here! It looks like everything is going great so far, your reviews are speaking for themselves. 😍

What has been your biggest lesson or surprise, since you started welcoming guests in your beautiful townhome?

[Marcella263]

@Rebecca Well so far I have not been disappointed by my guests🙂! Everyone that I’ve hosted has been absolutely great! I have learned that I need to make regular updates on my listing page and I ask and take suggestions  from my guests and so far I have implemented all suggestions received. 

[Rebecca]

@Marcella263 Wonderful to hear! Have you actively been asking guests for feedback or has it come from them? If you've been doing it actively, I'd be curious to know more about how you approach that; it might give inspire other Hosts. 😊

[Marcella263]

I have been blessed with the reviews! I do ask each guest to leave a review. I use a basic script that I got online simply asking them to leave a review and I also ask them for any suggestions that I can implement to make their stay better next time. It doesn’t always work, but even those that didn’t leave a public review messaged me privately. 

[Emmanuel1566]

Hi, my name is Emmanuel from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.  My city is a lovely and quiet town with interesting views. It is a historic city with several monument. I believe being here will help with learnings from others here and get more insights on things to look out for around hosting guests. Happy to be here.

[Rebecca]

Hi @Emmanuel1566, 

Welcome to the community! 😊 

The New Brunswick region and your city, Saint John, are stunning. Do you have any favourite spots for walking or hiking in the area? It looks like it would be a great destination for anyone keen to take in the beauty of Nature. 🌟

[Emmanuel1566]

@Rebecca Sure. Saint John is a city on Bay of Fundy and do have fabulous architecture and more fair share of natural beauty.

The Reversing Falls with rapids skywalk offers the best view of tides of the Bay of Fundy, one of the highest found anywhere in the world.

The Fundy Trail is one of the last stretches of inaccessible coastline accessible for all. Anyone can hike, kayak, drive, bike, or ski through this magnificent untamed wilderness and admire the breath-taking views, discover secluded beaches or join a guided walk.

While preservation is key, Irving Nature park has been designed for the public to enjoy, with plenty of educational opportunities. There are Eight walking trails of varying lengths wind their way through primordial forest. A circular road allows access for the less mobile, while a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk over saltmarshes is a popular spot for birdwatchers. Watch seals languishing on the rocks, before diving into the waves and views over the treetops. One can enjoy family picnic or barbecue. Visit the new Children's Forest with its playground and two cedar-hedge mazes.

Rockwood Park is one of the largest urban parks in Canada, anyone can observe a billion years of history, recorded in the rock formations found here. Go boating, swimming, fishing, and in winter skating on the park's lakes. Explore one of the walking trails, relax in the spa, go kayaking or rock climbing, or play a round of golf - there is no end to the activities to enjoy in this beautiful, tranquil park within the city.

You can also discover remarkable stories of New Brunswick's cultural heritage and natural history at the City Centre Museum, a wonderful introduction to the area's exceptional geology as well as its fascinating maritime history. It has Hall of Great Whales, one can learn about the local marine life and marvel at the life-sized model alongside an actual skeleton of a North Atlantic right whale hung from the ceiling.

[Rebecca]

Thank you so much for the recommendations, @Emmanuel1566! I've had a peek, it looks incredible. 😍

[Sandra7152]

Hi I’m Sandi

Born and bred in Australia. I love travel and have been a guest in Airbnb’s at different locations home and abroad. While sitting on the studio balcony looking at the waves, I decided to launch our little beach side studio, on Sydney’s northern beaches for  holiday rental and here I am. I like travel, decorating, gardening, cooking and creating.

[Rebecca]

Hi @Sandra7152, 

Welcome, it's a pleasure to have you here with us! I wonder, has being a seasoned guest influenced how you want to operate as a Host? Are there any key things you took away from your own past stays, that you're implementing in your beach side studio? 😊

P.S.: I would love to see a photo of the gorgeous view that inspired you to start hosting! 💡

[Sandra7152]

Good morning  @Rebecca 

You may check it out on the platform 

‘studio 8’ Dee Why Beach Sydney Australia 

I encourage feed back from guests with suggestions welcome As living permanently in a property has different demands to holidaying

I reflect on my travels and endeavour to be mindful of guests & their needs away from home

eg supply information re access to car hire, supermarket, pharmacy,

public transport locations near by ect. When you have no car you live differently so a guide to convinces like food delivery services for a late night Pizza is an example 

Personal I like a hot cup of tea or coffee after a long day of travel.  I leave a selection of teas & coffee pods with little milks, dairy & non dairy

I’m not good without coffee in the morning 

Many places have the Pod machines without a pod or milk (which frustrates me) 

I have also left a small snack in my studio Cracker and biscuits 🍪 

and a few laundry detergent pads for the washing machines

And cleaning items eg surface spray and paper towels for spillages 

 As a guest, I am honest and fair with my ratings and reviews if there is a small issue I’ll let the host know via text Also they will then understand my review category ratings all have been gratefully received as were unaware of the problem

Before I launched our property I invited a friend, who travels world wide (and also a host on Airbnb) to stay and test it out the property and supply feed back

i chatted also to other successful hosts i knew on different platforms 

I used the Australian Government Standards & protocols for cleaning hotel/holiday residences, to ensure I was thoroughly cover off on health requirements and COVID 🧼 cleaning 

Our test guest: 

Discovered our ‘new’ shower tap was faulty. Hot & cold water flowed but the temperature was hard to set (either too cold or too hot)   we had it fixed under warranty ✔️

Added and subtracted item per their experience 

I hope this is helpful 🙂

Have a great day 

Sandi

[Rebecca]

@Sandra7152 I’m not good without coffee in the morning either, so that's a great little touch!

I love the idea of a test guest , it gives you both a chance to try out your hosting routine and to gather valuable feedback. Thank you for all these tips, I look forward to seeing you around the community to share more of your experience with other Hosts. 😃

Have a lovely day 🌻