From guests to friends

[Guy991]

I would like to share my latest experience, but before that, if you don’t mind, a little background.

A while ago, @Robin4 shared a post here about expanding beyond Airbnb (https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-cafe/Lovely-moments-through-the-Community-Centre/td-p/...)

I thought it represented the highest level of hosting on Airbnb. You feel confident enough to fully enjoy the ride. For me, this post was inspiring, something to look forward to when the timing and opportunity align.

Since then, Robin has been a bit quiet, which is very understandable. Anyway, just to let you know, if you are reading this, your posts continue to resonate.

Now, back to my experience.

Not long ago, I hosted a wonderful family who stayed here for a week, and I had the pleasure of sharing stories with them. We said that when I visited their city, we should meet.

And so, as I am writing from their city now, I sent them a message and we went to dinner. He brought his family, who I had already met when they stayed with me, and I brought mine, who were traveling with me. I knew the kids would get along, and the partners too.

It turned into a long dinner filled with kindness, appreciation and humanity.

I feel that I have reached another level in my hosting journey.

Now I am thinking about what to do with this and how to keep in touch with more incredible guests. I was considering Instagram. Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

I hope this post will inspire others too.

[Rebecca]

Hi @Guy991 👋

It's lovely to read that the posts here on the Community Center from like-minded hosts can continue to inspire and encourage. 😊 It's also lovely to hear that you had such a lovely experience with your guests, now turned into friends! 

Instagram is a great place I think for sharing photos etc, but probably not so much as a communication platform. It would depend on how you would want to keep in touch. 

We once stayed with hosts and passed over our email. Every once in a while we get 'update' emails, I especially like the Christmas time updates which always remind me to keep in touch. 

[Guy991]

Thank you, @Rebecca ,

I will use Instagram to keep the listings dynamic, share nearby local events, and give explanations about what is happening in our garden. For me, emails are only for business-related things like electricity bills and other boring matters. I no longer use emails for personal content.

I will write another post about this.

[Rebecca]

That'a true @Guy991, my next suggestion would have been Facebook or Whatsapp 🤗 I used them both a lot when travelling to keep in touch with home. 

Would you set up a business profile on Instagram for your listing, or would it come under your personal one? 

[Guy991]

Hello @Rebecca ,

While Facebook still has the largest total number of users, the platforms that dominate in terms of growth and engagement today are TikTok and Instagram. This is where younger audiences and future hosts are spending their time, so I think Airbnb should consider moving its local host communities away from Facebook and into spaces that reflect where the future is.

It will not be either a business or personal profile. It will not be personal because I am not promoting myself as a host, and it will not be business because the business is just a boring entity that runs the activity. Instead, it will be a general name that represents all my listings. This is what I am promoting.

We have a 150-year-old pear tree that has been accumulating energy for the past two years, and this year it finally gave us a full harvest. It stands right at the entrance, and many of our guests are pleasantly surprised by its gracious appearance.

Someone has to know about it. I must share it with my potential guests. Unfortunately, Airbnb does not have a wall or any dynamic space to present news, local events, or temporary information that could provide more value and attract more guests.

[Leon3762]

“I feel that I have reached another level in my hosting journey.” I really appreciate your sharing.

[Tim4517]

Your post was wonderful to read. It captures what makes hosting meaningful—the way it turns strangers into friends and moments into memories.

It reminded me of a recent experience I had with a Croatian couple who stayed at my place in Karachi. They were warm and thoughtful guests who treated the home as if it were their own. During their short stay, Vlatka, the guest’s partner, surprised me one morning by making Tim Hortons coffee for me in my own kitchen. We laughed about how our roles had reversed—the host becoming the guest, even for a few minutes.

That small gesture said everything about what hosting can become when kindness is mutual. It’s not about transactions or check-outs—it’s about connection, respect, and the comfort of shared humanity.

Like you, I’ve been thinking about how to stay in touch with such guests. Instagram is a great idea. It lets you keep those connections alive and share the real stories behind hosting—the ones that never show up in reviews but stay in your heart.

Your story is a good reminder that hosting isn’t just accommodation—it’s hospitality in its truest form.

 Tim (Superhost)

[Rebecca]

Hi @Tim4517 👋

Thank you for taking the time to reply to @Guy991's post here and for sharing your wonderful experience with us! I must admit, I've never had a Tim Hortons! What was it like? It’s funny how those little moments flip the usual script isn’t it?

I like your point about Instagram for keeping in touch. Have you managed to stay connected with Vlatka? 

[Jason114]

That's such a wonderful story, @Guy991.. and I completely relate. Over the years, I've had several guests become long-term friends as well, people we still keep in contact with and even visit when we're in their part of the world. It really is one of the greatest gifts of hosting.

To encourage more of those meaningful connections, we would sometimes offer to meet guests for a coffee or give them a little local tour.. never in an intrusive way, since many travelers prefer their space. But a surprising number reached out, and a few of those turned into lasting friendships.

Instagram (or even a simple WhatsApp check-in after their stay) can work nicely for staying connected without feeling formal. When the interaction is genuine and not forced, the relationship grows naturally.

Your story is a great reminder of how hosting can go far beyond bookings.. it can build real human connections.