A list of things Hosts often forget

[Luca4]

Hi everyone!,

I travelled in apartments long before Airbnb even existed and I keep, to this day, noticing that often some basic stuff is missing.

This is especially common in apartments where the host never lived.

So I am making a list of things hosts often forget and I will share  with the community it when ready.

I'd be great if you could help with comments and suggestions!

Some of these may sound obvious but, believe me, they are really missing very often.

I'm starting with the bathroom:

BATHROOM

1) Soap holder in shower: really uncomfortable when missing. Guests need to leave shampoo and soap on the floor.
2) Hair dryer: some people need it and it's a deal breaker. Not every one has space in the luggage for it.

3) Trash bin: is missing it’s either a trip to the kitchen or stuff left around the bathroom.

4) Bathroom mat/carpet: when this is not available, guests often end up using regular towels on the floor, spoiling them.

What do you think? Anything else?

Thanks a lot!

Luca

[Michelle0]

Dish soap and sponge! The team at Cityami (an Airbnb management company) always sees this. People provide dishes, but forget to provide a way to clean them.

[Marcie1]

As I allow pets at my house (I am not in residence) I created a first aid kit for pets AND a separate first aid kit for people.  In addition, I have printed out a guide (with pictures) how and when to use first aid on pets and people.  

Marcie

[Virginia-M0]

Yes. I completely agree how those little things that are missing can be frustrating. As a new host, I put myself in the situation of a guest. In addition to those items that you mentioned, I've installed a small (16" x 16") empty and open shelf above the bathroom for all those special cosmetics, lotions, hair sprays that some of us can't travel without. I also put a hook in the shower for a washcloth.

Virginia

[Brittany-And-Brian0]

One place I stayed had a coffee maker but no coffee. I understand that if you were going to stay for awhile you could pick up a bag of coffee to make each morning. Since there weren't any coffee shops nearby I would have LOVED to have some coffee in the morning before exploring : ) When we host we keep our Nespresso out with some coffee pods. Not sure if anyone actually uses them but it's nice to offer : ) 

[Luca4]

@Brittany-And-Brian0 and @Virginia-M0 :added thanks!
Here's the updates list

https://goo.gl/XS7EHf

[Fiona5]

Luca, I think your post is very helpful for hosts. We need to imagine the room as if we are the guest. Personally I've had positive comments from guests about what I provide and I'll list them:

in the bathroom I provide some basic toiletries, rubbish bin (a closed one, important for bathroom) floor mats and a shaving socket. I also provide a 'Guest Box' with new cheap toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary wear, wipes, cotton buds etc. I have a sign on the box asking guests to please not take away items that can be used by others (ie: whole packs of things such as the buds etc) . I also provide a medical kit with basic supplies for injuries, paracetamol and Ibruprofen.

For the bedroom I provide TV, DVD with big choice of movies, hairdryer, iron and board, tissues, rubbish bin, tea/coffee making facilities and most importantly extension cables for guests to plug in devices (we all travel with them these days) and I also supply dual electric plugs for America, Europe and Australia.  So far no one has ever taken anything away with them which I think is quite amazing. I have considered a mini fridge but how far do you go?! I'm not The Hilton! I position my main mirror beside a plug, important...nothing worse for a gal if she can't see herself when drying her hair!  I also have a freestanding towel rail in the bedroom to hang damp towels to dry for use later or they just end up on the floor and you have to supply more.

On the bedroom door I have a fire risk escape card and a fire extinguisher outside in the hall. They also have a key to lock their door as many leave passports and cash in their rooms when out.  And the most expensive thing I've bought for guests is Liability Insurance...I have too many Americans (sorry guys!)

I'd be interested to hear if anyone provides anything else that may be important or have I just about covered it?

[Luca4]

Thanks a lot  @Fiona5 I added a few of them which were not in the list!

[Luigi27]

How much are you renting for ? All those amentities have a cost and the rental price from Aribnb is ridicously low. Thanks 

[Mariah0]

That is great. Thank you! I have had many messy guests that share a bathroom here. I require them to clean their hair out of the tub and rinse it out after each shower. They have yet to do it. It is in my house rules. Perhaps I will charge their account if they do not respect this rule. what are your thoughts?

[Lana7]

Bathmats - I definitely use them - I have 2 so they can be washed at turnover and take their time drying.   I use the ones from Ikea - they're cheap, and cheerful - nothing with a 'non-skid' surface on one side though, since those get dry and cracked and flakey after a while. I share a tiny bathroom with my guests, so I'm ALWAYS picking the bathmat up and hanging it over the tub -  but <shrug> whatever.

In the UK, you can get really cheap "nice extras" at Sainsbury's as a part of their 'basics' range: toothbrushes 2 for 25p,  toothpaste (35p), razors 5/30p,  I keep a basket in my bathroom labelled  ''Forgot something?  These things are for my guests, take what you need, and leave the rest for others 🙂 ''   in it:  shampoo, conditioner, little bars of soap, shower gel, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste. 
 

In the room,  I have a little kettle (my old travel kettle),  2 cups/saucers/teaspoons, and a little jar of teabags, instant coffee and satchets of UHT milk and sugar cubes and some napkins (folded paper towels)

At first I put two water glasses, and two small plastic bottles of water in there.  But now I have a glass bottle with a stopper that I fill with filtered water from my britta - i'm sure the earth is grateful 🙂 

I keep my own iron and ironing board in the room - and just knock and ask to borrow it if I need to use it.

I've only been doing this a month now,  and already 1/2 my guests have forgotten EU-->UK power adapters - so I have provided one of those in the room now. 

I've not put disposable cups in the bathroom, because I figured people would just bring their glass from the room?  maybe i'm wrong?

I keep an extra old umbrella in the room for guests (this is London after all), and an old A to Z for those without a roaming data-plan on their phone - and a Lonely Planet London City Guide.

@Mariah0 - I have "please rinse the tub" in my house rules too... some do it.  some don't.  I don't have any hair!  so guests who are staying with me KNOW it's theirs if it's in there 🙂  I mention the rinsing thing when I give a tour, but I think it's a foreign concept for some - if it was their home, they probably wouldn't bother.. if it was a hotel, they probably wouldn't bother...  so this is a 3rd category of accomodation which  has different rules.
🙂
My price bracket and my location mean that i'm mostly getting young couples from the continent taking a short London EasyJet/RyanAir holiday -  So the iron isn't used much I must say

Lana 🙂

[Lucy-and-Loic0]

Great list!  I am just getting started so I appreciate reading what others are doing.  People do forget things and it's nice to let the guest know you've thought of them.  We stayed in our guest studio for a couple of weeks before listing it, helpful to figure out what we might have overlooked.

In the bath:

In addition to what others have said, 

I put a stock of the free samples I get whenever I buy cosmetics in the bathroom cabinet and just add whenever I get more.  People don't generally take them but they've been used a couple of times.

Small box of kleenex as well as a couple of mini kleenex packs.

We found some cheap toothbrush & mini tube of paste in a packet and I put two in the cabinet each stay. Guests have used those.  

The small tubes (I put two bottles in the cabinet each time)  of body wash / shampoo, it almost always gets used.  

I leave a little sealed packet of paracetamol each time, it has been used twice. 

Kitchen:

Sometimes, a bowl of oranges in the refrigerator so they can make juice with the juicer if they want to.  Guests have used that, and appreciated it.

I set up a cabinet with the food / cooking basics plus a few things that they can muster up a meal with, and a little bottle of milk in the fridge. I ask them to write down what they've used so that I can re-stock. (They do write things down, which concretises in their mind the value of what they are receiving, I think.) 

If I plan to be out and about before their arrival, I message my guests to see if they want me to pick up something for them. One guest asked if it might be ok for me to pick up some cereal.  I added a few mini-cereals in their provisions cabinet and have found that guests generally do eat them, and are appreciative.

I put out a tray with coffee pods, tea, sugar bowl and breakfast bowls to encourage them to enjoy instead of having to find it in the cabinets.

For their use:  Salad bowl, steamer basket, pasta pot and a smaller pan with lid, good knives, cork screw, full place settings, cloth napkins, one clean sponge in the sink, salt pig and kitchen utensils by the stove like tongs, spatula, spoon for stirring, etc.  

A couple of pellets for the dishwasher.

2 dish towels 

General: 

Luggage rack that fits in closet (it was my mom's idea and people appreciate that)

Ironing board and iron, coat hangers.

Cotton blanket in addition to the duvet.

An empty market basket so they can go to the nearby outdoor market.

Welcome book with House Rules, wifi password written in big letters on its own separate page, and pouches with: public transport map with 2 tickets to get them started, map of the neighborhood with grocery stores and restaurants marked, and a general map offered by the office de tourisme.  A pouch with a couple of postcards with envelopes, and 2 stamps good for worldwide postage (that got used twice).

I put a coaster on every piece of wood furniture exactly where it might be tempting to place a cold drink.  

Cleaning supplies all stored neatly in their place, easy to reach.

I have been considering a guest book, do you have a guest book?

What I removed after seeing it wasn't useful:  

I removed the rug I have an emotional attachment to and replaced it with another one I got at a garage sale. Still pretty, but now I don't worry too much about it.

I removed the pretty coasters that I love and replaced them with pretty coasters I don't mind if they get lost.  

I removed the extra set of towels and tell them to let me know if they need more, which cuts down on laundry.

[Andrew90]

Here is a related article 🙂 

http://www.rented.com/vacation-rental-best-practices-blog/stock-vacation-rental-airbnb/

[Lizzie]

Hello @Andrew90,

Great to see you have found this thread. It is a fantastic list we have created here. 

Thanks for sharing the blog article, I think they would be rather impressed to see our version. 🙂 

Have you implemented many of these suggestions here? 

[Andrew90]

Most of them.

I don't provide bathroom scales. But seriously I have a beach condo who wants to weigh in on vacation. The resort has a full gym with scales so the health nuts can weigh in 2-3x/day of they want.

I ski don't provide (or guarantee) experience accessories like beach stuff, snorkeling, bikes etc. (often ither guests leave them behind )

People ask for grills but they are only allowed in outside/parking lot in my community

For bikes, snorkeling, etc I don't provide for insurance reasons. If my provided equipment fails I dontvwantbto be liable. Sad but true at least in US people will Sue for anything.

@Lizzieis there a way to sticky these best if the best threads say links in another section on community help? Or Pinned at top of threads in each community?

Andy

[Damian15]

Hi all,

I am a relatively new host, but I have asked all of my guests, upon exiting, what it is they liked and disliked about their stay.

So far, I have not had any dislike comments, yay, but my guests did offer a few suggestions that I acted upon.

Here is what I have added to my Air BNB room so far, based on those requests. Sorry if they were already listed but I thought I would share my list anyway.

- A carafe of water and glasses on the bedside table "Just tap water"

- A night light

- A universal power adaptor so they can use their local electronics in Australia

- A luggage rack

These were over and above the normal amenties I had provided, but there were not things I would of thought about.

I hope this helps add to your list of things to help make your guests stay more comfortable.

Damian