The reception is the first real contact with guests. The faces come to life, you are greeted for the first time. They have arrived at my apartment and I welcome them with a smile even if they have had some delay or some unexpected event or the time zone had made them a bit weird.
Finally I can see my guests in the face. I hear their voice and their accent. That’s what i like about hosting. A warm handshake, pronouncing their names, breaks the ice and makes the check-in a meeting between friends.
I tell some news about the building and as we cross the courtyard I show where are the garbage cans, I greet the porter and introduce him to the guests.
Then the visit of the house begins with the hands behind our back as if we were at the museum. Which areas of the house are accessible and which are not. The house is well illuminated, the manual of the house (which contains all the information about the house and the shops in the district) left in plain view on the table near the welcome basket, something that shows them that I am something more and different than a hotel.
Room after room, I tell them where are towels, pillows, detergents, how the oven and the washing machine work. I show how to light the stove and the fumehood. I communicate them the password for the wi-fi, I show where are the fire extinguisher and the games for the children. If someone asks me what’s the bidet for, I answer: “It’s for washing your feet!”.
I sign the rental agreement for the house and give the guest a copy of it. I register the documents for the police. I give the guest the keys. I listen to the first requests and I try to answer in a precise manner.
I try to make the guests understand who will take care of them. I include them in my life, respecting their privacy and their habits.