Hosting in rural areas — what are your tips?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

We’re looking for tips from hosts with listings outside of urban areas. Rural travel is becoming more and more popular to guests who are looking for unique, authentic experiences, or maybe just some peace and quiet.

Hosting off the beaten path however, does have its challenges, such as providing WiFi connectivity (or not), transportation and logistics, and the availability of amenities like grocery stores.

What’s your key advice to others hosting outside of urban areas? How do you attract guests, overcome the unique challenges of rural hosting, and use your location to your best advantage?

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Sarah977]

@Oomesh Kumarsingh   People don't book a quiet rural or rustic listing to hear a generator roaring constantly in the background. And do you have any idea how much it costs to install solar or a wind turbine? Not to mention those options require constant maintenance. 

There is a retreat center near me out in the jungle. They have no form of electricity whatsoever and the place is booked ongoingly for retreats. And they aren't at all inexpensive.

And several of my guests have said that they really appreciated the fact that there isn't constant, unlimited Wifi here (I do have a cell-based Wifi connection, so they're able to check email, do online banking, deal with airline reservations, etc). They say it's so easy to get hooked into wasting hours a day of their lives online. 

I think you're maybe a city-type guy?  🙂

[Sarah977]

@Lizzie  This is not exactly a comment on your topic, but pertinent and important for those of us in more rural or rustic settings.

The amenities check-list only lists Wifi as "Continuous". "Ethernet" or "Pocket Wifi" Mine is none of these. There are no other Wifi type options to check. There are no phone lines out to my neighborhood- I do have Wifi through cell phone connection (tethering- the phone works as the modem and will hook up to a laptop or my guests' devices). It is an expensive way to get internet, is metered, it gets turned on when I or my guests need to use it (therefore not continuous). It's plenty good enough to check email, surf the net a bit, etc, which is all my guests are interested in and none have had any complaints about it. I also describe the connection in my listing details. And because I live in 3rd world infrastructure, it doesn't work equally well all the time. So my internet connection doesn't fall into any of the categories available at present, and I imagine there are other hosts in the same boat.

Perhaps you could pass on to the airbnb site tech crew the need for more options on this. Thanks.

[Lizzie]

Thanks for the feedback @Sarah977. I feel your pain, I grew up in a rural part of the world and I remember trying reach out of the window to find some kind of telephone signal. 

I can imagine there are a few host in a similar situation to you, as you say. The difficulty is representing this well to guest on a listing and managing expectations around it. What would you suggest?

[Sarah977]

@Lizzie  "Metered Cellular Connection" would describe my type of internet set-up. Hosts can then mention how it works (guests can check email, surf the web, etc, but no uploading, streaming, or other heavy data usage and I will turn it on whenever they need it, or show them how) in their listing description, as I have always done. All my guests have been fine with this, as they come here for a tropical beach vacation, they don't come here to spend hours a day working online. And if they need more extensive internet data, there are plenty of cafes in town where they can hook up for free while having a coffee or lunch, which I also mention.

[Mandy76]

I am simply honest in our listing (though we do have great wifi by chance) but when I send their pre-check-in message I say that cell service is patchy and that they need to download the map and directions. We did have one guest who decided 3 stars for location was appropriate (the others are all 5*) because it was further out than expected.  My response -- "Jeez, honey, look at the handy map AirBnb supply before you even book!"

[Lawrene0]

Key advice, @Lizzie, I think, is to be very, very clear in the description about the things they won't get. After I get done spelling out no electricity, no plumbing, no wifi, no vehicle access, no touristy things to do, I'm very nearly saying "Don't come here" but it's the no noise, no traffic, no people, no light pollution they come for. As long as things are clear and expectations are met, all is (usually) well. 

Love everyone else's advice!

[Lizzie]

As I've said many time @Lawrene0, I think it sounds wonderful and you are attracting the guest who want this kind of escape. 🙂

Do your guests find it easy to get to your listing? (I know you mentioned some of your guests came by kayak once?) 

[Lawrene0]

No problems usually finding the place, @Lizzie. We have an actual google-able address and I do send precise directions. But, no surprise to forum followers, not everyone reads... 🙂 For the canoeists (it's not usually kayakers, but sometimes), I have put together a map of the upstream launch points. They can choose whether they want to paddle for 7 hours, 5, 2, etc., to get here, and I help with the vehicle logistics - getting back to it, or bringing it here. We've had lots take that canoe-in option. Only one left too late from his launch and ended up trying to paddle by flashlight down a pitch black river on a moonless night looking for an unlit, unfamiliar spot. He hadn't let me know he had started so late, or else I could have put a lantern in place. All was well, though. He is not still lost 🙂

[Fred13]

When listing 'unusual' places, I always been of the impression that one should show as much as possible via photographs, what is in one's offering. 

[Stephanie365]

The problem is, what we in the horse world call "Black Beauty syndrome".  People have a romanticized idea of what things should be. 

I say I'm on a working horse farm.  People envision Calumet Farm where they raise Kentucky Derby winners. They have full time landscapers to keep the place pristine and no poop to be seen anywhere.  LOL  Real working horse farms are nothing like that.  The "commoner" horse farm often has fences that need painting, errant piles of poop and of course, flies.  I do warn my guest about the flies. 🙂

[Batul0]

@Lizzie  I think our listing can be considered "rural" as we are about 20 mins away from the nearest town.  Our guests visit to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban living and enjoy the peace and quiet of the coast.  

For me, the most important thing is to manage expectations ahead of time.  These include the following things:

- Wifi connectivity (satellite, so no video streaming). 

- Septic System hookup 

- Nearby grocery stores and restaurants

I try to over-communicate and check in frequently pre and during check-in to make sure my guests are comfortable and have everything they need.   

[Lizzie]

That's a good point about septic tanks (sorry to focus on this one @Batul0). You have to be quite careful with what you put down them don't you? If so, do you find you need to inform your guests much about this?

[Sarah977]

@Lizzie   I'm on a private septic- I explain to my guests that while it can handle toilet paper,  I try not to overload it, so nose-blowing paper, women's pee paper, etc, should go in the basket, and that all the rest can be flushed. 

And septic systems work best the less water goes into them, so no need to flush the toilet everytime they have a little pee. (If it's yellow, let it mellow)

Everyone's been fine with this, but it's easy to forget (we just put all the paper in the toilet and flush everytime automatically, without thinking, if this is what we're used to) so I also let them know that it's not the end of the world if they forget.

[Batul0]

@Lizzie Yes, I do specify what can go in.  We provide a wastebasket in the bathroom for our guests convenience as well.  Our guests have been very mindful so far so no issues yet! 🙂

[Mandy76]

We have cute signs next to the toilet roll. 🙂