How to make guests feel special

[Judy204]

I'm a newbie to hosting. Can anyone share little things they do that make the guests feel comfortable or that is special for them. I'm assuming the normal ones (guidebooks, telephone number of restaurants, little amenties). Just wondering if I am thinking of everything?

[Clara116]

 I too love flowers but learned quickly folks don't share this ESPECIALLY​ when on holiday.  So I share them on short stays but for the  longer guest I have bought a vase of artificial flowers. So many variations in people n their likes.  Happy hosting... Clara B.

[Steve369]

I supply club cards to all the local supermarkets so they can get the weekly deals. I also have installed outlets around the condo with USB ports built in to make charging their phone easy.  I also provide a land line for free calls within the US.  Cost is minimal. 

[Steve369]

I also bought 1000 toilet bowel wrappers saying the toilet has been sanitized for toy protection from amazon. CLEAN is the best way to make guest happy.  Also provide Kurig coffee and tea, propane for gas BBQ. And I purchased a fountain for the patio to provide a peaceful retreat for my guest.  

[Vincent222]

I think that cleanliness is the first impact of hosting. Make sure the bedding is clean and smells good.

[Gary203]

I'm also a newcomer to Airbnb

my unit just went live in Concord NH ( The Pub Suite)

nervous and excited at the same time to get my first booking : )

[Clara116]

@Gary203 Hello, I looked at your listing - nice --- I don't understand why you call it a Suit ----- Suite is correct right? I would go in and change all those typos as they are important. Also, check you have a few others. So folks are very funny about typos and will go to the next listing quickly. 

If I can suggest alittle help for getting bookings: label all the photos so folks get your personality alittle , and you don't really need 4-5 photos of the bed. Just one good one. And one photo of the bathroom is plenty.  Also, you might want to finish your profile so folks know about you especially since they are staying in YOUR home. Tell who you are and who lives there and what to expect. 

Good luck and happy hosting. Clara B.

[Gary203]

Thanks for the catches 

Will take your input and correct those issues

And delete some photos lol

Thanks for your time

Ant other suggestions send email @ gachry@aol.com

Thanks again : )

[Helga0]

Hi @Gary203,

welcome to the world of hosting! 

I see that you followed @Clara116‘s advice as there are not many double photos left. However, you left only night pictures. I wondered if the suite is in the basement and has no windows at all. Even the swimming pool is showed by night.

the lamps make a cozy impression, when you switch them on, but they fool the sensor of a camera and more so of a phone. If there are windows, you should add pictures of the room taken in bright day light and showing a window. To photograph a window, there are two ways: from very close, so you see the view, but not much of the room. Or you are farther away and the windows is not in the center. On a phone, you can define which part of the room the sensor will consider to calculate the light. If it is a light source, lamps or windows, the calculation is off. To correct that, you tap on the screen on A darker spot. The spot you tap, is then the vase of the light and focus calculation.  - that would be useful in your evening photos too, as it brightens the pictures.  

When you write a description, bear in mind, that people always worry: where will I sleep, eat, take showers, is it comfortable, is it clean, are there others around to bother me or to get help? Your description and your pictures should answer that clearly. Show the outside and show or describe shopping facilities or restaurants. - my last thank you note on the table made me realise, that I must gave sent between30 and 40 guests to my favourite Italien restaurant over the years (and others to a bistro). All happy, buti doubt that so many intended to have Italian food before they arrived. It shows clearly, that most rely very much on our advice.if yo make it clear, that you are happy to help and shars your knowledge, not only is it a way to make guests happy, as was the topic of this thread, but also is that a good sales argument. For a homestay, a friendly presentation with useful information is better than the real estate speak. Gets

[Alick1]

Hi, 

It seems I can only post to an existing topic, while I think this deserves its own topic. Anyway, the hosts don’t give a realistic view of their place. It is 

[Alick1]

This feature doesn’t work very well on my iphone. Anyway, to continue my other comment, hosts aren’t giving a realistic reflection of their place. I will never book with Airbnb because there is no reality check whatsoever 

[Vincent222]

You say that because you have been to my place.

[Vincent222]

You say that because you have NEVER been to my place! 

[Lucy-and-Loic0]

Hi @Judy204.  A few things I do to make my guests feel special:  

1.  I don't use scented laundry soap when laundering the bedlinens.  Strong perfumes and strange odors are one way to make a guest feel out of sorts and uncomfortable.  While some can tolerate it, it really is awful for someone sensitive to odors to be overwhelmed with the house laundry perfume when going to bed.  

2.  White sheets.  This was a tip that we got from friends who use Airbnb a lot gave to us and we have followed it.  They said they always feel more comfortable in a bed with white sheets.  Why?  It is easy to see that the bed is clean.  

3.  Complimentary laundry detergent for their clothes.  I put laundry powder in little one-use jars, (I leave 2 little jars) and let them know they're free to use it.  It costs me very little and although not everyone does laundry, every guest sees that you're thinking about them.  

4.  I always offer to order a cab for the guests the night before checkout, and if they need help getting reservations for restaurants.  Some people take me up on the offer and appreciate it.  It's nothing to me since I have all the numbers on speed dial and speak the local language.  

5.  Snacks.  While at first I tried to have a whole place stocked to the hilt, I realized after some time that guests tend to appreciate and eat the little packs of stuff I leave for them.  I leave little individually wrapped snack cakes, sachets of nuts, etc. and although they cost me very little, they are appreciated from time to time and are easily replaceable with no leftovers.

6.  Flexibility and genuine friendliness goes a long way.  Travelers are often tired and out of sorts.  They get lost, hit delays, didn't realize they were going to be on a hill, etc. and it freaks them out.  I have seen a few cranky ones at arrival through no fault of my own.  I keep a smile on my face and exude warmth as much as possible.  I make it a point not to mirror incoming negativity, and they always come around and are appreciative and happy once they got some rest.  

Good luck hosting, Judy.  

[Judy204]

Hi Lucy and Loic,

Those are wonderful ideas and things I would not have thought of, so thanks so much for sharing with me.  I will definitely add those ideas to my list of things to do.  Hopefully, one day I will make it to Lyons and book an airbnb stay with you!  

Best,

Judy