What's that one thing new hosts don't know about hosting? 🧠

[Alex]

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! 😊

I hope your week is going well so far. We often chat in the Community about tips and advice that new hosts can use to improve their bookings, learn something new, or simply expand their knowledge. Today, I’d like to focus on things you should know before hosting. 🏡

What’s one thing that new hosts don’t usually know about hosting? Is there something you wish you had known before you started welcoming guests? Share with us what you consider crucial but was never mentioned to you! 🤗

Looking forward to hearing your experiences!

Best, 

Alex

[Simi617]

Honest guest reviews are important. New hosts should not give bad guests good reviews because they are scared of retaliation.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Simi617 

Airbnb reviews are blind-sided. 

This system is designed to make reviews more honest and unbiased, since guests and hosts can’t be influenced by the other party’s comments before submitting.

[Oksana127]

Nobody told me hosting was gonna be like this. Guests eat three rolls of toilet paper in one night, type the Wi-Fi password into the microwave, and somehow make all the spoons disappear. Forks? Safe. Knives? Safe. Spoons? Gone. Honestly, I think there’s an underground spoon mafia out there.

But the real joke? I signed up to be a host… turns out I’m also tech support, plumber, therapist, and part-time detective. (“Why is there a shoe in the freezer?”)

Still—when a guest says, “This place felt like home,” you almost forget about the spoons. Almost.

[Alex]

This is the first time I’ve read about disappearing spoons  @Oksana127🥄😅. Is this a recurring mystery that keeps happening in your reservations, or does it only happen every now and then? Are you planning anything to solve this issue? 🏡

[Oksana127]

@Alex  I keep buying new ones! I guess some guests like to take a teaspoon as a “souvenir” from Riga 😅. Luckily it doesn’t happen all the time, but every couple of months when I do inventory, I suddenly discover that out of 6–9 teaspoons there are only 2–3 left. Forks and knives survive, but spoons… they have their own destiny 🥄✨.

[Rita3447]

It was really funny to read your message. My guests when they damage things they nicely hide behind other things for example- wine glasses or cups,  or right at the bottom of all the plates I do sometimes find a broken one or cracked one 😁

[Oksana127]

 Our guests could easily compete with professional magicians — hiding broken glasses and cracked cups as if it’s part of a grand disappearing act. Sometimes I feel like I could open a “Lost & Found Museum of Hidden Treasures” from all the creative surprises left behind in different apartments.

But honestly, that’s part of the fun of hosting — every check-out comes with a little mystery, and despite these quirks, we wouldn’t trade our guests for anything. They keep life (and hosting!) interesting.

[عاصم0]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Karen114]

@Oksana127  That is hysterical and def sums it up 🤣

[Oksana127]

Glad I’m not the only one who feels this way – teaspoons really are the true mystery of hosting!

[Aisha227]

Funny!!  It's not the spoons or even the tissue for me...it's paper towels!  Like, really an entire role in 2 nights.  Like what y'all doing!!! lol

[Oksana127]

Oh yes, I can relate! Spoons, paper towels, tissues… every host has their own disappearing champion. After a while, you just learn to stock up and roll with it—it’s all part of the hosting adventure!

[عاصم0]

I thought that having more than one nationality in a place might cause problems, but the fact that more than one different nationality is present for dinner or breakfast creates a wonderful environment for hosting. I happened to meet guests from China and South America, and they were extremely nice.

[Alex]

Hi @عاصم0! 

Thank you for participating in the conversation! That’s one of the beauties of hosting—sharing and discovering cultures from all around the world. Did they share any local recipes? 🍽️