1st time host!

Matt20
Level 1
Cambridge, MA

1st time host!

This will be our first time people will be staying at our place. We are excited! Any tips or potential pitfalls for a newbie that we might not think of? We want to have it be a great experience!

 

Thanks!

1 Reply 1
Dedee0
Level 1
Jersey City, NJ

Hi:   I want to talk about House Rules. 

 

I'm a new host but I found that explaining in person the House Rules, works better than posting it in your listing.  A personal touch is always better and much more friendly.  If you are going to post it in your listing, Keep it simple, i.e, Smoking outdoors only, no pets, no overnight visitors without prior permission.   Cleaning, etc. should be explained in person after the guest is settled in, and make it friendly, not demanding.  I tell guests what is expected of them, i.e, keeping the kitchen and bath clean after their use.  If I find something that is against the "rules", I leave them a Post Note.    

 

And most importantly, I do not allow overight visitors.  I want to protect my other guestsand I do not want to find a "stranger" tooling around my house.  So I tell my guests that I must have a picture I.D. of any visitor  that they invite into my home and also that their visitor is restricted to the guest's room.  

 

One last thing:  Always, ALWAYS, get an emergency phone number of your guest in case of accident.  You never know...things happen and you need to have a contact number. 

 

Best of luck:  Be friendly, be clear, and you'll always get a good review.

 

Dedee