Breakfast amenity

[Inna22]

I have decided to pilot offering breakfast at one of my places to see if it boost my booking rate. While doing my research, I came across a number of properties that had the breakfast amenity box checked but no mentioning of breakfast in the description or reviews. When I enquired with a few of them, they all said they just provide quick cook cereal packets and that’s it.  Aside from my full breakfast pilot, I would love to just be able to through some Cheerios in the cupboard and to be able to check off one more amenity but I feel like all I will be asking for is negative reviews. I personally would have been really mad if I booked a place with breakfast and just found dry cereal in the cupboards, not even milk for it particularly when travelling with children. However all these hosts had wonderful reviews. Do any of check off the breakfast box and only provide some snacks, do you ever have to deal with upset guests because of it and do you think you are getting more guests? Thanks

[Susan653]

@Inna22 , my listing is an in-law apartment attached to my house, so there's a fully equipped kitchen. This, of course, is mentioned/shown in my listing so people know they can cook for themselves if desired. I check off "breakfast" because I stock the kitchen with breakfast staples, including: coffee (French press) tea, hot chocolate, organic oatmeal packets, cold cereal, an assortment of yogurts, a dozen eggs, and fresh fruit. I let guests know in my welcome message that this will be provided and also ask them to tell me which kind of milk (whole, almond, etc.) they prefer so I can stick it in the fridge for them. But the most popular thing--and the one that's often mentioned in my reviews--is the homemade muffins* I bake for all guests. I leave a Corningware container of them on the counter. Always positive comments in the guestbook about them. 🙂

As for food waste, there's very little because I only buy things the kids and I will also eat. So if there's uneaten yogurts or eggs (or muffins), we just bring them up to our kitchen. If there's leftover butter, I cut off the end and it goes into baking. Old bananas? Banana chocloate-chip muffins. 🙂 The only tough one is milk. We drink raw milk, but I wouldn't dare provide that to guests, so I do sometimes end up with surplus milk we won't drink. When that happens, I try to use it for things that will be cooked--baked goods, pancakes, custards, recipes with bechamel sauce, etc.--so it doesn't get dumped down the drain.

Quite a few guests walk through the door excited about the muffins, so they've definitely seen that in my reviews. Providing these things seems to make my listing (about a mile out from the village downtown) stand out from the fancier historic properties that are in the heart of the action, so I think it's a good idea for me.

*A few guests have requested gluten-free muffins in advance and I've beein happy to accommodate (with the caveat that I'm not an expert gluten-free baker.) Feedback (thank goodness) has been positive. 🙂

[Inna22]

@Susan653  it sounds like you provide a fully legitimate breakfast and so have the full right to check off that button! I think if I start baking for my guests, I will lose my super host status on the first round from all the negative reviews 🙂 no one should be exposed to my baking unless it’s a punishment

[Susan653]

LOL, @Inna22! 

My very appreciative guests make me feel like some kind of baking genius, but the recipes I use are super easy. I'll bet you could make them and they'd come out great (p.m. me if you feel like embarking on that adventure and I'll pass along the recipe websites). 🙂

For more sophisticated treats, I send them to a local pastry shop owned by the winner of The Food Network's 2018 Best Baker in America. Yup, we have a celebrity right up the road--but I was recommending his place before he got on two FN shows, because the stuff in his shop is to die for!

[Yvonne191]

Hi Inna,

I don’t indicate that Breakfast is included in the amenities as guest expected me to cook, serve and clean up as well as believing they can all request different items and quantities. (Some for the road trip that day) Now I simply indicate as follows:

Breakfast is offered but you do the preparation, clean up and dishes.

Then I send a message about 5 days before guest arrival as follows:

Breakfast is offered but you do the preparation, clean up and dishes.  Can you please let me know your preference for the following?  You have one choice per group and not a choice for each individual.

Bread (one choice of   White or Whole Wheat)

Fruit (one choice of    Apple, Orange or Banana)

Juice (one choice of   Orange or Apple)

Milk (one choice of   Whole, 2%, 1% or Skim)

Would you like to have coffee cream and yogurt as well?

Please note that you have access to several other breakfast options available in the cupboard and refrigerator such as eggs, tea, waffles, pancake mix, dry cereal and oatmeal.

Use of the kitchen to prepare food and beverages includes you do the preparation, clean up and wash & dry the dishes.

 Thia works perfectly for me and guests appreciate it as well.

[Yvonne191]

I also have an assotment of coffee, teas, hot chocolat and apple cideravailable by  using a  Keurig, or regular drip coffee maker or electric kettle. Always have granola bars and cheese slices on hand as well.

[Inna22]

@Yvonne191 if you don’t mind, I will use some of your language