Cozy vs sterile

Michelle1851
Level 10
Littleton, CO

Cozy vs sterile

Hi, I am somewhat new to hosting. The reason I started my 2 listings was because I had such good experiences in staying in Airbnb’s previously.  

Before starting I read the forums and suggestions and tried to supply what everyone else did.  

For the first time since operating an Airbnb, we are staying in one, I am really discouraged, it’s a fine place but nothing really to stand out.  The photos were so beautiful, but it is sterile, no games, no coffee, the bare minimum.  I was hoping to get my spouse to switch to Airbnb’s for business travel, I’m afraid now he’ll never try another one.  

So I’m just curious about amenities and coziness?  What do others feel is important when staying at an Airbnb?

20 Replies 20
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Michelle1851  I've never travelled as a guest, but to me, one of the advantages of Airbnb would be that each one is different, not looking like some generic hotel with art by the pound on the walls. I wouldn't be interested in something sterile- looking.

 

My private room listing doesn't look like anyplace else and my guests seem to really like it. I don't subscribe to the all white towels and bedding faction, those things are colorful in my listing and I even sew my own pillowcases in cool patterned fabrics and make my own curtains, throw pillows, etc. I've even sewn fun little patches over an otherwise good sheet that somehow got a tiny hole in it and one guest commented how cute they were. Furnishings are eclectic- some are things I've had for 25 years, some are refurbished gems from second hand stores or found by the curb on garbage day. The wall art are pieces done by artist friends or even choice pieces my kids did when they were young.

 

But the space is uncluttered and knickknack-free, which I think most guests prefer

 

 

A friend of mine hosts a private suite in her home, well stocked with games, books, and magazines. And as she also hosts folks with children, she has a box full of toys that her now adult son used to love. She has no TV in the suite. One of her guests told her they were so happy to find a cribbage board in the listing, that they hadn't played it in years and had a super fun time playing and probably wouldn't have thought to do so had there been a TV.

She gets lots of repeat guests who find it super cozy. She even had a guy show up who she saw had arrived in a brand new Lexus. When she jokingly said "Gee man, why'd you book my place, there's high-end hotels in town, you know", he laughed, said he travels a lot on business and prefers a place that feels homey to hotel rooms.

 

I suppose there's a type of guest who isn't at all adventurous and is fine with something souless and generic, the sort of person who eats at McDonalds everywhere they go:-) but that wouldn't be me or the guests I've hosted.

 

Couldn't you tell from the photos what this place you stayed would be like?

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that many hosts have removed a lot of unnecessary items, like lots of throw pillows, games, etc. because of COVID concerns- less to clean and sterilize. But there's no reason a host couldn't have rotating things of that nature, so that there were always some games, etc, that then get packed away after a guest stay, and left untouched for a week or two so any virus that could possibly be on it would no longer be viable.

 

 

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Michelle1851that is a very interesting question. Just like @Sarah977 , I go for the cozy, eclectic look, which is exactly what I offer (and prefer to stay in as a guest). I have colourful bedding, mismatched eclectic furniture picked up from garage sales or roadside collections, random art collected over the years, knickknacks from my travels, books, etc. It's important to remember that the original idea of Airbnb was to 'live like a local', meaning you just stayed in locals' homes, no matter how colourful, eclectic or even unsterile they were.  Sadly, things have changed. Airbnb has become the new hotel industry, and many people expect the Ritz. Although my house is always super clean and tidy for guests, I have felt the pressure to become even more sterile (Covid notwithstanding), especially from older folks, who seem to think they are staying in a fancy hotel for the cost of a backpackers. For example, I've had review comments such as 'The tea towels are a bit worn' or 'No TV in the room' (which drives me particularly insane because this is clearly stated on my listing). Young people never make these comments, which is why I much prefer them as guests.

 

Therefore, on my listing under 'Other things to note' (which I wrote in response to one negative review early on), I have the following:

 

Please don't expect a 5-star hotel - this is budget accommodation at a private home with shared bathroom and kitchen. At times, I may have friends dropping in or staying. My house is clean but not sterile - the price you are paying does not cover professional cleaners. If you are looking for a professionally-cleaned, self-contained, hotel-style environment, options are available in Albany. I have priced my accommodation accordingly and believe I offer excellent value for money.

 

So, I recommend that you stay true to your own style, provide what you would like as a guest, and be clear about what you are offering. Happy hosting!

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

My sentiments exactly @Kath9 ! Exactly how I view my place & it's rag bag of furniture!

Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Michelle1851,

We've never provided games, because I am picky about missing pieces or bent boards.  I am the woman that still has all of the pieces and money from my childhood Monopoly and Scrabble games.  It still rubs me wrong when I think about the one piece that went missing from my Spirograph set (which I game to my younger cousins, because they always messed up their toys anyway).  Also, being on an island it's not easy to quickly get a replacement even if a guest were to agree to pay for damages.  

 

In the apartments with full-size washers, we provide the plush colored towels.  In the studios, the towels have been switched to the white hospitality towels, which will fit in the compact washers.  We did remove little/not ever used kitchen appliances (waffle maker, food processor, and  hand mixer), but do offer coffee makers, Keurig machines (and just added Nespresso machines in the apartments) , tea kettles, along with tea, coffee and coffee pods, sugar and creamer.  

 

 

@Debra300 I know what you mean about the missing pieces 🙂 That always bugs me, too. 

I was helping a friend who isn't good at things like that pack up her 4 bedroom house where she'd lived for years with her 3 kids when she had sold the place. We're going through the kid's drawers and coming upon lone game and puzzle pieces which I'm just chucking in the garbage pile.

She goes, " No, that's a piece of a puzzle the kids used to like."

"Do you know where the puzzle is so we can find out how many pieces are missing?"

"No."

"Garbage."

 

It would have taken a year to pack up her house if I hadn't been ruthless. She seemed to have some reason to keep almost everything, no matter how useless.

 

I used to make my kids put all the puzzle or game pieces back in the box before they were allowed to take out a new game to play.

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

I need you round my place @Sarah977 !  - Time I started work on that lifetime of useless junk! (I de-junked a friend's in no time, but my own?)

@Helen350 Aside from building materials, which might be useful in the future, my rule of thumb is if I haven't used it or worn it in a year or so, it goes.

 

Of course there are sentimental items which don't get chucked, but if you don't have space to display them and enjoy looking at them and they're just packed away in a box in the back of a closet for years, what good are they to keep, really?

 

I actually love helping friends clutter-bust. I'm probably one of the few people who really enjoys organizing junk drawers and getting rid of the dead rubber bands and old keys that no one has any idea what they open anymore 🙂

 

Many years ago I had the cabin I was living in burn to the ground while I was out one day and all I had left were the clothes on my back, my car, and the money in the bank. Ever since then I've been a minimalist.

@Debra300  I’m the same way and my older brother once pranked me by withholding a jigsaw puzzle piece until the very end.  Torment.

 

@Michelle1851  I like vacation rentals to have the feeling of being well-loved by their families - it makes them more interesting, that’s all.  Of course it’s a fine line - you have to leave clear spaces and drawers and make it tidy enough so the guests don’t spend half their time looking for simple things like coffee cups and spoons, kettles and napkins.  My place has flea market art, vintage quilts, bowls of pine cones, heaps of stones, and bouquets of turkey feathers we’ve collected on walks, and a china cabinet that’s full of all the three-dimensional art my children produced in grade school.  Families rent the place and families all have things like this in their own lives.  I think the indications of family life, without being overwhelming, make them feel like they can relax.  Plus I’m obsessed with comfort and would never rent out a place I’m not comfortable in.

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Michelle1851 I don't mind minimalist as long as two conditions are satisfied: it looks like what I was expecting (like the pictures and description) and it looks like someone cares. I hate going to use the kitchen in an Airbnb and everything looks like it's the cheapest possible product available and stuff is broken, insufficient, etc. I favour whole home listings because I want to be able to prepare food, and it drives me crazy when I can't find basic stuff like a sharp knife and a cutting board. To me, it shows that the host hasn't thought about their guests' basic needs. 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Michelle1851 

Michelle, coziness is what it is all about.

Many users join Airbnb because they want something different, they don't want a hotel environment.

I cannot begin to tell you how many places we have stayed in over the past 3 decades, but it probably does approach three hundred, or even more.

The thing we learned in all our travels was, the bed is the centrepiece of the listing. A good nights sleep in a great bed would override any other considerations. The next most appreciated thing was a homely environment......it was nice to be invited into the hosts life, not just their house, but to share those things they feel are dear to them.

I think Michelle the golden rule of hosting is....treat the guest the way you would like to be treated. Here is a guest review of ours from a couple of days ago....

 

Karmans review.png

I am sorry that you picked  a listing that did not offer the nice cozy atmosphere that you would have liked. Just be assured Michelle there are plenty out there that do. Perhaps place a bit more emphasis on the reviews than the listing photos!

 

Cheers.......Rob

 

 

John5097
Level 10
Charleston, SC

There have been a few suggestions to add a rug but no chance that's happening. By far the everyone raves about how clean and uncluttered the place is.

 

The definition if "sterile" is not able to produce children on young. 

 

While I  do provide all the basics and good quality coffee, I include non dairy creamer. Its super yummy and more expensive than dairy milk, however most guest don't touch it and go buy their own bland and very unhealthy dairy milk. I also include both vegan and gluten free options for all the places I recommend to eat. I do get a lot of complements on the local tips, but just that much info is enough to trigger some kind of reaction. I welcome everyone and don't set any rules. 

Travelers are also very savvy and no one has ever complained about it being too clean. At the same time, if they have the opportunty they will cook hamburgs  and bacon the entire trip then complain about it being greasy. Same for the rug. 

If a guest says its "no frills" the next will say its non cluttered and modern. 

Little touches do make a difference but at the same time we all have our own skill set. In the end its all about the guest experience. 

John5097
Level 10
Charleston, SC

Wanted to add that I have been impressed with other listings where host, often times women, use their decorating skills to really enhance a listing. I've had guest say my listing is cozy though which would mean warm and comfortable. I think most understand that  cloth fabric, rugs, any clutter, is more challening to keep clean. 

Michelle1851
Level 10
Littleton, CO

I actually ended up giving a good review,  my expectations were not met, however I was expecting what I provide, not what is required by airbnb.   There were several other things I would have liked, but not required by airbnb.  I now know to ask questions first or bring my own supples.

 

John, you must be doing something right, you have excellent reviews.  I'm one of those women providing blankets and rugs, but Colorado can be cold. I do wash everything in between.

Basha0
Level 10
Penngrove, CA

As an interior designer, I have been called upon to assist homeowners with their listings. There is a balance between inviting and feeling like you are in someone’s personal space. Ditch the personal photos, ratty games and puzzles missing pieces. In my own listing, there are a couple games and no one has ever touched them. I make sure there is coffee, teas, milk, a fully stocked kitchen so they can feel like it their home for the duration of their stay. I provide best quality sheets and towels. It needs to be comfortable and not feeling a guest is invading someone else’s space. I invite you to check out my listing and reviews.