Day 10: The Evolution of a Private Room Host

[Susan151]

Three and half years ago I opened for business. My space, a three-room suite of rooms on my third floor, had been renovated to accomodate my daughter while she pursued her studies. By the time she left, she had a doctorate, husband and was eight months pregnant.

Did I mention that my daughter was 8 months pregnant when they left? That was my catalyst for opening my AirBNB. I wanted to spend meaningful time with this child which required that I reduce the number of hours I devoted to my IT company. The income from an AirBNB would make this possible.

At first, my prices were too low no doubt. The guests booked and booked and booked. And they were lovely. As I review their names, I remember something special about each one of them. Most of them were from other countries and they brought gifts. They left thank you notes. We enjoyed each other's company. There was guest no 4, Thomas from Germany who dreamt of opening his own brewery, so I took him to a fabulous craft beer store. Oh, and Ramiro who lives in Costa Rica but was originally from Venezuela. He missed his homeland and a special breakfast bread. A little research was needed but I was able to bake him some Golfeados. [Nasty things everyone else thought, but he ate the entire batch before the week was out.] There was the group of friends from China, all studying in the States, who gathered at my house over winter break and made a feast each night, insisting that I join them. Teaching them how to use my stove and to season their food was a challenge. They were not good listeners.

For the first six months, I had butterflies as I answered the door. I was anxious about their arrival details. I was unsure I could manage hosting people who didn't speak a word of English. As I went to answer the door, my brain would sing "It's Show Time!" in a very Bob Fosse voice.

I slowly found my groove. The butterflies calmed down. I had a "schtick" for introducing the house. I carefully touched on any details we had discussed via AirBNB messaging. But, I also reduced my emotional attachment. As I review the list of names after that first year, I draw a blank for many of them. They made no particular impression, either good or bad. There were just SO MANY PEOPLE every single month.

I haven't made anyone Venezuelan Golfeados recently, though if I make cookies, guests are offered one or two. (Oh, there was that lovely Australian couple last month who brought me apples from a local orchard and so of course I made a pie.) I continue to help guests navigate the Boston tourist market, suggesting transportation methods, current events, and eating spots; but I don't always know what would interest them anymore.

After 293 groups of people, I am confident that I provide exactly what has been offered. I raised my rates. I increased the minimum number of nights. I have learned how to be attentive without being close. I am still sincere. I am helpful and kind without commitment. I no longer sweat the slow communicators and just assume that it will all work out. Occasionally, I get a guest that I just don't like and know that they will be gone soon enough. The two bad guests are a distant memory, may they never return. Most often, I get guests that I like and those I celebrate!

I have also learned how to remove almost any kind of stain. Tanner and ProActive are still my weaknesses, but blood, chocolate, drool, they don't stand a chance against my arsenal of cleansers. The laundry machines and I are BFF's.

This balance is working for me. Now that I charge a market rate, I rarely receive gifts or thank you notes. Guests feel that they have paid a fair price for a service which changes their relationship to me as well. This is a trade off that I can live with.

I think we each have to find our own rhythm; one that suits our spaces, personalities, and stage of life. Being an AirBNB host does mean that life is never boring. There are always new people meandering through our lives; and sometimes they are special and get Golfeados or a pie.

How has your hosting style changed over the course of your AirBNB lifespan?

[Lawrene0]

"It's show time!" 

Love it, @Susan151 !

I am a seasoned treehouse host, but a fairly new in-house host. In-house hosting is different but good. It is posts like yours that remind me of the goodness.

And posts of others that help with the what-ifs...  🙂

[Olivia437]

Thanks for your post!  I am a seasoned host as well!  First traveling on Airbnb after my friend told me her neighbor started this cool company called “Airbnb”. I’ve pretty much seen all the developments and changes since inception in 2007/2008.  While I can agree the company is better now in a lot of respects I do miss the excitement and experimentation that was a constant with the platform.

I’ve had the privilege of hosting in three homes in two countries.  I have made innumerable friends through staying and hosting at Airbnb’s around the world.  I even had a boyfriend that I met at an Airbnb property where we were both guests at different times.  Long story! 

I’ve hosted off and on since 2010, and there’s never a dull moment.  People still bring me gifts, touch me with their stories, become impromptu best friends, temporary roommates, playmates for my son, painting pictures, counseling guests, talking politics and so much more.  I’ve rushed a guest to the airport in hopes he could make his flight, loaned them my car when they couldn’t get a rental, made them dinners and invited them out for nights on the town.  

I’m a traveler and to be corny “citizen of the world”, I go with my gut feeling which is often right and also wrong too.  Even though I’ve had some rogue guests over the last decade I wouldn’t trade it.  I love hosting people, learning about cultures, languages, art and music.  I can’t imagine not getting butterflies when my next guest arrives!

I can’t travel as much now that I’m a single parent with a five year old so this is the next best thing and I honestly am still so excited :). My son loves the guests too and puts on shows for them and shares his toys with all the adults!

[Clara116]

@Susan151 thanks so much for sharing your really honest hosting life. I so enjoyed hearing how you navigate it inside your home and really delighted in your style of writing and sharing it with us.

You have given some of us a clear picture of hosting in home sharing and that was a pleasure for me to read about. Many blessings, Clara

[Nutth0]

@Susan151 I was near to become my 3 years as a host. On the first year, I do eat out with most of my guest but in this year just a few that I feel friendly and connected. Review start to be not write In the same format. Your article make me thinks of it maybe a time to refreshing myself, my mood and back to the beginning 🙂

[Crystal4]

I started hosting almost 9 years ago. There was an ad on Facebook that said would you like to host Yoga people in your house? So I clicked on it thinking, why yes, I would love to have people to share in my practice. Not one of my over 5000 guests has ever done Yoga with me.  It was the recession. Caring for disabled people and my business on the rocks, it was a godsend.

I was in a 2 bedroom house for my first guest, Chesny's Dad up from Atlanta for a Bridge Run here in Charleston. I didn't realize that until later. I was terrified. Locked my door, with a chair up against it, made my dog stand guard at my door, held my phone in one hand and pepper spray in the other and tried to stay awake. Hahaha! The next day, over breakfast, the journey began as we shared our status in the world. He, a vitamin salesmen offered good advice for my ailments. I asked why he wasn't jetting around in luxury. He replied that he liked staying with folks and having conversations and his son was reinvesting his new found wealth in the business. (the next year, Chesny made the Fortune 500 list).  

A year later, I moved into a 4 bedroom house, later converted the garage to a studio, and added a travel trailer. Airbnb has changed drastically. People wanted to interact, sometimes that was good, others a drag. Now days people want their own space, own entrance, no interaction, are polite, but mostly have their noses in their devices for the most part. Some love to sit and chat. For Thanksgiving, there were 4 at the dinner table from Nigeria, Ireland, North east U.S. and me and my brother. It was casual and interesting. Charleston has made Travel and Leisure's best U.S. destination for 7 years running and in a lot of ways, it has ruined our quaint southern town.  I have traveled to Hawaii and Mexico helping people get set up, managed other Airbnb's,  and been through many difficult times (bed bugs was  by far the worst- cost thousands to get rid of them).

But I have never been afraid. I think the guests are more afraid to walk into a strangers house than I am to host them. My ratings are 4.8 with over a thousand reviews.  I stay booked at least 20 nights per month in each space, average stay is about 5 nights. These days a lot more work related stays than ever. Far less international stays. I think the international problems are keeping people from coming here from overseas.  My biggest complaint with Airbnb is that they don't go to bat for smaller towns against government regulation and interference.

And that they don't care what I think. The people who answer the phone have a rule book in front of them.  I don't like how they constantly change the website for the worse. It is increasingly difficult to know anything about your guests until after they book. Not a good safety trend. I believe I am successful because I respond right away, I tell the truth always (I know there will be a better fit on the next request if I am not what the person needs), I try to be kind and generous, my rooms are comfortable and clean and attractive (not fancy). 

I wish Airbnb would consult with us old timers from time to time and maybe learn something. And they definitely are making their top priority the guest and no longer the host. For my type of product, they are the only game in town. Thank you for letting me share. After all these years, just found this page tonight. Good night, sleep tight, sweet dreams.

[Crystal4]

Oh yeah, I don't like how Airbnb is constantly reminding how to do a better job! I have been a superhost for most of the 9 years, I have been with them. They have recommendations for pricing that are way below what I get without any trouble at all.  Their recommendations are and injustice.  I think you have to start cheap to get on a roll.  But, I am grateful to them, follow the rules, do my job and deal with the disappointments as they are doled out. 

[Nannette8]

We have been hosting for 2 years now, becoming Super Hosts in the first 6 months.  We try to personalize each visit by asking what they might need when they arrive (suggesting an iron, dog bed, special coffee creamer, etc.).

We try to make sure to use their first name when greeting them and doing a walk thru.

We point out that house rules are posted in the bedrm, ask them to please

familiarize themselves with them, emphasizing no smoking of any type inside the house and NO food or drink in the bedrm.

We find that guests are very receptive to our statement that we respect their privacy and security and ask them to please lock the bedrm door and take the key with them when they are not home.

We also get a great grin when we point out the number of streaming stations and how to use the Roku while reclining in our 2 lounge chairs.

The place where we vary from other hosts somewhat is that we do not provide food or beverages, just bottled water.  If guests are coming in from overseas or a long flight we do have a breakfast bars and fresh fruit.

We put out a small gift wrapped soap for special guests and a lovely, small flower arrangement in the bedrm.  Our decor changes with the events if the calendar also.

We are ardent believers that advanced communication is a key to Super Hosting as it is the personal touches that set us apart from other forms of lodging.

[Mike1989]

Thank you for your openness and for just being real. I've been hosting for two months, the guest's space is separate from mine. In the event that we meet, I easily get emotionally attached and want to know more about my guests, especially if they open up in the first place. If someone is more private, I don't pry. They're purpose here isn't to become a friend with the host - after all, they're renting a private space - whereas I am eager and willing to be a friend. I'm sure I come off as a newbie here, but I am helped knowing I'm not the only one, and knowing you were able to deal with it, and you seem to have not lost an attitude of kindness and caring. I know I'll find my way, this is an interesting road...

[Roxanne120]

I can happily say my hosting style has not changed one bit.  But - that being said, I rent out a property we bought just for this purpose in Hawaii where we do not live, and which is in a resort that is 95% vacation rental units.  I believe we have it easy:  I have a wonderful On-Island Manager, and a cleaning team I can depend on to meet our standards. I pay them well, with Christmas Bonuses.  I share great reviews with them, so they are aware of what a good job they are doing.  I try hard to keep them informed about everything relevant.  I have had some rare bad experiences; the purportedly 50 year old guys celebrating one of their birthdays,  who trashed the place and chipped the granite; the Asian woman who probably had never seen an electronic clothes washing machine in her life and stuffed it to breaking point. The woman from Canada who said my brand new electronic programable teapot "broke" and she replaced it with a cheap simple one, my "broken" one was gone. But these stand out as rare events, in an otherwise even stream of polite, rules-following guests who wish to return. I really love the electronic keypad which is wifi operated made by Kabalocks.  No keys to lose at the beach! I have learned to rely on good instructions for the electronic devices I provide, which are plasticised. And by providing the guests with a vacuum and neatly offered cleaning supplies, they tend to keep the unit neat and clean quite spontaneously! 

There is one more thing which I have changed in my Hosting behavior, and it has to do with asking the guests for added money after they check in, which I am now doing.  I finally realized I had no way to charge for the taxes Hawaii requires through the Air B and B website; they do in some states I am told, but not in Hawaii, and I must pay them monthly,  promptly, or incur penalties. Pretty much out of pocket.  I learned that I had to mention of the Transient Accommodation and General Excise taxes (14.42% of booking costs)  in the Property Description so guests would know that they will be charged this just after they check in. Then I  have to remember to actually go in and request it from them through the Resolution Center.  Most of my guests are not surprised when I request the money, but a few are shocked - and those are probably the ones who booked quickly and did not read the description of the property prior to booking. Other booking sites I use have a mechanism for charging the taxes up front, and I sincerely hope that Air B and B will add this feature to their pricing structure for Hawaii.