December 29th entry from host, Kimberly
My first Airbnb guest experience was in Hendersonville, North Carolina, where my son and I stayed in a carriage House hosted by John, who wrote two days in advance to inquire as to whether he could stock the fridge with anything we might like besides the bottle of wine he left, fresh coffee, condiments, and a freezer packed that he offered- we may consume any of its contents. I couldn't believe it when I read the message! No hotel has ever called me in advance of a booking to make such a welcoming gesture!! John opened the door to our Airbnb experience on the whole. Two days later, we ventured on to Greenville, SC, where we now reside. We stayed with Jessica and her husband and two year old, their 2nd baby due in one week! Their beautiful two year old acting as an amazing little host, befriended us both instantly- my son was 14- but this two year old and he connected like they were equals. Their craftsman style bungalow was a stone's throw from lovely Main Street- another awesome experience! Next, on to Charleston, SC, where we stayed with another Jessica, a yoga instructor, mother of a beautiful teenage daughter and a two year old son, Kiah. They had a beautiful home on the outskirts of Charleston in the marshland woods- breathtaking scenery, an indoor salt water pool and amazing yoga studio.
By the time we'd arrived, I was already thinking how incredibly authentic this Airbnb experience could be and how unique each experience is. I asked Jessica if she liked being a host and told her I was considering hosting when I returned home after only 3 stays! Jessica provided me with the best advice I think a person considering hosting could receive:
Jessica said, (I'm paraphrasing, not quoting) there are millions of people using Airbnb. Many people aren't crazy about hotels. I could relate, I've had a few bad hotel experiences while traveling for work and felt that the cookie cutter, lack of sincere customer service and safety issues could be improved upon greatly in the hotel industry. She went on to say, if you craft your personal profile on your listing to provide enough information about who you are, you'll attract like minded guests.
Our conversation was much longer, as my son and I were in a state of conflict, this trip was to find a property where we could open a BnB, which I'd hoped to do for almost 30 years, but hadn't gotten around to yet. My son was not in favour of moving from our northern New York home town so we were experiencing a bit of turmoil. He supported the idea of me running a bed and breakfast in general, but wanted to do it where he'd grown up. I didn't want to live in the tundra anymore. The winters are brutal, even for a skier!
Jessica provided a very peaceful environment, made us a huge healthy breakfast, her son Kiah, was so loving and fun, that she literally put us back together again!
I left there thinking, since our home hasn't sold yet, I could do my apprenticeship running a single room Airbnb out of my home until it sold and then get started with my full scale Bed and Breakfast already knowing I could be proficient.
I went home, dismantled my family room, which was adjacent to a full bath bought a good bed, put up my listing, carefully crafting my profile to reflect my interests and values and inviting interesting, respectful people to come stay.
Two days later (only one week from returning from our trip), I had my first guest, a travel guide from Seneca, NY, near my hometown of Rochester. He gave me five stars and shared some more advice and I was off and running.
My Airbnb in Madrid, NY was a great success and I achieved Superhost status within the first 9 months or so. I had amazing guests from all over! Then my house sold and our lives took a detour, but a year later, we moved to Greenville, opened our current Airbnb first with one room, then as demand grew, added a second. Now I co-host for my boyfriend (3properties in NY and FL) and occasionally for another couple in Greenville. I love the experience. Airbnb is still growing fast for a relatively new business and concept, so there are certainly glitches along the way, but they keep working to make it a great experience for travelers and hosts and I so love the concept.
I've stayed in Airbnbs in several states in the US, 7 provinces of Italy, Nicaragua (3), and booked my boyfriend in multiple Airbnbs in several countries.
The unifying theme is that people are people and like to feel at home when they travel. I try to be myself, be respectful of my guests needs, offer a healthy breakfast by asking what they may like in advance. I take my cues from the hosts I stay with and try to keep improving the experience I offer. It's such a unique opportunity to connect with people on a personal level we might otherwise never have had an opportunity to meet. I may never have a full scale BnB, but I will likely always have an Airbnb! A quote from the Holstee Manifesto, "...life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them..."!
