Day 9: A celebration of our host community

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Day 9: A celebration of our host community

The view from an Airbnb treehouseThe view from an Airbnb treehouse

Hello everyone,

 

It's day 9 and it's my turn to post my topic of celebration. 🙂

 

I would like to celebrate the experience that you all give to your guests and the way you support each other.

 

Every day, millions of hosts are welcoming guests from around the world into their homes. When you think about that, at any given period of the day, a host is meeting and trusting a new person, a host is providing a comfy bed for someone and...you guessed it, a host is getting things ready for their next guest. To me all of these moving parts are pretty mind blowing and shows how amazing our global host community is. 

 

Looking back on my past year, I have been lucky to stay in eight Airbnbs, all different and special in their own way. Some of them I stayed in for a night or two, others a week and one for forty-two days! One just by myself, some with my partner, and one with a couple of friends. I've stayed in a little surf bungalow, a couple of town houses, a remote cottage and even a real-life treehouse. 🙂 I love the experiences that our host community creates for visitors and I want to thank the hosts who put me up for having me, making me feel welcome and giving me local advice on what to do (including a night listening to a friend of a host's band in Santa Cruz!). 

 

Here in the CC, we have so many incredible hosts and I find it really humbling that in such a busy world we can all come together to support and learn from one another. It is amazing to see the care and effort that hosts put in to making sure theirs guests have a great stay. 

 

Think of all the lasting memories that have been created because of the hard work that you all put in. It is easy to forget all the guests you have hosted and the great times, but I assure you that your guests won't forget the incredible experiences you provide.

 

A huge thank you to all of you.

 

Lizzie


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

18 Replies 18
Paul1255
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Thanks @Lizzie what a thoughtful post 🙂 I wonder, which of the 8 stays was your favourite? They all sound very different, especially the treehouse!

 

Paul 🙂 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Aww thank you @Paul1255. This is a touch one though, they were all quite different. They all have their own little qualities. 

 

The treehouse was very special and it was amazing, because you are on the top of a hill and then you get the extra height from being half way up a tree. I loved being in among the branches, but the best part was the weather. You could sit in bed and watch the fog flood across the valley. Now that is a comfortable way to watch nature at it's best (it's a change from the damp tent, I'm use to!) 🙂

 


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Paul1255
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Nice @Lizzie sounds like a dreamy stay !

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Thanks @ Lizzie.
What a wonderful post Lizzie! Beautiful and kind words addressing the hosts! 🙂
Your experience as a guest is also amazing! 8 Airbnbs in one year.
If I was allowed to ask a question, I would like to know - What do you like the most? Self check-in or the kind of check-in when you have a brief contact with the host?

@J-Renato0@Lizzie@Clara116@Robin4@Paul1255

 

@Lizziewas the Tree House a self checkin 😉 ??

 

There's a cool Treehouse made out of an old wooden trough on a private property in Dilworth Avenue bordering Mount Hobson, Remuera that not many know is there. ...I often wonder what stories have been told where that wooden trough has been and now is over the last 100 plus years, at a guess there's been many a fun time had...

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Good question @J-Renato0. I have learnt a lot from you and your fellow hosts here in the CC and what make you as a host happy and so with check-in as a guest, I really don't want to leave my host waiting. 🙂

 

At the same time, I have found that sometime when travelling it is difficult to be really precise with your arrival time, things out of your control (but I alway arrive within the check-in window). Therefore, I have found my favourite process is to meet the host, but there is also a back up plan, say a key in a lockbox or you can collect it from somewhere. If you can't arrive when the host is there, you can still enter and the host will pop by if they live nearby. The main thing is communication. 

 


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

@Lizzie

I believe self checkin is essential for both host and guest when it comes to too short stay, one, 2 or 3 days stay.

It would be almost impossible (not practical) for an off site host to be always present when the guests arrive.

When the host does not offer self checkin (considering 4 days minimum stay ), the best way to deal with checking is offering  "flexibility" in terms of arrival time and pre-arranged time to arrival.  Meaning, suggesting that, when the guest arrives in the city and are ready to take transport from the airport, bus terminal, train station or whatsoever, the guest message the host. Then the host in person or some co-host goes to the place to meet the guest for checkin.

 

Some guests are very independent, other not. So, I believe the great majority of guests that stay for more than 5 days like conventional checkin. People that books for more than 5 days are not necessarially business travellers (and used to self checkin), they are usually on vacation/holiday. Many of them are using Airbnb for the first time, and many of them even do not know what self checkin is.

 

Another thing very important from my point of view - "The host or co-host should never make the guest wait...must arrive before the guest." Must have a professional attitude otherwise it is better to give up hosting."

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

@  Lizzie... in addition... I also offer self checkin. When the guest are to arrive late in the night or I or a cohost can not meetup the host it is a good option. I agree that, in many circunstances... self checking is good.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Lizzie

I have always believed in life you reap what you sow.  Hosting is a wonderful experience and beautiful guests create beautiful memories, not just for themselves but for their hosts as well.....we don't forget!

 

Why does it not surprise me you had 8 lovely stays Lizzie?

 

Thanks for a really nice contribution, but it's you who needs to take a bow as well....it is because of guests like you Lizzie, that there are hosts like us!

Cheers......Rob

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Aw thank you @Robin4 for all your kind words.

 

I very much enjoyed all the stays. My most recent was a trip to Cornwall. We booked it knowing the weather probably wasn't going to be that great, but there is something very dramatic about looking out over the sea when it's all wild. 

 

It was such a cozy little Cornish cottage and the host left us some scones, which were delicious.  (I'm not sure I got the cream and jam the right way around though....) 🙂


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

It all tastes the same @Lizzie!  🤗

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Lizzie thanks for sharing and how delightful to read about your year of stays. We are grateful to you for being our Admin here and also your thoughtful post and topic. Like @Robin4 says I think you do reap what you sow. 

Sweet Lizzie all the best to you and your family. 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Thank you @Clara116. I'm glad you like my post, I didn't want to let any of you down, the topics as part of our Month of Celebration have been wonderful. 🙂

 


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

@Lizzie

 

I heartily agree with @Robin4@Clara116 !

 

Also, Lizzie,  you always introduce great topics for us all to read, plus keep us in check/ make us present our best selves... And why not ? You & Quincy represent the 'human faces' of this platform and show that business can be fun, too.

 

Here's hoping 2019 can bring us all some great guests, like you. Also wish you many more amazing stays!   😉

 

Thanks, Lizzie!