Hi Fellow Guests,I was looking to see if I could get some ad...
Hi Fellow Guests,I was looking to see if I could get some advice from other hosts. My wife and I are new to hosting and we ju...
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Hi there,
This year, I would like to touch on the theme "guests with particular needs," because everyone has the right to stay in comfortable and beautiful homes when they travel.
For me, hosting in an inclusive way means being able to welcome all guests, regardless of their gender, religion or skin color, even if they have a dog or physical disabilities and no matter their age. I am quite sensitive about these last points, because I believe that people with any kind of difficulty in getting around should be able to find a cozy home for their vacations. And in terms of age, I not only aim to welcome newborns but above all seniors, who are looking for quiet and comfortable environments. It's not too hard to look at your space on Airbnb with different eyes and ask yourself if, for example, the furniture layout allows everyone to move around easily, or if there's enough space to access all the rooms, or to note the parts of the home where there are steps, carpets, poorly lit sections of the home or access points, handles, and easy-to-reach switches.
Once we've identified these features, we can add them to the listing to make it easier for the guest to search. Then it's our duty as responsible Hosts to do our best to provide accurate information about the listing's accessibility features (or lack thereof), allowing guests with disabilities to decide for themselves whether the space is appropriate to their individual needs. Being open to discussion and answering any questions, as well as being ready to do something that can help them, will be much appreciated (for example: placing glasses and cups on lower shelves in the presence of a guest in a wheelchair). Putting simple labels in Braille can help visually impaired people, as can using keychains with the name of the room in Braille.
Elderly people abroad travel a lot, much more than in Italy, so they represent a high-spending target group that loves to treat themselves. As such, we should to expect to see a lot of them in our homes. I myself have hosted many cheerful couples who spent a quiet afternoon playing cards on the terrace, after having visited the museums of Milan in the morning. I took special care during check-in because I wanted to give directions so they could go shopping at the local market and suggest all the places not to miss, especially those easily accessible on public transportation. I put out some photo books, decks of cards and some "evergreen" games such as chess for these types of guests.
If your house is near a hospital, you will certainly have requests from people who will spend some time recovering in your house and it will be useful to provide all the comforts for longer stays and not for classic vacations: a kitchen equipped with all appliances, washing machine with dryer, extra pillows in the bed, extra blankets in winter, large closets.
Finally, let's not forget about the guests who need an extra service for some reason: people with problems walking or those recovering from accidents and injuries, families with strollers for small children, mothers in the last months of pregnancy. Make their stay pleasant and memorable.
>>What experiences do you have with guests with particular needs? What have you done at your home? How did you welcome them?
