Why does my day price change even when I have smart listing ...
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Why does my day price change even when I have smart listing off? I want it to be the amount I decide on,Also, I have potentia...
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This topic is part of the Community Center Festival of Hospitality.
The original was published in the Spanish-speaking Community Center by Antonio-Luis0 and we have translated it below.
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Hello there! My name is Antonio Luis, and I manage a small apartment for two people next to the beach in Malaga (Spain). After hosting more than 200 couples over 4 years, I've learned a few things I'd like to share with the Community that I hope will be useful to you all:
There'll be sand everywhere. Everything they take to the beach will come back full of sand: towels, games, umbrellas, and chairs. To make guests feel more comfortable during their stay, they have a robotic vacuum cleaner that makes it much easier to remove sand from the floor without sweeping. However, the most complex issue is what to do with all those items when the guests leave. Before, we used to clean all the beach equipment, but we realised it would never be completely free of sand or dust. So, we decided to place a cabinet on the terrace to store beach stuff and shake it a little, even if it doesn't get perfectly clean. This saves a lot of time, and guests don't seem to mind that the beach items have some sand because we've always gotten 5-star cleanliness reviews since then.
Things get broken and stained. I sometimes see hosts in community forums who are upset that their guests have stained the bedsheets, tablecloths, or towels with tanning lotion or hair removal cream, and they have no solution for this. For me, these come with the territory, and I've learned to accept them. However, I do worry about having replacements available for anything that can be broken or stained and selecting products that, although of good quality, are not so expensive that replacing stuff becomes a problem and affects my earnings too much.
Not all guests speak English or the local language. During pre-arrival messaging, there are usually no communication problems, thanks to the translation of messages. However, guest check-in gets complicated when there's a vast language barrier. This remains one of the most challenging situations for me to handle as a host, but I've learned to smile a lot, improve my body language during check-in, and bring all queries, concerns, and comments to the platform chat room.
Public transportation is not always used. In very touristy places, parking is often tricky, especially during those hours when the whole city flocks to the beach in summer. I try to clearly explain this point in the listing and the information before check-in, even suggesting that if they bring their car and drive it frequently, they should choose some other accommodation with a garage or less crowded. Unfortunately, despite receiving my most useful tips, some guests still expect to be able to park easily and free of charge, and this is simply impossible in summer. For me, this is a good example of how clear and accurate prior information can help avoid unhappy guests and poor reviews.
Be prepared for the unexpected. If we host regularly, occasional unpleasant situations will undoubtedly arise for guests: a power or water outage, Internet disconnection, cleaning staff mistake, appliance breakdown, works on the adjoining floor, or even a guest confined due to COVID-19! I've learned a lot from the Host Community by reading about the difficulties other hosts had come across and preparing myself in case they happened to me.
Laws are changing. Keeping abreast of regulatory changes for tourist accommodations is one of the most annoying tasks for a host, but there's no choice but to stay up to date. In addition, they can be national, regional, or local regulatory changes, which makes following up even more complicated. Luckily, there are usually associations or communities of hosts to keep us well-informed.
It's not always nice weather. Guests come to our accommodation looking for sun and sand in spring, summer, and fall, and warm weather in winter. Most of the time, this is accomplished, and the weather is good. But in the Costa del Sol, it also rains or becomes cold, and one has to be prepared for these days so that, despite this situation, guests may still have the best possible experience. For this, I have a 42” TV with Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and satellite channels, in addition to two-player board games and lots of local travel guides and photo books. Thus, if they have to stay home due to bad weather, at least they'll be entertained!
Guests are not in a hurry when on vacation. Adjusting guest check-in and check-out times can be a bit stressful for hosts. We don't like guests telling us a particular check-in time and arriving at a different one, resulting in us having to wait. It has worked well for me not to ask them, "What time will you arrive?" Instead, I calculate the time myself by asking them, "What's your flight number?", "Will you check in your luggage?", "Do you know how to come directly from the airport/station?" and "Will you come by bus or taxi/Uber?" This prevents them from getting overwhelmed by having to arrive at a specific time and allows me to calculate the time frame better. Extending the check-out time has also worked for me (although this may also delay the check-in time) to prevent guests from getting up early on their check-out day and let them conclude their experience in a relaxed manner.
These are the tips I've gathered from what I've learned as a host, and I hope they can help other hosts as well.
Antonio Luis.
