First time hosting STARTS NEXT WEEK! So nervous! Tips please!

[Amber-Rose1]

My first time hosting starts next week. I am just finalizing everything and getting organized. Haven't taken pictures yet. I've done research on to-do's and don'ts but was hoping for a little encouragement and perhaps some more tips! Thank you!!! Eek! 

Amber-Rose 

[Yadira22]

Hi @Amber-Rose1 

hope you are well and good luck. 

I cant see the listing- guessing it’s not been published yet so maybe wait for more specific answers once this is up! 

One small thing- add a blur to your profile, a lot of guests appreciate this and it gives them an idea of who you are and an initial idea of your hosting style based on your communication means. 

I would strongly suggest you not do instant booking to begin with At least until you find your footing. If you do then only allow this from verified guests with good quality reviews only. 

Ensure you mention things like no additional guests outside of those registered... in your house rules.

finally have a friend or family member stay and test run the space. It will allow you pick up any random things you may not have thought of, eg hangers, door hangers, adopters (cheap and very useful)... 

Take the first 6 months as a huge learning curve and ask for help!

Final point-we made a check in email- instruction with address as to get here, public transport, WiFi information, check in/out in formation, contact numbers... this helps a lot and sets up this sense of comfort for the guest- communication is important for this position. 

Good luck and have a beautiful day! 

Yadira 

[Amber-Rose1]

SO HELPFUL! And you are right, I havent published yet! I just really want this to go well! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I'll go over your suggestions again and make sure I've done them all!

[Kimberlee6]

Hi Amber-Rose1!  We started hosting in Branson, MO, last September and it has been a great experience because we know folks have really enjoyed themselves. I completely agree with Yadira22 and will add a few things.  Remember you can do your best, but you won't make everyone happpy and not everyone will choose to understand your requests.  "Please start load of towels before leaving" has resulted in the dry clean only duvet being washed and all throw rugs being washed.  "Stocked kitchen for light meal" has turned into requested items such as a vegetable steamer and a skillet lid for smothered porkchops.  "Soap and shampoo dispenser in shower" was understood as no soap provided.   I have had an exceptionally large person complain about the standard sized toilet seat and "small" queen sized mattress, a bird started a nest in the front door wreath and thankfully did not fly inside, and my common space neighbors lost their desire to take their garbage to the trash dumpster for over a week.  Bottom line, some of these things made me chuckle and a couple of them sent me into a panic, but overall it has been very good.  Spend time learning what's important to your guests, be committed, and learn to use the Airbnb platform.  It can be very helpful when you are able to really utilize it.  Good luck!

Kimberlee

[Amber-Rose1]

Thank you for taking the time to respond! I am honestly worried about negative feedback. I know I will do everything I can to make their stay as enjoyable as possible...but the part where you cant make everyone happy worries me lol. Hopefully I'll be able to chuckle at some of them like you do. LOL. Oh dear! 

[Sarah977]

@Amber-Rose1  I think one really important thing is to just be yourself. There's no special way a host has to act, and it will indeed make you nervous if you're stressed out about how to be with guests, what they will think of you and your place, how they will review, whether you've made it nice enough, etc.

We all have different personalities- I'm sure there's some hosts who are stand-offish and businesslike with their guests, but as I host a room in my home,  I've been pretty casual with my guests from the get-go. While I make sure their room and bathroom are super clean and comfy and they have everything there I think they'll need, and make sure the kitchen, which they share with me, is clean and the property is as presentable as possible, I don't get stressed about it- if there's a pile of plant cuttings in the yard I haven't gotten around to removing, and piles of leaves that need raking, so be it. If I haven't gotten around to washing my dishes, I apologize for the mess, but don't get frantic- there's plenty of clean counter space for guests to use and I will get around to my dishes at some point that day. No guest has seemed to care at all.

I've always just regarded guests as some long-lost cousin who came to visit. It also seems to put them at ease. If they seem to want to sit and chat, I'm happy to oblige, if they seem to want to keep to themselves and be private, I go with that flow as well. 

Don't worry- you'll do fine. You probably wouldn't have gone into this venture if you didn't think it would suit you. And it's impressive that you've actually spend time making sure all is organized and you are ready to host before going live with a listing- that bodes well for you. I see posts here all the time from people who've put up a listing without even knowing how they get paid, the difference between an Inquiry and a Booking Request, have awful photos, in other words, they were only thinking that it would be a good way to make some money, but didn't bother to do any homework.

And keep reading these forums- it's a great place to come for general info, help, support, and commiseration when things get difficult. And there's a lot of humor here as well, something we all need  good dose of when dealing with all the various, sometimes odd, guests we deal with.

[Sandra126]

@Sarah977, ''long lost cousin'''. Love it. Perhaps one day I will come as your long lost rellie?

[Sarah977]

@Sandra126  Oh, I would so much love to have you come visit!

 Here's a bizarre, real, long-lost rellie sort of story- my brother (originally American) lives in Australia, NSW- he called me a few months ago to say he just had to tell me what had happened that day. He's a music promoter and is involved in some festivals- A woman (originally Dutch) he has been working with for 2 years came to his house that day to work on the organizing with him. He was on his computer when she arrived, on Facebook, wishing my daughter (Canadian, lives in Canada) a happy birthday. The woman looked over his shoulder, saw the Facebook page and asked "How do you know C?"   "She's my niece, she's my sister's youngest daughter". The woman says "She's my niece, too- her father is my brother."

 They've been working closely together on this festival for 2 years, and never had a clue about this connection!