Guests: Couple versus Single

[Harold75]

Greetings fellow hosts!
 I would love to get your comments and advice.

I am a humble Canadian host, who lives on-site in my home. I offer solo travellers a private bedroom (with single bed, desk and clothes drawers) and private bathroom.

The  private bedroom is about 175 square feet of space (not including the bedroom closet).

A few guests suggested I offer the private bedroom for a couple; remove the single bed (measuring 39" x 75 "), and put in a double bed (measuring 54" x 75").

To do so, I would have to remove the clothes drawers and get creative in the closet!

Would the end result  be too limiting, too cramped?  

As a host, do you tend to get more guest as couples  versus  singles?   

Again, your comments and advice would be greatly appreciated!  

Thank you! 

[Sarah977]

@Harold75  Do you generally have a fair amoount of interaction with your guests? If so, do you like that? Because hosting singles is different than hosting couples. Solo travelers, in my experience, tend to be more open, more self-sufficient, and less fussy than couples may be. If the couple isn't getting along, or just had a fight, they may take it out on you- complaining about things because they're just not feeling happy. Couples will tend to hole up in their rooms and not relate much to the host, whereas singles will be friendlier and more interactive. Couples may take over the kitchen (if you allow kitchen use) preparing elaborate meals, singles tend to eat more simply. Couples may also find a double bed to be too small, unless they are small people. Queens and Kings seem to be what most couples are used to these days.

So if you are just doing this for the $, and don't really have that much to do with guests, then adding a double bed and charging a bit more for couples may be a good thing for you. I've been hosting a private room/bath for 1 guest since I started listing, and even if I had space for a larger bed in that room, I'd stick to hosting solo travelers. My experience with them has been great, across the board.

[Harold75]

Your comments are appreciated Sarah.   i have a lot to do with the guests , if they want.  It is all up to them how little or how much interaction they want. 

I also checked your listing and is more in line with what I offer - solo traveler.   Your observations  answer a lot of issues for me. Thank you!   

As others  have pointed  I would still take out the drawer set. It takes up too much space for nothing. Nobody uses it. 

You are correct to raise concerns about couple dynamics.  

Also I can see couples complaining about the double bed. I tend to agree with you that Queen or King beds are what people look for.  However  my 175 sq foot  bedroom?  I would have more bed than bedroom! 

Thank you for your reply,  it has been informative! 

[Sarah977]

@Harold75  One of the things I've enjoyed about hosting is meeting all these different people from all over. We've had engaging conversations over coffe or a bottle of wine and pretty much everyone has an interesting story and learning about all these peoples lives and interests has broadened my horizons. I've also had quite a few guests who were going through a hard time in their lives- relationship break-ups, custody battles, career changes, and just needed to get away for a sanity break and a new lease on life. Being able to provide them with a quiet, calm place to do that has felt good.

There have been a few guests who tend to keep to themselves or are out and about most of the time, and that's fine, too- I work as an upholsterer from home, so it's not like I just have nothing to do but hang out all day. One guy actually was out most of the day and in his room the rest of the time. He didn't use the kitchen at all except to put a beer or two in the fridge or to get water. He wasn't at all unfriendly, just not socially adept. But it was the one time I felt relieved when a guest left- it just feels weird to me to have someone in my home who is sort of there, but not there. And I think that would happen a lot with couples, and I don't think I'd have nearly as much interesting conversation as with solo travelers. I would just feel like I was running a business, and that's not the sole reason I decided to host, or enjoy hosting. 

[Kevin1322]

Hi @Harold75  we are fairly new hosts, we agonised over putting in a double bed or cramping up the room with two singles.  As usual Mrs Kev was right, we went for two full size singles, lost the wardrobe and put a hanging rail in and we have had a fair even mix of solo travellers, couples and friends sharing.  We considered one of those two-plus-one-above beds as a compromise to save space (a 4 ft bed below, 3ft single above) which wpould be equally adaptable for singles/couples/sharers.

Ours is a very small room, guest have commented as much but all are impressed with how we have maximised the available space. We've had more private positive feedback about the wall fitted hanging rail (ebay £15) than you would believe.  It's so good I've put one in my garage with a heater beneath to dry my bike gear!

I used to work offshore *think ship's cabin* 😉  

Hope that was food for thought.

[Harold75]

Thanks @Kevin1322 !    It sound creative what you have done!   But I tend to think you have more than 175 sq feet available.   Thanks for you replying, and  providing some food for thought! 

[Kevin1322]

less than 120 sq ft  if my maths is any good. 12ft x 9ft

imho it all depends on where the blasted door is!

[Harold75]

@Keving1454  all depends on where the door is and how it swings! 

[Kevin1322]

As does most of the rest of life in general 😉

[Harold75]

LOL!!

[Prue0]

I use a coat rack instead of a wardrobe and have drawers in bedside tables or under the divan bed. My single guests-and there are many- mostly prefer a double bed- just standard in smaller rooms but if you get a decent mattress- no complaints. Also big hook on the back of the door. 

[Harold75]

@Prue0  Thanks for your reply!   That is an interesting observation that most of your single guest prefer a double bed.   Interesting!   

Thanks for the tip about the big hook on the back of the door.  

[Mike1034]

@Harold75  If you google the internet, you will find standard bedroom size is much smaller than yours at 175 square foot.

Below is a quote from search (https://www.doorwaysmagazine.com/average-bedroom-size/)

"In homes below 2500 square feet, the average bedroom size in the United States is 11 feet by 12 feet or 132 square feet in total area."

Definitely I would take @Alexandra316 's suggestion to put a full size bed or even a queen size bed in the bedroom. Even a single traveler would prefer a larger size bed. A couple would need to have a queen size bed to sleep comfortably.

In my location, I have got more single guests than couples.

[Harold75]

@Mike1034  thanks for your reply.  I thought it was great of suggestion of yours to run a check on standard bedroom size (and the weblink).  I did not think of that!  Thanks again for pointing that out! 

[Kath9]

@Harold75, the room I offer is approximately the same size as yours (and also has a built-in wardrobe). I have a queen-sized bed with bedside tables on either side. It doesn't leave room for anything else, but I think most guests don't need much besides a bed. The wardrobe has hangers and one of those hanging shelf things from IKEA if people do want to unpack, but I suspect very few do. For working, they either just prop themselves up in bed (I provide plenty of pillows/cushions for this purpose) or use the shared space (i.e. kitchen table).

If the vast majority of your guests are tourists or just staying over for a night, I doubt they would need a chest of drawers or desk. Also, if you have the option of two guests, you'll probably increase your bookings. But I would consider a queen size bed if possible because a double is still pretty small for two adults.

[Harold75]

Thank you for your reply  @Kath9

My average solo guest stay is 2.4 nights. 

Table is important.  Majority of guests use it for work, and eating. It doubles as a night table (lamp on it)

I found your observations about the chest of drawers a good one.  As most are tourists, and short stays, the chest of drawers is not needed.