Hey SUPERHOSTS ! What ONE complimentary thing that you absolutely must do for guests experience?

[Rosalind41]

Hey SUPERHOSTS!

Seriously, what's the ONE 'complimentary' UNEXPECTED, wow factor thing that you absolutely must do for your guest experience?

Plain and simple:  What is it that you hands-down, without a shadow of a doubt MUST include in each and every one of your listings' stay experiences.

Hard question for some, probably very easy question for other Superhosts.

Grazie and thanks,

Rosalind

[Michael956]

1) Local chocolates in the guest room.  2) Lots of brochures, guidebooks and maps about the  area.  3) a wine rack in the kitchen filled with inexpensive local wines that I let the guests know is for them.

[Anonymous]

@Rosalind41  Comparing guests who received complimentary extra treats or gifts to those that just got exactly what was advertised, the raw numbers tell me that no extra thing has ever improved the feedback and ratings. In fact, the highest ratings have consistently come from those who got the bare minimum, and the guests lavished with the most extra effort and luxury have abruptly raised their expectations and become more critical of things they weren't offered in the first place.

This is not meant to discourage the passionate hosts who take pride in all the personal touches they bring into the experience. If those things spark your own joy, they're worth keeping! But in my experience, people are never as moved by "free" stuff as you might expect them to be. Whatever you give them, they kind of assume it was just part of what they paid for (whether they wanted it or not), and independent-minded travelers are just as happy to get their own snacks and drinks as they are to find some in their room. The truly memorable gestures are ones that make the guest feel like you've really paid attention to their individual interests, and added something unique to the experience that's just for them. It need not be something that involves extra cost or effort - it could be something as simple as that one specialized tip that leads them to the real highlight of their trip.

[Sarah977]

@Anonymous  Yes! Guests love getting restaurant recommendations, specialty food store info, and especially being told about things to do and places to go that only a local would know about. While some of my guests aren't very adventurous, many have thanked me for letting them know that it's a lovely and interesting walk up the arroyo that they can see 100 meters from my house. They may never have even thought to venture down there if I hadn't mentioned it.

[Sandra126]

A personal approach. 

Treats are good but not necessary . Great them as a highly anticipated visitor.

[Rosalind41]

I completely agree @Sandra126 .  Over the phone, and not in a review, a guest called to tell me about something that they forgot.  During the conversation, he said that they were so impressed with my house manager bringing by newly purchased blankets.  We were experiencing super hot weather and then a sudden cold snap.  We didn't have the blankets out yet and so we brought them by.  The guests were so impressed with this effort of going out of the way to help keep them warm.  Every guest has commented on the comfort and homey feeling that they experience though.  Oh yes, the greeting part is so very important.  I try my best to go over and beyond in that area and guests always mention it.  Thanks Sandra!

[Tim546]

Pineapple and bananas

[Rosalind41]

That's perfect @Tim546 I can only imagine the gratitude your guests have.  In Iowa, that would be pork and corn!  The local foods in Iowa are outstanding, but sadly no delicious fresh fruits such as the unique tropical foods of Hawaii.  

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Rosalind41 

I always focus on managing expectations. I am very very clear about what Henry and I do/don't provide, and we emphasize certain house rules that are important to us. And we over-communicate 🙂 

We also like to take our guest out for a short 15~20 min walk around our neighborhood within the first couple days (we get mostly long-term stays) and point out where to get take out, where to go shopping for groceries, and share "local" insights. For a few of our exchange student guests, Henry even took them to school on their first day. 

[Yadira22]

@Rosalind41 we leave extra adopters as people always forget and ear plugs as people’s noise tolerance when trying to sleep varies drastically. 

I have slept with rock music playing into my ears but my mum for example wakes up when someone on the other side of the apartment turns on a light! 😕

[Laura2592]

Hah, my husband says we do too much. He grumbles. But we do the following:

Fresh flowers in every room

A welcome note with our contact info, handwritten, addressing them by name

A food or adult beverage treat (I ask about allergies and preferences and if they prefer food drink.) The food is mostly something local (cheese,  chocolates made down the street, cookies from a local bakery, preserves, honey or eggs from one of the neighbors or a combination of a few things) and I try to cross promote local wineries and breweries for the alcohol

During burn season they get a duraflame for the fireplace and a small bundle of wood for the fire pit

Right now, I am leaving pumpkins and carving tools for guests as a fun treat.

No, it does not improve your ratings. But for me, its all about the experience. We have opened our weekend cottage to strangers, so I try to do exactly what I would do for friends who stayed with us. 

[John-And-Robert0]

Beyond the basics of a spotless accommodation,  honest listing, being kind and sincere, responding to all queries ...I offer a bottle of wine, bottled water, beer, coffee (cold brew and hot), various snacks, hot breakfast basics, soda, juices, tea. Those things often gets mentioned in the reviews. Because we are in the top tourist destination in the United States (Orlando - DISNEY and Universal), competition is fierce and I feel we need all of those things to stand out above the rest.

We don’t necessary highlight our pool and lake view and private deck - we do show pictures - the guest is usually surprised and delighted when they see how lush and beautiful the views are. The otters playing down by the lake are a pure delight for the guests. 

Our space is also “smart” with Amazon Alexa, smart lighting, smart A/C, surround sound, portable speakers to take to the pool. We don’t really mention it but often guests comment on how “cool” it is. 

[Sarah977]

 Although it isn't by any means a "must do" complimentary thing, one thing I haven't seen mentioned here is that guests love being invited along on excursions you might take. This is more appropriate for home-share or on-site hosts, as we usually have more interaction with guests anyway than off-site hosts do.

I've invited guests along on a beach day with friends (especially good if it's a beach they'd never know about and wouldn't be able to get to on their own without a car), to come along if I'm going out to dinner with friends, to a barbeque or bonfire, even a shopping trip to the city an hour away. All have taken me up on the offer, had a great time, and thanked me wholeheartedly for inviting them along.

One quite lovely example is when I asked a guest from Prague who had booked a few days at my place before moving over to a retreat center where she was signed up for a week's course, if she'd like to go to a beach about a 20 minute drive from me. She never could have gottten there on her own and I needed a beach day break myself. We stopped to pick up another friend on the way, and then a friend who lived by that beach also joined us. After a few hours on the beach, we all went out for pizza and drinks, it was a lively evening. After the guest had been at her retreat for a few days, she messaged me, saying she had several hours between when the retreat ended and when she had to head for the airport, and she'd love to get together for lunch. The other 2 gals also joined us, and she spent the lunch telling us about her retreat, which was really interesting. So the whole thing came full circle, and a nice time was had by all.

[Ej20]

 

 

Make them a meal!!