@Lizzie Thanks for asking me to participate!
My primary Airbnb is an apartment in my home: it's a completely seperate unit from my living space. I live on site with my husband and two dogs, but generally don't have a lot of interaction with guests.
I think that for me, it's a combination of things, and it seems to work:
1) As I've mentioned before, I try and do at least one special thing for every guest. Sometimes it's dictated by what they've told me; sometimes it's something spontaneous. Some examples have included:
- Leaving champagne and a personal card for an anniversary or recent wedding;
- Leaving flowers just because;
- Leaving small food gifts and cards over Christmas, as well as putting up some decorations to make people feel more at home;
- Cleaning off a guests' cars so they don't have to brush off all the snow on a cold day;
- Free early check-in and late check out;
- Free winery tasting passes;
- Letting a guest's dogs out so they could stay later at a wedding;
- Leaving dog treats and waste bags for guests with dogs;
- Providing a couple of cold, local craft brewed beers for people who get in late;
- Providing recommendations on everything, from where to go for dinner or where to find an outdoor skaing rink to where to get a wedding cake at the last minute;
- Always having cold bottled water and a selection of coffee and tea with all supplies to make it on hand.
2) I do market research often to make sure I'm offering good value. I look at other Airbnbs in the area, as well as regular bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels to see what they're offering and at what price, and make changes accordingly. I also look at the listings of other hosts I admire, regardless of location, to see what they're doing.
3) The design and the way I run my Airbnb has always followed a simple principle: what would I want if I was staying somewhere? I know that my place is the kind of place I would book if I needed somewhere to stay in our area: the price is reasonable, the amenities are good, and I offer checkin anytime with no need to arrage it prior to arrival. It also has no wine country kitch; it's simple, clean and modern. It also allows dogs, and my dogs mean more to me than pretty much anything, so I know that's something I would appreciate! A major plus on that one is that I also get to meet other people's great dogs.
4) The importance of making a good first impression can't be overstated. If people get a bad impression from the off, even if it's a small issue, it tends to carry over into the rest of the experience. I always make sure I thank people for their booking as soon as they book and offer assistance and recommendations if needed. I also always have the unit ready to go at the agreed check-in time: I've never forgotten to set up a door code (knock on wood!).
I'd say those are my top tips, and as I said, I've been successful so far with it.
