What's the best... hosting idea for under £5/ US$10?

[Ben205]

Hi. We've only been on Airbnb for a few months, and I'd really like to hear some of your positive stories about hosting. I'm interested to know what you've done (or heard of) that costs only a few pounds but has made a difference to your hosting.

I'd like to share something about parking. Our property doesn't have any, so I've made a map (https://drive.google.com/open?id=100IgpGQowDXhP71mMDLsoZ-p0bs&usp=sharing) that shows guests the options around and about. This was free (if you don't count my time) and all the data was from our local council.

Another, given to me by a host, is to have a pot by the door with a couple of coins in it and a note saying 'Parking money - have the first day on us'.

What cheap ideas have worked for you?

[Ben205]

Guests tend to use the squeegee, but I've also started mentioning it when I show them round.

Cleaning the shower is my least favorite job and also the single task that takes longest when cleaning up.

And, it's handy when I need it!

[Ellen33]

We als o have a squegee in the shower. But dont mention it. Its just there. Some guests use it. Others dont

[Huma0]

@Ben205 yes, cleaning the showers is the most time consuming task if you want to get the glass streak free. I have squeegies in both showers, as well as those 'shower shine' sprays, but hardly any guests use them. I don't mention it to them though...

[Amir24]

Foot soak basin 🙂

It was a common request from my guests at first. So I bought an extra one just for guests.

They love to come home after a long day of exploring, and soak there feet, especially when there is a cold beer waiting for them 🙂

[Peter445]

Since I started hosting in may I have been booked back to back, even returning guests in this short a time . Every one seems to celebrating something so I buy helium balloons from 1$ store,leave 5 cans of beer in fully stocked refer,(eggs,French Vanilla coffee mate,milk,butter,bagels,) Bottle of nice wine,chocolates, hard candy, shampoo, soaps, wash cloths, ice cream etc only the fruit seems not eaten so thinking about skipping that. MY moto

is when your in my home your Family! Seems to be working but here in the north west it may just be summer is popular,we shall see,Pete

[Ben205]

Glad you're getting bookings. Thanks for the ideas, though that looks like it comes in at well over $10! Maybe that's what it takes to get return visitors. Enjoy the rest of the summer.

[Louise191]

When I first began doing Airbnb I visited our local charity shop and bought jigsaw puzzles and card games for 2 people- they were always just a few pounds each and are good for rainy afternoons- common here in Cornwall :))

i also have a shelf full of books- not just guide books, but reading books with short stories. We usually have a copy of 'cornwall' magazine and I have drawers full of maps, local walk guides and 'things to do' leaflets. Fresh flowers, along with nice coffee and teas and a basket with basics- small toothpaste, shampoo etc. Framed postcards of the local area are nice as is shell art (we live by the beach). Recently made the descision to include an iPod docking station and dab radio. £55 for a retro design that goes beautifully in the room, just keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get broken or nicked!

[Huma0]

@Louise191 £55 is well over the £5 specified in this thread, but if your radio lasts for 11 or more stays, then it's in budget!

My best buy so far in terms of more expensive but long term investments has been the mattress toppers. I bought the thickest ones I could find for all the beds, but I got them on offer from voucher sites, so they came in at around £25-£30 each with postage. That's about a third of the normal retail price for toppers of that quality. I didn't get the feather ones though as some people might be allergic. Since buying the toppers, most guests have commented on how super comfy the beds are, so they were definitely worth the money.

In one of my guest rooms I have a book case filled with travel guides, but also books on British history and classics like Shakespeare, popular novels like Poldark, anything 'typically English' I think international visitors might like to browse! In another room, the book case is full of novels, but also books on art and architecture. That room itself is architecturally intersting and more arty in its decor, so that selection seemed to fit. I had the books already, so it didn't cost me anything.

[April--Mike--And-Maggie0]

I like to do one or two small bouquets from our garden (can usually find stuff about 8 months out of 12) and leave a "welcome basket" of local Seattle or NW products--breakfast bread, chocolate, some sort of snack food, and a bag of coffee.  The coffee I would provide anyway, and the remaining items are in the $10 - $12 range.  Wish I had time to bake something, but that is seldom possible these days.  

[Jodi27]

We provide a selection of fresh local fruit- some from our fruit trees on site, yogurt and homemade banana bread- which Jodi bakes off in batches of  10 mini loafs- that's a  real hit! Bottled water, instant oatmeal, noodle cups, cereal, coffee & tea etc. All in it's less than $5 per stay in replacement cost.

We keep a few mini bottles of sparkling wine on hand for anniversaries etc

We also use the personalized chalkboard to welcome our guests.

All the above helps but a warm sincere  personal greeting and thank you seems as important as all the above. Our rental is a small private bungalow about 50 feet from our main house, when a guest arrives late and I'm leaving prior to their awakening I try to leave a note on their car apologizing for not greeting them and thanking them for choosing our home for their stay...

Mike

[Huma0]

If I know that guests are celebrating a birthday or anniversary etc. during their stay, I'll always pop a card under their door. At Christmas, I leave cards for all the guests. I keep a stash of cards so that I always have something if I find out on the day that they are celebrating. I bought a very pretty boxed set of 30 different hand made cards. I can't remember what it cost, but maybe around £7, so that works out to around 23 pence per card, which is nothing.

[Clara116]

@Ben205 I  have only been hosting since June 2017 and its been great............I would say the best investment with the most impact is the door painted into a chalkboard.  $12-15  easy to do - A/C door off the hinge, outside paint it 2 times - dry and hang -  You can get the chalkbd paint in colors, but I wanted the standard black for my place. I add a welcome with their names and they always smile/point it out and seem to really like that..........if guest has a special occasion I add that - like birthday - like a newlywed couple I put red hearts and a personal message/prayer for them - I add Wifi and passcode........also Favorite places to Eat - Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner...........folks really like all this and mention it in reviews. Also a few different guest, maybe teachers, took the liberty to erase the board and leave me  fabulous messages.  I loved that for certain. It is by far the best thing - I also, pick flowers from our yard and have a vase of those on the table. Have have a few snacks and bottled water in the fridg. The Chalkboard gets the 5 star review in my opinion.

[Kajsa2]

I bought a small water boiler and have set out a tray (from thrift store) with cups, napkins, spoons, small glass jar with sugar, small glass jar with some sweets, tea bags and instant coffee so they can have a cuppa in privacy of room. Note that fresh milk is found in fridge in kitchen.

I also have a bowl in bath room with lady saniatary pads, head ache pills, small hair spray, cotton pads etc.

I lay a map of my town and tourist info out on bed togehter with nicely folded towels.

In guest drawer of fridge I leave anything fresh and nice that other guests have left behind, also staples like pasta and cooking oil (accidentaly left  my very expencive italian olive oil out on kithcen counter one night and guest used it to fry mushrooms in) and let next guest use whatever they want.

I have cupboard in bath room for them to use and have cleanded open areas of my personal belongings, even though we share shower. When I have showered I take care to shine the metal parts in shower to make everything look fresh and nice.

If I am not home when they arrive I will leave a small hand written note in hallway telling when I am expecting to be home and wishing them welcome.

I also let guests borrough my bike to go downtown and explore area, even though I make them wear a bike helmet, this is Sweden, and we do like our safety 🙂

[Cynthia129]

I absolutely love this thread! I have two, and soon will have three, units, so you can multiply these all by that! They are all very cheap.

My ideas:

In our area many bars/restaurants/clubs/events give out decals (stickers) for laptops and waterbottles. I always take a few and keep them in a bowl in the unit. I have a sign that says 'take some Raleigh swag home!'  and have had guests comment on that and take one or two with them. It's a nice way to remember their trip. Cost - FREE

I collect a copy of our local free weekly every week and put it in the unit. Cost - FREE

I have snacks in each unit, in pretty clear canisters or jars on the open kitchen shelving. These look pretty and keep the kitchen from looking too empty. There are a few granola bars in a jar, another jar with a few packs of nabs (what Southerners call those packaged Nabisco crackers with peanut butter and cheese on them) and another one with dum-dum suckers. There are also a few packs of ramen noodles in the cabinet, plus oatmeal, hot coco, coffee, tea, etc. I also put individual milk and almond milk containers in the fridge. If a guest will be with me for a while I will put a few fresh eggs (we have chickens) in a bowl in the fridge, too. Those are almost free. Cost- about $20 month, at most, as most folks don't take them, but they do leave reviews commenting on 'all the snacks' I leave out.

I have told family and friends that I will happily be the repository for all their unwanted paperback and hardback books. I have a lot of readers in my circle, so they give me books pretty regularly. I have bookshelves in each unit and a sign that says 'if you start a book on your visit, please feel free to take it home with you!' and many have commented on that. Cost - FREE

I have a small basket of toiletries in each unit as well. I do buy some items, but I have also told family and friends I love sample-size and unused travel sized items that they don't need. My dentist also gives me toothpastes and brushes with her office card attached. I have sent two guests to her for emergency dental calls, so she thinks of this as good advertising. Cost - FREE

[Paul613]

Hi Ben and others!

As a host I make a guide to local cafes, bars and restaurants for my guests. I created a small tool that let’s me add locations and info about my favorite spots and then print one out each time I have a guest staying.

Would anyone find this useful if I turned this into a tool and released it on the web? If so I would gladly put some work into it and make it public!