What type of host are you? Do you like to spend time with your guests?

[Stephanie]

Hey there,

Recently I noticed a few discussions in the CC which touch upon different hosting styles, and so I thought it could be an interesting talking point.

Depending on the type of listing you host, the amount of time you have spare and also what your guests are looking for, the amount of time you spend with your guests can vary quite a bit.

Do you often spend time with you guests or do you find your guests prefer to be left to their own devices? Do you include anything about this in your listing description or welcome information?

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Lilly28]

@Stephanie 

I have it in my listing that every guest can have any help on my part if he/she wishes so - but I will not bother him/her if want to be left alone. I really help a lot my guests, I work not only as receptionist, but also as a special city guide. Guests obviously like what I am doing - and in their reviews almost everyone write how exceptional a host I am. But there is one bad thing - they are too often forgetting to write a word about the house, amenities, neighborhood, ect. - all what interests new guests.  Several times I asked my guests not to write about me - but the flat, ect - alas ... 

[Paul1255]

@Lilly28  how are you? Haven't seen you around for a while 🙂

[Emiel1]

@Stephanie 

I sometimes spent time with guests. It can be some (intensive) talking (if he guest choose to do so) or spent some leisure time like taking a bike trip in the country side or a walk in the city. It can be with an individual guest, but also with a group of guests. My guests are mostly below the age of 30 and not staying for 1 night (my average is 4 nights up to long term stay). Some guests I meet at check-in and  never see them again (they can check-out as a self service). Some guests like to have more contact or mention some special interest, in which i can provide additional information.I have a rather good knowledge of the city, her history, the countryside and the specific landscape and nature. As a frequent biker/walker i also know almost every trail in the county. I also like to show some spots wich are very interesting to visit, but are not in the tourist information. On the other hand: I once hosted a female from Taiwan, she wanted to interview a local artist, owning a eco style farm.. She did her research on the Internet. So she brought me an eyeopener, as i did not know of the farm excisting and learned something new ! I made a bike trip also with her, as she was interested in local species of flowers and i knew where to find them :>)

[Helen427]

hello @Stephanie @Emiel1 @Lilly28 

I include it in my listing that I'm there to welcome them & may or may not see them dependent on there situation & what's going on in my life.

What I find hilarious is the ones who have written that I have a tendency to talk are themselves more of a chatterboxes than myself! 

I've enjoyed having a wander over to Cornwall Park with some of them.

One of my favourite Guests who stayed had had a medical misadventure which left her with next to no voice & her whisper was shouting.

We communicated via writing & pictures.

Another of my guests was here looking for work so we spent quite a bit of time together enjoying finidng & watching the tiny tots monarch caterpillars in my garden & the delight of introducing her to praying mantis which she had never seen before.

Others have tended to share many varied stories.

One of most moving moments was when hosting a Guest, who's job I didn't know was, until we were watching the Grace Millane missing British Backpacker case on TV & they disclosed they were a Forensic Scientist for the Police.

We shared many an interesting story about Law & Order.

I love hosting Guests who have Police backgrounds!

[Robin4]

@Stephanie 

I have probably got myself into a bit of a trap in that both my reviews and my guests reviews suggest that a lot of interaction betweeen guest and host happens here and I find guests are booking to experience that interaction. It will settle down a bit now that winter is here. I don't encourage guests inside our main house and with nights getting down around the 0c mark socialising outdoors is not majorly comfortable.

Having said that we do get in some of the nicer still nights around the fire pit and try to convince each other that we don't need summer.

Some guests just amaze me with how sociable and talented they are.

Not long ago I had Joy here from the country South Australian town of Whyalla. Joy is a music teacher, an accomplished pianist, a great guitar player and a wonderful singer/songwriter. 

She pulled out her guitar one night, sang and played one of her compositions which turned out to be one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. We had tears just listening to it!

Three Japanese girls cooked us a wonderful meal one night and tried to teach me how to make an Origami heart. We all laughed like crazy as I tried to duplicate with my massive big fingers what the girls did with their incredible delicate fingers. My heart looked more like a feshly removed Liver!!

Wine is always a great meeting place and my mancave has been the scene of some really nice nights that none of us want to end.

My only regret is that I did not start hosting/B&Bing  twenty years before. Ade has run out of puff these days and prefers the seclusion of a nice warm chair in a quite corner somewhere than the 'getting to know you' bit that comes with having guests on the property.

Hosting is a part of my life that I am so glad didn't pass me by!

Cheers.......Rob

[Yadira22]

Hi @Stephanie 

hope you are well.

for me it depends on the vibe in the room. 

some I have a sit down dinner with, alone or with my entire family (I have a big family). Some, I have gone out with (platonic only as need to set some sort of boundary), some have met my friends. But the weirdest one of all is that we spent an entire morning handing out flyers for a questionnaire as he overslept and needed this feedback for his thesis. And of course some I have left completely alone.... but if I am office based then they don’t meet me at all (I work late but flexible hours- often finishing anywhere between 7pm-1am). 

Overall, the people we meet are interesting, i like Airbnb as you don’t know who you’ll get but this is both a blessing and in very small circumstances a curse. 🙂

[Suzanne302]

@Stephanie  I'm a homeshare host and I  take my cues on interaction from my guests. My standard line when meeting guest is, "Please let me know if you need anything at all or if you need suggestions on places to go don't hesitate to ask. Otherwise, I will leave you be and stay out of your way!"

The majorityh of my guests will have a request or two and are pleasant when we cross paths, but rarely do we "hang out." I did have one couple that I sat down and had a glass of wine with, and another lady who was traveling solo invited me to dinner and despite my objections, insisted on paying!

And then there was the couple who "held me hostage in a conversation" one night when I was trying to get to bed! LOL! They were soooo sweet, but just wanted to talk, and talk, and talk.......

[Nutth0]

@Stephanie I often spend time with my guests if they prefer, including have a lunch or dinner together. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Stephanie 

The majority of our guests are long-term exchange student guests, staying with us anywhere from 1 month to 4 months.

Most are busy with school and friends. Some spend more time studying or hanging out at home than others, while there have also been guests who have had such an active social life they would only be home to shower and sleep. 

We usually extend an invitation to join us for a meal or snack at least once or twice during the first couple weeks of their stay - we have a private room, shared home listing and while we are all for respecting one another's privacy, we don't want to feel awkward saying hi~ when we greet each other in the morning getting coffee. 

[Marit-Anne0]

@Stephanie 

It would depend on the guests I suppose.  Extract from a recent review:  

"The owner and manager are extremely pleasant, courteous and efficent and after a brief introduction to the apartment leave you to enjoy your holiday in peace. Just as we like it! "

Some simply want to be left in peace.