Are welcome gifts/snacks a good idea?

[Jan271]

What is your opinion about welcome gifts?

We are typically hosting tourists that comes to enjoy Copenhagen for a couple of days, which also means that we don't have any repeat guests.

We provide coffee, tea and other basics if our guests wants to cook. Our apartment is super well situated in the center,  modern with an "upmarket" feel, and we generally get good ratings from our guests (avrg 4.9) on over 100 stays, which we of course are happy and proud of.

What would be the pros and cons of providing a welcome baskets of some snacks? Is it worth it or just an unnecessary expense?

[Christine615]

I leave sparkling water in the fridge, coffee and a variety of herbal teas and a small basket of packaged snacks. Some people mention they are grateful for the option. Others don't seem to use them. But I buy at Costco in bulk so the cost per stay was reasonable. I've never had anyone raid the stash and clean me out. So experiment with things that seem considerate but don't eat into your profits. Then post photo of it on your page.

[Jennifer2682]

One of the primary amenities at my rental is an extra large soaking tub for two. So in addition to bath salts and bubbles, I provide guests with a bath bomb, mini-soap, and small jar of body butter that I purchase in bulk from a local maker. I include a simple note that says, “A gift for you from Nature House.” Costs about $8 which goes back into my local community. Guests don’t often comment on it specifically but often compliment the many “nice surprises” they find at my place. It’s small and easy and I think it’s a good investment! 

[Karol22 · Accepted solution]

In my opinion, this is a great way to surprise and delight a guest. Hotels usually charge for snacks but I never really understood this because snacks are pretty low cost and definitely increase the quality of a guest's stay, which translates into positive reviews. Surprise and delight, if you can source any snacks, coffee, teas from your local stores, especially if it gives the guest a taste of your area, these sort of gestures are appreciated and well received. 

[Colette289]

We have condos at the beach and get alot of families. I get boxes of ice pops at the dollar store and put a box in the freezer before every guest. The guests love it. We also do other things for our guests but...

[Emilie]

@Karol22 The small things can make all the difference sometimes! What kind of snacks have you left for your guests over the stays you've hosted?

@Colette289 That's a really thoughtful gesture, I bet children in particular are over the moon when they find out 😃

[Kvas0]

I always give snacks for birthday to people, whe I don't know what else to gift

[Koma61]

Lol, me too. I think it is a universal thing. Sometimes my friends and relatives say about what they would like t have, but if they don't, I give them a gift basket with a snack and little stuff they like

[Koma61]

"Lol, me too. I think it is a universal thing. Sometimes my friends and relatives say about what they would like t have, but if they don't, I give them a gift basket**[Link removed - Community Center Guidelines] with a snack and little stuff they like."

I would think that if they wanted something specific, they would tell or at least hint about it. My wife always tells me what she wants, which is never a secret, so she is always satisfied with a gift. Sometimes I also give her a lot of money so she can go shopping and buy the clothes she likes

[Fiona243]

I don't provide any snacks, just a selection of teas and coffees. However I do provide an amenity basket containing a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, eyeshade, ear plugs, cotton buds, nail file and a selection of feminine hygiene products. That way if a guest has forgotten to pack one of those items they don't have to rush out and buy them. I usually fill the basket with the freebies from air travel, and my dentist often gives away trial size samples of toothpaste, so the items barely cost me anything. Several guests have thanked me for providing these items.

[Vivian1141]

I think a welcome basket is an unnecessary expense unless you have a listing that’s a super fancy/expensive kinda property. I would say that the basics of coffee, tea and cooking essentials are necessary. I’ve stayed at many airbnbs in the past and I don’t recall getting a gift basket at any of them.. the most was a bottle of wine at a cabin I stayed at. 

[Sheila646]

We have a high end listing that is about ten miles from the nearest store. Our nearest match in this market is a smaller house in town, and I know she leaves a bottle of wine for guests. Cost $10 USD.  She charges less and located right next to a large discount store. I don't know if she gets compliments, but I understand guests do take the wine. 

I have found that most guests appreciate a gift. In fact we receive a lot of notes about the gift basket and other amenities that guests appreciated. Maybe that's because the welcome message I leave with the gift basket points out that we have tried to fill the house with items to make them comfortable. 

When I am the guest, I am over the moon if the host leaves granola bars or something small, even if I don't want them. I just think that is so thoughtful. I love it when hosts leave personal welcome notes that aren't just more instructions. I feel special when they leave a gift even if it is just something small like a tin of nuts or a bottle of wine. I appreciate when there are a few pantry items like sugar and coffee in the rental, but I hate finding random items in the pantry that have clearly been left by previous guests. 

In our rural rental, we have a small snack basket in the kitchen containing packets of granola bars, cheese crackers, animal crackers (sweet biscuits shaped like animals), and instant oatmeal. This is for guests to have a quick snack if they have to rush out the door in the morning or if they get in late with a cranky child. Most guests use at least some of these items. 

Because we are on the higher end of the price range we always leave a guest basket with a note. We almost always receive thank you notes and compliments on the basket.  It's different every time and scaled to the length of the stay and occasion. For instance, our long term guests and anyone coming in for a holiday receive a very elaborate basket.

We also provide coffee,  local teas, sugar, sweetener packets, artificial creamer, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and basic spices in the pantry. 

Guests have the option to purchase eggs and honey from our farm. There is also an honor cabinet with extra charger cables, diapers, sanitary napkins, lightweight winter hats and gloves that are simply better than nothing at all, razors, tooth brushes, and full size bars of handmade soap from our farm that they can purchase by scanning a QR code. We also keep extra sample soaps, hairpins, and safety pins that people can take for free. The honor cabinet is rarely used, but occasionally we sell a bar of soap. 

I'm sure it would be overly elaborate in other situations, but many of our guests are in town for a couple of days to attend a family event and don't have a lot of time to find the local grocery store.