For those of us hosting for reasons beyond the income - those wanting to provide an experience as well as a place to stay, this review from today is the perfect illustration. What have guests said about your place that points to the experience? I'm keen to know and then stickybeak at your listings.
Back in 2017 I had this woman book to stay in my cottage for 4 nights. She said she was regarded as Australia's leading junior swimming coach, she was coming for the wedding of one of her swimming pupils who said he could not get married unless Marianne attended!!!
I thought, Wow this will be good, I told her in the message stream where all the swimming training facilities were in my area and I eagerly looked forward to her arrival. The day came, end of January, bloody hot! This access van pulled up out the front of the property and this humongous woman.....quite the largest most rotund person I have ever seen in the flesh got out! She could not walk unaided, she had a crutch that she used with one arm and the taxi driver helped holding her other arm. I stood there in disbelief, this was not the person I was expecting to host. We got her into the cottage and onto the bed, she was sweating profusely, I rushed up to my mancave got onto Airbnb and explained my situation! They asked if I wanted to cancel the reservation and I said...."I can't, she is here but just be aware and I want it on record that there may well be a problem with this hosting that was not disclosed to me prior to arrival"!
I left her to it that afternoon and evening and she seemed to get on okay.
The next afternoon it was about 32c (90f) and I was sitting on the rear verandah when she came out and asked if she could join me. I gestured to her to sit down but, I was annoyed, I felt duded and disaster was just around the corner. She started to tell me about all her swimming successes and I was thinking..."For Chr*st sake shut up Marianne, you would empty a swimming pool, not fill one"!!
I asked her if she would like a cup of tea and Ade came out and we talked for a while and Marianne started to cry. She told us how her genetic condition had taken over her life, she had to abandon the career she loved, her family had largely abandoned her and she had ended up all alone in a country town in New South Wales. From that point on she was good company, we had a few laughs and passed a nice afternoon.
The next morning the bridegroom and best man arrived to transport Marianne to the wedding. He walked up the driveway, all 6ft 4 of him and he was indeed one of Australia's leading swimmers....in fact he has Olympic gold to his name. He looked so odd as he put his arm around 5 ft 2 Marianne, he looked me in the eye and said....."I couldn't have done it without this woman"!!!
I thought, well there you go, you never judge a book by it's cover. Marianne was a wonderful guest and we have kept in touch since. When I pass through Neranderra on our frequent trips to the east we call and have a cuppa with Marianne.
Here is the review she left me......
Stephen, these experiences come out of nowhere, you can't plan for them or predict them.
I had the worlds best Jazz pianist here one night! She was a 67 year old Japanese woman....but that's another story!
Cheers.......Rob
This is what is so lovely about hosting Helen, every day is a new experience, you just don't know what is going to come next.....but by God, I eagerly await it.
I got a booking from Lee!
He had absolutely nothing on his profile page except one wish list item, and that was to stay at our property.
He booked to fly in from the west coast of America, stay for a week here in our cottage and then fly back to the US again......who on earth does that, fly's half way around the world to stay in one place and then departs to head home.
I thought.....being all full of myself, this guys a company mole, a mystery shopper, come to check us out, I was going to leave no stone un-turned where this hosting was concerned!
Lee arrived and we had a great week, shared a meal or two and had more than a few drinks together but I have to tell you Helen, he was no mole, no mystery shopper......he was just a cowboy from the Black Hills of Dakota.
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Lee's wife was an ultra-marathon runner and she had been out training a few years before and got struck by a vehicle and never came home. Lee was having a terrible time in accepting his loss and every year he made a point of going to a listing he thought his wife would have liked ...........and in 2017, it was ours!
Can you see why I so love being a host?
Cheers.........Rob
Geri I had a look at your listing and it looks terrific, great location, my query is, charging $70 per night how on earth do you make any money out of it?
Like you, I run a Studio that is part of a main residence. Living in the same locale, I am subject to the same cost of living costs as you. I run a full profit and loss and after covering all my costs I make around $65 per night. But if I was charging what you are charging I would be making less than $30.....it just wouldn't be worth doing it!
These costs have nothing to do with our personal living, they are what it costs to host additional people on our freehold property!
I know Airbnb would be suggesting that you should be cheaper Geri, but it's not Airbnb's concept to get involved with reality. This is the silly nonsense I get from them.......
Unfortunately many new hosts get sucking in by this promotional stuff Airbnb throws at you. If I gave away 31%, offering what I do, I would be struggling to break even.
But of course that is not Airbnb's problem, is it!
Cheers.........Rob
