This is why we do it

[Stephen1156]

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.

 

[Dale711]

Hi @Geri26 ,

You're nice and a great host!

[Stephen1156]

That's a gorgeous review. You're doing it right, @Geri26 !

[Katrina79]

@Stephen1156 Isn’t that lovely to have such a great mutual experience hosting  a stay with guests like these! Thank you for sharing, it makes me smile. 

[Michelle1164]

Thus far in our hosting experience we have enjoyed each of the guests who have chosen our little “Peace of Oz” to lay their heads.  We have yet to have a not so favorable review (knock on wood). So many good ones to  choose from. So here are a few. 

 

 

 

[Ann72]

@Michelle1164  I've seen your listing and have put it on my wishlist, so I'm not surprised by these reviews at all, but congratulations!  This is what happens when a host puts herself into the equation.  Brilliant.

[Michelle1164]

@Ann72 We would love to host you if you ever find yourself in the Wonderful Land of Oz. What an honor to know that other hosts find our listings worthy of adding to their wishlist.

Your listings are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately out of our price range, unless we win the lottery. (Guess we need to start buying tickets. 😉  I like how you mentioned your guidebook in your house rules. I think people overlook this feature. If hosts take the time to fill it out it can be a great resource to guests. I know when we use Airbnb for travel it's one of the things I look at. We have seen and eaten at some places that we otherwise may not have found if it weren't for hosts sharing some their favorite local businesses. 

[Ann72]

I really like how you embrace The Wizard of Oz in a really natural way with your listing, @Michelle1164.  I would love to visit some day.  Thank you for your kind words.  I had forgotten I'd mentioned the guidebook in the rules.  I get so many people who are mono-focused on Acadia I want them to know there's a lot more to discover right around them.  I get so many positive responses to the guidebook, too.  It's a bit of self-preservation too because I don't want too many messages asking what I think they should do lol.

[Michelle1164]

@Ann72 Yes, when they start asking questions you can just refer them your guidebook. Since you are not on premises to answer them, it's the next best thing.

[Ann72]

@Michelle1164  Ultimately, yes.  First of all I send every guest a link to the guidebook, the driving directions, and the house manual, even though they supposedly can find them on the listing and even though Airbnb sends them an email three days before the trip with links to those things (I think).  If they ask about activities before I send the guidebook link I answer them as specifically as possible and send the link then.  That usually gives them enough guidance. 

This year, though, tourism in my area promises to be extremely busy, so well in advance I'm sending every guest an email with a range of highlights of activities and events they might need to plan ahead for.  Renting kayaks, getting a table at the best restaurant, planning a fishing or puffin watching trip, that kind of thing.  I've put the guidebook link in that message along with links to the events pages of two local newspapers.  They've all been really excited to get it and I will probably continue to do something like that every year.

[Dale711]

Hi John & @Michelle1164 

Home Sweet Home!

                                      Like Shane said, " They are fantastic! You should definitely stay with them!"

                                                                                                                                              Cheers.........................

[Sarah977]

@Stephen1156  This was one of my faves, from a veteran Airbnb guest, and my last guest before I closed to booking my home share last March due to COVID. I really miss hosting and the wonderful guests I always seem to get and hope to reopen in the late fall, which is the beginning of the main tourist season here.

"Absolutely stellar. A luxury space for one—a beautifully decorated, tastefully designed, inviting little room. The bed is divine. I loved the bathroom too, especially the shower 🙂 Sarah’s home is charming; she herself is as warm, entertaining and helpful as she is discreet—she lets you take the lead. The kitchen is big and easy to find your way around in. The house is far from the maddening crowd, but I walked to town easily and often. This Airbnb is the real deal: a real host, a real house share, a local experience. Highly recommended."

This one was from a lovely young German guest:

"This place is excactly how Sara described it and even more. I felt so welcomed in these 10 days I stayed here. You feel the love that she put into her beautiful house and garden. Never had such a cozy room in my Air Bnb experience and i wanted to stay much longer but unfortunately she was fullbooked. Definitely a hidden Gem."

And this from a really special guest from Prague:

"What an incredibly enriching and heart-warming stay! It was like staying with a dear friend, we had such wonderful discussions. Sarah helped make my stay absolutely perfect in so many ways, it couldn't have been any better. Also, the room is so beautifully decorated and uniquely shaped (I was in awe when I found out that Sarah designed the house herself!), the garden a tropical paradise. And I have completely fallen in love with Sarah's dog, so unique, deeply intelligent and endearing. All in all, this was an experience I will cherish forever, thank you from all my heart, dear Sarah!"

It feels kind of weird to post these here, like I'm bragging, but I love that these guests were so appreciative, articulate and such a good fit. I enjoyed having them here as much as they said they enjoyed staying.

[Barry-and-Lera0]

A big reason for us hosting is to really mold our hospitality chops. Learning the in's and outs of really blowing peoples minds wiht a space and experience while creating efficient strategies in everything from cleaning to being under-cover concierge's. Our plan is to eventually buy a 6-8 unit "motel" type compound and use the business model that we have been working on for over 6 years to start another business. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Stephen1156 

Pre-Covid, Henry and I used to host a lot of long-term exchange student guests. We still stay in touch with a few of our guests who we've come to consider as personal acquaintances and friends. 

[Robin4]

@Stephen1156  @Jessica-and-Henry0  @Geri26 

As far as actually reviews go I am possibly most proud of these two, they both happened fairly early in my hosting career.....I hope I haven't gone off the boil since then!

And this one from a French family......

You are right Stephen, it's nice to be appreciated.

Cheers.......Rob

[Ann72 · Accepted solution]

@Stephen1156  I never forget that we each offer something unique.  My guests tell me why they're coming and that tells me what they want out of their stay.  Here are a handful of recent examples from their messages"

“a birthday trip. Hoping for a time to re-connect, silence our cell phones, and relax”

“a nurse just looking to finally get away for a quiet weekend with my boyfriend”

“a long weekend for a ‘babymoon’ trip before our first child arrives”

“traveling to Maine for our 40th anniversary”

“a make-up first anniversary trip (since we couldn’t travel last year on our first anniversary)”

It's a no-brainer that my main goal, after making sure the accommodation is pristine, is to leave the guests alone, giving them the peace and quiet they crave.  So my communication with them is minimal.  I don't send a message after they get there to ask if everything is all right.  I don't send a message before they leave to go over check-out.  I leave them alone.  Here are three recent reviews:

* This is probably the most gorgeous and thoughtfully-designed home we've seen. Every last detail, from the way the house sits on the land, to the beautiful and fully-stocked kitchen, to the luxe bathroom helped make the stay so relaxing. Ann is an exceptional host, and the only difficulty we had was convincing ourselves to actually leave the house and go explore the surrounding trails and adventures!

* Ann’s home is unique in so many ways. The location is perfect for a quiet retreat, surrounded by trees, total silence, bright sunny days and night skies of incredible beauty. The house is beautifully designed, with all sort of amenities, books and art, superb bedding and toiletry, complete kitchen, and a great attention to detail, all making you feeling welcome and at home. It reminded us of hospitality found at a Relais & Châteaux property. Communication with Ann was always a click away. A place to return!

* Ann's place in Maine was our first Airbnb experience, and it was so nice that we are a bit afraid no other stay will ever match up! The house was in immaculate condition when we got there. It immediately made us feel so comfortable and relaxed. You can clearly see the attention to detail and the care and effort that Ann has put into the house, and into making sure her guests are not left wanting for anything during their stay. A really great vacation. Highly recommend this property!