What have you learnt about hosting from being a guest?

[Liv]

Hi everyone,

I’m aware that many of you are occasionally Airbnb guests when taking some time off or travelling for work, and I’m guessing it must be quite interesting to experience hosting from another perspective. 

When travelling as a guest, you might have been able to have different insights and ideas that you later applied to your own listing perhaps. As they say, we learn best by example.

So I was wondering: have you ever seen other hosts making mistakes that you now try to avoid? Have you been surprised by a different way of doing things, or by a great idea that you hadn’t thought of?

Thanks,

Liv

[Liv]

@Inna22 @Emilia42 Oh no, I can only imagine how that must feel like, but I sincerely hope that your future guests show more appreciation towards the effort you're putting into making sure they have a nice stay. 🤞

[Sarah977]

"A host should never think their door is easy,..."  Haha. I know  my door isn't easy.  After a guest checks in, gets settled and showers or relaxes, ad is ready for the kitchen orientation, I have them lock and unlock the main door, twice, while I'm standing there, so I know they'll be able to get in if I'm not home.

@Inna22

[Liv]

I love that solution, @Sarah977 😂

Sounds like a great way to make sure.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Liv 

Same as @Sarah977, our check in *tour* includes us showing, then actually having the guest punch in the entry code for building access, place the key fob at the right location of the door, wait to hear the chime for when the door is unlocked, then HOW to open the front door to make sure they know what to do. 

And based on our own travel experiences, Henry and I always found that how to use kitchen appliances may not seem as straightforward as we'd like to think - so we have step by step instructions posted next to everything.

Especially our water dispenser and coffee machine..... since these 2 things are critical for survival~~~  😁

 

 

[Liv]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 That's a good point! As @Sarah977 said, most people probably assume they'll know what to do. I guess having them try it themselves is a really good way of getting their attention and making sure they truly got it.

Also, I really like the details and layout you've put in your appliances descriptions. I think that using images is always helpful, especially to those who are unwilling to read much 🙃

[Pat114]

Once, for the life of me, could not figure out how to turn the shower water OFF in unfamiliar plumbing handles in Germany. Got dressed in the steamy bathroom, then went for help for someone to show me how to turn the water off. I'd already travelled a lot internationally, but never saw a plumbing setup like this one.

[Charles224]

@Liv ,

I have learnt that 2nd use items in the fridge or cupboard are disgusting.

I'm referring to that 'just opened and slightly used peanut butter' or a 'half full jar of olives'.

It is different when staying in a share-house environment (renting just a room etc) where you are with the hosts in the kitchen, but when you have the place to yourself - yuck. 

The other thing is towels; we focus on lovely fresh and cuddly towels, and provide spares (just the replacement amount) in the cupboard. 

And I totally agree with @Laura2592 . It's a learning curve.

[Inna22]

@Charles224 I always hate to throw out barely opened food. It sounds like I always should

[Liv]

Hi @Charles224, I totally get where you're coming from, but @Inna22 also makes a good point about wasting food. What do you guys think would be the best solution?

[Helen427]

@Liv @Inna22@Charles224 and others, food waste is a very important concern, as is waste in general.

 It shows in the way we are all raised what our perceptions are and how we react to those part used jars / packets of food, waste in general.

If we think of starving children, those who had relations suffer in war torn years & real hardships in life it makes one think differently and perhaps appreciate those things.

Add to the mix, we do have water to wash our hands in most countries and towels to dry our hands and exercise commonsense with cross contamination.

Sometimes people have more money than sense in the world whereas others appreciate and look after the environment.

Think where products end up when you turf them into the garbage bin, usually at a rubbish tip that was once natural wilderness and animal and natures wonderland....where will those species go for survival, if they survive the human race and lack of foresight?

" One person's rubbish is another treasure".

Reduce, Reuse, recycle.

As an aside, those empty plastic ice-cream containers & glass jars & bottles can be washed & dried, recycled & sold online or given to charity for other uses.

 It amazes me every time I've accumulated a dozen empty ice-cream containers and pop an advertisement online & bingo they are sold within a week to someone who appreciates them.

One lot was used for a university irrigation experiment, and another lot are on there way.

Perhaps encourage guests to take things with them when partially used.

Oh & I think it was @Ann72 who did a video that's in CC tucking into muffins that were left behind.

[Ann72]

@Helen427  I did not tuck into muffins that were left behind.  I'm not here when guests leave so I don't see how that would even be possible.

[Helen427]

Sorry @Ann72 

I know it was a regular in here who did.

Will hunt out the video, think it was in the I love Hosting because series some of us did

@Lizziemay remember 😉 

[Charles224]

@Inna22 you can use the food yourself (the host), or feed it to the dogs, but the issue is presenting it to a new guest.

I view an empty fridge is a better greeeting than a fridge which has 'someone elses' opened food in it. Think 'Covid' -apart from the myriad of other bugs. 

Cheers !

[Pat114]

I used to love staying in hostels and monasteries with shared kitchen. The "free food" section was often a gourmet buffet of slightly opened items.

[Clare167]

My pet hates are 

1. Towel is too small - agreed @Charles224

2. Sheets made of, or contain, polyester or other artificial fibres 

3. Coffee machine with no pods or not enough for the stay; I don't want to go shopping for them.

Numbers 1 and 2 are presumably due to trying to save money on the laundry and purchase costs. Number 3 is a mystery, as a filter cone and papers, or a cafetiere, would be cheaper as well as nicer.