Welcome guest basket ideas

[Luke73]

Dear everyone,

“Welcome guest basket" is one of the great ways to make guests “Wow". Not only that, it shows your hospitality, caring, and thoughtfulness.

To stand from the crowd, when creating our welcome guest basket, we decide to deliver all of the messages through POEM. You can check out our listing and view photos to see pictures of our welcome guest basket: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19645805

Here is some of the ideas about welcome guest basket:

[Sally10]

Wow Luke 73

Those are the most thoughtful and beautiful ones I've seen amazing !!!

[Chanelle9]

My husband and I own 'Quixotic Gifts' based in the western lake district (UK)

We supply holiday homes with our hamper/gift boxes which include handmade items; soap, candle, lip balms and body butters. We sell these to holiday homes at £12 per hamper and they retail for £24.99

We find guests really appreciate them and give more positive feedback for having such a gift waiting for them.  

[Huma0]

Has anyone been watching 'Instant Hotel'? It amazes me what efforts hosts go to with welcome baskets and how unappreciative guests are of them, but then again, the guests in this show are competing hosts.

I went to a lot of extra effort last Christmas with cards, gifts and treats for my guests, but 80% of them did not even say thanks and many left some of it on the floor or even threw it in the bin unopened. I will be a bit more selective about leaving extras in the future.

[Rachel477]

Hi everyone,

This is my second year and I want to welcome my guests with something special. I thought of things that are from my area - hazelnuts, locally made chocolates and some watercolor post cards that I have painted. I am also putting together an activities list of local businesses that offer things to do that my guests may be interested in. Collaboration with women in business is important to me.

Rachel Kyle

Mt. David Home

Cottage Grove, OR

[Cathie19]

Like @Huma0  I do a welcome chalk board and place names in it.

We provide all bathroom essentials and more, so don’t feel the need to create a specific basket of goodies. It wouldn’t be successful, as we are in the tropics, and everything would either melt or begin to overripen or turn. Fruit everything in the fridge.....

In fact there’s probably a few goodies in the cupboard in the cookie jar, and a well stocked fridge and cupboard for breakfast items. This includes milk, eggs, bacon, juice, a small chocolate for each person and a bottle of water.p for everyone. A loaf of bread & a small amount of fruit. These are all in the fridge ready for use. We were offering a cheaply sourced bottle of wine, but with liquor legislation changes, I cannot get them as cheap anymore....

[António-E-Sandra0]

Olá a todos,

Desde que iniciámos esta aventura foi nossa preocupação ter uma oferta para os hóspedes. Deixamos sempre produtos da região para os adultos, nomeadamente vinhos produzidos na localidade. Para as crianças tentamos oferecer algo adequado às suas idades, também produtos locais.

[Quincy]

@António-E-Sandra0 Translation from Portuguese:

Hello everyone, Since we started this adventure it was our concern to have a gift for the guests. We always leave products from the region for adults, namely local wines. For the children, we try to offer something appropriate for their ages, also local products.

[Admin3]

XYZ

[Mia149]

What a lovely idea. 

[Karl117]

Although our accomodation is rather basic ( summerhouse with shower room and toilet) we like to do a little more than expected like a few bottles of nice beer,always bottled water and tea/coffee . i like the chalk board idea!   we were just talking about a stocked fridge with an honesty box too

[Julia393]

L'occitane shea hand cream in a welcome basket! I want to stay whereever that is!

In our 12 room house, we provide a large assortment of bathroom amenities, including feminine products, razors, toothbrushes/small toothpastes and the normal things; hotel sized soap, shampoo/conditioner and some Nutrigrain bars, gummy bears for kids, assortment of K-cups and regular coffee. In our one bedroom apartments we provide a few K-cups (always with creamer, several sweetening items) the bar, and soap/shampoo. It's a revenue and turnover issue when providing more at the large home. People stay longer at the home also. Have had many comments about providing the items so I know they are appreciated. We don't have people taking them everytime either. I placed a note inside the little buckets of items that we leave that reads: "Items you may have forgotten to pack. Take what you need; leave the rest for the next guest." OR...something like that...I think I actually wrote something a little more clever. 

[Lushana0]

Everyone’s welcome gifts look and sound so good! I’ve stayed at about 40 Airbnb’s around the world (usually full 1-2 bed apartments that aren’t cheap and have great reviews) and hardly ever experience hosts giving welcome gifts. The most we’ve gotten is a couple cheap bags of junk food or a beer. I wonder how common welcome items are overall 

[Victoria567]

Hi@Lushana

I Provide a welcome gift basket full of quality toiletries and hairdrier, which I Place on top of the towels, bath mats and face cloths as a courtesy to guests, whether they stay one night or three which is the maximum stay I host.

I also provide bottled water and  chocolates 

[Anna271]

Welcome basket both sounds and looks very nice. That said, my emphasis is to make the lodgings very “home-like” rather than hotel like. I provide lots of things but they are all put in normal locations as though you live there. Many people comment favorably on this. In doing so I strip away all of the non-essentials from countertops and shelves. Things of this kind are all stocked in drawers and people are delighted when they open each drawer. My space is small (850 sq ft) so I try to make it feel serene - no cutesy clutter - nothing but fruit and flowers to be seen. 

I love over the welcome basket shown in this post. To me, it looks wonderfully resort like and that’s probably very effective. I just don’t think it fits with c. 1925 cottage at the edge of the woods. So, I guess I’m saying that there are many right ways to approach this aspect of hospitality. I’ve never used the chalkboard but I’m going to try it based on these postings. 

[Anna271]

P.s.  my minimum stay is 4 nights. My average stay is 7-8 nights, so I can spend a bit on refrigerated fresh food (butter, eggs, milk etc,) and it’s important to my guests because many fly in from overseas and wake up ravenous at 3:00 am. So, if you are thinking about my posts this is a factor in what I can afford to do and what I (we) can’t. On the other hand, because I live in Portland Oregon, the vegan capital of the world (I’m told) I am re-assessing what minimal things should be in the fridge. This longer stay may explain why it’s such a hit with guests to feel they’re “at home” rather than a hotel or resort. Neither is better - it’s just about a cohesive message. 

[Linette7]

Gift baskets are a great idea!  We leave a peraonlized letter for each guest reflecting the interested they have shared with us.  I have also collected lots of local brochures and will pull out those that are in line with the interests of the guests.  I also leave a box of Salt Water Taffy which is a little momento of Maine.

-Linette

Loon Lodge, Winslow, Maine - https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20747780

Loon Loft , Winslow, Maine - https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21551164

[Allison116]

I like the guest basket idea and also the chalk board.  But all things are relative to your listing--what type of listing are your going for, what your rate is, etc.  I don't allow 1 night stays but any listing, even an economical 1 night listing can do something special for guests that cost little to nothing if they choose.  It would be great if there were some ideas/samples by room rate. Like rooms under $50/night, then other suggestions for rooms $51-100/night, then rooms that are $100-$150/night, $150+/night etc.

For example, even an econimical 1 night stay at a place under $50 can do something special.  Fold their towels in a special design and add a personal message either on an index card or chalkboard.  Ever wonder how to fold towels like a swan, fan, elephant, etc.  You can learn how to do this free online so it only costs you time.  

I provide a lot of access to full sized bath and beauty products which are labeled "for guest use" during their stay.  I also provide a couple of bottles of sparking water, some cookies and fresh fruit like grapes on check in.  This maybe costs me $5 per check in for a minimum 2 night stay.  For stays of a week or more I also provide a bath pouf with a thank you tag on it that they can use during their stay and take with them when they leave. 

[Liga2]

Hello all 🙂

Thank you so much for inspiring guest welcome surprise ideas 🙂

I love to prepare surprises for my wonderful guests too!

When I started hosting I prepared beautiful welcome trays with all possible cute little toiletries, sewing kit, snacks, soft drinks and kitchen was completely stocked with everything you could possibly want. I did huge extra effort for all guests even for one night stays 🙂

But I have to say honestly now I try to keep it more simple 🙂

I always prepare welcome surprise for my wonderful guests and when I’m travelling I’m always happy to see that the host has done a little effort to make my day more awesome 🙂

All the great hosts keep up the good work and I wish you many wonderful Airbnb guests in future 🙂

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19139654

 

Happy & Sunny Regards from Riga 🙂

Liga

[Quincy]

This looks amazing @Liga2!

I am 100% sure that your guests appreciate this :-). Having such a lovely welcome package made me wonder if you also have a guest book where your guests can leave messages? 

[Liga2]

Big Thank You for good words 🙂

It`s the little things that make life more wonderful! I always make some surprises for my awesome guests 🙂

I have pretty awesome guest book! I have been lucky to meet many very fascinating and amazing guests. Messages in my guest book are so sweet and thoughtful! Gives me so much positive energy and inspiration 🙂