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I currently offer granola bars and oatmeal packets (as well as coffee, tea and basic condiments). I’m wondering about adding additional breakfast items but can’t think of other things that might be good that would non-perishable. I have done eggs which also last awhile in the refrigerator. Cereal is good but then you have to buy milk. I’d prefer not to have to stock things that can spoil or have to be replaced every few days/every week. I used to stock yogurts but guests rarely used them and they spoiled. Wondering what other hosts do.
I’ve also been trying to think of what to give guests as a welcome gift that would be affordable and wouldn’t spoil. A bottle of wine isn’t really worth it for the nightly rate (although I sometimes leave this for stays over a week). I have been offering custom made chocolates and toiletry packs, but literally NO ONE has mentioned them to me or in the reviews, so apparently they aren’t standing out. I have seen listings where nearly every review raves about the homemade cookies left as a welcome gift for guests…but there’s no way I’m baking homemade cookies every day haha. Anyone have any creative welcome gifts that you leave for your guests?
(FYI my listing is a house, not a room, and I usually don’t interact with guests face-to-face)
Buy the little organic milk in boxes that are good for several months or almond or soy milk, also in small boxes. Only buy things you will use and when guests don’t use it consume it yourself and put fresh in the rental. Costco always has some nice snack type things. Recently I got some whole grain fruit flavored fig bars that guests like.
Welcome gift: something blue corn or green chile related. Or some locally made soaps. I’d say go with something locally produced from an area farmer’s market. Or don’t bother at all. I’d probably rather have another dollar a night in my pocket than a gift I won’t use.
I bake muffins, English muffins and buns and keep them in the freezer for our guests’ breakfasts. They are a popular perk. Lately, because of the heat wave I’ve also been making ice pops for the guests from fruit I buy from the Farmers’ market. If you don’t bake, you can buy baked goods and freeze them.
I also have a separate space. Over seven years of hosting I’ve found guests don’t appreciate or acknowledge gifts. I mean, nope, not one single time. So I don’t leave them and am happier for it. I also don’t leave breakfast items because of particular tastes that vary. I mention in my notes that meals Re not provided so please plan accordingly. I do leave coffee and teas but don’t mention it or promise it.
That’s just me. Others may have a different approach.
I started out leaving welcome baskets and as mentioned by other hosts it was not mentioned in any way by any of my guests so I figured it was not important.
I used to put out a lot of refrigerated breakfast foods like yogurt and hard boiled eggs but then found that it was too hard to manage. I have a private room. I leave for work by 8:30AM. Breakfast was served from 7 - 8:30 but so often the guest slept later than that so I had to put it all away without the guest even eating it. I have reduced the stress for myself offering a help yourself breakfast; cereals - hot and cold. Bagels and English muffins with cream cheese, I freeze baked goods and put out enough for the number of guests I have that day, Toast and jam, coffee. I point the to where the cream cheese, milk and jam when I first meet them and tell them they are welcome to eat what is on the breakfast counter whenever they want, day or night.
You could back a bunch of cornbread muffins (Jiffy .99/box) with diced Hatch green chiles in them – Bake once a week and freeze all but the first 2 or 3 biscuits.
Many people that bake cookies use the “dough inna tube or tube”. No muss, no fuss, just slice off rounds and bake.
I supply breakfast only for their first day, to save them shopping while still jetlagged. Per guest, I leave one mini cereal box, a small long-life milk, a small yoghurt, an apple, a small juice, a sachet of instant coffee, and either a muffin or a breakfast bar etc. It’s easier when I have a couple as I can use a larger milk and a two-pack of muffins. I used to leave fresh croissants or bread rolls, but I hate waste and I grew tired of coming in five days later to find it all wasted. All these things are sealed and won’t go bad if the guest opts not to use them. There’s also porridge oats and more coffee & tea in the cupboard, plus food other guests have left behind. I leave a welcome note propped up in the basket in the fridge asking them to enjoy these items as they’re for you, etc.
I don’t charge for breakfast or tick it in the amenities list, but it has been mentioned dozens of times favourably in my reviews and people are clearly very pleased. I had two complaints (because of course you should complain about items given to you for free, right?) one saying the breakfast was childish (rice and coco pops etc instead of muesli), and one saying the breakfast wasn’t good enough. I switched to only offering corn flakes and I now note in my listing that I leave light cereal for their first day, and it seems to have cured the complainers.
I found individually packaged muffins at sams club that I set out in a basket with a couple of bananas, and these cute little biscotti. In the pantry I have granola bars, 1-2 boxes of cereal, oatmeal packets, snack crackers, and a few bags of microwave popcorn. I have coffee packets and sweeteners/creamers and a tea pot. In the refrigerator is a bowl with a few apples, plums and clementines, a pitcher of water, and either a quart or half gallon of milk and a container of juice. This is in an entire apartment, usually 2-4 people, and on longer stays I may add a package of bagels. Other than a 2.5 week stay, I’ve never had anyone eat everything I’ve provided, and everyone has left something good behind (condiments, peanut butter, etc). I only buy things my family will eat so that as it nears expiration I bring it home and put a new container in the rental. It works beautifully!
I went ahead and got some eggs and yogurts at Costco today since they should last awhile and were cheap, so we will see how that goes over for breakfast. Not non-perishable, but easy enough to replace. My house can host up to 7 people so it’s tricky to find things that are affordable and that people won’t just completely wipe out.
I also bought some cheap wine and a big box of cookies and put them in the freezer to give as my welcome gift. I have seen other hosts in our area who do cookies and they get mentioned on almost every review! Hoping it works for me…
I do the same thing and a few welcome snacks (fruit, chips etc).
But if the OP is looking for a good and cheap way to welcome guests and make them feel special then one idea is to have custom greetings cards printed with a photograph of the rental or the local area, then address them to the guest and leave them in the rental/ room with a welcome message.
We do this (as well as the snacks and first breakfast items) and guests take them home as souvenirs. On the back there are our contact details and Airbnb URL so that they can repeat book or recommend to friends.
I made @anon67190644 Windmill House granola a couple of days ago. It is absolutely delicious and a big hit with the guests. If you search this board for Windmill House granola you will find the recipe. She is a rock star for sharing it.
Keep us posted on whether the cookies impresses guests. Sometimes guests will rave about snacks because there is nothing better to rave about!
I provide complimentary boxed theater movie candy and popcorn for the movie theater room, and just recently an Airbnb guest mentioned it is a nice touch in the review. Almost everyone takes the movie candy, but hardly a soul mentions it. But I will hear about the great snacks my competitor provides. I came to the conclusion that it is just different types of rentals. Guest renting his place think the snacks are so important, and appreciate them much more…
Can I ask how long Laura is staying (is it just 2 people)? That’s a lot of cookie for 2 adults! : )
I’ve found guests love sweets (cookies, brownies) in the evening – esp with a glass of milk. Is that just a midwest thing? The first B&B I ever stayed at gave us warm chocolate chip cookies with milk and I recall being quite happy about it. (I would never do this myself – I don’t want chocolate con the duvet, sheets, etc. LOL.)
These Union Square Cafe bar nuts are addictive. You can use any nuts you like. If you’re on a budget; use almonds, walnuts and peanuts. If you’re feeling flush add some pecans, macadamias. Yes, the recipe calls for two tablespoons of fresh rosemary. It’s not a misprint and the rosemary doesn’t overpower the dish. This would be a nice welcome snack for your guests.
High Five a lot of unopened yoghurt, fruit and half-full boxes of food come back to my place… I don’t mind admitting I will use the opened items, I make a judgement call on whether they are safe based on whether they’ve used the kitchenware (good) and whether the apartment seems generally clean.
I also tried the microwave popcorn earlier on and found that it was rarely touched. Do they use it much at your place? (That was when I stopped offering snacks and focussed on more breakfast-type items.)
No, but it’s stuff that’s been sitting around my house since we don’t use it and it lasts a long time. It’s one of those things that makes me look super generous that doesn’t cost me anything, lol. Yay for cub scout fundraisers…
a lot of unopened yoghurt, fruit and half-full boxes of food come back to my place… I don’t mind admitting I will use the opened items, I make a judgement call on whether they are safe based on whether they’ve used the kitchenware (good) and whether the apartment seems generally clean.