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I think the tips are great, what I’d add is something that people often forget, which is what you can do before the guests arrive. I think the most important thing to do is to send them a welcome document with information about your listing, the check-in process, local recommendations and other general information regarding your area.
Guests really appreciate this, it takes a bit of time to compose the guide, but once you composed it you can easily send your guests a Dropbox link to download it. I combine this with an email template in my email program, as soon as my guests make a booking I sent them the email. Almost all my guests mention that they appreciate this.
Most guests will flick through them, it is unlikely they will read them cover to cover. We have found that it is best to buy quarterly magazines that talk about travel, food, the home rather just one genre.
Are you running a B&B or a charity center. Ok I charged $50 per night. Flowers cost me $10, airport pick up costs me $20 using my car, champagne costs me $10 - such expenses are on top my offer which includes a clean place, new sheets, towels, breakfast, hot water, electricity, wifi, tv etc. So if I follow your advise the guest is going to have to invite me to breakfast as I don’t have money to even cover that.!
On top of that after 5 years as an “top” airbnb hostess, my place is rarely advertised. It is rare now that I get one guest every three months.
Now they advise me that I should offer my place for $20 a night. My response is that I will comply by offering my terrace without an air mattress or blankets, without bathroom facilities and without any other items included in my $50 rental as I consider this a total debasement of me, my home and what I offer.
Totally infuriated - who are they to reduce my home to that of a beggar?
Same here. From my experience, people mostly care about personal attention they get from the host. That’s far more important than providing a bathrobe or something like that.
I think to gift guests with alcogol is not only the access but also is a bad taste. We are accepting people in our home, they all come from different backgrounds, paying bargain price. Many of my guests commented that they dont drink at all. I imagine if i was looking to crash somewhere for a night or even a cheap stay for a few days, only to discover on my arrival a 10$ bottle of wine that i dont even want to use. I would think: Hmm, i would rather had that 10$ in my pocket, what a silly people my hosts are. It would be different of course with some high end separate units, but also totally unnesesary.
I agree 100% that nothing is more valued than personal attention. If a guest feels taken care off, and is provided with basics all will be good without flowers, chocolates and booth.
I’ve thought of that, too, Yana! Or, what if they have a problem with alcohol and have a difficult time avoiding it? Putting a bottle right there in their room won’t be appreciated.
I think the wine thing is a delicate balancing act. I do it selectively - people who have mentioned that they’re having an anniversary, just got married, birthday etc. And you really have to suss them out. Plenty of cultures don’t drink. Being a drinker myself, I absolutely love it if I turn up at some cheap hotel en route somewhere having had a long drive and there’s either a beer or wine in the fridge. I think ‘how civilised’ and promptly tuck in.
I do that as well for either a birthday or anniversary. Of course I ask the guest that is booking that I would like to surprise their other have and Would like to provide a ice bucket with champagne. They will either say we don’t drink at all, which then I leave them a small cake in the fridge.
I had a aussie guest that had a long flight and I left a fosters in the fridge and boy did I get koodo marks from him.
Liga, These things all sound wonderful, and I would love to have them when I arrive at my destination, but I wonder, how can you afford these things and still profit? I can do the whole coffee set up, and a snack, but food, wine, cookies??
I would love to know how you can provide these nice things and still make money? Do you get longer rentals? Thanks!
I love to travel and I’m always happy when I arrive in my new place and there is a little surprise - simple flower or anything. I’m new to the Airbnb hosts and at the moment I don’t have any profit - I believe I’m spending more now when I have guests. I’m just imagine myself in my guests place and try to take as good care as possible.
People in my country are very welcoming and thoughtful. We welcome our guests like a family!!!
But I have to agree with you all the little extras takes extra time and if there will be profit someday it could be very little.
I wish you many wonderful guests!!! Let me know if you are in Riga Latvia sometime!!!
Not that I know of. But when @lordhunt said ‘Now they advise me that I should offer my place for $20 a night’ I wondered if there was a advisory service that was available to certain hosts. Or that it might be during an email exchange with Airbnb.
I do keep my rooms spotless and my reviews reflect that. But tbh, I have a huge dog living with me, and there IS going to be dog hair on the sofa occasionally, no one has ever complained even slightly about it. I have kept my 5 star rating I think due to my interaction with my guests. I spend the time we have at breakfast chatting with them like we are old friends. As well as giving them loads of info about where to go and what to do here. I am an ex bartender so talking with people comes very naturally to me. I think a friendly and helpful host goes very far if other things are not 100% perfect! I certainly would never splash out for champagne, although I did try fresh flowers and fruit for a while. It honestly made no difference to my reviews of amount of bookings and just ended up costing me 10% of my booking fee! Some of the suggestions here are frankly ridiculous. There are insurance issues with picking people up, and that is what buses and taxis are for. Honestly, this is Airb&b, not the Four Seasons. I have had Superhost status for the last year, dog hair and all.
