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What works here? Are guests generally sensitive to it? I have no plans on confronting or discussing politics with them, but between a bumper sticker and a yard sign, it’s pretty clear where I lean politically.
I also host dinners once per week, where I invite family/friends/their friends/nice acquaintances, etc. It’s generally my highlight of the week. Anywhere from a dozen to 20-30 people. And anything from spaghetti, to something a little more formal, to a hodge podge of what everyone else brings. In principle, I’d love to extend the invitation to AirBnb guests who are staying with me. The guest house is far enough away, and the dinners a tame enough affair, that I don’t think they’d be disturbed. But even though they won’t lose their dedicated garage parking space, I know they’ll notice all the cars, and influx of people.
The thing is the dinners tend to have guests who are very obviously gay, political activists, racial minorities, and the conversation and make-up definitely tends to lend very, very left. I want everyone to feel welcome. And I’m not really sure how to handle it. We’ve had guests in the past who decided it wasn’t their cup of tea and never came again, and that’s great. But they weren’t um… leaving me a review.
Mention the dinner? Don’t? Invite guests? Should I explicitly state more? Just a vague something something about everyone being welcome, regardless of viewpoint/lifestyle? What would you do?
I was wrestling with the same thought as I plan to have an ABB suite (with private entrance) in my personal home soon (my other listings are not in my home) and we enjoy BBQs and pool parties with our friends. We do plan to let guests know they are welcome since the pool/jacuzzi is an amenity they will be welcome to use.
Isn’t it sad that having dinner with a wide variety of people has to be seen as a political thing… such a sad state of the world when we have to worry about such things.
I say invite them and if they choose to be ‘offended’ or whatever else, that’s their issue to deal with.
Just editing to add, you should put a little something in your listing description about being open minded, everyone being welcome, that kind of thing. I think it’s @KKC who has something like that, maybe she can share? (Unless I’m remembering the wrong person). Hopefully that would help to weed out any ignorant bigots. This isn’t about guests leaning a different way politically, this is about guests not being assholes
I wouldn’t invite my guests to a dinner party or a pool party because I want to let my hair down and be as outrageous/silly/crazy as I like and I don’t necessarily want guests to see that side of me.
I think you might be thinking of me. I put this in my listing under Other Things To Note,
“This should go without saying as it’s common decency, but in light of recent political developments we’re saying it: we welcome guests of all abilities (as long as we are able to provide necessary accommodations), ethnicities, nationalities, religious beliefs or non-beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities and ages.”
I am very much a liberal. We always invite guests to share meals with us if they’re home when we’re eating. If our friends come over, our guests are welcome to join the discussion. One of the things I enjoy about hosting instead of having an office job is that I don’t have to suppress my political views. I have 338 reviews. Not one guest has said anything negative about my political views.
You probably recall me saying I have a picture that says “In this house we believe that Black Lives Matter, Women’s Rights are Human Rights, etc…” I’ve also stated that the Karma Casa name and Tibetan prayer flags in the front are purposely chosen to discourage the kinds of guests who are anti-gay, think yoga is a Satanic practice and that sort of nonsense.
To answer the OP’s question
I would only invite guests that I felt would fit in. If I didn’t know them well enough then I wouldn’t invite them, even if they were staying in my house, not a guest house separate from mine. I wouldn’t take the chance on my highlight of the week being spoiled.
I, however, would love to be invited. Message me your listing (or post it here if you want) and I’ll wish list it. LOL.
I’ve had leftist reading material (Howard Zinn, Angela Davis, Naomi Klein) in my “entire place” rental unit for years (in addition to more liberal stuff like the free Atlantic magazines I get from NPR). No one has ever made any kind of negative comment and I’ve def had some red state guests. If they’re visiting Chicago, I figure an article on Mass Incarceration is just as relevant as a copy of Fodors (which is also on the coffee table…)
Yes! I’m a contract writer for Fodor’s! They are (or were) the best guidebook because they hire writers who live in the area to do the books and update yearly. Random House recently sold the company though and so far we haven’t heard a word about our autumn contracts.
We use this sentence right up front when we start to describe our space. It’s very clear about our values and what we expect other from our guests. Feel free to use it. We have had many guests say that this was the deciding factor on staying with us.
“All will be welcomed into our home. We are LGTBQIA friendly. We do not tolerate -ISMS: racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia or ethnic discrimination. We encourage open minds and open hearts.”
FYI, We also do art events once a month in our home. Since our room is in our home, we make sure we call that out as well. If a guests books on the date of the event, I immediately reply back and make sure they noticed the date of the art event overlaps with there stay. Usually, they are super excited about it, so it’s not been a problem. Here is what we say:
“We run The Porch Gallery, a twenty square foot white cube exhibition space wrapped inside our Victorian home. We host month long exhibitions June - October and feature contemporary painting, sculpture and installation. We have an opening exhibition on: (insert dates here). These events occur in the front yard of our home (not inside) and between 25-75 people show up between the hours of 9-11pm. Your room is in the back, not near the gallery. However if this isn’t your jam, consider staying with us on another night. If it is, come join us!”
Would your regular dinner party guests be tolerant and accepting of opinions that didn’t match the liberal NYC status quo? I’d imagine the worst thing that could happen is if one of your regulars decided to berate or mock an Airbnb guest who expressed an innocent but politically incorrect opinion. I know too many people who are eager to attack someone they perceive to be on the “other team” rather than truly listen to what they have to say.
It’s just one of my side jobs.
Penguin Random House paid generously over the seven or so years I worked with them, but I don’t think the new company has their kind of budget. It’s a great brand with a long history of quality publications, so let’s just hope they don’t run it into the ground. I’m not gunna work for peanuts though if the new company offer peanuts.
(I just recently learned how to screen shot on my phone, so I’m doing that instead of retyping because it’s way more fun)
This is the very first chance I get to talk about the room. I like to think it’s clear without being shouty. (I reserve shouting for street protesting and waking up my teenager)
In December 2015, I put up a home made “refugees welcome here” sign in my front window (timing mentioned, because it might have a wobbly stable with a star drawn on it as well). One guest mentioned it, and how happy she was to see it. No one else has said anything one way or the other.
We also host community building potlucks every other week (last time we played Rise Up, a cooperative boardgames that teaches you how to build a movement around causes. We chose “votes for dragons”, but you can make up whatever you like).
I wouldn’t mind guests joining us, but 99% of our guests spend as little time as possible with us, as they’re here to experience The City. So I don’t go out of my way to invite them, but i might warn them about it.
If we were hosting a big bbq or birthday party, I would set some cake aside for them, I think. If I liked them so far.
For you, I would say No wrong answer. Do what makes you happy.
I don’t know what you mean, that politics are against the airbnb discrimination policy?
I’ve never declined a booking based on political affiliation. Even if I did, people whose politics differ from mine aren’t a protected class, so I’m within my legal rights to decline a booking for someone who, say, uses a MAGA hat as their photo.
AirBnB policy goes above and beyond local laws, protected class may confuse some, I believe it is a US term.
I can think of many situations where in whatever country you are in you can discriminate but would still be in breach of the terms you agreed to when signing up with ABB.
