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I searched for other threads for pertaining information, but didn’t see anything. Feel free to redirect me if I missed something.
We just had our first group stay in our basement guest suite. When guests arrive my partner gives them a short tour and he mentions that we deliver breakfast at 7:30 am. The kitchenette is just after the stairs that lead down to the suite, so we don’t have to walk through the suite to get to it. Breakfast is fresh orange juice and cut fruits. Granola and almond milk are stocked before they arrive and we don’t bother with that unless they need a refill.
Since this is our first time with someone renting out the whole suite, we are learning that we feel a little awkward delivering breakfast this way, even though we message them as a heads up about 10 minutes before. We are worried that our guests feel awkward as well, although they haven’t mentioned anything. I mention in the house manual that if they’d like to opt out of the service to let us know and we can make different arrangements.
What do you think? I personally wouldn’t feel strange if a host delivered breakfast, but I know everyone has a different perspective. We’ve talked about having a serving cart that we park outside their entry door outside, but wouldn’t want critters getting into it. I’d love to hear how other hosts work in breakfast delivery for a private suite.
Yes we sent a text the first morning they were here, but we could hear that they were already awake. This morning we sent a text as well, but they weren’t awake yet. We’re still testing this out! Perhaps we should let them contact us when they are ready for the delivery?
So yes, we tell them at 7:30 am we bring down breakfast stuff like OJ and Fruit, but we have been shooting them a message beforehand to give them a heads up. The stairs aren’t overly loud or rickety, and depending on how light of a sleeper they are, they probably wouldn’t hear it at all unless there are guests in the room closest to the kitchenette.
I would hope the text wouldn’t wake them! Perhaps we should reconsider that aspect.
We aren’t comfortable with the whole system as it went down during their stay. Would love to hear any ideas from other hosts on how they successfully make breakfast service happen in a private suite situation. We do want a slight BnB vibe since the area is rural and we live on-site.
I have no qualms about telling the guests that breakfast is ready. If they don’t want to eat it then, that’s their problem. Do not let them tell you when they are ready to eat. You are not their servant.
We have a detached cabana, and I deliver breakfast to the covered poolside table, at their choice of time between 7:30 and 11AM (they tell me breakfast time when they check in). I go out the house door to the lanai about 10 minute before, and in a loud voice outside their door, I announce “Knock Knock! Breakfast in ten minutes!” Generally I hear a voice in return “Okay, we’ll be out in a minute.” If no voice, I bring the full prepared hot breakfast out on time. Hardly anyone lets my breakfasts get cold!!
hi there 7.30am is a wee bit early if I was on holiday. I provide breakfast as the guests stay in our home and then it’s self service, everything is laid out the night before.
I have never stayed in a entire home and was given breakfast. Would it be easier to supply a basket with items and leave it before they arrive ? that way, they sleep to whatever time you want and you don’t have to worry about walking them up.
In your situation, I would just provide them with a carton of freshly squeezed juice and fruit in the fridge on arrival along with your other breakfast items. You can then replenish every few days or as needed during the day. They can have breakfast at a time that works best for them.
Unfortunately guests don’t always tell us if they aren’t comfortable. If you are feeling awkward, you can bet they do too.
As a guest I wouldn’t want a text at 7.20 a.m. waking me up when I was on holiday to tell me an early morning breakfast was arriving. Believe me a text will certainly wake most people up unless they are a teenager
@KenH a poolside breakfast sounds lovely and having that flexibility would work for me, as you aren’t coming into my private space and offer a choice on timings so I can have a leisurely start in the morning.
I have a whole suite and one of the things they always say is how much they value their privacy… so, the day I bring breakfast to anyone is the same day that it snows on my lanai or that Trump apologizes for being president and resigns.
But if you insist on serving breakfast to a private suite, I would just get a table of some sort and place it in front of their room with the juice on ice and the bagels or whatever. I would tell them the buffet is open from xx to xx for their convenience. At xx time, take,it away. Don’t send texts… that feels like… pestering.
I would not badger them with a breakfast time. If they want it they will go out to the self serve table and grab it.
But personally I would never serve breakfast to guests in a private suite.
I just want to second what Helsi and Kona have said. They have a kitchenette so they don’t need anything delivered - just put the breakfast items in there and they can help themselves whenever they decide to get up.
Personally, I would not appreciate a text at 7.20 in the morning. Airbnb/rentals in general are about being flexible and not timed like regular hotels and B&Bs. Also, it will get tired really quickly for you to have to do this so often.
No No No! Can you imagine them not texting you until 2:00 PM. You will become a hostage in your own house.
I do deliver breakfast but I deliver it the day before while they are out and about. They have their own fridge up there. I slip up, grab dirty dishes and the coffee canister. If they need more dairy, I grab the dairy bottle. Go downstairs, grab replacements, grind coffee, etc., and return everything. The few times the out never happened, I sent an AirBNB message when I can hear them moving around that breakfast was in the basket on the stairs, and they could come to get. But that has only happened twice in 16 months.
Another good point! What I love about my delivery system is, they can eat whenever they want to. They don’t have to all eat at the same time. They decide how strong they want their coffee to be.
It does limit my breakfast offerings. Would I love to offer sesame bagels, one of my specialties? Yes! Do I? No. Those little sesame seeds are like hairs. They get everywhere and don’t want to go away.
I can’t offer anything that needs to be served warm, or needs to be toasted. Almost every review mentions the breakfast, so it can’t be all that bad.
@anon67190644 can you go into more detail on what you do provide for breakfast? I saw dairy, but what is the extent of the delivery by the “breakfast fairy”?
Guests receive an email a week before arrival. I request that they select their first morning’s breakfast. This is when they need to let me know if they need non-dairy dairy, are vegan, paleo, gluten free, dairy free or the worst, vegan and gluten free. They are also asked to choose between milk, 1/2&1/2, or almond milk [I need two days to make that.] Afer their first morning, I serve them the same thing unless they ask for something different.
This list doesn’t include the “special” items for special diets.
For the continental option, please choose two of the following for each person:
Croissant with jam
Cranberry-Nut Muffin Bread
Homemade rye rolls with a gouda-style cheese
*
Housemate plain yogurt [with fruit compote, honey, or plain]
*
House-made Granola [oats, almonds, pecans, coconut, wheat germ, honey, touch of cinnamon]
*
cage-free hard cooked egg [with advanced notice for total number during your stay]
For the cooked breakfast, please choose one of the following which will be available after 8:30am on the First Floor:
Chicken Congee
Vegetable Congee
Jasmine Rice with banchan
Irish Cut Oatmeal with selected toppings
Please NOTE: You don’t have to all eat the same thing, but I am only able to offer one of the cooked breakfast options per day.
The hot breakfast option is a new addition to my life. More complicated, but the raves have been loud. I use the leftover oatmeal to make bread.
I have made them for some folks who were living elsewhere but were slightly homesick New Yorkers. But, I don’t serve them smoked salmon. Doesn’t fit the budget.
I do like this breakfast fairy approach. My only concern is going into the private space while they are out. Do you let them know when you will be entering the space even when you know they aren’t home? They shot us a message while they were out to bus dishes, so I could easily replace any items at that point too.
The breakfast basket idea at the stairs is something that sounds do-able as well. Can you tell me a little more about how that works?
Your breakfast options sound amazing. I wish I had the skills to make that happen
Yes, I agree. I guess it’s all part of the learning process, and we’ve learned that our first shot at this wasn’t efficient. We’re nervously awaiting the guest’s review. I know they liked the place because the father told my partner that our “we have a treasure” after seeing our yard, and he really liked our push pin map and the rooms. My partner heard the mother saying to her daughter (who booked it) that she did a good job by booking our place haha. That was nice to hear. I’m just hoping the breakfast cluster-cuss didn’t ruin their experience! I’ll be sure to update if anyone is interested.
Sounds like a great method. I could see doing something similar to this except with some sort of cart or tray at their door, which is a covered space. I really enjoy the idea of serving breakfast each morning. Either something like this or maybe a breakfast basket as per @smtucker’s method.
I ask people the night before what time they would like breakfast, after showing them their room and the guest dining room etc., available between 7.30-9.30. I serve pretty much what you do, and can leave it prepped in the fridge if they want it earlier, to catch a ferry or some such. Then, like Ken, it is up to them. I personally would not appreciate a text at 7.30 am, particularly if I am on holiday; it would make me very, very cross indeed if it woke me up! When I’m staying in a self contained apartment, I wouldn’t expect anything apart from a welcome box of milk, juice and bread for the following morning. Here, I would only text if it is their check-out morning and they are late up.
