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I think those of us that are new to hosting can be shocked by requests that we ourselves would never make. I, like flax, wouldn’t have asked for a sitter when traveling so would be surprised if someone did. Its not right or wrong, good or bad, but different and surprising. My daughter was young and we traveled a lot during that time the little girl vanished while her parents we put to dinner in Barcelona, so I was spooked more than my normal spookidity
that’s why this forum is great, especially for those of us in the learning curve. I have not had this request myself, but now have,had time to hear a few opinions and can be prepared.
I’ll never forget the first time I asked a guest what they were going to see that day. They stammered a bit and said with a question “The White House??” I was stunned because when I travel I like study metro and bus maps, research l, and plan. But now I realize its the norm so I am prepared and not surprised. I have maps handy to the breakfast area that I whip out, make notes on, directions. Etc. Then they go off quite happy.
btw, insurance for a shared space is completely different from insuring a self-contained unit. Flax, is your space considered shared? However, I have a bnb business policy and it covers anyone on my property. Surprisingly it was only $1,700 instead of $900 for regular HO so not as bad as I feared. Also, being new in business severely limits your insurance options. Two more years and my rates will drop steeply. And yes when you have a historical home its even more difficult.
thanks for starting this topic, Flax, because now I’m prepared. I would worry that, if I recommended a sitter and a child was hurt I could be held responsible. But then again, I’m worst case scenario girl.
Yes, of course, everyone’s decisions to do whatever with their own kids will be different.
I personally wouldn’t ask for a babysitter for small kids on holiday while I went out. Like you dcmooney I’m risk averse. Not only the terrible Madeleine McCann story (tho’ the parents, unbelievably, went out for dinner and left 2 small children alone in an apartment complex) but many other stories of which I know personally have made me wary of strangers so far as babies/small kids are concerned.
As far as the babysitter issue: I also don’t want anything to go wrong with babies under my roof, so didn’t feel happy allowing one. Good thing about renting part of one’s house: you can make your own rules.
Our flat has a separate entrance and is self-contained, but actually is also accessed through the interior of our house also and thus deemed part of our house. It is our kids’ playroom, usually.
Insurance (here in the UK) has been tricky as we’re in a Regency Grade 1 listed building. So we had to convince our insurers to insure our whole house and contents with the ‘risk’ of unknown (to us) guests in the basement. We got cover for everything we wanted in the end.
But the babysitter issue is something of a grey area for insurance purposes. And anyway, as I say, we don’t want the responsibility of anything bad happening to someone’s babies.
Speaking of him, he was a well known Kona resident until just recently. I think his recent divorce from Peggy had everything to do with him selling and leaving the island. You would see him at the Kawaihae Seafood Bar or at Costco enjoying the free samples and waiting in line to check out like the rest of us. I also learned from a homeowner I interviewed who had worked for him and said he enjoyed reading MY STORIES in a local home magazine that I write for. I get the giggles whenever I think about an aging old rocker lying around on a Sunday afternoon reading stories penned by yours truly, KonaCoconutz.
Saville Row, the tailors street, is in West(ish) London. Lloyds underwriters have their own iconic building, one of Richard Rogers first, in the City. And these days the East End has more hipsters per square foot than Brooklyn, The Marigny and Portland combined.
And all of them are norf of the river, so not proper London anyway!!!
Chelsea is where I got hopelessly lost on my first visit to London…! A kind Tube station ticket taker told me I had walked at least two miles from where I thought I was going and to simply take the Tube back to South Kensington… It was my first Tube ride and I was scared to death! Now I am a seasoned Tube user…!
Have to share this photo too…(apologies for going off topic) one of my favorites EVER… The caption reads: “Hey Christopher, have you figured out where that Tower of London is yet?”
