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If you’re asking “how many times has a host offered to give me a painting (or any free gift)” the answer is zero. I am obviously not choosing my rentals carefully enough if there are generous hosts like the OP who dole out free gifts.
Fun aside, I did once go through a phase a few years ago of telling guests they could take one of the books from my apartment if they wanted, as a memento of their stay, and there were some quite good quality books there (not saying $800 though ). However sadly I don’t think anyone took one, I need to find more educated guests, or offer them something of value like a painting. What is more common is they leave their books behind, and not the type I’d be interested in.
For those with longer stays, where we are making a good profit, we leave a thank you gift, some times worth close to $100. Next to the gift we leave a card, thanking them for choosing our home, and to please take this gift as a sign of our appreciation. The front of the card is a print from one of the local artists. No one has yet assumed the card is the gift.
Last month someone actually threw mine away! It’s in a nice report cover and every page is in a protector. What the heck?!? Now, I think it was under some junk magazines of their’s and it was accidental. I think. I had to change the cover to add a highlighted fee if the manual is removed from the house (the warning was already there in small print… now big print and highlighed in yellow).
I knew another artist, a quite good one, who gave all her paintings away at one point, too.
And I found a working iphone, worth several hundred dollars, in the garbage can in my guest room. Only thing wrong with it was a cracked screen, which cost about $100 to repair.
I think you’ve had more people than you think confused at reading your card, it was inevitable for someone to eventually do what happened and I’m more surprised it didn’t happen sooner.
I would make it extremely clear that the card is their gift using the word card instead of the word artwork or painting or prints. Simply say “This card is our gift to you.”
Many assumptions will be proven wrong over time with a big enough survey of people. On our trip to China on a river cruise, my wife and I were both quite amused when in our stateroom we saw the velvet bag the hair dryer was in with the words “Not free” nicely embroidered on the outside.
I think you have a funny story as you title the post to chalk up to being a host and nothing more.
If I was a struggling artist unable to sell my paintings, and I had a few dozen strangers coming to my house every year, I would definitely consider giving away free samples to get the word out in the market. And why not give the free paintings to people who had actually paid me money (albeit for something else)?
I actually considered giving some guests free A4 photo prints of the city that I had taken a few years back. The only thing that stopped me doing it is laziness. It wouldn’t have cost me much to do, and some high quality photos can be worth a lot. I could have presented them as photo prints worth $800 that I am giving them in reward for their custom.
Anyway an interesting thread, and hopefully the OP has learnt to describe things more accurately, a key skill for a budding airbnb host.
I think you are amazing…shit, I want to stay at your place and get one of your post card paintinga. You are good, and I love the photo you posted. I think they knew what they were doing and you’re being gracious and giving them the benefit of the doubt shows your character…good on ya!!
). However sadly I don’t think anyone took one, I need to find more educated guests, or offer them something of value like a painting. What is more common is they leave their books behind, and not the type I’d be interested in.
