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I completely agree with this too as a guest. Also, I don’t consider myself a professional as a host. Renting out apartments in my home doesn’t require any special training or certification, there’s nothing that implies that it’s a professional endeavor.
I have been successful but still don’t feel that I am a professional as I am really just doing my best. Hospitality comes easy to me, whether it’s for a paying guest or family friend, as that was just the way I was raised. Heck, I make lemonade for the plumber if it’s a hot day. I’ve never had a single person in any of my homes that I haven’t offered a beverage, it’s like a reflex. I’m also generally competent, generally empathetic and I have put in a lot of effort and time into learning how Airbnb works but I still don’t consider myself a professional. My guests get the very best from me but they would even if they weren’t paying. I would hope that if they want a professional they would go to a hotel as they could be validated for that at a hotel.
Maybe if I do this a long as @jaquo then maybe I’ll be a professional someday but I don’t think I can call myself that at this point. It’s okay with me, I like that Airbnb isn’t generally about being professionals. I like the part that’s still there that is ‘just folks renting out a room’. And that is who I look for when I go to reserve an Airbnb.
I can’t speak for Jaquo’s meaning but I don’t think she meant they have training and certification. I take it as I expect my host and my rental to reflect a commitment to excellence. I expect they treat me and the rental like I’ve given them money in exchange for services. I expect them to behave like a professional would. But that’s why I won’t stay with hosts who are below a certain star level.
I state in my listing that because of stairs and low furniture that the property is not appropriate for people that have difficulty walking or other mobility problems. I think this helps.
Hosts can be committed to excellence but they don’t know how to provide what hotels provide because they were never trained and came from different backgrounds .
I stayed in not one superhost messy and dirty houses. And in plenty non superhost houses that were excellent and memorable . One review can ruin a perfect score especially if host doesn’t have many reviews .
Same goes to hotels. I stayed in hotels with average rating and loved every minute of it and opposite
I don’t take chances with those hosts. If it were a new host I knew or I see that they only rent seasonally like summer only then maybe. I stayed in Ohio with a host with only 7 reviews. But they had cats, my friend living there told me it was a prime location. But most the time it takes so much longer to find an Airbnb than hotel and so I filter heavily…SH is on unless there’s a small supply. Like North Dakota small. LOL.
Yeah, I think this probably a semantics issue. I don’t consider myself a professional purely because I’m getting paid, though that is definitely one definition.
I pick my airbnbs for a lot of different reasons but the only stars that matter to me are the Cleanliness stars. I read the reviews looking for information about the host because my only bad Airbnb experiences have had to do with hosts being moody or weird or inappropriate. And I won’t stay anywhere that doesn’t give me access to coffee (and not those k-cup things) first thing in the morning, at my leisure, but that’s likely a personal issue ,)
I left an Airbnb after the first night once because the host wouldn’t let me have coffee before coming to breakfast that she had made. I was on a very important work call and not dressed and desperately needed coffee but she wouldn’t give my husband a cup to bring me to the room. I had him ask her if there was house rule about having drinks in the room because I hadn’t seen one and she told him that there wasn’t a house rule. In fact, she told him he could walk down to Starbucks and get me a coffee to have in the room but that I wasn’t having any of her coffee before coming out to breakfast. The best part is that I was clear with her, when I booked, that we don’t eat breakfast, we only have coffee in the morning. After I choked and gagged on 1/2 a frittata while this crazy woman talked at us, we packed our stuff and left and went to a hotel.
It was in my current city, when we were here scoping it out for the move. She’s a Super Host with a 4.99 rating and I still glare at her house everytime we drive by it on our way from the market.
I have in every listing a Nespresso machine, Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Stovetop Coffee Maker, a French press and a good old fashion coffee pot with a grinder next to it. The first time the French press was used my staff was stunned anyone actually knew what it was and how to use it lol. It was left drying in the dish rack.
I’d probably stay at your listing for this alone!! It is my preferred coffee. I collect them!
I also provide those but it’s super-rare in the U.S. Each of my apartments has a French Press, a stovetop espresso, a pour over and a Mr. coffee type machine as well as a grinder, beans and also already ground coffee. Serious coffee at my places too.
Totally get it! Well, feel free ee to book directly with me then if needed since I won’t come up. Or not. Maybe just because we chat here doesn’t mean you’d like my listings.
For me location and then price matter more to me and sometimes I am looking in places with few options. Although several of the regular hosts I have stayed with have either become SH since my first stay! And now they are more expensive and usually unavailable when I’m looking for. One actually opened up two more listings (all private bedrooms in the same home).
I liked the guests I got before I got SH overall more than the ones I get with more ratings and as SH now. I also raised prices too. Both of those things changed the general vibe of guests I get. I’m glad to be making more money but there did seem to be something special about the guests who were willing to give me a shot as a new host. I would totally give most of them the old price if they would come stay again. It’d be worth it for the warm-fuzzies.
It is interesting that it is acceptable to mark your listing as unsafe for children.
But as soon as you consider your listing unsafe for very heavy people, people consider it rude and not inclusive.
But there is a real risk. What if a guest gets hurt because he uses furniture that is specified for a lower weight. Who is responsible?
I am not talking about obese or morbid obese, but 2 or 3 times average weight.
I asked my insurance agent after the last incident, and he advised me to refuse this kind of guest next time. Because I am responsible if something happens.
I now updated 2 of my listings with better furniture that could handle this kind of guest. But not all of them.
It is. I also accept children if requested but usually manage to talk them out of it. If I ever host a child that causes damage I won’t be posting here using demeaning language about breeders and their snot nosed urchins.
I believe some airlines charge for 2 seats if you are very obese because of the lopover factor. My friend crashed his tiny plane when a very heavy person got up and moved,the plane crashed.
That is BONKERS. Were you refunded for the nights you didn’t stay?
I must offer 10 different coffee makers including stovetop percolators and espresso makers. Guests ask me what type of coffee service I provide and I always say “a more accurate question would be which ones do I NOT provide.”
