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Am I able to do a poll type thing here? Just to see what the norm is on your listing.
Last, any advice for newbies?
You can answer any or all of the questions. =)
Thanks!!!
Huge subject!
Keep and open mind. Donāt let the little things frustrate you - ask yourself āis this really costing me?ā. Usually itās not. For instance, if you CAN get the room ready and let them check in early - why not? You have to clean it at some time. If not, thatās ok too - say ānoā but donāt let it frustrate you. We had a guest that preferred to shower upstairs (they were allowed to use the tub to bathe their child.) Yes, it was weird, but I did a little calculation in my head and realized that it wasnāt costing me anything at all. Iām not by nature flexible but Iām learning to be, to my advantage. However, know where you need to draw the line. I had a guest come upstairs, ask my son for a cucumber, and made himself at home in our kitchen (he had his own). No, that would not do - we asked him to move back downstairs, but I realized I didnāt need to get excited about it - we just explained it to him. DONāT give into the temptation to write up a rule for everything someone does thatās not right. Chances are really good the next guests are going to come up with something new anyway! EXPECT guests to ask questions that you have clearly answered in multiple places in your listing. EXPECT them to want you to hold their hand a bit. HAVE FUN!
Do you have a shared house or entire house you rent out? ENTIRE APARTMENT
How much is your deposit? 250
Do you have instant book?NO
What is your cancellation policy? STRICT
Do you list anywhere else? TRIP ADVISOR BOOKING.COM WIMDU, ROOMORAMA
What is your check in/out time? CHECK IN 3PM OUT 11AM (ALSO FLEXIBLE)
Anything special you do/add for your guest? XBOX 360, SNORKLE GEAR, BEACH CHAIRS,
Do you have a shared house or entire house you rent out? Share
How much is your deposit? $250 Aussie dollars
Do you have instant book? No! I need to make sure I am comfortable with guests in my home, they donāt seem to be seriel killers (but neither do most on the crime channel) and that the dates suits me. Iām nearly fully booked so I can be fussy I guess and work FT outside the home so not all dates would work.
What is your cancellation policy? Strict, itās amazing how many ppl have these fake emergencies & want to change dates at literally the last minute & then when I explain āAirās strict cancellation policy on your bookingā they manage to all be able to come! Lol if Iād had flexible I would have lost 1000s and no one seems out off so IMO I would recommend strict.
Do you list anywhere else? No
What is your check in/out time? 2pm, check out 10am, Iām strict with checkout but sometimes let guests come early
Anything special you do/add for your guest? Full breakfast supplies daily, fancy coffee, treat on arrival, offer them lifts if itās suits me, brochures, maps etc
ā¢Do you have a shared house or entire house you rent out? - Entire Apartment
ā¢How much is your deposit? - No deposit
ā¢Do you have instant book? Yes
ā¢What is your cancellation policy? Strict
ā¢Do you list anywhere else? Wimdu but 90% of bookings come through Airbnb
ā¢What is your check in/out time? 11am/3pm but flexible as possible - often prohibited by back to back stays.
ā¢Anything special you do/add for your guest? Detailed house manual and local guide emailed upon booking. Fresh milk in fridge on arrival.
Separate granny flat with own bathroom and kitchenette. Will be offering a separate bedroom in our main house shortly.
How much is your deposit? No deposit
Do you have instant book? Yes. But no earlier than 3 days and must have positive reviews
What is your cancellation policy?
Flexible
Do you list anywhere else? Trip Advisor but currently having huge communication problems. Am set to go with Booking.com but hesitant as a lesser review system of clients not to mention the higher commission rate. Will stick with AirBnB as I believe it will be the best solution long term.
What is your check in/out time? Check in is at 2pm. Check out is 11am but can be flexible.
Anything special you do/add for your guest?
Heaps of value adds they donāt expect. Beer, Wine. Cereal. Fruit. Chocolate Nuts. Champers for special occasions.
I rent out my upstairs bedroom and bathroom.
Deposit is now $200.
I do not and never will have instant book.
My cancellation policy is strict (but I have always had airbnb return all funds the few times Iāve had guests cancel).
I list on HomeEscape (just started the other day)
My check in time is usually flexible (I donāt do back to back bookings). My check out time is 11am (unless I am working, then I let them stay as late as 4pm, but if itās my day off, I want them out of here).
I frequently leave a very small gift certificate for a local restaurant ($3-5) to entice them to go there for breakfast, and I reiki their room prior to their arrival. In the summer, I provide them with ice packs for their daily treks and even flexible coolers if they need them. I have available sunscreen and bugspray which is made from essential oils.
My advice for a newbie is to screen people carefully.
Champers? Translate?
Slang for champagne. 
Sorry dcmooney. I am Australian and we tend to use a lot of slang. Will be more considerate in future.
Oh, no, donāt stop! I love it! Thatās how we can all learn from each other!
Thanks all! This is really helpful and informative!!
Do you have a shared house or entire house you rent out? - Entire apartment
How much is your deposit? - 150.00
Do you have instant book? - no way!
What is your cancellation policy? - Moderate
Do you list anywhere else? - yes booking.com
What is your check in/out time?-Check in 4pm check out 11 am
Anything special you do/add for your guest?- personalized note please a small bar of chocolate, bottled water, enlgish muffins butter and jam. Plus fresh flowers.
Do you have a shared house or entire house you rent out?
I rent three rooms in the home where I live. The rental rooms are on the ground floor (along with the other living spaces) and my bedroom suite is on the top floor. One of the rental rooms has an attached, private bath; the other two share a bath.
How much is your deposit?
$US $500 ā¦ this hasnāt been an issue for guests because I explain that the deposit is only taken if there is damage and that I know there wonāt be from them 
Do you have instant book?
No and I probably never will because I want to āconverseā (via the message system) first so that I know more about the guests
What is your cancellation policy?
Strict ā although I have occasionally given refunds
Do you list anywhere else?
I have a Wordpress website to promote my listings. I tried 9Flats, but it was not a good experience because the notification system for inquiries didnāt work and therefore I didnāt respond to potential guests soon enough.
What is your check in/out time?
Iām flexible as long as it is not after 11pm ā Iām not a night owl. I have had a few guests whose planes were late, but that canāt be helped.
Anything special you do/add for your guest?
I provide a self-serve continental breakfast that includes great croissants and/or pastries from the bakery around the corner. Also, each guest gets a welcome plate of cookies from the same bakery and there is a jar of small wrapped chocolates in each room. Iām a big fan of our Metro Rail so provide ticket cards for all my guests and give advice on how to get around car-free (saves me on providing parking because there is no over night street parking in my town). Iāve also done my own personal walking tours of the area, directions for getting to many attractions via Metro Rail, and have a good guide book with local spots.
Advice to newbies
Everything must be spotless clean! Then, most important thing is to enjoy your guests and help them have great experience in your town.
Hope this is useful ā¦
Happy Hosting ā Lia