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Hello! I love this site. What a great community! I’ve been reading the remarkable posts to find some answers but we need some help.
We are considering hosting our master suite in Northern CA (separate entrance and deck; master bedroom, private bathroom, dressing area). It is recently renovated. We would add a small fridge, microwave and Keurig coffee maker. Our location is a very easy walk to restaurants and public transportation.
As it is connected to the main home, I think we would list it as a private room. While I believe we would be accommodating hosts, we prefer not offer access to the main home.
Given this type of listing, how important is a separate thermostat?
There is a second door connecting the suite to the main home. We would prefer not to give guests access to the main home. If we had to give guests emergency access (we are committed to safety), we are wondering how other hosts have done so?
I have this kind of listing. I don’t have a separate thermostat but the suite does have a window AC and it’s own radiator type heat to supplement the central systems (furnace and swamp cooler).
Why would guests need emergency access?
I’ve never had to give a guest access to my part of the house. If I thought it was needed I’d probably install a digital lock or a smart lock so that I could unlock the door remotely or give them the code in an emergency.
After much back and forth I list mine as a “entire place” instead of private room. Airbnb needs better search filters but I decided that letting people know it’s separate from me is important enough to deal with any confusion. Just make clear there is no kitchen, etc.
The topic of temperature has come up here quite a lot and we tend to have differing opinions. I’m on the side of yes, the guests should be able to control the temperature themselves.
Yes, occasionally you’ll have guests who leave the AC on a freezing temperature all day (freezing being anything below 75 for me ) but then you’ll find it balances out because others won’t we wasteful at all.
I have something similar to yours, part of my house, but separate. It’s two rooms, one with kitchen table, chairs, frig, microwave, baker’s rack with dishes/utensils. The other bedroom with bath attached.
It’s listed as “entire guest suite”.
The rental doesn’t have separate heat control, but does have window AC.
The rental I had before was also separate, but more of an apartment, no separate heat control, but window AC.
I was about to grab a tape and go measure, however, I have guests till Monday. I’ll try to remember to measure after they’ve gone. Bedroom is pretty big, lots of unfilled space. The eating area smaller.
No separate thermostat is required but a fan in the room is a good idea.
You do not need to give access to any areas of your house if you do not want to. For example guests do not have access to my kitchen or BBQ for example.
Just make clear what is accessible to guests and what is not.
Also do some research on house rules. Here are some to get you started.
No firearms or drugs
No extra guests without host permission
Limits on amount of personal property that can be bought into home, ie no moving in with 20 boxes etc.
there are other posts on this forum re house rules that are useful.
I suggest you buy a guestbook its interesting to look back on. Some hosts put a world map and some pins in the bathroom and ask guests to place a pin in the location they came from.
Have fun take the rough with the smooth, you will make friends from all around the world!
Make sure all people in your house are safe as it is your responsibility. Whether they are guests or not. Make sure you have working fire/smoke detectors AND carbon monoxide detectors. Ensure guests have more than one exit point in the event of a fire.
Consider the fire risks of anything you put in a room such as a microwave or heater.
Our space does not have a separate thermostat but does have a window AC and a small space heater option. You did not ask about appliances but I recommend one with an large enough freezer for ice and re-freezing cooler packs. The little ones are useless for that and frost up quickly. We don’t have the set-up for a full lock between our unit and theirs but we do lock a couple of bedrooms when we are out. Anything of great value is left in those rooms.
@KKC Just measured my two guest rooms. The kitchenette is app. 11 x 11, but not square at all. Have table, chairs, cart with extras, baker’s rack, large mini fridge and microwave.
Because no running water, I’ve added a 2 gallon container with spigot.
The bedroom is 11 x 17, have double bed, 2 chairs, nightstands, luggage rack and lots of room to spread out. Bath is connected.
Hope that’s helpful.
) but then you’ll find it balances out because others won’t we wasteful at all.