Funny… I seem to remember someone earlier in this thread saying that if you have a problem being sociable with your guests maybe you shouldn’t be a host.
Oh damn. It was me.
Yes, that IS interesting to see how everyone ticks!
I hope you’re in sales (other than your rental home).
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Thanks yep
You can only find out who you are sometimes through experience. Often our first image of something, is defiantly not our last. So many people have career changes when they realize a job or industry isn’t for them.
You know, really you don’t have to be the caring and sharing type to be a good host. (I’m not the caring and sharing type either). Maybe you can find ways to arrange matters so that you have minimal contact with your guests?
I rarely speak to guests for more than a few minutes at a time (apart from the house tour) but although I’m basically not a sociable person, I can be friendly for five minutes. 
However, if your place isn’t suited to that then you’re probably made a wise choice to look for something else. Airbnb hosting isn’t right for everyone and if it’s not right for you, then so be it. There are hundreds of jobs that I’d hate to do!
I think that part of the problem is that Airbnb publicity gives us the impression that anyone can host. It’s really not as simple as that. Hosts have to be thick-skinned and be prepared to be hospitable - even me.
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SO true. It’s very interesting to read all the different perspectives. I get all of them and feel a bit of each (well maybe not @Dru_Nei because the numbers are so big and I’m past divorces and all that stuff). Right now kona’s description is HUGELY resonating because I thought I had time to clean up the kitchen before guests arrive back after their evening out. So I go through singing tunelessly with my earbuds in and f-me, there they are, making themselves right at home at my dining table. That’s ok, in theory. The problem is that I don’t like them. I can’t tell you exactly why, I just don’t. He’s all right but she’s a right snotty cow afaic. We had a light-hearted conversation and now I truly loathe her and foresee a bad review. So I sat in my room cursing them for just being here. But after a couple of minutes, it’s gone. I don’t care. They paid, they’re only here for two nights and then nicer guests will come.
edit I hereby declare that the last two sentences written above are my “Airbnb Karma”. Breathe… and…relax…
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@CanadianHost: No, have never been in sales (I don’t do rejection well). : )
It is definitely a different animal being an off-site host rather than on-site. There’s no interpersonal connection other than through emails so unless the guest’s personality comes through in their writing skills, they are just entities to me.
If I had my druthers, I would be an on-site host, though not under the same roof. I don’t want to hear conversations or movement and I wouldn’t want anyone poking around in my living quarters.
A few hosts here prepare lovely spreads of breakfast items. What appeals to me is to prepare a reception table for guests in the late afternoon. There would be a tray of cheese, fruit, crackers and a spread and perhaps a couple types of finger sandwiches. (I love doing finger foods.) It would just be a modest pre-dinner offering. A complimentary (small) glass of wine would round it out. I’m not interested in socializing with guests so the table would be set up for self-serve. There would be a sign inviting guests to help themselves which usually guarantees everything will be consumed. Yep, that’s what I would like to do.
I can dream…
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We should a start a new thread called “vocabulary word of the day” - mine is druthers. lol. At least I am getting an education by participating in the forum.
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Oooooooooh! Count me in!
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SandyToes, you are a complete wuss! I offer this observation as a means to introduce another word of the day and to say that many guests are actually quite nice and you might even enjoy their company. They’re not all plebs, darling, really not they’re not…
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In some respects, I am a bit wussy about things but I do not consider guests plebs, dear heart. It’s just that I have attended and given a gazillion cocktail parties and making small-talk is more effort than I enjoy.
What I still enjoy after all my years of entertaining is preparing and serving a variety of delectable and savory morsels of finger foods to surprise and delight the palate. It bores me to do sit-down dinners where there are 3-4 items on the plate…I like to do 15 or 20 types of hors -d’oeuvres and fill a table with colorful plates and offerings.
…but I digress. I think the topic is nosy/nosey guests.
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I think we could move into hungry guests pretty easily… I love doing nibbles. My favorite way to eat. My favorite way to entertain. One of the many reasons I love Greek and Turkish foods so much. They have made meze an art form.
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Thanks for the new word “meze”.
BTW, I used to always say to people that “I love doing nibbles”…but they always thought I was saying, “nipples”.
So I stopped saying that.
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LOL! Nothing wrong with nipples, but I prefer nibbles at 5PM with my glass of wine. 
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In Hawaii the word for appetizer is pupu, yes, it is pronounced poo poo. Hey it’s 5pm here right now but I am stuck washing guest towels and sheets. I don’t think I will finish in time for sunset. Sigh.
Magwitch
That’s a good point you raise. If your a Hotel cleaner, you don’t mind cleaning up a dirty room for a snotty nosed rich guest(e.g. rock star) who trashed the room, as you make money out of them(cleaning contract company paid to do big clean of trashed room, it’s your livelihood). The lack of interpersonal connection is there(and suits many) or if you cleaner and you clean room for guest who check out of hotel and they stink or unpleasant or whatever, and they still there about to leave room when you start cleaning. The energy is still STERILE and not personal as it’s not your OWN-Home, so you care less. In fact you like grubby messy guests as it helps justify your employment(making money out of Messy unclean guests who like to trash there rooms and leave the toilet a PIG-STY)
No that’s really not how it works. My first job was a cleaner and I resented people who expected me to pick up after them, even in a situation where I didn’t know who they were and it wasn’t in my home. It’s about a lack of respect that that will upset you wherever it’s happening, there’s never a point where you’re ok with being disrespected because you got paid .
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Zanrda
I don’t think you speak for majority of cleaners then. If i’m a cleaner I love mess and more messier level or room, as that often means a higher rate of pay to do a bigger clean up. it’s not your house, your making money out of peoples bad habits. I’d have no problem selling fast food/or alcohol/or gambling sales as I’m making money out of other’s bad habits.
Oh and do you think Lawyer’s for OJ didn;t love his misery and desperate attempts to get off murder, he forked out big bucks, lawyers love human misery as they get big pay days sometimes. You care more about others than me it seems, I only care about making money, I don’t look into the emotions or disgust of it all e.g. unhappy cleaning a mess despite me getting paid. I only see dollar signs for all my examples. I’m not doing Airbnb out of the goodness of my heart let me tell you.
You’re conflating two different types of jobs as if they’re the same. A lawyer will usually enjoy the complexity of a difficult case and can bill for every hour at a fantastic rate. Some would say lawyers spin cases out to bill as much as possible.
A cleaner is time pressured and not on the best wage. They usually try to complete jobs quickly so they can fit more jobs in the day. A job that unexpectedly takes longer is a serious setback, will likely mean you can’t get to your next client on time and is unpleasant all round. I’m sorry to say but I have yet to meet a cleaner who celebrated upon finding an unexpected mess.
Finally, if it was only about the money like you suggest then you shouldn’t consistently get upset about your house rules not being followed. After all it’s only about the money, right?
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We unfortunately had to leave a small mess at our hotel in Prague because my son had food poisoning just as our cab was arriving to leave for the airport and some got on the floor. I was trying desperately to clean it up, because it’s so gross. No housekeeper should have to deal with that. I was limited in what I could do. No mop or anything. I felt bad.
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Commiserations, kona. I’ve had similar experiences and felt bad about it. A scribbled ‘sorry’ and extra tip was hopefully a bit of recompense.
On the earlier subject of not liking some guests, I’ve changed my mind about snooty lady tonight! She was really nice and sweet and was raving about one of my favourite exhibits in the city museum. Plus she was wearing the cutest pyjamas ever. I should know by now that things can always change and guests are as unpredictable as the weather