We have a downstairs complete and separate Suite from our living area and have been very successful in hosting on airbnb. We have outside decks that are exactly the same footprint and was wondering do we consider our deck which is directly above ours part of their space? We have friends and host simple gatherings on our deck but I’m wondering how that might feel to our guests. There is an indoor outdoor carpet so you cannot see between the 6-in outdoor decking but how do the rest of you see this?
Your deck is yours, not part of the guest space. They can hear you, you can hear them. It’s really not much different than if the neighbors were sitting out on their deck. Just make sure you make the situation clear in your listing.
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I will articulate that in our house manual?
In the listing! Make it clear… if you have listed this as an entire space, then the usual non reading booking guest may have issues when they find the house is shared.
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Good point I’ll do it both
thanks
@Darrelldahlman Everything about the space and the living situation needs to go in the listing itself, with important things they may have missed reiterated through messaging when they book.
The house manual is for letting them know how everything works in the listing, the wifi code, how and when you are available to answer any questions, pre-check out instructions, etc.
I actually think that pre-check out instructions should also be stated in the listing if hosts expect guests to do more than tidy up and leave the place clean. Those hosts who want guests to strip beds, start a load of wash, take the garbage out to the dumpster, etc. really shouldn’t spring that stuff on guests after they’ve arrived. They may prefer to book another listing where they don’t feel like they had to do the host’s housework.
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I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to follow both @muddy and @Debthecat’s advice.
Guests look at pretty pictures and rarely read the listing properly. I used to host in my own home, and during my first year had several people who turned up expecting the whole house to be available to them. I well remember a South African chap asking me on arrival, why was I cooking in his kitchen, even though the listing title stated B&B! I had four supposedly intelligent women (they were all genetic scientists) say they hadn’t realised we lived there, whilst stroking one of our cats! Th cats featured prominently in the photos, so I asked if they thought they were complimentary…
I swiftly learned to make clear we were a B&B, not an entire home when messaging back after a booking, even with an IB, asking people to cancel if they had booked somewhere that didn’t meet their needs.
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Hi Darrelldahlman, our situation is exactly as you describe yours with one deck below the other. We alter our lifestyle somewhat when we have guests. We do not have company over and sit outside nor do we cook burgers on the barbie (smoke/smell). The two of us talking quietly won’t be heard upstairs (we have tested it) but as soon as our friends come by and a few wines are poured the volume goes up. (have tested that too). Our listing is promoted as a relaxing romantic getaway type place so we feel the guests should have their total privacy which includes noise. We feel it’s a small price to pay for happy guests and 5 star reviews.
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