Questions for hosts that supply a BBQ grill for guests

Thinking about getting a BBQ grille for guests since it’s the amenity most requested by guests and potential guests. I been directing guests to the local parks, but I think only one ever did. If I get a grill for my listing, it will be propane and I’ll probably pick up a nice used one, or possibly buy myself a new one and put my old one in my listing.

So, to the questions.

Do you charge extra for use of the grill?
Do you list it as an amenity?
Do guests forget to turn off the gas and thereby empty the propane bottle?
Do guests leave it a greasy mess?
Do guests damage the grill?
Do guests damage other items (e.g. pans and utensils) using them on the grill?
Anything else a host should be aware of?

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We do offer a propane grill. We supply a tank and back up tank. In 4 years no one has left the propane gas on. We did have one guest light the burner on the side mistakenly without lifting the SS lid. This caused burn marks on the SS lid but I got them out using Bar tender keeper polish. I don’t charge for this amenity as it’s built into my rental price. Only 10% of my guests actually use it.

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Forgot to state that I do list it as an amenity. I get more inquiries for this on VRBO then Airbnb.

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Her are my thoughts on the subject:

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I would rather they cook outside…

RR

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I got a cute new Weber BabyQ for guests and it doesn’t get used too often. My guests are mostly couples but if you host mostly larger groups it wouldn’t be big enough. By starting new and clean its easier to keep it up. Cleanliness is super important even down to the grill. I would resist the temptation to use your old one unless it is sparkling clean to start. If its not the guest won’t bother either. I have a packet of grill wipes out but never has a guest cleaned it sufficiently. I also keep an extra new, clean grill so my cleaner can swap (and I deal with it later) because it can add an extra 30 min or more to the cleaning time.
I have a reminder on the gas bottle to turn off after each use but we still check it after every check out.
No extra fee
Listed as amenity

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Yeah, that’s a good point. I would have to build a small pad out of pavers specifically for the grill just to have a safe place to put it, but even then I would need to make sure guests can’t move it.

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@patti @Brian_R170

Because we are vegetarian and never use a grill we asked a lot of friends/acquaintances the best way to clean them. The method we chose was the most popular here in Australia - in our area anyway - where people BBQ all the time. They told us never to use chemicals or cleaning products so that the grill “seasons” and doesn’t pick up any chemical taste. We heat it to maximum temperature and some folks put a container of water in for this part of the process. We take a wire brush and scrub it clean using newspaper to polish. I gently do all the stainless outer parts that need cleaning with steelo or sos pads depending where you are from. This takes about 10 minutes tops once the grill has been super heated. Just thought I would throw that out there in case it helps anyone. Have been doing this since 2012 and not one complaint about it. I saw in the US they have a Roomba for BBQs which is pretty cute but far too impractical for guests!! Lisa

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My condo neighborhood offers two charcoal grill areas with grills, used coal/ash buckets, & small shovels.
Yes amenity
Charge none
Guests provide own charcoal -used mostly by summer family weekly rentals or monthly snowbird rentals.
Leave grills a mess—probably; grounds maintenance cleans out the ashes. Grill surface cleaning must be done by user.

Routinely I find charcoal & lighter fluid left behind by a guest. I leave it for next guest

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We offer a grill as an amenity.
-We don’t charge extra.
-Yes, we list it as an amenity.
-Yes, some forget.
-Yes, so far they all have left it a mess!
-So far no damages
-No damages to other items
-Gets costly refilling propone, so increase nightly rate.

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I spray mine with oven cleaner (Easy Off), let it sit for several minutes then I hose it down and let it air dry. It’s not the best way to clean it but for me it’s the quickest.

I do not offer this because I’m sure that out of 100 people who know how to safely operate a grill 1 will blow up my house or will damage the grill or set the house on fire etc.
I read somewhere a horror story where some young lads who never cooked in their life got the idea to make steak on the grill at 2 am and they were loud and drunk and the neighbor called the cops.

If I offered the coal grill they will not dispose of it or if they did, it would be on my grass or on my mulch like my former tenant did.

Actually one of the past guests bought a camping grill and put it outside on the deck. I’ve seen the box popping out in the trash, so ever since I stipulated in the house rules that no portable/camping grill can be brought in and grilling is not allowed.

No, thank you. I’m not going to offer a grill. If something can go wrong, it will. Remember that.

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I don’t charge extra and I list it as an extra and they always leave it a mess. I have never had anyone drain the bottle or break anything yet.

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I’m far too fire paranoid to have a real grill for guests. I was thinking about offering an electric “George Foreman” type table top grillette thingy, which would have to be used on top of a large cookie pan. 3 out of 50 couples have asked if we have a bbq.

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You are missing out. Grilled vegetables are wonderful! :slightly_smiling_face:

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We made kabobs Sunday night and the veggies disappeared faster than the meat - especially the grilled pineapple.

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Hmmm Kabobs sound good, I think I will make meatless meatballs out of the ground Beyond meat and make the whole thing vegetarian… I ate meat for 50 years before I didn’t and I have to say the Beyond burgers and Impossible burgers are really good:)

RR

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I had some guests who took the grill off the guest bbq and with them to a local beach for a cookout. When they returned it they left it lying covered in grease and sand on the lawn. But in general people don’t leave it clean but I leave a special wire brush and scraper for them to clean it before use. Maybe because in my experience in Australia people are of the “clean the bbq before use” rather than “leave the bbq clean for next time” types. Leaving a layer of grease is supposed to protect it from the elements in between use so it doesn’t go rusty.

But they do turn off the gas and really appreciate it in the summer months.

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Do remember that every time you add an amenity to what you offer, you’re adding something to clean!

Also, check with your insurance. Ours won’t let us provide a barbecue. (I know the ‘it won’t happen to me’ thing, but it does).

I’ve been trying to remember and I think that only twice (in many, many years) I’ve been asked about barbecuing facilities. I’ve recommended those disposable ones from KMart. It depends to some extent (maybe?) where your guests are from. We have a lot of guests from Europe and “grillin’” seems to be more of a USA thing?

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Yes, we offer a six-burner freestanding propane grill. Paid up to get one that is mostly stainless to stand up to the elements in the Caribbean. Looks like it will end up lasting about 6 years before we have to replace it.

Don’t charge extra (but we’re not cheap to start with)
Listed as amenity
Don’t frequently have trouble with guests not turning it off.
Yes, the guests leave it messy but our housekeeper cleans it.
No real damage to the grill
We have grill-specific items for use with the grill

Be sure to have a plan for the fuel. We have a spare propane tank that we keep filled for the guests. Sometimes we end up refilling the almost-empty one before it is completely empty, but that’s better than a call-out and unhappy guests when they run out halfway through grilling the tuna.

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