I am wondering what a host will do if they usually offer a nice outdoors set up. During the winter season here in So Cal we get rain, but not much.
Do you lower your guests expectations of enjoyment of your outdoor furniture/patio set up? Put it all away for weeks on end?
Do you offer seasonal pricing due to fewer amenities, or show pictures of your patio with no furniture out there?
I am almost ready to start hosting and have waited so long that it’s time to get the tarps out:(
This is the set up that will be tarped: in the listing it will state that this bed may not be available due to weather.
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Wow! Your outdoor space is gorgeous!!!
“This bed may not be available, depending on weather”. There is another place to sleep if it’s raining, right? Is this outside be listed as say, one of three beds in your listing? Or is it an “optional alternative” place to sleep?
I would not count it as one of the available beds, just make it a “fair weather option” to sleep outdoors. Show it in your pictures described as just that.
I certainly would not offer a lower price for fewer amenities, a discount or anything like that, if the weather is inclement when a guest visits. Let them decide if they want to use it.
If you haven’t, I would make those “tarps” you spoke of permanent, like roller curtains, raiseable and lowerable by cords or whatever. I would not just tack some plastic tarps up ‘if as and when’ it rains…
Thanks for the complement> Ritz3 
Great advice KenH, much appreciated! Yes there is another bed for two people inside, plus another three for one person each, inside.
Custom Permanent tarps I don’t think are worth the investment because likely they would deteriorate too quickly and during the sunny times also due to extreme sun and winds.
I fully tarp the gazebo structure in the picture (which is shade cloth on the roof) , and the bed during rainy season. Removing the tarps because a guest request during sunny weather is a possiblilty. There is about 17" rain here per season.
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I have in my rules that our upper deck, pergola and all outdoor seating areas are open from May 24 to October 31 and closed for the cooler seasons, I put it in the rules so people, who place the booking in October for example but not staying till January don’t expect the outdoor spaces to be available for thier use in January. I also have it in the body of my description but most people don’t read everything so may be missed.
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Very nice! How far out are you opening your calendar? If you only do 3-4 months out, I’d temporarily remove the picture for winter bookings to not falsely raise expectations. If you are currently taking bookings for next Spring or Summer, then you’ll have to leave the photo up with lots of “seasonally available” notations under the picture and in the listing.
Thanks for your replies:) I will be changing my wording on the listing and my photo captions. Always best to under promise and over deliver, right?
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Here is the listing now live. Tell me what you think!
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