How To Be A Great Airbnb Guest – Top Ten Tips
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Whether you have to travel for work or education, or if you are lucky enough to live in an area where leisure travel is allowed again, you might want to stay at a short-term rental such as an Airbnb. Unlike most hotels and motels, these are usually in someone’s home, or cottage and can be like a home away from home. Here are the top ten guest tips to ensure that you will get a good review and be welcomed back again or welcomed in any other Airbnb.
The #1 Rule To Be A Great Airbnb Guest...Leave the space in the same good condition as it is when you arrive.
Leave the space in as good a condition as you find it on arrival. No, you don’t have to make your bed and make sure your towels are hung just so…in fact most places ask you to place your used towels in a specific area. These will have to be laundered anyway and if you do make your bed, you are actually creating more work for the cleaner.
Guest Tip #2...Pay attention to any instructions prior to arrival...
Before you arrive you may want to know specifics. Where to park, time of check in (and check out) or how to get in to your unit.
If the host has any special instructions for you… please follow them. If you don’t understand…ask questions to clarify what is expected of you. I try to be explicit in my instructions but some people don’t bother to read them at all.
Guest Tip #3...Read the guidebook...
Most Airbnbs will have a guidebook in the unit or online. You may not want to read all of it, but at least look at the main requirements you need. I don’t know how many times I have had guests that totally disregarded this…and ended up doing things that were not very nice.
Be aware of quiet times, and any rules regarding extra guests, pets and smoking.
Guest Tip #4...Pay close attention to any signs on the wall, fridge, etc.
This is a follow up tip to #3.
Waste disposal is very important in my units and I try to be as environmentally conscious as possible. I am fortunate to live in an area that has a recycling and compost program, as well as regular garbage. The downside is that our garbage pickup is limited to two bags once every two weeks. Fortunately compost is picked up every week and that is what usually makes garbage stink, especially in the summer. I understand that some people want to be lazy while they are on vacation. Or they may come from an area that doesn’t compost or recycle, but let me tell you… THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING TO SORT THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE’S GARBAGE! So please sort your waste appropriately in the bins/bags provided.
In my units I offer full kitchens where people can prepare their own meals. They are expected to wash their dishes properly and put them away when dry. Most people are pretty good with this, but I have had to re-do some that I think they had their kids do. I have learned the hard way to inspect everything after a guest leaves. Because if I happen to miss an obscure item at the back of a drawer, the next guest will surely find it and give me a bad review.
Guest Tip #5...Communicate with your host if you have any questions or concerns...
If you don’t understand something in the guidebook, have any special requirements (allergies, etc.) or concerns about anything please let your host know ASAP. If something is broken or damaged let your host know as soon as possible… Don’t try to hide it for the next guest to discover. They want you to enjoy your stay and if there are any problems they would rather have a chance to rectify any issues than have you write a bad review.
Guest Tip#6...Refrain from using damaging items in the unit...
If you must use hair dye, an oil, lotion or anything else that could stain, please bring your own sheets/towels. No one wants to use items that have been stained by someone else even if they are “clean”. I’ve had to replace a few sets of sheets and towels because even bleach couldn’t save them!
Guest Tip#7...Do not create unnecessary work for your host or cleaner...
This is an addendum for #1 and #3. Unfortunately, people have actually done these things which make me question their intelligence and common sense.
- Please do not put your dirty towels back in the linen closet on top of the clean towels. This will require all the towels to be laundered.
- Please do not put all extra clean bedding on top of the dirty towels and other linens. This too will require laundering.
- If you take it upon yourself to rearrange the furniture or take items from one room to another, please put them back where you found them. I’ve wasted hours looking for things and putting things back in order before I could even start cleaning.
- Do not put wet or dirty dishes back in the cupboards or drawers! If you are going to be that rude and disgusting just leave everything out so it will not take even more work to take everything out to wash and dry properly before the next guest. Better yet…just do your dishes properly and put them away where you got them, like you’re supposed to do!
- If you spill something or make a mess, clean it up immediately. Dried on sticky substances take longer to clean later. If you don’t know how to clean something or know where the cleaning supplies are – ask your host.
- Please sort your alcoholic bottles and cans separately from regular recycling and garbage unless otherwise instructed. Most people are pretty good about doing this, but I did have one guest that decided to have a party. (Which was not allowed.) He left me with the arduous task of sorting 107 beer cans, a dozen beer bottles, 3 large bottles, six 26oz bottles of hard liquor plus some coolers. That alone took me over an hour!
GuestTip#8...Be mindful and respect check out times...
Yes, it’s nice to sleep in once in a while, which is why I permit check outs at twelve noon. People can sleep in, still have time for a leisurely breakfast, have time to pack up and make sure the unit is left tidy. When people do not leave on time, it upsets everyone else’s schedule. Whether the host is the cleaner or they hire someone else to do it, they are depending on you to be gone by a certain time so they can start cleaning before their next appointment or whatever else they want to do with their day.
Guest Tip#9...Do a final inspection before you leave ...
Make sure to take all of your personal belongings with you and double check that things are in good order. You might want to review the guidebook again to make sure you have done everything that is expected of you.
Guest Tip#10...Give a great and fair review publicly and any criticisms or suggestions privately...
Be honest and diplomatic. If there were any issues at all, put them into context. Was it something the host did or didn’t do? If something broke or malfunctioned, as is bound to happen from time to time, did you let the host know quickly and did they have it fixed as promptly as possible? Did you find some less than perfectly cleaned utensil that had obviously been overlooked in the back of a drawer? Perhaps you may have suggestions for what the host can do to make future guests stays better. These comments would be better served in a private note to the host and not on a public review, which can be very damaging. Also, if you are going to be extremely critical about little things, of course you are perfect and above reproach.
Nobody is perfect, so I don’t expect anyone to be. I will always give a good review to my guests if they make a decent attempt to tidy after themselves and follow the instructions in the guidebooks and the little signs I have posted in the units for reminders. Fortunately, I have a rule that only nice people are allowed to stay in my units and for 99.99% of the time I have been lucky.
If you are interested in starting your own Airbnb click on the link below...
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