There has been discussion of this before, but why no forum f...
Latest reply
There has been discussion of this before, but why no forum for guests?
Latest reply
I'm from Maceió and have always used Airbnb during my travels as a guest. Every time I got back home, I shared my experience with my mother and told her how warmly I was welcomed by the Hosts. Hearing my stories, my mother, Carmem, began to want to welcome travelers into our home and also decided to share my brother's room, who had moved out and left the space unoccupied.
It wasn't long before I became even more interested in the platform and became the Maceió Hosts' club leader. I am a psychologist by training and used to work in personnel management. But today, just like my mother, I live entirely on the income generated by the bookings of our accommodation on the platform. Airbnb has brought a greater purpose to my life. Being a Host and a Community Leader makes me feel like a greater part of my city and my community.
By making the rooms in my mother's apartment available on Airbnb, taking care of managing the listing on the platform and my mother welcoming the guests, we became closer, not only as a family, but as real partners in this new venture. The rooms we share are listed as “Instant Book,” so we're always on the lookout for bookings, which can come at any time. “I just need 15 minutes to get the bed ready,” says my mom jokingly at times.
Today, I live with my family – my husband, our Border Collie named Maya and many fish – in another apartment not far from my mom's. That's why we also share my old room on the platform.
Every time a guest leaves the apartment, my mother stands at the window to make sure they leave safely. And when they finally get in the car, she calls me to say that everything went well. Since the apartment first became available on Airbnb, it has undergone some renovations and improvements - often at the request or suggestion of the guests themselves. We believe that this has made the space even more comfortable and cozy, and the interaction more pleasant and hospitable.
However, regardless of the improvements, the tranquility of the place and the location, I believe that the best thing about staying there is sharing the space with my mother. In my opinion, she takes care of the guests with great affection, as if they were her children.
