Have you ever pretended you're guests and stayed in your own place(s)?

[Susan1028]

....and if you did, what did you notice, learn, change?

[Paul1255]

Hi @Susan1028 I do this on the regular at my place...as the private room I rent on Airbnb is actually also my main bedroom when I don't have guests- so I have always lived the guest experience!

Living from the guest point of view made me purchase the most comfortable bed I could afford, made me dust the top of the glass light fitting as you can see the dust when you're lying in the bed, made me add extra heating as the room has 2 windows and can get chilly.

It really made me think about the space and the way the whole space is used BEFORE I even welcomed my first guest, which allowed me to iron-out the creases without using those first guests as testers!

I also work as a co-host with hosts in London- for properties I take-over and manage full-time I always offer the owner to spend a night/day in their space to see things as a guest, make recommendations on how to improve before launching- it really works a treat!

I have uncovered things like not having enough bins, hanging space/hooks, improving bedroom and living room layout, adding items to the kitchen offering that were missing, adding extractor fans in the bathroom, changing door locks....the list could go on.

Have you done the same?

Paul 🙂

[Robin4]

@Paul1255 @Susan1028

Paul, I have always said here on the CC, when you word your listing description do it with an aquaintance, someone you know, but are not familiar with. Strangers will see your property in an entirely different light. Things that to us (through familiarity) are obvious will be seen differently by a stranger.

Always put yourself in the shoes of the guest. 

I have back up options for every situation! The strip lighting I have above the kitchen bench is battery operated LED. Power failures will never effect it...the switch connects back to a gell cell battery. Also on each side of the bed I have LED wall switches which are once again battery operated. Should the power ever fail here at night the guest will have abundant back up light....you have to think of these things!

Put yourself in a dark strange room at night with no lighting available and try to find the bathroom door when you are busting for a piddle......you panic!!

Your idea is a good one Susan, but even though you stay as a guest, you still think as the host/owner so it really doesn't achieve much! 

Cheers.....Rob

[Cor3]

Hi @Susan1028,

We stay at our property about twice a year (for weeks on a row), to enjoy our own holidays.

And we notice, being in this business causes a pretty high degree of wear and tear on our property.

When we are over, we will always make sure, everything is first class and in top-condition.

On top of this, we obviously have a local caretaker. And she will deal with the obvious things.

Last time, we visited our property. There was quite some maintenance and replacements to be done.

So, we will look at everything in or at our property very closely.

Because when you don’t do this yourself. Your guests will be quick to make you aware of it.

Please note: A guest, causing an issue. Will most likely NOT complain about or mention it (Commonly out of fear for additional charges). The next guest (unaware of the cause) WILL most likely complain about it!

The last guest, staying before we did last time, said: Thanks for the bottle of wine. A bit a shame, there was only 1 wineglass (we had at least a dozen, 5 months ago).

[Robin4]

@Cor3

Par for the course I am afraid Cor! Every time I service my cottage (and you have to remember, I live on the property not 20 metres away so I should be able to keep a better handle on what is happening) something will have gone with the guest.....a few cakes of soap, a nearly full roll of paper towel, garbage bin liners, a box of Ferero Rocher chocolates that I ration out 2 at a time for the arrival of each new guest. Guests feel they are entitled to these things and as much as I try to check everything before each guest, the odd omission will slip through! The new guest says ....."can we please have some sugar in the sugar bowl"......it was full two days ago, it's empty now and it takes 300 gramms of sugar!

And Cor, you are right! Wine needs to be drunk from a fine quality glass, not some cheap thing the thickness of ship steel! But, that is what I provide now because I can't afford to have them continually disappearing at the rate of $8-$10 per glass!

Some wise person once said to me....."Don't put anything out there you are not prepared to lose"! I thought that was a terrible indictment of guests ....but I am afraid it is true!

Cheers.....Rob

[Cor3]

Hi @Robin4,

I do fully subscribe to that!

And I’ve been hosting for about 3 years now (and still learning every day).

Originally we always bought the best quality (Glasses, Pots and Pans).

But we now do realize, there is: Good, Better and Best.

And especially on stuff, which almost can be considered as true consumables (such as wineglasses).

We now also decide to buy the Better quality instead of the Best quality.

Guests will not necessarily really notice or enjoy more. But in the end it will save us quite some €€.

Typically we will also buy more, than what is currently needed and store the extras in our solid large cupboard in the garage (4 and a half cubic meter).

So our local caretaker only has to refill the apartment and add a couple more (from our basement 'store'), when stock starts to run out.

Now all it takes, is getting our local caretaker to actually follow up on this 🙂

[Helen427]

@Cor0@Susan@Robin@Paul@John@Andrea

Have you considered incorporating something along these lines in your House Manual in regards to potential damage?

"If you damage anything please inform me as I would do the same if I was a Guest in your home and replace it with a like item, e.g glasses, crockery etc. "

In your situation @Cor0  maybe you could get your Caretaker to take photo's in between Guests as backup - a pain at times but it helps cover all parties.

[Cor3]

Hi @Helen427,

This piece of text is part of our house-rules (these house-rules are repeated in our manual):

Guests are required to pay for any breakages or damages to the property and associated amenities, that do occur during the rental period.

Obviously we do appreciate that accidents may happen.

Or there may be a rare occasion of an issue arising, due to unexpected wear and tear (that may occur, even despite our regular preventive maintenance, replacements and inspections).

In case of any issue arising, please report these to us - as soon as possible.

So, we can take the necessary steps to get any issue resolved in an appropriate and timely manner.

With regards to our local caretaker: There is a trade-off to everything.

We pay her roughly twice the rate, in comparison to a regular cleaner.

When she has to go around inspecting every cupboard and photographing everything (before and after each visit). She will charge us for this (and she should!).

Obviously our local caretaker does much more, than what a regular cleaner would.

As she is originally from the UK and therefore native English speaking. She obviously has no problem in welcoming our guests in English.

Most local regular cleaners don’t or hardly speak English (which would make communicating with them, pretty hard for me – or our guests).

Our local caretaker already informs me, when she has discovered something. And even with photo evidence, it is not always easy to get paid by the former guest (when they don’t like to pay for the damages).

Also you may ask yourself: What is the financial impact of a negative or even very bad review!

[John1080]

@Susan1028, we go to our cabin about once a month not only to get away and to enjoy the space but also to check on things and make sure everything is in order.

Of course, there is always something we want to improve such as installing new light fixtures, cleaning the second story windows from the outside, etc and I'm always conscious of continually updating and moving around the decor and making sure it's just right. 

In these cases, being there as a guest in a way helps me to constantly improve the space, thinking what guests would like. 

[Andrea1282]

Yes!  Regularly in fact,  just to check the comfort and noise level of the room.  Not to mention the room that I host in is  more comfortable than my own  so it’s kind of like rewarding myself for doing a good job hosting others on my off days. 

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Susan1028:

Never stayed at my own properties because I don't want to have to clean after my own stay, but I have a friend stay at a new property to get another opinion.

[Moved from duplicate topic]

[Gordon0]

@Susan1028 I noticed the inside of my bedside lamps needed a jolly good dust!

[Moved from duplicate topic]

[Helen427]

@Gordon0, make sure you check those skirting boards and under the bed!

[Sarah977]

@Susan1028  I host only a private room/ensuite bath in my home, but I've definitely slept in the guest room, and use that bathroom myself when I don't have guests. One thing that hosts can see when lying in the guest bed that they might not think about when cleaning, is a pile of dust or dead bugs in a ceiling light fixture or wall sconces, or a dusty ceiling fan. 

[Moved from duplicate topic]

[Reginah0]

I do it all the time,when i need some me time..i once noticed that the bathroom window was so dusty

[Moved from duplicate topic]