Welcoming tips!

Blagoje0
Level 10
Split, Croatia

Welcoming tips!

We all know how first impressions are important so I wrote few welcoming tips that will upscale guests first impression of your apartment when they enter your place.

- besides basic toiletries leave toothbrush, toothpaste, razors (guests probably wont us it, but it will make your place look more valuable to them)

- if you dont provide breakfast you may leave wather, juice, coffe and tea pads. Maybe even some snack to ease guest arrival after long way ( it is not expencive but means a lot to guests)

- put some "surprise candy" maybe by the pillow, near bedroom lamp...( it will put a smile on their faces when they find it)

- cool/ heat your place before guests arrive ( it will be appreciated after long way to enter your cozy apartment)

- no artificial decoration can replace a bouqet of fresh flowers ( guests will see that you place it just for them and appreciate your gesture)

Besides this welcoming tips I think one of the most important things is that you are always easely reachable to answer any guest question.

If you have your suggestions and advices ,it would be great, if you could share it and maybe help new hosts or even experienced ones.

12 Replies 12
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

Well, there are many threads of this subject already.... the point is - it all depends how much you can charge. If 5€ in price makes a big difference in bookings than you have to cut additional costs and stick to basics. 

 

In transit destinations like Zagreb where the average stay is 1-3 days, guests just want cheap and clean accomodation with bedding, towels, free WIFI, AC and free parking space in the city center. They don't care about fresh flowers, juice, toothbrushes or snacks ... only kids are always excited with a candy on a pillow 🙂

 

 

 

 

Richard1
Level 7
Lenox, MA

These are all great suggestions and I agree with all of them.  I include many items that I find in upscale hotels.  In addition to your list I also provide disposable house slippers, travel size mouthwash, deodorant and sewing kit.  While it is true that many guests do not take advantage of these items there demonstrate a genuine effort on the host part to please their guests (and they do take note).  Many of my guests comment about these items in their reveiws and have helped me maintain a 5-star rating and superhost status.  I have had a very small number of people that will treat my space like a hotel and fill their bags with all of the bathroom amenities or mulitple bottles of water upon their departure - but I see this a part of doing business.  

 

The addition of these few items will help the guest remember you, the host, as well as the space.  

@Richard1 sure, but you can charge 1 bdr apartment 120€/night in february and we can not charge our 2 bdr apartment more than 40€/night for 2 guests because of a big competition in my area. And that's what I am talking about. If we could charge 3x more we would offer slippers, mouthwash and deodorant too 🙂

Of course you must price your property with respect the market you are in and the typical clientle that will book.  My experience has been that 100% of the guests do not use 100% of what I provide, if they did I would certainly review my pricing for these amenities.  To be honest, most of my guests use very little of the amenities that I provide. I also agree that I am in a more upscale market and I believe these few amenities will help garner a favorable review from guest.

 

Beyond the amenities that I mentioned the 2 actions that I believe are most important for my listing are:

 

1. Cleanliness

2. Communications

 

I have also found that when the space is maintained to a high standard for cleanliness the guests are more respectful of the space and are less likely to make a big mess.  Many times after guest have left I am happy to see that they have washed their dishes, collected towels and bed linens, and many times have swept the floor.  

 

Frequent communications is also good to help avoid problems. I have been fortunate that all of my guests have been acceptable.  Yes there have been a few that are more "needy" than others, but I am always the one in control and run my business to benefit me.  I try to avoid say "no".  I try to meet the guests requests, but if I truly cannot then I will offer alternatives for the guest.  Open communications and quick responses to guest issues will help avoid small problems becoming big problems.

 

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Sorry to hear that spending 5€ per guest visit make such difference to you. That is why I dont rent during winter months (low season, competition). But reading your reviewes I see that you, despite low income, put big personal effort.
When I travell I love to see that small signs of guest appreciation so I do the same for my guests.
@Richard1Thanks for sharing your helpfull tips and advices. I will add sewing kit:).

@Richard1 when I look your listing and read your comment It is obvious that you are wonderfull, caring and experience host and everything you say is reasonable 🙂 Yes, sewing kit, I've been looking to buy a small travel size one but I couldn't find it anywhere. 

 

@Blagoje0 don't get me wrong, we do offer some freebies -  parking, wifi, sat tv, AC, soap, shampoo, shower gel, cotton pads, emergency kit for ladies (tampons etc), first help kit,  filter and instant coffee, tea, sugar, salt/peper/condiments, musli, oil, 2 kinds of vinegar, loundry/toilet /dish detergents, washable slippers during winter, candy on a pillow, wc paper and kitchen rolls, linens and towels... all those essentials but that's more or less our maximum.

 

When you say 5€ per stay is not much I can understand you because you rent on the coast where average stay is 1 week and you have just 1 apartment and your price in full season is also almost 2x higher then ours. But we are in Zagreb where the average stay is 2 nights (statistics says 1,7 ) As we can host 8 people in 2 apartments they would use per example 8 pairs of disposable slippers every 2 days and it would be 8€ x 15 checkins/month = 120€ /month  Or fresh flowers 5€ x 30 = 150€/month... on top of all other bills and expences. The same math we have to use for every other freebie so I think we will stick to your chalck-board-welcome-message or Richards sewing-kit idea 🙂

 

We leave a variety of toast bread in freezer and also spreads in the refrigerator.Plunger coffee.Vinegars,oils Flour sugar tea,instant coffee.Beach towels and about 10 extra bath towels.facecloths and tea towels.Sewing kit.

 

 

Lenox is beautiful! My parents have a condo there and I grew up going to Tanglewood in the summers. 

Rebecca171
Level 2
Florence, OR

I'm a new host and I'm in a very popular vacation resort area in Florence, Oregon. I'm offering a 'boutique', more luxe experience and so I appreciate all of these suggestions. I know that when I am a guest and find such thoughtful touches waiting for me I am immediately filled with appreciation and have a sense that I chose the right place. I'm offering robes (for both bathing and hot tub use), disposable slippers, soft, higher end towels, along with many of the other things you suggest. As well as some sort of a welcome goodie (home-made cookies, etc). Looking forward to seeing other suggestions. Thanks for your post. 

MicheleandLouw0
Level 10
Maun, Botswana

@Blagoje0great tips thank you! Most of my guests are from foreign countries. Actually I have not hosted a Botswana or South African resident yet. Some arrive with a safari vehicle and some fly straight in on an international flight. When guests arrive by air I collect them from the airport. Normally they are tired and just want to rest before getting themselves organized in a foreign country so I surprise them with a cheap cellphone that belongs to my cottage. It has a local sim card and a bit of airtime on it and of course my cell number and two local taxi driver's numbers. Just to get them going.  They can call for takeaways (I have leaflets in the cottage)or a private cab without needing to worry to get their cellphone working first! And of course a cold beer waiting for them in the fridge always brings a wide smile to their faces

 

 

I am having my first one month stay and would like some ideas to keep things interesting. I always bake my guests a traditional milk tart from my home country during their stay (I very seldom have 1 night bookings) So I was planning to do that. And then maybe the following week some fresh flowers in the cottage. I am hoping for some wonderful ideas from you peeps for the other two weeks!

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Blagoje0....Blagoje mate......you need to see my style! It is crazy loopy but I tell you what, guests just love it because it puts them at ease. Humour is universal, and it is that one little sliver of hope that a guest will search for when they type that reservation request for your listing! They know absolutely nothing about you, but you throw them an olive branch with a funny comment out of left field...

Emeric welcome.png

 

Blagoje, this gets the whole reservation thing off on the right foot. They have a comfortable feel about their host and when they arrive it will be as friends rather than landlord/tennant!!!

And as the reservation is about to come to fruition I sometimes send something like this.....

Crocodiles in the lake 2.png

 

Yeah, I know, it's silly banter but Blagoje, you have no idea how it works. The number of times a guest arrives and says, "We were in a cafe when I got your message and I got such a laugh about your crocodile feeding the people around me thought I was mad"

The guest feels like we are the sort of people they would like to know....and from then on, the hosting is a dream.

Cheers.....Rob

Blagoje0
Level 10
Split, Croatia

I wrote dozens of tips, but they get lost in numerous other posts. 
You can use this tip and share yours best secret places in area to your guests.
Or maybe use this tip and surprise your guests on their check out day.