I did some traveling this summer and we stayed in a couple AirBnBs. Let me tell you...if you really want to set yourself up for success as a host, be a guest. It’s incredibly eye-opening.

I couldn’t get the lockbox open at the first place.

Listen, I am very independent and ask for help as a LAST resort in just about every situation (my husband will confirm this), but I could not get that thing open.  It took all my nerve to actually send the message asking for help...and there was no response.  Ever.  Even when I needed to extend my stay and we had a quick phone conversation, the host never even bothered to confirm that I’d figured out the lockbox!  I couldn’t believe it!  Of course, I’m not going to be “that” guest who leaves a nasty review...but I was a little shocked.  These were Superhosts, after all.  In my experience, if I had completely ignored a guest’s issue with a lockbox...I would certainly have seen it reflected in a review and some guests would cancel their booking for that reason...and expect a full refund!  Wow.  Just wow.  

The Mysterious Reddish Goo.

Our second stay had its own unique set of challenges. It honestly didn’t really look like the pictures on AirBnB. There was a reddish goo on the stove and hair in the bathroom. I’m an all natural kinda person, we only use non-toxic cleaners in our home and I do my best to be low-tox in my AirBnBs. But listen...I would have used any kind of cleaner they had to clean those messes up. There were no cleaning supplies available. None. I think they had them all locked up in the closet in the kitchen. So, when we made a grocery run that evening, I bought cleaning supplies and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom. These hosts were also Superhosts, which kind of blew me away. I have to just believe that I had out-of-the-ordinary experiences in both cases. That’s the best I can figure.

LESSONS LEARNED

{LESSON ONE: Simple, Smooth Check-In in Important}

Things happen.  I had a guest who couldn’t get in the space with the Smartlock code that was automatically generated for her by igloohome.  Side note:  I love igloohome...integrates for FREE with AirBnB.  All you have to do is buy the Smartlock (I got mine on Amazon) and you can integrate it with your AirBnB account.  Your guest will be automatically sent a unique code for entry in the AirBnB message thread/inbox before their arrival.  It’s brilliant!  

Anyways, back to the story. This guest couldn’t get in.  She and I did Facetime and she’s standing in front of the Smartlock, entering the code and it won’t open.  Strange!  So I send her a second code...still doesn’t work.  I finally resort to telling her how to find the key that goes into the Smartlock.  At this point, she pulls the phone back and I realize she’s standing in front of the wrong space!  She’s at the main house on the property...her booking as at the little Casita on the back of the property.  They both have a red door, so I couldn’t tell the difference when her camera was just on the door and the Smartlock.  Goodness gracious! We both had a good laugh and she got in just fine once she was at the right front door.  So yes, things happen. 

But as a host, it’s our job to think critically about all the potential barriers to smooth access that might exist.  It won’t always matter.  For example, in the story I just shared...she got a detailed message from me that morning with exact direction to get her to the right front door.  The message even came with a picture of the front door she would be looking for.  I don’t know what more I could have done to get her to the right spot. Sometimes the guest just doesn’t read things...or look at things.  You can’t control that.  

But, you CAN control how complicated a lockbox is.  And if it’s complicated, send some detailed instructions to the guest before their arrival walking through exactly how to get it open.  Or record a quick video tutorial for getting it open and send it as a link in an email (have I mentioned the power of email?  Stay tuned...we’ll cover that in a future blog post) so they can watch it before they ever get to the lockbox.  Or maybe someone on YouTube has already done a quick tutorial for how to open that particular lock.  Excellent!  Send them that one in a message on AirBnB before they arrive!  There are countless ways you can ensure your guests have a smooth, stress-free experience at check in.  It sets the tone for the rest of their stay.  It’s crucial, friend.  

And for goodness sake.  Be present!  Be available!  If and when they have trouble with the lockbox or SmartLock...which will inevitably happen no matter how many ways you go above-and-beyond to make sure it doesn’t...be close to your phone and available to help them get in.  I highly recommend that you ask your guests in the morning what time they plan to arrive that day and make it a point to be close to your phone at that time and ready to help.  This will save you from heartache and bad reviews in the long run.  I promise.  

{LESSON TWO: Cleaning Supplies...Photos...they really do matter!}

As a host, I’ve always felt that cleaning supplies should be accessible to my guests.  After all, AirBnB is about the experience of a home away from home...and homes have cleaning supplies that are accessible.  I highly recommend that you keep cleaning supplies in a spot that your guests can easily access.  Even if you have the BEST cleaning team and your space is SPOTLESS when your guests arrive, you never know what they may need during their stay.  It’s just good hospitality to provide them with some tools for their time in your home.  And I’m always so grateful for guests who care enough to actually clean up after themselves a little bit and take good care of the space.  Accessible cleaning supplies make that more likely.  

And because the cleaning supplies were locked away in our second AirBnB, I didn’t have access to a broom to sweep up the hair on the bathroom floor.  It’s a good idea to have things like a mop and broom available to your guests.

Ok...let’s talk about the bigger issue here.  The house was not clean when we checked in.  I am willing to bet that the owner/property manager did not walk through that home before we checked in.  I would bet they are trusting their cleaning team to make sure every detail is perfect before the guests arrive.  In my personal experience, even with the BEST cleaning teams, it is crucial to have someone (for 2 years, that someone was me) walk through your spaces before your guests arrive.  And it usually needs to be someone who’s not a cleaner.  I hope and pray that you have a cleaning team you can trust to do a final, meticulous review of a space before your guests arrive.  But even my best cleaning team doesn’t do this well.  In my experience, it needs to be someone else.  And it just makes sense.  We’re all human, we all miss things.  Your reviews and your Superhost status on AirBnB are worth the extra time and energy it will take to do walkthroughs or hire someone to help you do them.  (I’ll be doing a blog post on co-hosts in the near future, so stay tuned!) You do not want the very next set of eyes on the space after your cleaning team to be your guest.  It’s just too risky. 

And lastly...this may not seem like a big deal...but take my word for it.  Your photos need to match what’s actually in the space.  People book based on photos and reviews.  When they walk through the door and the furnishings are different than what they saw on the listing, it sets things off on a rough foot.  If you have to replace things, try to get them as close as possible to what’s in the photos….similar style, color(s), size.  I know it can be a pain to have photos redone.  The way around that is to purchase something that they’ll hardly notice is different.  Trust me...this will make or break your success over time.  It’s also good to keep this in mind while you’re designing the space.  How difficult would it be to replace a piece you’re using with something similar?  Things like beds and couches and chairs are more likely to need replacing and it’s sometimes a good idea to go with something a little more “generic” for those items. 

If you’ve been around for a while, you know that I’m all about character pieces and special finds at my local flea markets.  Those are hard to replace! And I still do purchase those unique pieces.  It’s what sets my spaces apart and really makes for a wonderful experience for my guests.  I would just encourage you to be mindful of the quality of vintage or unique pieces. If it doesn’t look like it will hold up for more than a year, you may want to pass.  

I’m GRATEFUL.

Ok friends!  That’s a wrap!  And again…I want to be clear...I am grateful for the hosts of both of these spaces.  I did not leave them scathing reviews.  I provided some feedback in private from one host to another.  I’m going to be honest...some of my most difficult guests have been fellow hosts.  It should NOT be that way.  We should be supporting one another, helping one another and rooting for one another’s success.  Of all people, a host should know what it means to share a space and run an AirBnB business. Kindness is essential.  

I hope this has been helpful to you!  I sure tucked these little priceless nuggets in my hosting toolbox.  Being a guest made a huge impact on how I host.  I hope my experiences have a positive impact on your hosting journey as well! 

See you in the next post!