Advice to Airbnb Hosts from a Seasoned Traveller

I have spent more than 10 months, collectively, in Airbnbs spanning four countries. From renting studio and basement apartments alone to renting a single room in a shared environment, I have had a lot of experience with Airbnb hosts.

Everyone reading this article probably knows that hosts make money through their listings or they wouldn’t bother renting out their homes or parts of them, so here’s my plea: please do us all a favour and put a little of that extra cash into making the experience a good and comfortable one — your reviews will reflect the extra effort!

To this end, I would like to mention ten things that I’d like Airbnb hosts to know.

1. Please don’t skimp on curtains.

I’m an early bird and often wake before the sun rises, but there are times when I like to sleep a little longer. This can be difficult when the curtains in your room are nothing more than white lace or flimsy transparent curtain. I can only imagine how nuts this makes late risers.

Another difficulty with see-through curtains is the modesty aspect. I’m not particularly inclined to flash the neighbourhood when getting dressed so please, for the sake of holidays sleepers and to avoid your guests being jailed for indecent exposure, invest in some decent curtains.

2. Please make sure that your pictures are clear, up to date, and reflect what the place currently looks like.

I have had to sift through many grainy and obscure pictures to get an aesthetic idea of the place that I’m about to book and sometimes when I get there, there are some major differences in the setting, room, or home. Sometimes the differences are an improvement, but sometimes there is something missing that was the clincher over booking another option, like comfortable seating for example.

And hosts, please be clear about what is and isn’t available.

One of the pictures on a listing indicated a closet for my clothes but when I checked in, there was absolutely no closet or drawer space for me at all.

3. Please invest in decent towels regardless of how “cheap” the rent is — and please don’t make them white!

Yes, I admit it, I choose cheaper rentals, mainly because I am an online ESL teacher which any article will tell you doesn’t make you a millionaire. Still, this is no excuse for nasty towels that have been used to death by previous guests or inhabitants of the house. I’m not asking for high thread counts or Egyptian cotton, but a little softness makes all the difference — no-one enjoys having a towelling off experience turn into an exfoliation!

And as an aside, please don’t make them white. I know that white is a common standard for hotels which I still don’t understand as it shows every mark and must be a bear for people to clean and bleach. When you stay in a hotel, you know that there is a large laundry staff dedicated to removing any stain that may find its way onto the fabric but hosts, you don’t have these resources, so for your own reduced effort and the comfort of your guests, please don’t make the towels white!

4. Please give more than one pillow.

When I have booked accommodation with a double or queen-sized bed, I have usually gotten more than one pillow, but not always. When I have booked accommodation with a single bed, I have not gotten more than one pillow, and as someone who has had back surgery I need more than one pillow to sleep comfortably.

Hosts, please open the purse strings just a tad and invest in more than one pillow for your guests, and on that note, throw out lumpy pillows that have seen better days.

5. Toilet Paper!

I don’t care how cheap your rent is, toilet paper is something that needs to be provided without guests asking for more. Please, for the love of God, make it readily accessible. Having to search for toilet paper or keep requesting it from the host does not an enjoyable experience make.

6. Drinking Water and Mosquito Screens.

In countries where the water is not drinkable, please provide drinking water. I know how cheap large bottles of water are in these countries so please include it for your guests.

If you live in a place where there are a lot of mosquitoes, please take a little of your profit and get some good mesh screens for the windows and doors.

Nothing can turn the wonderful experience of visiting new places into a nightmare like spending your days scratching mozzie bites!

7. Make space for us.

Whether your guests are staying for a few days or for a month, please make sure that there is both hanging and drawer space available for them. I understand that many Airbnbs are also the hosts’ homes but for a brief period they are also ours, and being able to unpack our clothes makes our lives a little easier.

On that note, please also make a little fridge and kitchen cupboard space for us. Having to lay groceries out in the bedroom isn’t convenient and a simple, “I have cleared a shelf for you in the fridge as well as in this cupboard,” is very welcoming.

8. Invest in a bedside table.

Please create a little space for us next to the bed, even if it is just a wooden crate with a piece of fabric laid overtop. Everyone has a cellphone, some have a book, some take water to bed, but all of us have something that we like to put beside us as we sleep.

9. Please have just one comfortable place for us to sit.

If you are renting a studio apartment or a private space, please have at least one comfortable chair or sofa for us to rest our weary bodies at the end of each day. Making a bed into the living, eating, and sleeping area can be super frustrating, especially with longer stays.

If possible, a little chair in a bedroom is a wonderful addition and is greatly appreciated.

10. Have an unpaid washer available.

Oh dear, darling, washing machine, I dream of you! I have come to the point in my travel journey where, unless there is a washer in the place that I am going to rent, I don’t rent it. Being able to wash my clothes has become a necessity for me and if your listing states that the washer is paid, you can bet that I’m not going to book your place.

If you are going to charge me to use the washer, you are probably going to skimp on many other basic features of a comfortable stay.

In short, if you wouldn’t like something when it comes to accommodation for your own holiday, then my guess is that your guests wouldn’t either.

Now that I have listed the main things that I would love Airbnb hosts to be aware of, I have to state that all of my hosts have been super friendly (bar one woman in Mexico), and very respectful of my privacy (bar one slightly pervy guy in Turkey). My time as an Airbnb guest has been wonderful and I’m very thankful to the company and the hosts for making my travel easier, both economically and as a foreigner.

Thank you, teşekkürler, and gracias!