Amenities We Offer and the Host Mindset "Trick" I Use
Halloween is over and November is here, which means my mind is already in full holiday and hosting mode. We’ve got a pretty full schedule of guests coming up at the Barn Burner, (including groups over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) and we’ll be personally hosting family and friends this year as well, so there’s a lot to get ready!
After two years of hosting guests in our four Airbnb units - and many more years of hosting in my own home - I’ve learned that being a successful host requires a slightly different mindset than designing and setting up spaces for your own personal use.
So, as we head into this holiday hosting season, I thought it’d be helpful to share how I try to ensure that any design decision or product choice we make for our guest spaces fits into one or more of these four requirements - Is it: OBVIOUS - EASY - CLEAN - INCLUSIVE?
In practice, this means asking:
Can guests easily find what they need AND figure out how to use it? (Obvious and Easy) KISS - Keep It Simple, Superstar. For anything you’re choosing, is one option clearly easier to use or more intuitive than the other (eg “On” button more clearly marked, less likely to have tech issues, etc)? Also, clear or open storage and labels are your friend.
Are materials easy to clean and is it obvious to guests when things are clean? (Obvious, Easy, and Clean) My motto (especially as an Airbnb host) is that other people’s dirt is the grossest, so we go the extra mile to make sure things are as clean as possible. This is a delicate balance of choosing durable materials that hold up to use, but also choosing things that clearly convey being *clean* (like white bedding and towels).
Am I providing a variety of options that will reasonably suit most people’s needs? (Easy, Inclusive) While you can’t provide every item to meet every person’s needs/wants, there are some easy ways to make reasonable accommodations (and your guests will definitely notice and appreciate the effort). One example of how we do this: Providing a mix of hot drink types, methods, and mix-ins - Ground coffee, assorted tea bags, hot cocoa; a drip coffee maker, french press, and electric kettle; sugar, a variety of creamers, and honey. All of these items are shelf stable (aka easy to stock) and help our guests start the day right.
Here are some more specific examples of how we’ve implemented these ideas in our guest spaces, both at the Barn Burner and at home:
WELCOME - MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
Programmable, electronic locks
We set new codes at the Barn Burner for every group that checks in, so it’s obvious why these are needed there, but we also find them extremely useful at home, especially if guests are staying for an extended period of time. Plus, not having to keep track of a physical key is always a bonus in my book. There are a lot of different technologies out there, but we chose a physical keypad (versus bluetooth entry or something like that) because, again, we’re trying to keep it EASY, OBVIOUS, and INCLUSIVE for everyone, and there’s nothing more frustrating than dealing with tech difficulties while you try and check in.
Designated hooks for guests in the entryway
I’ve sung the praises of these swivel hooks before, but they continue to be one of my favorites and they are commented on frequently by guests. Whether you are hosting at home or have short term rentals, it just makes sense to have an obvious and easily accessible spot for guests to hang their jackets, purses, or leave their shoes. And let’s be honest - the hooks your family uses in whatever mudroom or drop zone you you have at your day-to-day entrance point are probably already full of your stuff. So having something by your main entry door that’s JUST for guests is extra welcoming.
Hanging storage and a luggage rack, or other obvious place to put your bags
No matter how long your guests are staying, they need somewhere to put their bag(s) and store their stuff. Luggage racks are an easy way to get things up off the ground, and they easily fold up for storage when you don’t need them. If possible, providing a few hangers and hanging storage is a nice bonus.
GET COZY
A variety of blankets and pillows
Everyone is different when it comes to sleep preferences, so we try to provide several different bedding options for our guests. This includes both a soft and firm pillow choice and several blanket layers - top sheet, a cotton blanket, a comforter, and a thinner quilt. I love that it gives everyone an option for how many layers of covers they prefer, and I also love the way it looks in each of the rooms.
Quality bedding, plus allergen covers
On the note of pillows and bedding - unlike all of our vintage furniture, we definitely wanted NEW for all of our mattresses, bedding, and linens. I know everyone has had the experience of sleeping on a crappy bed in a hotel or rental, and we did NOT want our guests to experience that at the Barn Burner. So, we have Tuft and Needle mattresses on all the beds, Parachute sheets (and towels as well), and we protect our investment and make sure things stay clean for our guests with AllerEase zippered protectors on all pillows and mattresses.
CLEAN UP
Black Make-up Washcloths
While most of our towels and linens are white, these black wash cloths embroidered with the word “Make-Up” are a great addition for our guests (and our cleaners’ sanity). The embroidery text on each washcloth also helps make it super obvious to guests what their purpose is. They’re not a perfect solution - sometimes we still have white towels or washcloths stained with make-up - but they definitely help. We also use them at home, and they’ve held up extremely well.
Basic, easily refillable toiletries
To make it easy for our guests (especially because many are only staying for two or three nights) we provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other basic toiletries in all of our bathrooms. The wall mounted dispenser makes cleaning easy and doesn’t take up valuable shelf or bench space, and the Public Goods products we stock all smell SO GOOD, and I use several in our own home now too.
MORNING RITUALS
Electric Kettle
This extra appliance has proved to be one that definitely earns its keep, especially heading into these colder months! My mom is a tea drinker so this got used every day while she was at our house last week, plus it boils water quickly enough that I can just press start when kids come in from the snow and start taking their gear off before hot cocoa. I’ve also used it for things like ramen or any other time I want boiling water quickly and in a way that’s easy to pour (like for french press or pour over coffee).
Shelf stable drink stuff
In each of our units we provide a mix of hot drink types, methods, and mix-ins: ground coffee, assorted tea bags, hot cocoa; a drip coffee maker, french press, and electric kettle; sugar, a variety of creamers, and honey. All of these items are shelf stable (aka easy to stock) and help our guests start the day off right. Obviously some people may have specific preferences that aren’t covered by this mix, but I find this covers most situations, and normally people with specific requests will message me first to check what we stock or will just bring their own by default.
UNPLUG, RECHARGE
Multi-function alarm clocks
The “alarm clock” function is probably the least necessary piece, now that so many people use their phones instead, but I chose these specifically because they also have USB charging ports, a spot for an Aux-in cable, and the ability to load files on a micro-SD card (I’ve got white noise tracks on all of them at the Barn Burner).
Easily accessible plugs by the bedside
This is not photogenic, but seriously everyone - make your bedside plugs accessible for guests! In most cases, this means adding an extension cord/power strip because guests don’t want to have to dig behind a bedside table or headboard to plug in their phone charger.
Well, hopefully a few of these ideas were helpful to you as we all head into the busy holiday hosting season! I’m sure there are things I’m missing, and there’s always room for us to improve, but overall this framework has worked well for us. And 100+ 5-star reviews later, on top of two years as Airbnb Superhosts, and I’d say our guests agree.