One of my top tips for BnB Hosts is... Don't assume anything.
It's easy to think what would I do? How would I act? What would I bring with me? But we're all different and so it's best to think of every eventuality and point of view. I've hosted over 400 guests and there are still times where I might not have thought of something to provide or a guest might do something or ask for something different.
Here are some assumptions which can be easy to make...
They will have packed everything they need
It's best to imagine your guest is arriving with just their clothes (and mobile phone). They may not have thought of everything they needed to bring, or just couldn't carry everything. It's a good idea to provide travel adaptors and USB ports, a hair dryer, towel and toiletries. They may also be grateful for the use of an umbrella. Guests also forget to pack items, mobile phone chargers being the most common, and items such as their toothbrush, toothpaste or a comb. You may wish to offer these items (for a small charge if you like) to save them having to go to the shop, which may not be possible if they realise at night (it also deters them from using your toothpaste if it's out). One of my guests even asked to borrow some nightwear as she had forgotten to bring hers - so it might be worth having a cheap oversized T shirt available - just in case!
They will know what to do in my home
Your guests have never met you or visited your home before so, even though it may be obvious to you, you can't assume they are going to know what to do in your home.
If you want them to follow certain rules, let them know, but again, you can't assume everyone will necessarily follow them. I don't have many rules, and generally people have stuck to them, but I have had some guests bring people into my home without prior agreement, and some guests have gone into rooms they are not permitted in, one person even went into my bedroom when I was in bed! So, you may want to put locks on certain areas you want to remain private.
Let your guests know what items you provide and where they are. Try to make it obvious what food and drink you provide and if you share a bathroom with your guests perhaps you could put all toiletries you provide on one shelf, so they know which items they can use and which are your personal items (I keep my toiletries hidden away in a bathroom cabinet).
Even the simplest of things for you may be confusing for your guests. I have a pull cord for the light in the bathroom which some people aren't used to and have asked me to show them how to turn on the light, and a strainer in the bath which people don't realise they need to take out before they run a bath. I mention how to use things and where things are in my Welcome Book and also have a few notes around my home telling them to 'help themselves to items on this shelf' or quick reminders on how to use, for example, the shower.
They will look after my home
Unfortunately you can't assume guests are always going to be careful in your home, and of course, accidents happen. Things can get damaged, broken or even stolen. So far I've had a damaged lamp, stained sheets, a bright blue sticky drink dropped on a new rug, chipped floors and wardrobes (presumably from the dreaded wheelie case), broken shower and taps, cracked toilet seat and floor tile, dirty hand prints on curtains, marks on walls and holes in the voiles (from being trapped in the window) broken glass, permanent marks on the TV (from an oily spray), and stolen DVDs and books. Despite this, you still want to have nice things in your home, so it's best to find items which aren't too expensive, and for them to be durable, fixable, washable and protected where possible. For example, I now use bathroom paint in the bedroom to prevent paint coming off when I need to scrub the wall.
Guests unfortunately aren't always safety conscious. I have had people leave windows open and the front door unlocked when they went out and the front door left open when they came home. On the flip side I have hosted guests who are very safety conscious and have locked me in and out!
You will also have guests who aren't going to be concerned with how much energy they are using and leave lights, heaters, chargers and the TV on, and take multiple showers a day. This is something you will need to factor into your pricing and use low energy items where possible.
They will arrive at their check in time
One of the things I find I do the most being a BnB host is wait for people. Guests don't always tell you what time they are going to check in. If they do give you a time it might be a large time window, for example, between 7pm and 10pm or if they give you an exact time, they may not always turn up then. I've often had guests contact me at their check in time and say they're going to be another 2 hours or so, and some who don't let me know they want to change their time or if they're running late (one of my guests finally turned up 20 hours later than expected, with no update on their arrival time). Some guests have also arrived earlier than agreed so, if possible, you might want to be ready earlier, just in case. Some reasons could be that their travel took longer/shorter than expected, the event finished earlier/later than expected, or they got lost/found their way quicker than anticipated, and then there are those who just arrive when they decide to. If you're able to provide a lock box then this will help alleviate this, but you will still need to be contactable in case they are lost or need to ask any questions once inside your home.
They know the area
I have had many guests say they know the area having lived or visited previously, or are visiting friends and family nearby. Quite often, these are the guests who give me a lower score for location in their Airbnb review, even if I'm just round the corner from their friend.
If they say they know the area, it's still advisable to give them directions and hope they read them. As they are probably less likely to read the directions than other guests, they may perhaps have difficulties finding your home if it's at all complicated, or they may not end up taking the best route.
You also need to give them the same local information as you do for your other guests including the closest bus stop, shops, etc. as they may only be aware of ones further away. Let them know about any local events and attractions as it's possible that they, or the people they are visiting, are not aware of them.
I can tell if they are happy in my home
It isn't always easy to know if your guest is happy or not and I think it's important to keep some kind of communication going with your guest, whether it's in person or via messages, so they know you are there for them if they need anything. I try to make sure I see all my guests when they arrive and then check they are OK later that day and/or the next day, the day before checking out, and, if possible, when they leave. I try to judge the frequency of any other communications depending on how they act, whether they seem to want to chat, ask questions, etc. I also put any notes on a white board in the kitchen area - to check if they are warm enough, etc, and to give them any updates on things in my home or any events or transport news. It's also a chance for them to ask something without having to ask me direct if they don't feel comfortable or if it's just easier for them to write a quick note.
It's great if your guest seems easy going, but don't be complacent, treat them the same as you would any other guest, making sure they are comfortable and have everything they need. It may be that they are just keeping any problems to themselves and then write them in the review.
If your guest seems quiet don't assume they're not happy with your home. It could be because they are shy, looking for some peace and quiet, sleeping at different hours (especially if they have jet lag), working, not bothered about interacting with their host or just out having fun. You might also have a guest who is experiencing a personal issue, visiting a sick friend or staying for a funeral. The guests I've received for these reasons have liked to have a chat but of course you need to be mindful of how hard some conversations may be.
They just need a bed for the night
Don't assume your guests will be out during the day. I have had guests who haven't left the room for days, even weeks! With the easy availability of food deliveries, whether it's cooked food or a supermarket delivery, it means more than ever that guests don't need to leave your home. Some people stay in to work, others stay in just because they want to. I try to give guests as much information as possible for things to do in the local area, in case they don't always want to go further afield, but want to do something. In my experience, people don't tend to ask if they can stay in during the day, it's just something they expect from a BnB.
You may also find sometimes your guest doesn't sleep in their room at night. I had one guest who was out every night and came back and slept in the room during the day.
They are staying in my home, they won't expect perfection
Guests generally have fairly high expectations and in particular want value for their money, but different guests expect different things so make sure your promotional imagery, description and pricing are a good reflection of your home and setup.
Some guests expect hotel quality whereas others accept it's your home, with perhaps some imperfections. If there are things I know aren't 'perfect' I try to get round them. For example, the floors aren't carpeted, therefore can feel a bit cold in the winter, so I provide flip flops for my guests (or gift warm socks to those who are staying several nights or more in the winter).
There are going to be times when things happen out of your control, for example, loss of broadband, a power cut or a noisy party nearby. Explain the situation to them, and if you know in advance, let them know too. You might want to offer a partial refund or perhaps a small gift, such as a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine, if it is particularly disruptive.
I get good reviews so I don’t need to change anything
It’s great if your past guests have been happy. You'll want
to keep this up so don't get too complacent by forgetting to update your
tired items or upgrade your offer.
Keep an eye on the fluffiness of your towels, cleanliness of the sheets, and any items that are starting to look shabby or broken.
I’m always looking to see if there is something else I can
add or offer to my guests' stay. The items I provide have grown over the years based
on things people have asked for, things I’ve noticed, or passing comments they
have made. For example, some guests were using a hair clasp to keep the
curtains tightly closed, so I’ve installed a blind as well so guests can have a
darker room without ruining the curtains. I started providing a small step as some of
the handles on the windows were too high for my shorter guests and I now offer emergency toiletry
items that guests have asked for when the shops have been closed. I also
started providing Netflix as many of my guests are from abroad and haven't been interested in watching UK programmes.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the competition to see what
they offer and the prices they charge. You may find you can increase your
prices.
It's all good, they've stayed before
If you've got a repeat visitor, that's great, you know they like your home, and generally it's a lot easier, but you still can't be complacent. I always make the same information available to my repeat visitors as there may be things they have forgotten or things they didn't look at before. It's also important to update them on any changes since their last visit.
Quite often repeat visitors will be more relaxed, which is great, but it might also mean that they are less careful, may not have refreshed their memory on your house rules and may be less likely to confirm or keep to a check in time.
I have had guests who have stayed with me several times and it isn't until a later stay that they have made me aware of a recurring issue they have faced, started inviting people into my home, or forgotten how to lock the front door. I quite often give repeat guests the option of self check in to give them flexibility on arrival day and make sure I catch up with them early on in their stay to welcome them back.