I recently did a consulting session with a client who is looking to start hosting on Airbnb. We were walking through some of the things I do to make my guests feel welcome, and we got to the part about bathroom extras. I like to leave a travel-sized bottle of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel, […]
Hosting stories
The frustrations of mismatched expectations
A recent story I wrote about my friend’s basement is an important reminder of the importance of matching expectations. Reality When my friends decided to rent out their space, their thought process went something along these lines: “it’s a cheap basement apartment; people aren’t going to expect much.” Expectations On the other hand, when people […]
Being stressed: you get to make a choice
Of all the spaces I host, my favorite ones (ok, well “Harvey” is probably a very close 2nd) are the 2 spare bedrooms in our own house. I love them because it gives me the most interactions with my guests, the best look into other people’s lives. It’s important to remember, however, that getting a […]
A new “spin” on hospitality
I recently had a long conversation in the home of a friend of mine. (And, spoiler alert, this is what led to my new “spin” on hospitality!) Although she’s American, she has spent many years abroad (including Japan and Turkey). Consequently, she has adopted many of the traditions of hospitality that are so common and […]
How to stay motivated when you want to quit
If you’ve been hosting for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced a period when you wanted to quit. Whether it’s a nightmare party, needy guest, or just a day you don’t want to clean, it’s impossible to work in this industry without getting tired and worn out sometimes. Personally, I love hosting. We host […]