You Have Airbnb Guests (Not Tenants)

Sound Familiar?

Pesky Problem

You’re acting like a prickly landlord, not a hospitable host.

Time for a round of questions. (And be honest here.) When a new Airbnb booking request dings on your phone or your next round of visitors are just minutes away from checking in, which emotion is more prevalent for you: excitement or dread? Do you feel pumped to share a piece of your world or do you feel on edge, like you need to protect an important asset that’s now at risk? And most importantly, to those folks who are about to arrive, do you come across as a hospitable host? Or is it possible you look more like a prickly landlord?

Let's Try This

Bite-Size Solution

Think of folks arriving at your Airbnb as guests, not tenants.

If you’re finding yourself more on the defensive side of things, first know that can be completely normal, especially if you’re a brand new host or have recently run into the uncommon (yet often inevitable) bad apple guest. But if you’re feeling defensive, you’ve got some extra work to do. You must ensure that your hosting and your actions come from a place of hospitality.

One of the quickest ways to check whether your mindset is rooted in the hospitality industry or not is to notice how you talk about the folks booking your place. Are they guests? Visitors? Travelers? Or are they renters? Or tenants? (Yup, we’ve been called both.) 

If you happen to find that your vocabulary doesn’t align with the type of hospitable host you strive to be, start by making a conscious effort to change your language, both out loud and in your own head. This small shift will help steer your hosting trajectory towards the hospitality Airbnb hosting is all about.

how to be a hospitable airbnb host
5 Minutes

Here's Your First Step

Emulate Clara, the most hospitable Airbnb host in Florida.

Looking for a little Airbnb hospitality inspiration? We know just the thing. This week, Airbnb released its list of the most hospitable hosts in every state in the United States. We were over the moon to discover that our very own Big Heart Hosting community member, Clara, was selected as the most hospitable host in Florida. 

We’ve known Clara for years. In the Airbnb world, she’s a definitive leader in the hosting community. And in our personal world, she’s been one of our most encouraging supporters as our work has grown from a tiny travel blog for our friends and family to an established brand serving thousands of hosts each month.

You might remember Clara from this year’s very first post: What’s Your Hosting Motto? Clara’s motto is “Every guest is my first guest.” That motto has grounded all of her hosting over the past 7+ years in hospitality above all else. Her guests delight in her hospitality, and in turn, she delights in the joy of her guests. Talk about a win-win situation! If you want to see it in action, check out the reviews on Clara’s listing. They will warm your heart and reignite your own commitment to hospitality.

P.S. Check out the most hospitable hosts in all 50 states! In their article, Airbnb includes a fun interactive map with all of the honored hosts. You can hover over each state in the U.S. and click through to each host’s listing. This is an inspiring (and addictive) way to soak up all sorts of new hosting ideas.

INSPIRED BY you

This week’s Big Heart Hosting post was inspired by Clara, Airbnb Superhost in Pensacola, Florida, USA. Just click here to explore the full listing.

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