Build in “do not disturb” signals your guests can leverage.

Quick tangent. (Stick with us. We promise this is related!) The beauty store Sephora made headlines several years back when they started setting out two different shopping baskets for their customers, one in red and one in black. Above the red baskets, the sign read, “I would like to be assisted!” And above the black baskets, the sign read, “I would like to shop on my own!”

Stop and think about how brilliant this is. By simply offering customers an easy way to passively share their desires, Sephora’s employees are able to connect with the customers looking for guidance and socialization while simultaneously creating the solitary browsing experience many shoppers seek.

Now back to how this relates to your Airbnb. This strategy immediately came to mind after connecting with J’Anne and Mark, superhosts with a beautiful guest suite in Gilbert, Arizona. Their house is also on the property and has windows that open up to outdoor spaces they share with guests, like the pool, backyard, and patio. They are super social folks eager to chat with guests looking to connect. (Their pup Otis is happy to help start the conversation.)

But they also want to give their guests the ability to dial up their privacy as much as they’d like. To that end, they’ve not only included blinds on all the windows in the guest suite, but added blinds to the exterior of their own patio door. Guests looking for a little more seclusion can actually close these from the outside and signal they’d like a little alone time. Brilliant.