So you have a spare room in your house or apartment that you would like to rent out. That’s great! However, working with Homestay is more than just simply renting out a room or house. You’re providing the visitors with truly local experiences, not just a place to sleep on after a long journey. None of the homestays listed on Homestay.com are vacant properties. By signing up to work with Homestay you also become more than a landlord – you’re a local guide, sometimes a home chef and maybe even a friend.
With the video-call feature that Homestay provides, you have the opportunity to
Keep in mind that you’re not just handing over the keys to your apartment but giving someone a glimpse of what it’s like to live in your hometown.
The key to being a great host is engaging with your guests and making sure they truly feel at home. We have some tips and tricks for you on how to do that!
1. Its Important to Create an experience
Think of yourself as not only the host of your apartment but rather a host for your city and your community – that’s a big part of the experience that the guests are looking for. The reason they choose to book a room with Homestay instead of a regular hotel, for example, is to get a taste of living like a local. Whether you want to prepare local food using your family recipe or share some information that the out-of-towners typically can’t find online – make sure that it’s something that will make their stay unforgettable and that they will truly feel at home!
2. Good communication is Critical
Try to arrange a time that suits both you and the guests to show them the apartment and give them a warm welcome. Make sure the guests have all your contact information in case they have any trouble getting to the location or if their plane is delayed. If you can, provide them with all the necessary information about your neighborhood and the apartment itself.
Everything that may seem obvious to you will be valuable information to the visitors! It’s great if the guests can also easily contact you during their stay. You never know, they could get lost while exploring the city or going for a hike. You want to make sure they get home safe!
3. Make Sure Things are Clean
Of course you want to provide your visitors an authentic experience but leaving dirty socks on the floor might be overdoing it. Make sure to tidy up the whole apartment and not just the room your guests will be staying in. Just imagine your parents are coming to visit and your place needs to be spotless!
After all, you want them to enjoy their stay and leave with a good impression of a new city. You don’t want them to remember spider webs and dirty plates on the kitchen counter when they’re on the plane heading home.
4. How Much Should you Charge?
With Homestay, you st the price. Consider things like the location and distance from public transport. Make sure to include a light breakfast in the price as well (or let your guests know that it’s paid extra if that’s what you prefer). You can always check out the other listings on Homestay’s website to get an idea of how much other hosts charge. Don’t forget – the rate is per room, per night.
