Hosting From a Tropical Beach

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Of the 310 groups of people I hosted, I only met a little under half of them. Based on a couple of the reviews, some guests even questioned if I actually lived in the house at all (they also commented that despite this, things ran so smooth it didn’t matter).

Whether you plan on living in your home while guests stay with you, living in a different city, or traveling while guests stay in your home, it should be your goal for the check-in process to be completely hands-off. In addition, move as many possible problem into category 1 or category 2 (as outlined here), so your physical presence at the the home is rarely necessary.

One of the unfortunate realities you are likely to run into is the need to give constant attention to whatever device you use to communicate with your guests (smart phone or computer). Most guests expect responses within an hour, and generally give kuddos for even faster response times. In my case, this meant I had to think more carefully about access to wifi and/or a strong phone signal when camping or otherwise traveling with friends. On a couple occasions, I had to sit out a couple runs on the the ski slopes to help solve a guest’s problem.

Tips to help you host like a boss when away

  1. Let your housekeeper know you’re going to be away, and make certain they are properly equipped to turn rooms.
  2. Carry the number of a couple plumbers, electricians, and handymen to solve any “big” problems that come up. Ideally, form a relationship with these people before you need them to help in an emergency.
  3. Anticipate any issues that a guest may encounter, and seek to solve these problem before they come up.
  4. Know what access to Wifi/cell service you expect, and plan to check it at least every couple hours.
  5. (at your discretion), let the guests know you may have spotty internet access during their stay, and that response times may be longer than usual (keeping guests happy is just as much about managing expectations as it is providing an exceptional service).