Little things make a big difference in a guest's experience.
When Airbnb first appeared as an alternative to hotel stays, it was revolutionary. Ordinary people could make some extra money renting out part or all of their property for overnight guests, and travelers could get a homey, more personal stay for often a lot cheaper than a hotel.
Times have changed, and so have many people's experiences with Airbnb. Prices are now on par with—or sometimes more than—hotel rooms. Fees have gotten out of control. Many properties are now run by management companies, removing the personal touch that defined the brand in the beginning.
And yet, some of us still love it because we know how good it can be. My family has had dozens of great stays at other people's Airbnbs over the years. My husband and I have also been Airbnb superhosts for close to 10 years, welcoming thousands of guests between our two rental units with near-perfect ratings across the board. We've learned a lot in the past decade about how to earn a 5-star review without an enormous amount of effort, partly through our experience as hosts, but also through our experiences as guests.
The truth is, it's really not that hard to create a good Airbnb stay. Here are eight things Airbnb hosts can do to give guests a 5-star experience without much heavy lifting:
The No. 1 complaint I see about Airbnb these days is that hosts are asking guests do to a list of chores upon checkout, often in addition to charging them a cleaning fee. Strip the bed sheets. Start the laundry. Start the dishwasher. Sweep the floor. Take out the trash.
@anniereneau This is a hill I’m willing to die on as a host. #airbnb #vrbo #shorttermrentals #checkout #superhost
Don't do that. There's no reason to burden guests with housekeeping duties while they're trying to get themselves and their families packed up and out the door. It really stresses some guests out, and, honestly, it's not worth it. It doesn't really save much time, and in some ways, it makes cleaning harder. It's a lot easier to check sheets for stains when they're still on the bed, for instance. Garbage might need to go out if it's smelly, but most people will do that without being required to. Starting the dishwasher is reasonable and we suggest it to our guests, but it's not a requirement (and most people do it anyway). If a home is prone to ants or other critters and food crumbs really have to stay off of floors at all times, just communicate that. But don't leave guests a list of chores to do.
In our experience, if you treat guests with respect and genuinely communicate that you value them staying in your space, 99 out of 100 will return the favor and leave your place in good shape without requiring them to do a darn thing.
I know, it costs money to hire cleaners, especially if you're paying them what they should be paid. But people hate seeing a price listed for the space and then get the sticker shock of another $100 or more for a cleaning fee.
We clean our units ourselves, but we pay ourselves for it and just wrap the "fee" into our nightly price. Averaged out between shorter and longer stays over time, it adds something like $20 more per night total. Most people, believe it or not, would rather pay a little more per night to not have the "extra" cleaning fee tacked on at the end, when there are already service fees being added.
Nightly prices are arbitrary anyway. We have an automated pricing tool that sets our nightly price based on demand in our area, and there's a huge range in what it says we should charge. And honestly, when people pay a little bit more for the base price, they also tend to value the place a little more and treat it a little better. Wrapping the cleaning fee into the price and then not having one or just having a nominal cleaning fee is often a win-win for guests and hosts.
Each of our units has a chalkboard on the wall where we write "Welcome, [Guest's Name]!" It takes all of five seconds to write each time. Guests love it—it makes them feel welcomed and at home. It lets them know we see and value them individually, that they're not just another cog in the wheel of our business.
Personalize your welcome in some way.Photo credit: Canva
If not a chalkboard, any kind of welcome note will do. Even a sticky note stuck to the refrigerator that welcomes them by name is enough. We do it ourselves most of the time because we live close to our units, but we ask our cleaners to write the guest's name when we do hire them, and it's no big deal. It's quick and easy, and you get a big bang for your buck.
You know when you stay at a hotel and you want a cup of coffee in the morning, but the Keurig with the nasty powdered packaged creamer just isn't going to cut it, so you have to get up and go search for good coffee and it sucks? (Maybe that's just me.)
Providing multiple ways to make coffee and multiple options for creamers and sweeteners is something guests really appreciate. Real half-and-half and non-dairy creamer. Sugar, Splenda, and Stevia. A percolator and a pour-over. People are finicky about coffee, so the more options you can offer, the more likely it is they'll have the cup of coffee they want, and as every coffee lover knows, that's huge.
Coffee and tea are comforts for most people.Photo credit: Canva
Same for tea. Provide a variety of black and herbal teas and a variety of sweeteners. Tea drinkers like kettles, so have a countertop or stovetop kettle for heating up water. Oh, and good mugs. These little comforts make a big difference.
One of the advantages of renting an Airbnb is being able to cook instead of always having to eat out. Stock the kitchen like it's your house (or your friend-who-cooks' house if you don't cook yourself). All the possibly needed utensils. Some quality cookware. You can get pretty good items at thrift stores many times, but make sure they're decent quality. Include a couple of oil options and a basic spice rack. We don't provide food other than that, but just having those cooking basics is always really appreciated by guests.
I know this is really specific, but it's my biggest pet peeve as a guest. If I can't find a place to hang my coat when I come in, my clothes while I'm taking a shower, or my wet towel when I get out of the shower, I get a little annoyed. Small annoyances add up when you're in an unfamiliar space, and there are already going to be annoyances you can't do anything about as a host. Hooks are something you can so something about. Place hooks on walls and doors in entryways, bedrooms, and bathrooms. It's a small detail that makes a stay much more pleasant.
The more hooks, the better.Photo credit: Canva
Our Welcome Guide for guests tells them everything they need to know about the rental, where to find things, how to work the TV and thermostat, as well as recommendations for local things to do and places to eat in the area. We tell them our favorite restaurants, where to get the best ice cream in town, etc. Personal, thoughtful touches like that make guests feel like you really care about them having a good experience. It took a few minutes to create and print, and we get a huge return on that investment in terms of guest experience.
In our experience, there are three kinds of guests: one that wants to be left alone, one that is happy to meet you briefly, and one that would be happy to exchange life stories for hours We tell guests that we are available and accessible if they need us, but that we'll give them their privacy. We also share some of our story in our Welcome Guide, so it's clear that we're open to that personal connection if guests want it, but we also recognize that some people don't want that and will respect it. We take our cues from the guests themselves and strive to be the kind of host they want during their stay. As a result, we get lots of return guests.
There are a lot of little things that make an Airbnb stay one that guests will happily give five stars to. The bottom line is thinking like a guest about what you would want in a stay, and then providing that.
Linguist explains simple reason Boomers use ellipses in texts all the time
One generation's texting habit that baffles every generation is the Boomers' seemingly excessive use of ellipses. Do you have more to say, Aunt Judy, or did you just accidentally press the period key too many times? Maybe it's for a dramatic pause or to put emphasis on a point? This is truly a mystery that leaves every generation below them confused about what is meant by the dreaded "dot dot dot."
Texting etiquette differs with every generation. Gen X and most Millennials use fairly proper grammar and punctuation throughout a text message exchange. Every new sentence starts with a capital letter, there are strategically placed Oxford commas to ensure there's little room for misunderstandings, and sentences end with an appropriate punctuation mark.
Joyful moments captured: A cheerful day out!Photo credit: Canva
When it comes to Gen Z, they find that ending text messages with proper punctuation indicates that the person they're texting is being passive-aggressive. They also text in shorthand and emojis that can feel a bit like you need a special decoder ring to decipher the messages. But texting in an encrypted way can be chalked up to youth, though the same can't be said when it comes to Boomers. Or can it?
Harvard linguist and author of the book Algospeak, Adam Aleksic, breaks down why so many Boomers use ellipses when texting. It's surprisingly not as complicated or dramatic as one may imagine. In a viral video posted last year on TikTok, Aleksic explains his theory for the texting etiquette of Boomers.
Two generations connecting through their smartphones.Photo credit: Canva
"You know how older people tend to use the 'Boomer ellipses' whenever they're texting? There's always a random 'dot dot dot' in the middle of their messages?" Aleksic asks. "Well, that's because they grew up following different rules for informal communication. Nowadays, if you want to separate an idea, you just press enter and start a new line with a new thought, but it made less sense to do that for writing postcards or letters, where you had to save space, so people back in the day learned to separate thoughts by using ellipses."
Aleksic explains that this is also true for when phones first started allowing text messaging. You were charged by the message, so ellipses made it more efficient to convey all the thoughts in one message instead of multiple ones. SMS texting also had a character limit, unlike current phones, where you can essentially write a novella in a single message without your phone automatically breaking it up.
Today's texting standards typically mean people separate their thoughts by sending multiple messages for separate thoughts, though that annoys some people. If separating thoughts means you'll be sending no less than five texts in quick succession, it's likely best to just space down to make the text longer, rather than bombarding an unsuspecting friend.
When it comes down to it, younger generations have adapted to the new standard, embracing the unlimited text option, while Boomers haven't. Due to this discrepancy in text etiquette, the ellipses used by Boomers throw people for a loop.
Elderly man working.Photo credit: Canva
"That means the Boomer ellipses became redundant, which is why they cause confusion today. They violate what we call 'the maximum quantity;' they add more information than necessary, so they appear to imply something more than the intended meaning. Most of the time, that comes off to younger people as hesitation, annoyance, or passive aggressiveness because that's how we use the ellipses," the linguist shares.
So, no, your grandma isn't mad at you or avoiding telling you something; according to Aleksic, she's just trying to send you multiple messages in one. There's no hidden emotion behind the ellipses for Boomers; it's simply a habit left over from their younger years.
Communication specialists share best phrases to win people over during small talk.
Small talk is a skill that can be hard to grasp. Striking up a conversation with acquaintances (or sometimes complete strangers) can be a challenge, even for the most gifted gabber. While you may loathe small talk, research shows that it helps build a stronger sense of community and belonging.
"Small talk gets a bad rap because it feels like filler before the ‘real’ conversation begins. It’s really an opportunity to make an impression," explains Cheryl Overton, brand strategist and founder of Cheryl Overton Communications. "What makes it awkward is the lack of intention. When we approach it with a 'get in, get out' energy, we miss the opportunity to connect."
Coming prepared to social situations with small talk questions and phrases will help you feel more confident—and connected— to others.
People socializing and making small talk.Image via Canva/ELEVATE
"There’s no need to try to be impressive, clever, or interesting," says Rhonda Khan, public speaking coach and CEO at Simply Speech Solutions. "The best conversations come from being present, curious, and intentional, making small talk less of a chore and instead the beginning of a true, fulfilling connection."
These are 5 small talk questions and phrases to keep in mind that can help you keep conversations flowing, according to communication specialists:
Phrase #1: "That sounds important to you—tell me more."
Using this phrase during your small talk conversation will show you're interested.
"Acknowledging what matters to someone builds instant rapport," says Cyndee Harrison, co-founder of communications firm Synaptic. "It demonstrates empathy, active listening, and a desire to understand their perspective rather than just responding with your own."
Phrase #2: "I would love to hear your take on this."
This will encourage the person you are talking with to share more and make your interest clear.
"People love to share their opinions, especially on things they feel passionate about," says Khan. "By asking their opinion, you are inviting their voice into the space, making them feel seen and valued."
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Phrase #3: "What’s making you smile these days?"
This question will help you learn more about the passions of the person you're talking to.
"This works by elevating 'what do you do?' to 'what do you love?'," says Overton. "It gives the other person permission to share something meaningful and energizing, which creates connection."
Phrase #4: "I read something recently that reminded me of this…"
Using this phrase during small talk will help you connect on something you're both curious about.
"Bringing in an outside insight adds value to the exchange and shifts the conversation from small talk to shared knowledge," says Harrison. "It can spark curiosity and turn the moment into something memorable."
@remenicole a little bit of small talk can change your life💃🏽
Phrase #5: "What inspired you to get into that?"
Small talk usually involves talking about careers, and this question goes deeper.
"This works by putting the emphasis on the 'why' behind their 'what' and positions it inspirationally, making the respondent feel like a hero vs. a cog," adds Overton. "This phrase invites story and shows you’re curious about their journey, not just their job title."
