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Post by sadie34 on Nov 7, 2016 1:15:30 GMT
Hello, I've been a host almost a year, started my airbnb after thanksgiving last year.
I recently had a guest review where they suggested that I provide breakfast
This is the first guest to bring up this topic
I do not provide breakfast
Because:
1. I work in the mornings, so I'm not home to assist the guests
2. Majority of my business is guests staying one night
3. Everybody eat different stuff for breakfast
4. I think it would a waste of money
I do provide coffee, but it's a French press and I thought about getting a regular coffee marker
Experience Airbnb hosts, what do you think? Should I provide breakfast?
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Post by High Priestess on Nov 7, 2016 1:44:20 GMT
Hi Sadie
I say no, dont' provide breakfast. It seems that you have already thought this through very well. All your reasons are good, for not providing breakfast.
In addition, consider that:
(1) this is in fact the first (and so far the only ) guest to bring this up...why start up doing something that the majority of guests are not complaining about you not doing and seemed happy without?
(2) You will run into problems with whatever you do provide for breakfast, particularly if you offer to cook breakfast. Guests will want something other than you're offering. They will have special requests. They then may complain if they don't get that. They may want more food than you're offering. They may ask to have breakfast at a time that's not convenient for you...such as 11am, long after you've had to leave for work.
(3) Once you start offering some food, guests may expect other food. If you offer breakfast, why not lunch? Why not dinner? they may see you eating dinner and expect you to offer them some. They may go in the refrigerator and help themselves to food that is off limits to them. Offering any sort of food at all opens the door to demands or expectations for more food.
(4) Guests who expect nothing but accomodations are easier to please than those who expect breakfast. THe more services you offer, the more you set yourself up to fail or be considered inadequate in some department, with something you offer. Keep it simple and this reduces risk of bad reviews or disappointed guests.
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Post by lambada on Nov 7, 2016 3:33:51 GMT
Agree with Deborah! My 4 years of hosting experience somehow taught me that the more I provide, the more likely I make guests unhappy. So I provide a nice, clean lodging, and I'm here if they have questions/concern. So far, my low maintenance guests are the ones that gave me wonderful reviews. The ones I went above and beyond, not even a short 'thanks'.
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Post by cc on Nov 7, 2016 14:12:55 GMT
Couldn't agree more with Deborah and Lambada! Keep it simple and go for the bottom line: your wallet. Adding breakfast is definitely a path to misery and will NOT help you make money. Get used to the fact that people will criticize anything and everything. Let that roll off your back and you'll be much happier.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Post by helgaparis on Nov 10, 2016 18:05:09 GMT
I provide breakfast, but I rarely serve it. It's self service, although I may serve and share it once in a stay.
Business guests rarely eat anything at all or only simple things, that they may grab and eat on the way, like a fruit or a portion pack of crackers, a bread roll etc. Tourists will enjoy it and linger. It may be a sales argument for tourists, but the question is if you want them to limger. If you have to leave , it may be annoying if your guests stay on.
You could add a kettle, tea bags and slunle coffee for those not willing to dare a French press. For an espresso machine, you need a demonstration, they are so different from each other. About 40 % of my coffee trinkers are very hesitant and opt for 1. Soluble coffee, 2. French press, 3. One coffee in the morning if I fill the machine with coffee in the evening. An Italien born guest choose the Italian coffee maker , but that was for nostalgic reasons.
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Post by keith on Nov 14, 2016 15:05:31 GMT
I think as long as you're clear in your listing about what's provided a guests has no valid reason to complain.
In my case, I do provide quite a few amenities which require very little effort on my behalf.
I provide cereal cups which cost me about $1/each. and Oatmeal cups which cost about $1.75. I have a keurig which is water line attached and has an in-line filter I have to change twice a year. Other than that, it's zero maintenance. The k-cups cost about 75 cents/each.
The k-cups/keurig costs a little more per cup but it's basically zero maintenance. there's no large pot of coffee baking all day or getting poured out or need to clean. I provide bowls/dishes, but most people eat the cereal out of the cups and don't use a bowl so that cuts down on cleanup.
I have a large variety of coffee and tea k-cups. About 70% of guests have coffee or tea and about 35% eat cereal.
My average cost is about $1/guest/day overall. The amenities are very much appreciated by those who use them and those who don't appreciate that the option is there for them.
This works well for, me and my listing, but you may find it works best to let people know in advance that they'll have to fend for themselves for breakfast.
If you're a block away from a good diner, then it's a bit more reasonable to not provide anything than if the nearest place to eat is far away.
I prefer not to have to get up and out first thing in the morning to eat--especially when I'm traveling with a group of people--it's hard getting everyone ready to go eat at the same time every morning, so I appreciate when people can just do their morning thing and no one is hungry waiting for someone.
I know some hosts who don't allow guests to even store food in the house and then force them out to eat in the morning. I would never book such a place... but I've been happy places that didn't provide anything but let me store breakfast items in the fridge and make my own breakfast in the morning.
oh, I do have eggs.. they're for me, but they're cheaper than the cereal cups and i don't mind if guests make themselves some eggs in the morning--this happens very rarely.
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Post by maria on Nov 19, 2016 16:27:12 GMT
As Keith pointed out, it is not too expensive. As a personal choice (nothing wrong if you do not want to do it) , I also provide self-serve breakfast. Most of my guests are very happy to have the option.
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