As travelers, all of us know how important is to look for accommodation. To have a place to overnight is one of the biggest worries. The direct way to solve this need is to book a room in a hotel or hostel or to rent a place. But sometimes, a last-minute arrival, peak season, an unexpected event can make these choices hard to get or unavailable.
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These scenarios are really common, especially in touristic destinations. Have you ever asked a friend or someone to host you? What would you do if you have the chance to host someone? Is it possible to solve this big traveler concern without losing your privacy or feeling invaded? Could we keep the calm of our place and nice relation with our guests? To invite someone to stay in your home can be a cool experience or a nightmare.
We have heard thousands of stories by now, positive and negative. People who have found in hosting a way of traveling without leaving their place while meeting new nice people. But also people who don't want to open their sanctuary (home) to others anymore.
Well, after experiencing both sides in different moments (being guests and hosts), we have some tips to share with you!
What is the key to being a good host?
The key to being a good host is to communicate properly and honestly. If you will host someone at your home, before accepting him or her, both sides must express everything, their visit’s purpose, plans, length of time, etc. Nobody, neither the host nor the guest must assume stuff!
Unsaid things are a chance for many misunderstandings.
How to be a good host without die trying?
Here you have some useful recommendations based on true experience.
Think seriously about the request.
When someone asks you "hey, dude I'm going to your beautiful city for the holidays. Could you host me?". Don't answer the request immediately. Check how busy your agenda is? Are you in a good mood to have visitors? We can get excited with the request but also we could feel badly pushed, shy, afraid...
It depends on how social and tolerant you are having people around. If you are experiencing some bad days that require you to be a bit lonely. If you don't trust the people. If your place will be busy with workers of any kind or you need it for your freelance job... better say clearly and openly. "No, maybe next time".
Get the whole picture before saying "yes".
In some cultures, people consider it’s rude to condition the answer for hosting or to dig into guests' plans. Please, no matter your nationality or traditions, it’s your home, so you have the right to know people's plans. If the request comes from family members, friends, or unknown travelers (Couchsurfing platform, BeWelcome.org, Couchers.org, for instance), it doesn't make any difference.
Ask! How long they are planning to stay with you? How many people does the plan involve? Are they moving by themselves once there? They sound like basic things but there are still many complaints from hosts around the world who wrongly assumed they would host for just 2,3 days and suddenly the guests moved after a month. Single requests that became a 'party' of 3,4 or more guys at their home. Or people spending entire days at their home waiting for them (hosts) to be the ones driving them (guests) around the city.
Both sides must be clear and direct. Be sure not to assume a single detail. Ask everything you need to know not to suffer afterward!
Talking about friends, check this article: "Unexpected friendship lessons, only traveling can teach you".
Have a specific place for hosting.
Hospitality is a very nice practice. It doesn't matter if you live in a big or small apartment, in a luxurious or humble house, on a farm, a hut, or a tiny studio. But to choose in advance the place where guests will sleep to describe it properly can stop guests' wrong expectations. To have an independent room for them is very practical to host guests. But if they have to share the bedroom with you, if you just have a mattress, an old couch, a hammock for them to sleep in, or you don't have such thing, say it clearly for them to be prepared.
Clean!
Here we think everybody will agree. Even if you just offer a place to sleep on the ground of your living room, clean it for the guests! A few things are as disgusting as sleeping in a dirty place, receiving bad smelly bedsheets, lying down on a surface with bugs... To offer a clean place for hosting visitors is a must!
When we are talking about preparations, you might also be interested in "What to do before leaving home for a long holiday?".
Avoid fake expectations.
There are many factors involved in a trip decision. The time people will spend, the kind of adventure they have in mind, the relationship they have with you...
Let's face it, many people will ask you to host them just because they need to save money, your location is convenient for their plans, they feel safer staying with someone who lives in the place... Ok, sometimes it could be true they miss you or want to meet the charming and awesome guy you are... but not necessarily. Talk about it clearly and avoid fake expectations. Know if you will spend time with them or if they are only asking you for a place to stay.
Without this information, to modify or pause your agenda assuming they maybe invite you to join their plans, can be a mistake. Avoid disappointment or frustration. If you want to have time with your guests that could be perfectly arranged. But the clue again is to talk about it!
Give a home tour!
By this point for sure, you accepted to host so why don't you plan a tour to welcome them? We move already instinctively around our home but let's make that task easy for the guests. And, in this way, let's establish the rules that are important for us to be respected.
Point kindly but also firmly the spaces that are open for them and the ones that are not. If you have delicate stuff you prefer not to be touched, pets that you don't want to be fed by the guests, just say it! We all have personal habits and also some maniacs. It’s ok. It’s your home, right? So if you have that special cup your grandma gave you to drink your daily coffee, say it: “it’s just mine!”. They could take it if they ignore it’s your favorite and get you so angry.
Don't make people guess. If you share something from your fridge or not. If you need to be the first to take shower in the morning, say it! You are working. They are on holiday. Schedules and turns could be easily organized based on priorities. It’s not fair to push our guests to get uncomfortable 'mistakes' because we didn't talk about something properly.
To share or not the keys?
Hospitality is also a leap of faith. If you know people or not, always there can be surprises in human behavior. But to trust even in these hard times leaves a very nice feeling. Take the first minutes in the arrival to feel the environment and people's viber. If there is a nice interaction, you like their manners and they are capable enough to make you feel they are trustable, try! It has some advantages. In case they arrive late, you don't have to be waiting for them. If they forget something, you don't have to leave your job to help them. But take your time to decide this. It’s not a must to do it!
Make your guests independent.
Of course, you should try to have some nice moments with your guests. But always is good to provide them information about transportation in the city, schedules, rates, day and night choices, etc. for them to enjoy by themselves and not to depend totally on you and the free time your tight schedule allows.
Talk openly about COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Before the current pandemic, honestly we didn’t think about this. But it’s important not only to be polite and generous with the guests but also to take care of your health and your family's. Talk openly with your guests about the topic. Ask them if they are healthy. Tell them clearly how they can make you feel safer. And be sure you get to know how you can make them feel safe too. Both sides are to be considered.
It’s your home and they should agree on your rules and healthy measures. But also how acceptable are theirs for you? If they don’t like your rules or you can’t accept theirs, it’s better not to host them. The objective should be to have a nice time together. To have a daily debate at home against or in favor of masks, vaccines, social distance, washing hands, etc. could be stressful.
Advantages of hosting people.
- It’s nice to meet friends you can’t see frequently.
- Having guests breaks a bit the routine and adds a refreshing touch.
- Having guests is a good motivation to order and clean your home.
- The exchange of ideas with people that don’t belong to your regular context can give you new ideas and different perspectives.
- Interaction with foreigners can give you a picture of their countries. If you haven’t traveled there, this is a good way to know about them.
- Having guests you will become a tourist in your city or town. Visiting common places for you with them will make the experience different and more interesting.
Disadvantages of hosting people.
- Sharing the space is not easy for some people so hosting can be an uncomfortable experience.
- Hosting people demands a bit of your time so think it twice if you are too busy.
- If you are not used to interacting with foreigners or you are not very tolerant, cultural differences could be a struggle.
Conclusion.
After many experiences, we can say that hosting is a very nice practice. You always learn! From positive and negative experiences. It makes you improve empathy and tolerance. And the nicest thing for us, it’s to know we contribute a bit to get our guests a great time! Next time, it can be our turn. We could be the protagonists of a great trip adventure!
Share your experiences with us.
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