Hi everyone. Today I want to talk about my experience of hosting guests via sites like Airbnb and booking.com

Few months ago I saw an advertisement of Airbnb on TV. Airbnb is very famous in many countries but in India it gained popularity recently. I always keep looking for opportunities to earn money. Its a kind of satisfaction I get by finding new ways to earn money.

So, you have decided to host your beautiful house on a site like Airbnb. Congrats for taking the first step. Before listing your home or a room take care of these points:

Remove as much personal belongings as possible from the room so that guests can feel comfortable.
Clean your room and bathrooms. Its very important to have a clean bed, hygienic bathrooms and toilets.
Install Air Conditioner or room heater if possible.
Provide some cupboards and clothes hangers.
If possible install an inverter or other power backup service
Make your home present on Google Maps. It helps guests immensely. This also helps radio taxis like Uber to navigate directly to your house.
Decorate the room. When guests arrive and say nice things like its such a beautiful home, trust me you will feel really good.
Keep your room charges competitive. Always offer more than what you charge. Never be greedy.

And that's it. When you are done take some awesome photos of the room, along with any other places guests will have access to. Also post some photos of the exterior of the house so that guests can recognise it.

Now, go ahead and list your house with every details possible. Once you get your first guest keep these points in mind:

In India we say Atithi Devo Bhava. It means the guest is equivalent to God. Always keep in mind that although its a business, you must give your 101% to make guests feel as comfortable as possible.
Its very important to keep an open mind. Don't judge your guests based on race, colour, age.
Regularly clean the room and beds. Use air fresheners. If your house is in a hot and humid location like mine, turn on the Air Conditioner 15 mins before the guests arrive. It creates a very good impression.
Please let guests know of what they will be expecting. If your have pets, let them know. If you live in a place which does not have shops nearby, let them know. Guests will appreciate your transparency.
Offer complementary services to guests like welcome drinks and free snacks or breakfast. Guests love free stuffs.
Talk to guests. Make them feel comfortable. Get to know them. You will make many new friends along the way.
Be a guide. Offer them advice about your beloved city.
Be very prompt to answer their queries when they try to book your place.
Do provide a free high speed internet if possible.
Give a brief tour of your house along with a house manual.

And I think that's all about it. Best of luck to all new hosts. I hope to visit some of your cities in future. Please comment on your hosting experiences and upvote if you like my post.