My Airbnb Guests

"to all the writers of experiences - you are free to create the experience you wish more of."

They say, "every person is an experience" but then the rationale dictates. Every experience is not desirable. And by that logic, every person is not desirable especially if it’s your family.

And yet I have always felt a void in that area.

In my 34th-year life presented a brilliant idea. And I learnt that when life gets going with its artistry, its a slow, sensuous process like a lovers seduction. One has to allow its fingers to roll, go along with its whispers, be teased and tormented by it.

Here's how life's magic got to work on me:

I had rented a new house in a new city and set out to start a new life away from all that was old and constricting. A friend needed a room for a few months and she also shared the rent. We had a great time together – cooking, laughing, eating, hanging out and even arguing- in no particular order. It was the fun I had dreamt of when I was 8 when pappa forgot my admission application for the boarding school in a cab. I lost my chance to be away from my busy family in my imagined world at the boarding school with friends, laugher and freedom. With my new roomie, I got a chance to live that dream out and somewhat forgave my parents.

That got the ball rolling. This was the pre-Airbnb era – 2005. The friend’s cousin recommended another girl who needed a home for a year to complete her internship in the city. And after that, it was a given. Nearly every house I moved into had an extra bedroom to rent out. To invite homeliness and say goodbye to loneliness.

Who knew this would be the perfect measure of intimacy and human connection one needed.

These were also the days when I didn’t know how much I loved people. In fact, I focused more on how much I hated them, all thanks to recently divorcing a man and his inhuman family.

People - I liked them in little doses, in curated spaces, in detached equations, with common interests neatly placed between and around us. Almost like a jigsaw puzzle. It had to be just right or not at all.

Luckily, with houseguests, I never had to really say no to anyone except the 2 men who threatened to become my life partners and one nearly did. Phew, that was a narrow escape.

We all want intimate relationships but without the baggage, don’t we?!

Who knew Airbnb would be the saving grace - a perfect answer to having a quasi-family and getting paid to create a homely space - nurturing yet non-interfering for both parties?

The first Airbnb guest I had was in 2017. By this time, I had already hosted nearly 10 long-stay people from India, Germany, England etc.

Over the last 16 years, I have discovered many things about people, about myself and my little family. What our needs are and how to meet them creatively.

Above all, I seem to have somewhat perfected the art of hosting.

This is the secret joy that I'm enjoying at 49 with my full-time vocation as a single mother of a charming young teenager.

This secret is ripe to be shared now and hence I'm here, being "#vocal" about it. lol

^^^

My first guest this year arrived in late September (2021).

My phone beeped the very next morning post the night I completed the listing on Airbnb. No request, no message. a straightforward booking. That's rare.

However, my eagerness was not set to complain. Besides the guest was a woman so I could bypass the customary character check-out I usually do due to a young child at home. Also, my own HSP sensibilities demand that I sniff out people before letting them into our sanctum-sanctorum.

I did check her reviews and verification. That's a must. Everything was OK. ('0' killed as they say in the military, where the term OK originated from.) No red flags.

Oopsie-daisy, she’s arriving by evening - I better check out the cleanliness of the room and add those cushions and rug I brought last evening.

From the photo, it looks like she's a young person, bright big eyes. I'm getting a good vibe of this. I am anxious too.

^^^

The days are packed and upbeat with a large commissioned artwork to complete before the month-end. Interns and collaborators and my community of friends were in and out the whole day helping me with this gorgeous project.

Between all this, at least one out of the 3 rooms is decently ready. This house was a total dumpster when we moved in a month back.

The child kept encouraging me whenever I cried out loud about the peeling wallpaper stickers (never knew they sold those), the holes in the floor vinyl carpet, the dirty bathrooms, the broken kitchen cabinets, the amount of garbage that kept getting swept out from under the beds and behind wardrobes. The child encouraged me – mom, look at it this way, now we can make it the way we like it.

Yup, the eternal nest-maker, that’s the primary vocation for all mothers. By this time, in 2021, I calculated that I had moved nearly 35 times in my 49 years. Out of which 30 were during my adult, independent-choice-making years.

I did indeed enjoy every bit of nest-making. Not just because I am a mother or because I was an award interior designer for 15 years. But because it comes naturally to me. I tend to love mundane beauty laying hidden in cobwebbed corners, waiting to be dusted, discovered and shared.

And wow I didn’t know life was planning to get me paid for something I did as second nature.

Our new, first guest in this house, let’s call it the Flower Apartment was a young girl, a partner with her husband in a news organization. As soon as she entered, our dog leapt at her with joy, which she welcomed with smiles and hugs. Box one was already checked. Anyone who gets on with dogs is our best friend.

She was busy through the day, locked in her room, working online. However, in the evening she would emerge like a dolphin out of water and pepper around her sweet but strong vibes. A sparkling bubble - what an unforgettable smile she has.

Getting to know her I learnt that it was her partner-husbands idea that she rent an Airbnb in the same city, they lived not far from where we were. Now, this was a first. Their idea was that she gets to be in a different environment, away from home and have a creative break while still working.

I already liked the husband too – what a novel idea.

She ordered everything from Swiggy and Zomato, even tea and coffee. Which I have never done and thought – huh, that too is possible.

I was bent over, all through the day completing the large artwork, cooking and taking care of the 2 younglings in my family. Pausing to do a quick workout, yoga or a walk to keep my adrenalin flushed.

The guest in the house became our witness, spectator to the unfolding process of painting a large tribal painting. At dusk, we'd find ourselves chatting about various lives and loves - knitting strings of connection from both our ends.

There’s something about 2 people in a conversation – something so real, dynamic, flowing and emergent that conversations with real people will never go out of fashion. We both noticed, discussed and agreed upon this.

She had booked for 3 nights and then extended it to 3 more nights. I walked with a chip on my shoulder, mumbling to myself – it’s working again, the magic of hosting.

The delight of having conversations late in the night, taking pictures of inane moments, getting to know a total stranger and finding a kindred spirit, expanding your global family and learning that the world is changing and you are in step with it - more or less. These are the perks for opening up to new possibilities, being brave, stop believing in fear.

Tips on Hosting @Airbnb

1. Try to focus on what you want to experience than just the extra income it will bring you.

For e.g., we wanted to experience a house full of chill-out vibes as opposed to people rushing for work and back, going in and out ceaselessly. Hence, I created rooms that were very cosy, comfortable, overlooking trees, with a WFH desk, high internet connection. All of this we love and thrive upon ourselves first. This made it easy to share the same with our guests.

2. For pricing, start with using the Smart Pricing option on Airbnb. Study the statistics that they send on the app. Over time you will know when and how much to tweak your price based on these studies.

Track “local Trends” in the Airbnb app or website. Look at the “insights” tab also. Keep a note of your own observations.

or Simply charge what you need to make for the month for your own needs. Be moderate.

3. Encourage yourself to do better by tracking your progress on the “Super Host” program which comes with delicious benefits. Aim to meet those criteria.

One way to do this is to follow and apply some of the information in the many tutorials on their website.

4. Learn to take good pictures of your place.

It’s always good to add pictures of you and your guests having fun. I have photos of my guests enjoying painting, cooking and eating with us. I also have a photo of the screenshot of their lovely private message in the reviews. Of course, be sure to smudge out their name.

I have even been approached by other aspiring hosts to guide them.

Note – especially for Indians hosting and booking an Airbnb. I hear a lot of people afraid to let strangers in the house. I like to share the precautions I take.

A. I am mostly always at home to monitor and assist.

B. Take all the permissions from your local government, the society you live in and the owners of the house if it is rented.

C. Check the box for verified guests only. This way you will only get requests from guests whose legal papers, email id is verified and they have reviews from other hosts which you can check out.

D. I love that Indians mostly worry if they will need to provide food also – NO, you don’t need to. You can select the amenities and facilities that best suit your lifestyle and needs.

For e.g., we live in a city with everything available in a few minutes on delivery. But if you are in a remote place like a village, hill station, you can add extra price for food, use of kitchen, AC, washing machine.

I suggest adding a nominal price to things that you have to pay for yourself. For e.g., I add an extra price for the use of AC because the bills run too high and the weather in our city is mostly pleasant indoors.

E. In the per-night price, I have included the use of microwave, fridge and washing machine.

F. Keep a list of local service providers like – ironing, washer, home meal makers etc.

Tips for Guests @Airbnb

A. You are coming to a home away from your home. Your host may have done everything to make you comfortable. In case you need something more, simply approach the host and request it. Try not to complain to Airbnb before seeking clarity with your host. They are not perfect just as you are not.

B. Keeping your room tidy and switching off lights, fans, especially geysers would show that you care.

C. Be humane – sometimes we forget that it’s not a hotel. Spend a little time trying to understand why this family is really opening up their home to you.

D. If you break or lose something please replace or pay for it upfront. The hosts may find it difficult to manage unexpected expenses and the trouble of getting things fixed.

E. Be mindful of the existing vibe in the house. Bring your own joy of participation to it. Maybe take the host out for a meal or coffee. It’s a great opportunity to extend your global family. (Out of my present 12 guests, 3 have turned out to be common friends and a nephew of a friend. It’s a small world, don’t forget.)

F. Above all be yourself. Relax. That creates the best vibe you want to leave behind.

Exploring possibilities and hosting people on @Airbnb has added joy to our lives and the much-needed financial support. I hope it does for you too.

Learning to trust lives quirky ways of delivering dreams is a course in miracles I have signed up for life.

That’s it from me today.

More in the next story, next week!

Your happy host,

DP

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