As a popular saying goes, the best way to a person’s heart is through his or her stomach. Food is always a sure way to make someone happy and at ease with you. This is also particularly true for AirBnB hosts who want to win over the hearts of their customers, and get shining reviews.
Experienced AirBnB hosts know that leaving snacks for guests is a great way to boost reviews. Filling up the tummies of your visitors even with small and simple food items will make them feel welcome, comfortable and well taken care of. It sends a message of hospitality and responsiveness to your guests’ needs.
The snack items you will provide your guests do not need to be expensive and burn a hole in your pocket. There are a lot of affordable snacks you can find in your local grocery stores that can already be well appreciated by your customers and increase your chances of getting high reviews as an AirBnB hosts. Here are some simple food items you can give your guests to make their stay in your property even more enjoyable:
1. Fruits
This is one nice and easy way to feed and impress your AirBnB guests. Almost everybody eats fruits, so you can just leave a piece of apple, orange or banana in your AirBnB property, and for sure, your guests will partake. Fruits are also the healthiest kind of snacks you can provide your guests, so they are appetizing even for those visitors who are watching their weights.
If you feel like you want your locale more to your AirBnB guests, you can provide them with fruits that are unique to your place. Tropical fruits like mangoes, watermelons and pineapples will definitely leave your guests a refreshing taste in their mouths. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can introduce your guests to more indigenous fruits, like jackfruit, persimmon or passion fruit. Doing this will not only feed your guests’ tummies—it will also satisfy their curiosity.
A word of caution about fruits, however: remember that they are highly perishable. It is best to them inside refrigerators if you have one, or at least cover them to keep those pesky fruit flies away. Also always double check that the fruits you are providing your guests are too overripe or unripe, because they might get turned off instead of pleased if your healthy snacks are not fresh.
2. Chips, Nuts and Cereals
These snacks are sure crowd pleasers that can be enjoyed by AirBnB guests of all ages. They are also the easiest to prepare for AirBnB hosts, being readily available in local supermarkets or even nearby convenience stores. You can easily stock up on small bags of potato chips that you can just replenish every time a new guest checks in. Visitors would definitely love munching on something upon their arrival, or during their down time when they are browsing through their phones or streaming videos.
If you want to offer your guests something a little healthier, you may opt to give them nuts. Everyone loves peanuts, cashews or almonds (except of course, those who are allergic to them) You can neatly place nuts in a small transparent jar, which you can just refill every time there’s a new guest coming in.
Another good option for nibbles are boxes of cereals. Your guests will surely be impressed, because they can conveniently eat these for breakfast when they are in a hurry, or just too tired to buy or prepare full meals. Just leave the cereal boxes in your fridge, and of course, don’t forget the fresh milk.
3. Cookies, Bread and Local Pastries
Do you want to leave snack items with more personal touch? If you have baking skills, why not make some cookies for your AirBnB guests? These sweet treats are the easiest baked goods to prepare, and visitors in your property will definitely appreciate your labor of love, especially those travelling with kids. Have a simple cookie jar in your rented house or unit, and you’re on your way to higher ratings as a hospitable AirBnB host.
If you do not have time to bake but you want to give your guests something that is equally filling, you can just buy some sliced bread at the grocery store, and just neatly leave the pack on top of your dining table or inside the fridge. AirBnB guests will surely like having a pack of bread while they’re around, as this is a good way to fill their hungry tummies. Of course, just always be mindful of the expiration date, because you surely would not want to give your guests some stale bread.
You may also opt to give your guests some local pastries, should you want to give them a taste of popular snack items in your area. If there’s a popular donut or croissant place near your property, you may give your visitors a free taste. If you are from an Asian country, especially from the Southeast, you can let your guests try some delicious rice cakes. This is definitely also a good way of sharing your culture to your customers.
4. Candies and Chocolates
AirBnB guests with sweet tooth will definitely love this idea. Sugar has a way of cheering up people, and leaving some sweet treats will certainly bring a smile on the face of your visitors. One sure way to charm your AirBnB guests and get better reviews is to share some chocolates with them. You can play it safe by buying some well-known brands like Toblerone, Cadbury or Hershey’s Kisses. Or you can introduce your best local chocolates to the taste buds of your AirBnB visitors.
Candies are another great sweet treat you can share to your guests. There are just so many options when it comes to candies. You can go with the usual manufactured candies available at the supermarket like gums, mint drops or fruit-flavored candies. If you want something more adventurous, you can leave some candied or dried fruits for your AirBnB guests. Whatever it is, the sweetness of these goodies will also surely sweeten up your ratings and comments on your AirBnB page.
5. Alcoholic Drinks
What better way to make people feel at ease than sharing some alcoholic drinks? Leaving some booze is another cool way to charm your guests as an AirBnB host, especially if your property is catered towards groups of friends who travel to be hip and have a good time. You can have some cold bottles of local beer stored in your fridge, which your guests can avail for free upon check in. These drinks will definitely help them chill and settle down after long hours of flight. Just don’t forget to leave a bottle opener too!
If you want your AirBnB guests to feel a little fancier, why not give them a complimentary bottle of wine? This idea is perfect especially if you have couples staying in your unit, as there’s nothing more romantic than private time while sipping some wine. This is also well recommended for areas that are known for their wine, such as France, Spain, Portugal and Australia. Have a cork screw and some wine glasses ready too to complete the experience.
Sharing some local liquor to your guests can also be a good idea too. If your locality is known for producing its own alcoholic drink, your AirBnB guests will surely appreciate having a taste of what locals drink to have a good time.
6. Coffee and Tea
Hotels are known for providing free packs of coffee and tea to their guests. To give your customers a hotel-like experience, why not do this in your AirBnB property too? You can place jars in your unit or house and neatly fill them up with coffee and tea bags. This way, you do not have to replenish your stock every time a new guest comes in.
Having these simple amenities in your property will certainly impress your guests and encourage them to give you good reviews. Everybody wants to have a nice cup of coffee to perk up in the morning. Tea is also a good way to relax, especially when the weather is cold. Needless to say, you should also have a water kettle available for your guests, so they can easily enjoy their cups of coffee and tea.
Indeed, leaving snacks for your guests is an easy way to boost your reviews as an AirBnB host. As you can see from the examples given above, these snack items do not need to be all fancy and expensive. You can share simple yet impressive food items to your guests. All it takes is some creativity and effort to find them. More than the actual food item, it’s actually the thought of hospitality and personal touch that will leave a good impression on your guests.