Owners often ask us about adding welcome baskets and guest books to their vacation rental homes to enrich their guests’ experience. While there is not one right answer, below are things to consider before making the decision to start either or both practices.
Welcome Baskets
A vacation rental basket is an array of gifts that welcome your guests to your home. The gifts may be necessities such as bottled water and toothpaste or snacks such as popcorn and cheese crackers. Welcome items are usually nonperishable and can stay on the counter until they are enjoyed. Branded materials such as pens or coasters with your house name or the property manager’s logo are other possibilities.
Some owners who put out welcome baskets state they receive favorable feedback from guests in online reviews. Recommended items for baskets or trays include:
- A bottle of wine
- Snacks and treats
- Microwaveable popcorn
- Local coffee
- Postcards
- Pens
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Small tablets
- Maps
Owners also voice concerns with using welcome baskets:
- The cost to keep baskets stocked can add up with short stays.
- Accounting for individual preferences and needs is difficult.
- Concerns about the logistics – will the cleaning crew restock and make the basket look the way you prefer?
- Items that are inappropriate for some guests such as food with nuts for those with nut allergies or wine for recovering alcoholics.
- Baskets may work better for hosts who maintain their own properties between guests.
All of the homes Arizona Vacation Home Rentals own and manage have fully stocked kitchens and enough soap, toilet paper, paper towels, dish and laundry detergent to get guests through the first few days of their stay. Owners may choose not to have welcome baskets since so many other items are supplied.
Guest Books
In this context we are referring to guest books that are journal-like and for guests to sign and add personal facts, feedback or recommendations. This is not about books with directions for caring for the home, use of products in the home or local information.
Many owners like having an ongoing history of their home’s guests (or at least the ones that sign the book). They say guests who write in guest books are the ones who usually write online reviews of their experiences in the vacation home.
Other owners share reasons why they do not use guest books:
- Online reviews have replaced guest books and give future guests the opportunity to learn about the property in advance of booking.
- Guest books add nothing to a guest’s stay or experience. Owners should focus on more important aspects of hosting.
- Guest books may be more appropriate for local hosts who maintain their own properties instead of hiring a cleaning crew or property manager.
- Some guests may think they only need to write in the guest book and skip writing an online review.
- The information in the book may be outdated for new guests.
- Guests (such as teens) sometimes leave inappropriate comments.
- Keeping the book clean can be a challenge: over time they look dingy or dirty.
Conclusion
We hope the points addressed in this blog answer questions or concerns owners have about using baskets or guest books. Keep in mind that Arizona Vacation Home Rentals values online reviews and we encourage most guests to write them. There is no mention of either welcome baskets or guest books in any of our communication with guests.
Please feel free to contact the team at AVHR for additional help as needed.
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Arizona Vacation Home Rentals
Phone/Text: 480.626.4072
