First things first, when booking a rental, make sure that you read through the entire listing. This is important for a number of reasons:

• House Rules: The host often includes a number of rules and guidelines they’d like their guests to follow in the listing description. This can include their pet policies, party policies, and the number of guests they allow. ALL hosts wish their guests did a little more homework upfront when it comes to reading the House Rules!
• Don’t book if your party doesn’t meet the requirements: Another reason reading the house guidelines is important is because of the aforementioned guest number limits. If your party goes over the guest limit or if you have a pet they don’t allow, they’ll reject your booking. Airbnb takes any type of discrimination seriously, so rejecting a booking–no matter the reason–leads to a mark against the host. These marks affect the host’s business moving forward.
• Let the host know who to expect: It can be scary to let a complete stranger into your home––of course, as an Airbnb host this is something they signed up for, but that worry never really stops. The best way to start off your host/renter relationship is to let them know exactly who you are by including an updated photo of yourself as your profile picture and sending a complete message explaining why you booked their place and what you’re planning on doing. This can decrease a host’s anxiety about whether the Airbnb guest will cause unnecessary damage.

The following are some tips you can follow to be the best guest your host has ever had.

• Arrive and leave on time: Your check-in and check-out times affect other guest’s reservations that are immediately before or after yours.
• Use only what’s reserved for guests: Hosts will often leave out complimentary amenities for guests, make sure to only use these items. Do not go into storage closets for extra linens or toiletries!
• If you’re bringing a pet, make sure you are adequately prepared: What are the rules on Airbnb etiquette with dogs? If you’re going to bring your pet, be sure to bring adequate cleaning supplies, control excessive barking, and check for breed and size restrictions with the host.
• If something breaks, talk to the host: Airbnb has a Resolution Center to help with damage, but if the host is in the know about a damaged item, they may be more likely to be lenient with any repairs.
• Make the cleaning crew’s job easier: After you leave, the Airbnb host has to prepare their rental for the next guest, which involves using the slim window of time to clean the property. Some things you can do to help your host in the cleaning process is:
  • Strip the bed and group dirty linens together
  • Load and run the dishwasher before you go
  • Empty the fridge and take out the trash

You’d be surprised by just how much grouping together laundry helps cleaning crews. An additional tip: reuse towels and the like during your stay. This will help ensure that no unnecessary laundering occurs, which decreases the amount of time the host has to spend on cleaning. Even if the host employs a laundry service, any effort that minimizes their chores is beneficial.

The best thing you can do for a host is to leave a positive review. Hosts live and die by reviews, so think twice before leaving any bad comments (unless the hosts didn’t show up or you arrived in a dangerous environment). If you have suggestions for the host on how to improve, or you’d like to report a negative experience, the best way to handle the situation is to message the host directly, and if not the host, Airbnb itself.

Airbnb rentals are a fantastic way to really get into the local community of your destination. Because of their more intimate nature, it’s important to conduct yourself in a way that leaves your rental better than when you found it. Before you book, make sure the property is a good fit for you, and always respect the boundaries that your host sets.

Do your best to be a good guest! If you’re doing that, you’re already off to a better start than most…