Host Checklist: How to Delight your Guests and Drive More Bookings

As a host, it’s paramount that your guests enjoy a stay to remember for all the right reasons - this is the ultimate way to have people recommend your home to others, or even come back to stay year after year themselves. Hosts with better customer satisfaction are also boosted in our search results, so delighting guests consistently is a great way to increase the number of bookings you receive. Here at Plum Guide, we pride ourselves on having a community of the world’s most exceptional hosts, who love nothing more than going above and beyond for our guests. “How is this done?” we hear you ask. Well, of course, there are a number of ways, but we’ve put together a quick host checklist of some of the things that our customers love most. Read on to see how you can give your guests that dream stay, every single time.

Click here to learn more about becoming a Plum Guide host.

First impressions count, so making guests feel welcome from the moment they step through the door is one of the most crucial aspects of hosting. To be a Plum host is to delight each and every person you house, which is almost guaranteed with a complimentary welcome pack. Giving our guests the feeling that they truly are a VIP is one of our biggest aims, and if a welcome pack doesn’t do the trick, then nothing will. Whether you provide the guests with basic necessities to make themselves a cup of tea, or you treat them to a selection of local produce, the small gesture can go a long, long way. Alternatively, you could supply them with a nice bottle of wine, so their first night is rounded off in the perfect manner. To go one step further, you might even reach out to the guest to ask what they would like in their pack, guaranteeing the perfect welcome. Now that is how to go above and beyond.

It isn’t easy for a guest to stroll into a new home and immediately know how to operate everything - even if it may seem straightforward to you. Clear instructions on how to work devices around your home could make all the difference, so be sure to cover all bases. For example, you may have a tricky washing machine, so a guest will benefit hugely from some guidance on the best setting. Or perhaps you have a smart TV - we are certain that your guests will appreciate a helping hand in getting it working. Whether it’s advice on how to control the air conditioning, tips on how to operate the oven, a few pointers on the best way to use an outdoor speaker system, or anything else you can possibly think of, some helpful instructions will always improve the guest’s experience. It wouldn’t be on this host checklist if it wasn’t so recommendable, after all.

Apply to become a Plum Guide host today.

It can be easy to forget that a guest may not know the ins and outs of the area, so your local knowledge will be more than valued. Passing on any information that you feel could help them truly experience the lifestyle of a local will undoubtedly enhance their experience, and have your guests feeling right at home. Give them the address of your favourite eatery, or point them towards the must see places in and around the area. Maybe you know some hidden gems that won’t be so crowded, or you’re familiar with faster routes around the town. Whatever it may be, supplying your guests with the information they need to fit in like a true local is a sure-fire way to delight them, every single time.

So there you have it - a bite-sized guide to delighting your guests with 100% consistency. Follow these simple steps, and you simply can’t go wrong. As a Plum host, there’s nothing more important than providing the ultimate stay, and you’ll be much closer to delivering once you heed the advice in this host checklist. Going above and beyond is what we’re all about, so take our lead, and promise your guests a stay to remember.

Take a look at some more of our host articles too, to get a clear picture of how to be the very best host you can possibly be.

• Tips for hosts: How to maximise your sales