I’m a full-time traveler who has stayed in over 100 Airbnbs. Here are 8 mistakes I see hosts make.

I booked my first Airbnb in 2014 and have stayed in over 100 since then. Kimanzi Constable I booked my first Airbnb in 2014 and have stayed in over 100 since then.   Last year, I sold everything to become a full-time digital nomad.

I only use Airbnb when I travel.   I’ve experienced both great and disappointing listings. Here are eight things hosts could do better.

I’ve been to 84 countries and stayed in over 100 Airbnbs in the last eight years. I’ve seen everything while using the vacation rental platform. I’m a full-time digital nomad who has been to 84 countries and stayed in 100 Airbnbs.

Kimanzi Constable. Last year, after I became an empty nest parent, I decided to sell everything I owned and leave my home in Florida to travel full-time with my wife and become a full-time digital nomad. We’ve since traveled to Puerto Rico, Rome, Lisbon, Nice, London, New York, Atlanta, Sarasota, Milwaukee, and Medellin.

On each of my trips, we made an Airbnb our home.  I’ve also been a fan of Airbnb since 2014, when I booked my first stay in a tiny house in Paia, Hawaii. I chose it because I liked the idea of staying in a home.

Hotels don’t typically offer a kitchen, extra living space, or other comforts of a home unless you book a big expensive suite, and I don’t have that kind of budget. Through so many stays, I’ve come to learn what makes a great Airbnb guest experience. I’ve learned to carefully look at all of a listing’s pictures, read past guest reviews, and ask hosts questions about the listing.

I’m willing to pay more if a listing feels exceptional, but unfortunately, I’ve experienced many that fell short of my expectations. Here are the things that can make or break an Airbnb stay that I wish every host knew.  I’ve experienced Airbnbs where hosts don’t provide basic cookware to prepare meals, leaving me to dine out more than I would like.

I prefer to cook and only look for Airbnbs equipped with essential cookware. Kimanzi ConstableI always rent Airbnbs with a kitchen so I can cook instead of having to eat out every day, which is expensive and often not as healthy as homemade meals.  However, many times, I’ve entered an Airbnb only to find it lacking a basic pot and pan set, silverware, cups and glasses, a cutting board, or other items I need to cook and eat at home.

I think that having a basic set of cookware and eating utensils is a small investment that makes a huge difference for guests.  Currently, the Airbnb where I’m staying in Medellín, Colombia, has every appliance, utensil, and gadget I need to cook. There’s even an Airfryer, which is unique to see outside of the US.

However, when I once stayed in a fancy three-bedroom Airbnb in Atlanta that was over 3,000 square feet, I arrived to find that it lacked more than two plates, had very few utensils, and not much to cook with.  Now, I know to read listings carefully for these details, and ask the host about what exactly is supplied — and what isn’t — in the kitchen. In addition to basic cookware, I think that hosts can elevate any stay by providing spices and oils in the pantry.

I’m able to take advantage of a great Airbnb kitchen when it comes stocked with cooking supplies. Kimanzi ConstableSince I like to cook, I often need the same ingredients over and over again. But I don’t particularly enjoy traveling with bottles of olive oil or shakers of salt.

Hosts who provide common spices and seasonings can not only go the extra mile for their guest but help eliminate waste from travelers who purchase these items only for a few days, and then throw it away at the end of their stay. I once stayed in an Airbnb in Tokyo that didn’t even have salt and pepper, much less other cooking spices and oil. It was an inconvenience that rendered much of the kitchen useless.

When listings have a few common spices, such as a bottle of herbs, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, and olive oil, they stand out to me and garner a five-star rating. The bottle of water in the fridge is nice, but I think spices and oil are what really elevate my stays, and make me most likely to rebook.  Good pillows make me fall in love with a home and always garner a better review.

I wish more hosts had them. My wife, Cindy, relaxing on a comfortable Airbnb bed. Kimanzi ConstableOne of the most challenging parts of life as a digital nomad is giving up the comfort of your bed and pillows at home.

For this reason, I’m a detective when looking at Airbnb listings and reviews, and one item I’m looking for is talk about pillows. Pillows make or break my sleep, and I appreciate the listings that invest in hard and soft pillows and replace them regularly to keep them fresh. Specifically, I look for mention of the types of pillows in the listing details, or comments from past guests praising them.

I stayed in an Airbnb in Cape Town, South Africa, with chilled memory foam pillows. Not only was it the best sleep of my life, but I’ve continued to rebook that listing every time I go back to South Africa.  Unfortunately, this is not always the norm.

When hosts fail to invest in a high-quality mattress and bed set, or provide extra sheets, blankets, and towels, it’s one of the things I’m most likely to mention in my review. Good bedding is essential for a five-star Airbnb stay. Kimanzi ConstableAs previously mentioned, I love to sleep, and in addition to the pillow, the bed in an Airbnb determines how well I do.

I specifically look for mentions of the mattress when reading reviews. If a review says the bed wasn’t good, I keep scrolling.  I also look at the pictures of beds and message the host to ask how old and what type of bed it is.

I ask about mattress toppers and even study bed frames because I value my back and sleep quality.  Otherwise, I’ve learned I might receive a less than stellar night’s sleep. In an Airbnb in Seoul, South Korea, the listing advertised queen-size beds, but when I got to the listing, I was disappointed that the beds were actually separate twin-size beds pushed together.

I also think all hosts should provide extra sheets, blankets, and towels, so that guests like me may grab them with ease without having to worry about laundering one set. More hosts should stock their homes with coffee and a decent coffee maker. My coffee setup inside my Airbnb in Medellín.

Kimanzi ConstabkeI can’t speak for anyone else, but coffee is just as important to me as water. I drink coffee every day and prefer to make it at home so I can have it right when I wake up. I greatly prefer listings that come with a coffee maker and would appreciate even a small package of coffee when I arrive so I’m prepared for the morning, especially if I check-in late.

 I’m currently in Medellín, Colombia, and I loved how my host not only had a coffee maker but also included locally-sourced coffee. Colombia is known for its coffee, and the host provided coffee from their family’s coffee farm and I instantly fell in love with the listing.  Unfortunately, this does not happen every time but it’s a small touch that hosts could adopt that would go a long way with guests.

Hosts often require that I help clean the house before I check-out without providing the necessary items to do so. I always help clean Airbnbs before I check out — if I have the required items to do so. Kimanzi ConstableIn my experience, Airbnb hosts have asked me to do chores such as take out the garbage when checking out, do the dishes, clean up, and other measures to help the host, despite me paying a cleaning fee, which can be high these days.

I’m more than happy to contribute — if I have the supplies needed.  I’ve stayed in Airbnbs where basic cleaning and laundry supplies such as garbage bags, dish soap, and bathroom essentials weren’t provided, but I was expected to complete these tasks. Hosts should either provide all the necessary items, or scrap the cleaning fee entirely.

Hosts who don’t prioritize fast, free Wi-Fi will lose out on many guests. I can’t stay in an Airbnb that lacks fast Wi-Fi. Kimanzi ConstableIn our current digital age where a vast majority of people work from home, a fast Wi-Fi connection is mandatory.

I could overlook so many things about an Airbnb if there’s at least decent Wi-Fi. I rely on it to communicate with my children over Zoom, have business meetings, watch Netflix, and write. Good Wi-Fi is as important to me as good coffee.

 I once stayed in an Airbnb in New York with lightning-fast Wi-Fi speeds and a strong connection that covered every corner of the apartment. I continuously book that Hell’s Kitchen listing whenever I return to New York City, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. I hope more Airbnb hosts will consider fast Wi-Fi a top priority amenity.

 When hosts don’t provide clear instructions or are not communicative, it makes the entire stay stressful. I’ve experienced Airbnbs where I didn’t receive clear instructions or couldn’t get in touch with my host. Kimanzi ConstableI’ve experienced many surprises over the years with Airbnbs that don’t offer clear instructions.

From how to find the entrance to the listing, to details on how to check in, and rules about the home, these are important details that, when missing, can derail your stay before it even begins. At an Airbnb in Marrakesh, for example, the apartment was located through a complicated maze in the Medina. The host left no instructions on how to find it and did not respond to my messages asking for help.

If it weren’t for kind strangers, I’m not sure where I would have been able to make this stay work.  In contrast, I stayed in an Airbnb in Milwaukee where everything was labeled. Signs pointed to where the trash gets taken out, and the correct trash can was labeled, and I felt equipped with everything I needed to know.

It made a huge difference in the quality of my stay. I find it to be incredibly helpful when I have instructions about finding an apartment or home and what I need to know once I’m inside. I think that sending automated instructions before check-in, providing an in-house manual, and being available for communication and questions should be required of all hosts.

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