A Host's Guide to Handling Halloween
Ensure That House Rules Are Up-To-Date. When you first created your listing, it's more than likely that you had a few simple house rules in place. You've probably been in operation for some time, have a few interesting guests habits and interactions under your belt, and need to address some more in-depth house rules because of it. Now is the time to review, revise, and update those rules to help avoid potential problems and discourage the reoccurrence of past infractions.
Be Proactive. Put as many (non-intrusive) electronic products in place as you can afford to assist with avoiding unregistered people, pets, and parties. External cameras (not in pool or jacuzzi areas), alert doorbells, noise monitoring, keyless door locks, and the like are a good start. Turn off Instant Book (IB) during holiday and special event season. Raise your nightly, weekend, and holiday rates and require longer stays, like 3+ days.
Beware of last-Minute Bookings. There are several red flags that cause some host to pause before accepting a reservation. One of those red flags is a last-minute booking. Depending on the location, day of the week, and listing type, if you do not normally have a request for a last-minute reservation, spend a little more time vetting the guest's request, platform profile, and previous Host's reviews. A few more questions as to why the guest is coming to your area and desires to stay at your listing may reveal a more nefarious plan to throw a Halloween hootenanny at your expense.
Prepare Your Cleaners Mentally ... And Tip Accordingly. Give your cleaning team a heads up just in case a guest does slip through all of your vetting processes and host a gathering at your listing that gets out of hand. Have them allot for extra cleaning time, let them know you will pay them "X" amount of additional monies AND provide a tip for their much-appreciated services. This will go a long way in their desire to remain with you and provide you with quality work.
Leave a Treat. Guests appreciate the small things and extra mile that the Host will go to make their stay enjoyable and memorable. No need to break the bank, but if you will be hosting during Halloween (or any holiday/special occasion/event), a small, thoughtful treat would make you stand out among the rest (bag of candy, bumper sticker, coffee mug, fridge magnet, local known or grown goodies, key chain, etc.). Remember to put your logo, website, and phone number on all items for guests to find your
information easily and return again!
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Happy gHosting!