What you need to know about hosting families

With many offices, schools and daycare centres closed around the world, parents now have more flexibility with where they live and work. Many are interested in travelling more often – even temporarily relocating their families – to places with more space and access to the outdoors.

While catering to children might not be safe in some spaces, here’s what you should know if you are open to welcoming them into your space.

If you’re unsure about welcoming guests with children into your space, there are a number of steps you can take to feel more at ease.

Communicate in advance about what is – and isn’t – available in your space.

Help parents pack accordingly by detailing all the family-friendly amenities you already have to hand. Your guidebook can also include recommendations for where to pick up or replenish supplies.

To help you transition to hosting families, here’s how you can prepare your space over time:

• Opt for sturdy and safe furniture and avoid glass, if possible
• Make cleaning up easier by avoiding clutter and unnecessary decorations
• Move breakables and sharp objects out of a child’s reach
• Prevent broken dishes by stocking your kitchen with reusable plastic cups and plates
• Consider adding latches to cabinets and protective covers to plug sockets
• Choose durable and easy-to-clean fabrics, such as the materials used for outdoor cushions
• Cover hardwood floors with washable rugs

Take basic safety precautions to help protect your guests and your home.

• Help put everyone’s mind at ease by installing a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm as well as a fire extinguisher near the kitchen hob
• Remember to mark off these amenities on your listing and don’t forget to regularly replace batteries
• Include local emergency numbers in your house manual and on a quick reference card for guests

Consider requiring a cleaning fee.
Many Hosts include a cleaning fee to offset the cost of supplies or a professional cleaning service. Here’s more on how to charge a cleaning fee if you don’t already have one.

Know what to do if there’s an issue.
No matter how prepared you are, accidents may still happen – but there are a few ways you can help protect yourself when hosting on Airbnb.

• Request money through the Resolution Centre: You can go through the Resolution Centre for missing or damaged items, extra services or other trip-related issues – like losing a house key. You can also send money to a guest to help compensate for issues, such as if your space wasn’t ready at check-in.
• Get to know AirCover for Hosts: AirCover for Hosts includes Host damage protection and Host liability insurance. It’s always included and always free.
  

If you’re interested in attracting travellers with families, thoughtful touches can help you stand out as the ideal Host. To make their stay feel more like home, be prepared to provide commonly requested items, such as extra towels and sheets. It’s also helpful to stock up on toilet paper and kitchen cupboard items like salt, black pepper and other cooking essentials. 

Get more ideas from Host Elsie of Nashville, Tennessee, who shares how she creates a family-friendly space:

Tip: You can also never have too many cleaning supplies – especially paper towels, disinfectant wipes and stain remover – or be overprepared for longer stays.

After you’ve gone through these steps of getting your space ready for families, it’s time to showcase your space by refreshing your listing details and updating your amenities.

• Having an up-to-date listing title and description can help you attract the right type of travellers – and set clear expectations
• Guests who’ll be travelling with children can use search filters to narrow down their options, so you’ll want to remember to also update your amenities. (If you have more than one listing, you can make updates to your amenities across all of your spaces from the Listings page.) A cot and a high chair are the must-have amenities for guests with infants.
• Include amenities like air conditioning, a washing machine/dryer and a kitchen if your space has them
• If you offer a washing machine, mention whether you provide washing powder/liquid and if there are any additional charges
• Baths make bathing children easier – be sure to mention if you have a bath in your listing and include a photo in your image gallery
• Double-check that your photos convey everything that you’ve described. Check out our step-by-step photography tutorial to learn how to highlight all the ways you’re meeting travellers’ needs right now.

While getting your space ready to welcome families with children may take some extra work, adding these thoughtful amenities is one of the best ways to delight all of your guests.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.

AirCover for Hosts’ Host damage protection, Host liability insurance and Experiences liability insurance don’t cover Hosts who offer stays or Experiences in Japan, where Japan Host Insurance and Japan Experience Protection Insurance apply, or Hosts who offer stays through Airbnb Travel LLC. For Hosts who offer stays or Experiences in mainland China, the China Host Protection Plan applies. Keep in mind that all coverage limits are shown in USD.

Host liability insurance and Experiences liability insurance are underwritten by third-party insurers. If you’re hosting in the UK, the Host liability insurance and Experiences liability insurance policies are underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd and are arranged and concluded at no additional cost for UK Hosts by Airbnb UK Services Limited, an appointed representative of Aon UK Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Aon’s FCA register number is 310451. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register or contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768. The Host liability and Experiences liability policies within AirCover for Hosts are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The remaining products and services are not regulated products arranged by Airbnb UK Services Limited. FPAFF405LC

Host damage protection isn’t insurance and isn’t related to Host liability insurance. Under Host damage protection, you’re reimbursed for certain damages caused by guests to your home and belongings if the guest does not pay for those damages. For listings in Washington State, US, Airbnb’s contractual obligations under Host damage protection are covered by an insurance policy purchased by Airbnb. For Hosts whose country of residence or establishment is outside of Australia, these Host Damage Protection Terms apply. For Hosts whose country of residence or establishment is within Australia, Host damage protection is subject to the Host Damage Protection Terms for Australian Users.