Vacation season is upon us and everyone is making a mad dash to find and book the perfect little getaway for the upcoming summer holidays.
There are so many different places to choose from…cabins, cottages, lake houses, lodges, yurts, RV & tent camping, bed & breakfasts or a luxury hotel…the choices are endless.
One of the biggest advantages to staying at a private rental rather than the traditional hotel/motel type of lodging is privacy and space.
What’s better than having an entire cabin or house all to yourself right? Having the space to spread out and not feel confined to the four walls of a hotel room…not to mention the complete privacy you will have. Plus, you’ll definitely get more for your money!
When you do rent your weekend getaway from a private owner, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First of all, remember that this is someone’s home that they are opening up and sharing with you. The owner has put a lot of time, hard work & money into making their space just right. They try provide everything that they feel you would need for a cozy, relaxing stay while you are away from home. Some hosts even offer lots of extra amenities that other’s do not.
While your host wants you to relax & enjoy yourself while you are on vacation, don’t forget to be respectful of their space and treat it as you would your own home.
So, with that being said, we compiled a little list of some helpful Do’s & Don’ts for travelers who choose to stay at a private cabin rental or Airbnb.
DO
- Tag us in your photos on social media. We love to see photos of guests enjoying the cabin and all of the fun things there are to do in the area.
- Leave a little note about your experience in the visitor guestbook. Did you enjoy your stay? What fun things did you do while you were here?
- Feel free to leave housekeeping a note or even a small tip if you feel they went above and beyond to make your stay a little extra special. Of course, this is completely optional and is never expected.
- Leave a review online. It helps other travelers find us and it also helps us to know how we are doing as hosts.
- Feel free to leave a fun little momento or write clues to a special spot you discovered for the next guest to find in the guestbook. Kind of like a little scavenger hunt of sorts.
- Take all of the things you brought back home with you. Don’t forget your special pillow or blanket, or your favorite reading glasses.
- Check the washer/dryer for any clothes that you may have left inside.
- Empty the fridge of all your food and drinks, and don’t forget to check the freezer too!
- Be sure to lock up when you leave. This includes any windows you may have opened during your stay. Most rentals will have complete departure instructions. Be sure to follow them, especially if you would like to return again in the future!
- Be respectful and leave the place as you found it. These are the kind of guests that we really appreciate, are happy to invite back and offer them special return guest VIP perks!
DON’T
- Sneak in extra guests that were not included in your original reservation. You will be charged for them anyways and this will most likely cause your host to not accept future reservations from you, and possibly give other local cabin owners a heads up about you too.
- Sneak in your pet. We love animals, but animals do shed and could cause damage. Some guests may have allergies as well and we want to make sure our cabin is a clean and comfortable place for everyone.
- Smoke inside the cabin. This is a huge NO and can cost you a hefty cleaning fee.
- Use the cabin for wild parties where things just won’t end well. Injuries, vomit, fighting, police…. Just don’t do it!
- Take personal items from the cabin that do not belong to you, like special reading books or movies that the hosts were kind enough to share with you, cabin decor, etc. That’s just bad karma!
- Take pillows, bedding, towels, linens, or anything else that is property of the cabin. Again, bad karma plus loss of security/damage deposit.
- Move furniture around or rearrange things in the cabin. Just enjoy it as it is.
- Leave the doors wide open for an extended period of time. We are in the woods and we want to keep the little critters that live in the woods outside where they belong.
- Use the hot tub as a bubble bath or purposely splash water out of it. The pumps cycle on & off automatically and if the water level goes below the jets, it could cause extensive damage to the hot tub.
- Throw grease, food, paper towels, etc. down the sinks or toilets which can clog the pipes or septic system. Your stay will not be a pleasant one and your wallet will be a lot lighter after you pay for a special service call!
- Leave trash or other litter laying around outside on the property. Be sure to use the trash containers.
- Leave nasty/gross comments in the visitor guestbook. Nobody reading the guestbook needs to know you left a messy toilet to clean or suggestions on what you would do different. 🙁 Use a comment card or separate piece of paper if there is any feedback of that nature. Even better, contact the host directly so they can address any issues that you may have had and rectify the situation for you or any future guests.
While of course there are many other things that can be added to the lists above, these are just a few general and common sense courtesies that you should remember when staying at your next home away from home to ensure you have an amazing experience!
Most importantly…RELAX, ENJOY YOUR STAY & HAVE FUN! That’s what life is all about. 🙂
