'm curious where everyone is in their guest communication journey. Are you writing everything from scratch? Using templates but manually sending them? Or fully automated? There's no right or wrong answer here—just want to get a sense of where we all are so we can support each other better. How do you currently handle guest messages? Once you vote, drop a comment if you want: What's working? What's frustrating? What are you curious about? Vote below 👇

When I started hosting, I kept hearing the same advice: create an unforgettable welcome experience. Fresh flowers. Local snacks. A handwritten note. Perfectly staged spaces. And I panicked a little—because I'm a remote host. I can't be there to greet guests. I can't adjust the lighting or fluff the pillows right before they arrive. I can't hand them a perfectly curated welcome basket. I worried that not being on-site meant I'd never be able to deliver the kind of hospitality guests expected. So I focused on what I could control from a distance: clear systems. I made sure my pre-arrival messages were detailed and easy to follow. I answered questions quickly. My house manual covered everything from the WiFi password to how the thermostat works. Check-in instructions were tested and retested until they were foolproof. It didn't feel special. It felt... practical. But then the reviews started coming in. "Check-in was seamless.""The host thought of everything.""We had all the information we needed right away.""So easy to communicate with." Almost no one mentioned that I wasn't physically there. What they did mention, repeatedly, was how smooth and stress-free everything felt. It made me realize something: guests don't need me to be present. They need clarity, responsiveness, and systems that work. The "perfect welcome experience" I was chasing? It wasn't about being there in person or creating Instagram-worthy moments. It was about removing friction and making guests feel taken care of—even from a distance. Here's what I want to know from you: - If you're a remote host, what do you worry you're "missing" by not being on-site? - If you are on-site, have you noticed whether your physical presence actually impacts reviews? - What do your guests consistently praise—and does it match what you thought would matter most? - Have you ever been surprised by what guests don't mention in reviews? I think there's a lot we can learn by comparing what the hosting world tells us matters vs. what our actual guests care about.

So this happened again last week. ✨Guest arrives. Can't get in. Calls me panicking because "the keypad isn't working." I walk them through it over the phone. Takes 90 seconds. They get in. Crisis averted. But here's the thing: this is the second time in three weeks. My first instinct? "Ugh, people don't read." My second thought, the more honest one? "Or maybe my instructions suck." I went back and looked at my pre-arrival message. It says: "Use code 1234 on the keypad to unlock the door." Sounds clear, right? Except I'm realizing now that not everyone knows you have to press the lock button after entering the code. Or that you need to wait for the green light. Or that you don't turn the handle until you hear the click. I know all this because I use the keypad every day. But to a guest who's never seen this model? My "clear" instruction is full of gaps. 📌 The fix: I'm rewriting my keypad instructions today with actual step-by-step clarity. And honestly, I'm wondering if a short video would just solve this entirely. Like a 20-second clip showing exactly what to do. No guessing. No panicked calls. But I've also heard video instructions can feel like overkill for simple stuff, and some guests prefer text they can reference quickly. ❓Question: Do you think a quick video explaining keypad entry is worth making, or is that overcomplicating it? And if you use videos for anything, what's actually worked for you?

Let's get to know each other! Hi, I'm from . I am a new/experienced STR hosts. For fun, I like to . Here's a pic of my workspace!