1. Arrive on time and call or email if your plans have changed. Also, be sure to be clear about who will be joining you, you don’t want to show up with an extra person or your kids when the host hasn’t prepared for that.
2. Bring a small gift to your host family when you first arrive and remember to thank the host for having you. Complimenting the host on their house is always a nice thing to do. It makes the host feel that they successfully created a welcoming space. Some great gift ideas is a bottle of wine, a plant, a gift basket, a candle or something personal if you know them well.
3. Make your bed and tidy up your area daily, this isn’t a hotel so the maid service isn’t coming daily. There is a lot of time that goes into prepping a room and preparing for a guest. Show your appreciation by keeping it nice and clean. Make sure to keep this in mind for the bathroom as well. It is not polite to clutter the bathroom counter tops with a bunch of makeup and hair products.
4. Offer to help with cooking and dishes. Be sure to take note of how they handle their dishes. If they keep their sinks clear be sure to put your dishes in the dishwasher. It is always a nice touch to take your host/hostess out for a meal as a small thank you and to give them a break from cooking.
5. Don’t expect your host to play tour guide or taxi, sometimes renting a car is nice as well. It can put a lot of stress on your host to rely on them for things to do your entire stay. It is important to remember that you are on vacation, but your host is not and still has their daily duties to attend to. It is nice to go out on your own and give your host time to themselves in their home.
6. Ask before you use. I’ll admit to helping myself to friends’ body wash, but I think that it is still best to ask before you help yourself to things around the house.
7. Know what’s off-limits. When someone invites you into their home, they’re inviting you into their personal space. Don’t open bathroom drawers, nightstands, or help yourself to the fridge (unless you’ve been invited to).
8. Upon departure, offer to strip the sheets and take the towels to the laundry room.
9. And be sure to follow up with a hand written thank you card.
5. Don’t expect your host to play tour guide or taxi, sometimes renting a car is nice as well. It can put a lot of stress on your host to rely on them for things to do your entire stay. It is important to remember that you are on vacation, but your host is not and still has their daily duties to attend to. It is nice to go out on your own and give your host time to themselves in their home.
6. Ask before you use. I’ll admit to helping myself to friends’ body wash, but I think that it is still best to ask before you help yourself to things around the house.
7. Know what’s off-limits. When someone invites you into their home, they’re inviting you into their personal space. Don’t open bathroom drawers, nightstands, or help yourself to the fridge (unless you’ve been invited to).
8. Upon departure, offer to strip the sheets and take the towels to the laundry room.
9. And be sure to follow up with a hand written thank you card.
Cheers,
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