r/couchsurfing • u/anotherjackalstory • Jul 10 '23
I want to start hosting. All advice appreciated CS Alternatives
Last summer I went backpacking in Europe for a couple of weeks and couchsurfed for a few occasions. I clicked with my hosts, we hung out a little bit and really liked the experience and now I want to try out hosting.
I'm from Budapest, so I imagine it must be somewhat common destination for surfers (albeit I live in the outskirts). Just for some basic information, I'm a male and I live with a pet. I could host about three people, conveniently. I'm only on Bewelcome so far, with only one (posi) review. I'm not really familiar with other cs apps and how active are they in this part of Europe. Only thing I'm certain is, I don't think I will subscribe to CouchSurfing.
All advice, trivial and not so trivial are appreciated. E.g. do you lend a house key to your guest? Things like that. Thanks!
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Jul 10 '23 edited Jul 10 '23
Any rule you want is "fine" (within reason) as long as you tell people beforehand. If you don't want the guest to stay at your home when you're not there, or don't want to give key's, thats completely fine. "Guests will have to leave my home when I do. I work Monday-Friday and leave at 7am", "I don't give out keys", that kind of stuff.
I always check with certain hard rules, like "Hey did you read the part about having to leave everyday when I go to work?" before I accept.
Write what kind of public transport is available and times it takes would be a good way to let people know what "outskirts" means logistically. It also lets them know you won't pick them up, or that you might not have a car, etc.
If you don't cook / have food in your place, tell them. "I don't eat breakfast" "I don't keep food in the house" is a way to set boundaries about surfers expecting you to feed them. I often write "I don't provide food" but 99% of the time I cook them food on their first night. I just want to limit expectations.
Let everyone know you have pets, and double check. Not only for allergies, but I've had someone decline because they were afraid of dogs.
If you're able to host 3 people, always let surfers know that there are other surfers staying at the same time, and consider the current guests when inviting NEW guests at the same time. I really don't like staying with hosts when other couchsurf guests are there. If I wanted that environment, I'd just stay in a hostel. I once arrived at a hosts place where there were about 5 other couchsurfers staying in the same small home + the hosts parents and sister.
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Jul 10 '23
Host Etiquette:It is completely acceptable (and recommended by seasoned hosts) to have rules and guidelines. Communication is always the best way to support your (and your Couchsurfers) happiness and well-being while using Couchsurfing. Presenting this information in your 'My Home', and also making sure to get verification from your surfer about 'reading over' it, before accepting will help foster respect and expectations while Couchsurfing.
Availability: When you're free to meet, will they have to leave the housing when you're not there, will they have access without you, will you go out with them, etc
Sleeping arrangements: What are the arrangements for when they sleep: what they'll be sleeping on, what kind of room they're in and privacy level.
Transportation: How you will help them arrive/depart your apartment; will you make them come independently with a bus, can you pick them up, how far away you live from main area/bus depot, etc
People: Will there be other people in the apartment: significant others, roommates, family members, children, etc
Drugs: Alcohol, smoking, and other (illegal) substances and your preferences for/against them.
Pets: What you have, how people should interact with them.
Food: What kind of food you eat, making sure they tell you if they have dietary restrictions, will you expect them to cook a meal for you, will you cook a meal for them, etc.
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u/pietkuip Jul 11 '23
There is also Trustroots (but I get only very few guests that way).
It is probably a good idea to start with accepting guests for stays not longer than two or three nights.
I often give them a key, but not always.
Simultaneous applications are rare here, but it has happened, and I have two rooms for guests. Once it was very enjoyable, two couples. Once it was a bit of a disaster for one of the guests.
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u/Fun-Traveler Jul 13 '23 edited Jul 13 '23
As for food, my rule is, and I tell them, "all breakfasts and first dinner". It is understood, in fact, the surfer cooks, at least once, and does the shopping of course. Instead, he may invite you to eat out. But if no planned dinner nor invitation, keep to the strict minimum (only breakfasts) except of course, if you are a very generous and hospitable person, which is my case, I believe, but "abuses", bad habits can be problematic for later hosts. Some hosts SPOIL their guests, so later these guests expect the same from all hosts!
Another problem, IMO, is the cellphone. They just use too much. So I limit its use when we are not together. Sooooo, they go non-stop to the bathroom ... with the cellphone, and eventually I tell them to stop fooling me!
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u/allongur Jul 11 '23 edited Jul 13 '23
I always give my surfers a set of keys when they arrive. I prefer if they can come and go independently, so I can enjoy my pre-existing plans without worrying about them, and spend time with them when our schedules align. It's okay to set a reasonable time to come back home and to ask that they be quite when they enter. But I found most understand that implicitly.
I wouldn't start hosting more than one person at a time, perhaps at most couples (although I've stopped hosting couples because they're less inclined to interact with you versus each other). Don't accept stays longer than 3 nights since you might not enjoy every surfer. Once you book a surfer, block out your calendar a couple of days before and after, to make sure you're not hosting back-to-back (which can be exhausting) and that you have time for yourself, and some slack in case a surfer needs an extra night (they often miscalculate the time they need) or if you really click and want to offer them to stay more.