What you need to know about hosting families

With many offices, schools, and daycare centers closed around the world, parents now have more flexibility with where they live and work. Many are interested in traveling 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 on 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 cleanup 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 power outlets
• Choose durable, easy-to-clean fabrics, like the materials used for outdoor pillows
• 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 and fire extinguisher near the kitchen cooktop
• Remember to check 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 Center: You can go through the Resolution Center 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 like 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 travelers 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 pantry 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 over prepared 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 travelers—and set clear expectations
• Guests who’ll be traveling 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 crib and a high chair are the must-have amenities for guests with infants.
• Include amenities like air conditioning, a washer/dryer, and a kitchen if your space has them
• If you offer a washer, mention whether you provide laundry detergent and if there are any additional charges
• Tubs make bathing children easier—be sure to mention if you have a bathtub 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 travelers’ 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.

*Excluding Hosts who offer accommodations in mainland China. Find out more

Host damage protection and Host liability insurance don’t cover Hosts who offer stays through Airbnb Travel, LLC, or Hosts in mainland China and Japan, where the China Host Protection Plan and Japan Host Insurance apply. Host damage protection isn’t related to Host liability insurance.

Keep in mind that all coverage limits are shown in USD, and there are other terms, conditions, and exclusions.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.