In addition to a beautifully designed space with great amenities, guests will get an amazing first impression if you leave them a welcome gift! Airbnb guests will walk through the door and see a little something on the kitchen table and really get those warm and fuzzies to start off. It doesn’t has to be anything extravagant, but a simple Airbnb welcome gift can go a long way.
I started leaving a welcome basket for each of my guests that come to my properties through Beach Life Bliss Vacations. So many compliments over the years really make it worth it!
As Airbnb hosts, a gift basket is a great way to go the extra mile in the guests eyes. If you are striving to get all the positive reviews you can, consider leaving a welcome package of some soft the each group of guests.
The most important thing to keep in mind when you offer a welcome basket at your Airbnb is to leave something that people will actually use and want to keep. If you’re leaving things that are just for show, you’re really just wasting your money. So, please use this post rounding up 7 Airbnb Welcome Gift Baskets to strike some ideas and inspiration for your own guests.
I’ll be giving you my vacation rental welcome basket tip ideas along the way. Hope you enjoy and please reach out for any Airbnb hosting questions you may have along your hosting journey.
Most Popular Welcome Gift Ideas For Your Airbnb Vacation Rental
- Thank you card with a customized postcard
- A simple welcome basket with wine
- Airbnb welcome gift from local businesses like shops or restaurants
- A special occasion welcome basket for vacationers
- Premium toiletries welcome basket
- A bunch of sweets and nuts
- Beach cooler bag or tote with some goodies
- Stock The Fridge With Grocery Items
The first step in creating the perfect Airbnb welcome basket…
First things first, come up with a budget you are willing to spend for each check in. This will vary based on your actual vacation rental property.
Do you run an upscale Airbnb?
Do you market to families looking for a budget friendly option?
You don’t want to go overboard and spend too much money on a gift basket for every guest. The goal is for them to remember your place. By providing them a welcome gift, they are more likely to have a memorable experience and want to come back in the future.
Some people won’t care about a welcome basket gift. So that’s why your budget should remain in line with this.
There may be exceptions where you will splurge and spend a little more money on a gift for your guest. But the majority of the time, it doesn’t have to be super expensive.
Now, let’s go through some of these awesome Airbnb welcome basket and gift ideas. You can start using any of these at your Airbnb today!
Thank you card with a customized postcard
Have you ever seen the show with Jojo Fletched from the Bachelorette about short term rental designs?? She is one of my favs and started creating customized postcards for each Airbnb property!
This is such a clever idea so I used this at my first Airbnb property. Take a look at an example of my postcard for The Beach Life Bungalow below.
It’s like a little souvenir for guests and also a great short term rental marketing tool for you!
A simple welcome basket with wine
A bottle of wine is always a nice gift for someone. I have left a single wine bottle as a gift for guests and people have loved it! Why is a wine bottle a great welcome gift idea? It’s simple, inexpensive, and you can buy the wine ahead of time to leave.
TIP: Make it personal by using custom wine bottle labels with Welcome + the name of your Airbnb vacation rental.
I welcomed my first guests ever to my Airbnb in 2019. What did I leave as a welcome gift? A bottle of champagne and a hand written note thank you card.
Follow along with my Airbnb on instagram @beachlifeblissvacations
Inside my hand written notes, I write something to the effect of….
“Thank you for choosing to stay at The Beach Life Bungalow! We hope you enjoy the home and have a great time in Lake Worth Beach.. Your Host – Melissa (+ my phone number)”
This is personal enough, it reinforces where they are staying, and give your contact information again just as a reminder that it’s there if needed.
NOTE: You MUST make sure that guests are over 21 to leave a welcome gift like this. You do not want to get into a situation where you have just served alcohol to a minor. At my Airbnb, guests must be 25+ to book.
For This Wine Welcome Gift…
- Bottle of wine (use a wine delivery subscription so you don’t have to keep going to the store)
- Thank you card
- Wine gift bag (this is optional)
Airbnb welcome gift from local businesses like shops or restaurants
Do you have a favorite spot around your local town that you would love your guests to try? A great recommendation for something to include in a “local treats” welcome would be a gift card!
I remember staying at an Airbnb one time and when I got there, there was a note and a 25$ gift card to a restaurant down the street. I was so impressed and couldn’t wait to go try it out.
TIP: Try to partner with local shops and restaurants. Get discount cards from them by offering to distribute to your guests.
A local coffee shop would also be a good place to buy a gift card to. Although, we know many of love some Starbucks! So that could be an option too.
To make this local items gift basket…
- Gift card from local restaurant or coffee shop (or Starbucks gift card)
- Thank you card
- Local handmade product (like this mason jar candle)
Snacks & Refreshments
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to give guests a little welcome gift. A few snacks and bottles of water will make them feel right at home. Especially after a long day of travelling!
This is a budget friendly option to offer as a welcome gift for vacation rentals. It will cost you less than $5 for each stay. You can buy these items in bulk and have them ready to create each welcome basket.
For this budget friendly Airbnb Welcome Gift:
A special occasion welcome basket for vacationers
If you know ahead of time that your future guests are celebrating something special, this is a great opportunity to tailor your welcome basket to that event. This could be a birthday celebration, recent wedding or engagement, or other special occasion like mothers day or fathers day.
If the guests make you aware that it’s a special trip – like just getting married – it would be really nice to get them a small gift. Something like a Mr. & Mrs. coffee mug set would be perfect!
These don’t break the bank and they are very personal!
Premium toiletries welcome basket
A welcome basket with some premium toiletry options would be a perfect option for a group going on a girls getaway trip! Someone is bound to forget something – ha!
Most Airbnb’s provide basic toiletry items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hand soap. A basket with premium items would be above and beyond what you already provide.
For this premium toiletry basket…
- Argon oil shampoo and conditioner
- Small wicker basket
- Cleansing face wipes
- Toothbrushes
- Body and hand lotion
A bunch of sweets and nuts
Everyone gets a sweet tooth now and again. A lot of your guests will be traveling and getting in late – nothing better than a little piece of chocolate when you arrive!
Another great snack to include in basket like this is an individual pack of almonds or cashews. If guests happen to be allergic to nuts, they will know not to touch or open these little packets.
Don’t forget to leave your welcome book or welcome packet next to the welcome gift. That way, guests won’t miss it!
To make this sweet and nutty welcome basket…
Beach cooler bag or tote with some goodies
If your Airbnb is in a tropical beach destination like mine, people will probably be hitting the beach! I know that during the winter months, that is “in season” for me. I get families and other guests that stay for an extended period of time.
While we do provide a communal cooler bag, getting one as a little gift would be so nice. When people stay for anywhere from a few weeks to monthly, I think that spending a little more money on a welcome gift or welcome basket is definitely do-able.
A small insulated cooler bag is definitely one of those things that your guest will actually use and want to take home with them. They will appreciate it and you’re more likely to get that 5 star review.
You can get tons of cute beach totes for pretty cheap too! If they didn’t have room for their beach bag in their luggage while traveling, they will love this welcome gift.
For under $20, they get something that they can use on vacation and will be really impressed with your hospitality and how thoughtful of a host you are!
If you want to take it a step further, pack the cooler bag with some beach essentials. A beach blanket and some sand toys for those with kinds would be perfect.
To make this beach themed welcome gift…
Stock The Fridge With Grocery Items
Anyone that is traveling to a destination would love to come and already have some items in the refrigerator! This doesn’t need to be anything extensive but grocery items like cold bottles of water, eggs, or coffee creamer would be a great idea.
Recap of our favorite Airbnb Gift Basket Ideas
Making a lasting impression on your guests so they’ll want to return to your listing. Little things like this go a long way and will help you get more 5-star reviews.
In review, here are the perfect welcome basket ideas for you to start with:
- A bottle of wine
- Items from a local business in the immediate area
- Snack basket with beverages
- A happy birthday or wedding related gift
- Commonly forgotten toiletries
- A box of chocolates and nuts
- Beach bag with beach essentials (perfect for a beach town Airbnb)
- Stock the fridge with a few grocery items
