It’s been just over a year since we started out on the AirBnB road. It has been interesting. It has been fun. We’ve learnt lots along the way.
We’ve had people from all over the place …. from USA, Canada, Australia, UK, Ireland and Germany. My geography of both the USA and Canada is certainly improving!
We’ve met strangers who have left as friends. We’ve met other AirBnB hosts.
We’ve shared many stories, many bottles of wine and lots of food.
We worried initially about informing our US guests that our rooster was called ‘Obama’ – he’s a rather handsome rooster. We need not have worried…. they find it highly amusing 🙂
Obama – the rooster
Our US guests do find it most unusual that we live on an ‘unnamed’ road (yes, folks that’s what it says on Google Maps!). Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing I can do to rectify that.
There have been many discussions about the rain…. how do we know when it is going to rain????? We’ve explained that our forty shades of green is the result of our forty different types of rain. All guests arrive laden with rain coats, rain hats and umbrellas and are intrigued that I own none of the above!!!
We’ve had impromptu cookery lessons…. showing visitors how to make pancakes, poach eggs and make Irish soda bread.
ta da! I’ve made Irish Soda Bread
We’ve had lots of enthusiastic volunteers to help with the pigs.
Meeting the pigs
We’ve received the most beautiful gifts from guests.
Painting by Celia Lauve
We always knew being a B&B would involve work, and it does. Gosh, there’s an awful lot of housework. It is a constant round of cleaning. I have perhaps become a little obsessed with the weather and trying to get bedlinen and towels washed and dried, and keep floors washed and clean.
Would we recommend doing the AirBnb thing?
Overall, our answer would be yes.
- Doing it this way is definitely more secure – you have your guests verification before they arrive – and they too can check you out.
- Be prepared for some early morning starts….. we’ve not had too many of those thankfully.
- We offer the additional option of an evening meal which does I think add to the guests experience of Irish hospitality. It also requires organisation and planning in the kitchen.
- We’ve managed to entertain lactose intolerant, nut allergy folk and vegetarians. Managing to convert two of the vegetarians to meat eaters has to have been a highlight 🙂
- The various animals about the place seem to have taken to it too….. the dogs love all the attention and the pigs and hens have behaved mostly, so there’s been no mad dash to get them back to pens when we should be cooking dinner!
Have you used AirBnB? Someday we will get the chance to get away and will try it for sure 🙂
And, wow! Just had news that one of our B&B guests has bought a property 2 miles away following on from her stay with us. How exciting is that?
A Year In Redwood 
Thanks for this brilliant post. B+B is one of the options we have been thinking about, so your analysis is very useful. Oh and by the way, our pigs are still INSIDE the non-electric fence, 4 months old today….. just saying.
I’m telling you we rear ‘leaping’ pigs here… one current bunch can easily clear a 2 ft. high fence… our pigs are definitely one of a kind 🙂 ….. just saying 🙂
B&B is good… interesting, fun, hard work… and enjoyable
Great post. We’ve been looking at Airbnb for our holiday to Sicily in September,I was a bit mixed about using it. I’m going to revisit the idea again. Thanks.
Kat
All I can say Kat is do. We’ve had nothing but good experiences, have had lovely people to stay. It is great that you can look at reviews before hand… and you soon learn to ‘read between the lines’ to know if this is a person that will work with you 🙂
Looking forward to hearing of your experiences in Sicily… and of course, am totally jealous of your trip.
Margaret
Just signed up to Airbnb at the W/E offering dog friendly accommodation in Clonakilty, Co. Cork….Fingers crossed it goes as well for us as it seems to have for you…Check us out here https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/3818813?preview & any help / tips would be very much appreciated.
Hi Paul,
Your place looks lovely… and being based in Clon you’re sure to have lots of bookings!
You might like to join the forum group we started on airbnb https://www.airbnb.ie/groups/1419. I’d like to think that the forum will become a place where we can help each other out, ask questions and of course, make referrals to each other. We often get guests coming here who have no definitive plans, just perhaps that we were thinking of heading to Cork… so of course we can recommend people.
Keep in touch… you will meet lovely people 🙂
Margaret
I’ve always wanted a B&B. not sure how popular the concept is here in Lithuania – I must look into it. I reckon having trilingual hosts could help, though!
June,
Take a look – there are some beautiful places – https://www.airbnb.ie/s/Lithuania?checkin=08%2F27%2F2014&checkout=08%2F30%2F2014&guests=2&room_types%5B%5D=Private+room&source=hdr
Margaret
That’s fantastic Margaret thanks for that. Will sign up shortly and will definitely recommend yourselves if we get any enquiries
The best, most hospitable place I’ve ever visited, every time we stay I come home renewed. Thank you!
Our pleasure! Always enjoy your company and visits.
Margaret
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