When booking on Airbnb, you need to note the following:

Kimanzi has been to 84 countries around the world. He started booking rooms on Airbnb in 2014 and discovered 8 common mistakes that hosts make when renting out. He shared this on Insider with the hope that hosts will realize and improve, to help guests have a more perfect stay.

Through his many stays, he learned what makes a great Airbnb experience. Kimanzi learned to carefully examine all photos, read previous guest reviews, and ask questions of the host. He also learned to be willing to pay more if the room offered something special. Unfortunately, he experienced many things that didn’t meet his expectations.

First of all, many places don't provide basic cooking utensils for guests to prepare meals. That's the first thing that disappoints Kimanzi. Not having cooking utensils makes guests eat out more often, which increases the cost and is not as healthy as home-cooked meals. "I think equipping a cooking set with basic utensils is a small investment, but makes a big difference for guests," he said. His advice in this case is that before renting a room, guests should ask clearly what items are in their kitchen to know most clearly.

The second thing is that very few hosts provide extra cooking spices and cooking oil in the kitchen for guests to rent out their rooms. According to Kimanzi, those that do really impress guests and get more positive feedback. "I once stayed in an Airbnb in Tokyo that didn't even have salt or pepper. It's an inconvenience that makes most kitchens useless." He also said that if there are no spices, guests have to go buy them themselves. This is both time-consuming and wasteful because those items have to be thrown away at the end of the stay.

Many rentals don’t come with pillows. According to Kimanzi, one of the most challenging parts of being a nomadic traveler is having to give up the comfort of a big bed and soft pillows at home. For this reason, he often appreciates places that have plenty of pillows. “I once stayed in a house in Cape Town, South Africa, that had chilled memory foam pillows. I had the best sleep of my life there, and I always book there when I go back to Cape Town,” he says.

The bed and mattress are also a deciding factor in whether or not Kimanzi will write a good review for a place he rents. He will also only book a place where previous reviews praise the clean, comfortable beds. “If they complain about the sleeping area, I’ll pass.” He also suggests that hosts provide extra sheets, blankets, and towels, so guests like me can easily grab them without having to worry about washing a set.

Next, he appreciates a place where the host provides a coffee maker or simply a small packet of instant coffee. "I love drinking coffee as a daily beverage. I'm in Colombia and I really like that the host provides locally sourced coffee. Colombia is famous for its coffee and the host provides coffee from their family's coffee farm. I really love this place." He says this is a small highlight among the many other Airbnbs that don't serve the beverage. Kimanzi drinks coffee every day and likes to make it at home and drink it first thing in the morning. He loves the menu that comes with the coffee maker and would appreciate even just a small packet of coffee when he arrives.

"Landlords often ask me to help clean the house before check-out. But they don't provide cleaning tools. I'm happy to clean the room if I have enough tools. Of course, they should also not charge us extra cleaning fees, when we have such a request" is what he wants to send to the next landlord. According to him, landlords must provide all the necessary items or completely eliminate cleaning fees.

Slow wifi speed is also an issue that homeowners need to pay attention to, according to an American male tourist. "Places that do not prioritize fast, free wifi will lose many customers. I once stayed in a room in New York, USA, where the wifi was lightning fast and the connection was always strong everywhere in the house. I always come back to this same place when I come to New York," he said.

And finally, the male traveler wishes that the Airbnb host would provide clear instructions to guests: rules, check-in instructions, how to find the right address... These simple things are extremely useful, highly appreciated and extremely satisfied by guests.

Phuong Thao is the Editor of Travellive Magazine. She is passionate about traveling and loves to capture moments with her camera in every land she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are her favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao