The Best Way To Show An Airbnb Host Your Gratitude (And It's Not Tipping)

A good Airbnb can transform your weekend getaway from a fun night to an unforgettable experience. You go out of your way to book your Airbnb at the perfect time so you get the best deal, spend hours combing through reviews and photos, and do everything you can to make sure your Airbnb is as safe as possible – but you can never know for sure what the place will look like until you arrive. The moment when you walk into your Airbnb and see it's beautiful, clean, and stocked with all the coffee and snacks you could hope for is a wonderful one. How can you say thank you to your host for an incredible stay? Write them a glowing review that will attract more guests to their home.

Usually, when you're blown away by good service while traveling, you say thank you with a tip. That's not standard procedure for Airbnbs, though. Most people don't tip, and hosts don't expect it. You definitely can leave a tip for the host if you would like to, and as evidenced by the many hosts posting about it on the Airbnb Community Center, it will certainly make their day, but in the end, a good review may be even more valuable.

On Airbnb, guests can rate their stays on a 1-5 scale. As noted by Airbnb hosts on Reddit, anything below 5 stars can hurt their business. Partially, this is because a host must maintain an overall rating of 4.8 or higher to be considered a Superhost, and 4.9 or higher to be considered a Guest Favorite. Some guests are even more choosy, only looking for places with a perfect 5-star rating. If you genuinely loved your stay, rating it 5 stars is the best way to thank your host for a wonderful trip.

While rankings are a more cut-and-dry system, the text of your review matters too. They are vital in helping potential guests choose where to stay, and Airbnbs without reviews are considered risky choices. One Airbnb Superhost posted on Reddit about what kind of reviews help the most, stating, "Add personality and detail to your review. If you liked the place and had a good time, be sure to include why. Write about that specific thing that made the place fun and different from a standard hotel or other Airbnbs. Vague reviews tend to imply unaddressed issues the guest was too timid to report."

"I just had to share my joy," one host posted to the Airbnb Community Center. "Today when I went in to clean[,] there was an actual store bought thank you note with my name on it. Inside [was] the sweetest sentiment about my hosting style and space."

If you had a truly exceptional stay and want to thank your host, you can do just that by leaving them a thank-you note, stating what you liked about their home. This doesn't have to be a long or elaborate letter, just a quick note showing your appreciation for the work that went into making your trip special. 

Occasionally, Airbnb guests will even leave a gift for a truly exceptional host. As noted by one Airbnb host on Reddit, these memorable guests become immediate favorites who the host is excited to book again in the future. This is not the norm by any means, and hosts do not expect that you will give them anything other than the money you owe them, but it is a lovely gesture if a host really went above and beyond to make your stay memorable.