Staying with friends or family is one of the top ways to save money when you are traveling. The trick to staying at another person’s home is knowing the rules. Following a few simple tips will help insure that your stay is pleasant and that you are also welcomed back in the future.

1. Invest in a host or hostess gift. Do a little research to find out what your host enjoys and invest in a nice gift to complement that interest. If you are unable to find something specific for the hostess then go generic. Get a nice vase with a flower arrangement or some bath salts. The purpose is to let the person you are staying with know that you appreciate what they are doing.

2. Offer to help out around the house. If meals are included in the stay then offer to clean up after the meal. Few hosts will allow their guests to do any kind of labor, but the gesture will still be appreciated.

3. Treat the home you are staying in better than your own home. Pick up (and put away) your dirty cloths. Put trash in the garbage can. Keep the noise down all the time and inaudible after normal bedtime hours.

4. Leave things in the same or better condition than when you arrived. Make the bed, fold the dirty towel and leave it next the bathtub and wipe down the sink and mirror. It will fill good to leave the place looking nice and it will be a nice surprise for you host or hostess.

5. Take your host and the host family out for a meal before you leave. It is just one more way to show your appreciation for their hospitality.

6. Be sure to follow up your visit with a thank you note. Mention specifics about your stay (like the fresh cut flowers in the room or the great home made meals). Specific information will give more meaning to your note. If you are in a position to do so, then extend an invitation for them to come stay with you in the future.

Being nice and polite can go a long way – particularly when you are staying in someone else’s home. Be sure you let them know you are appreciative. Take care to treat their home with respect. And follow up with a thank you. With just a few simple steps you are likely to become everyone’s favorite house guest.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 20th, 2008 at 5:37 pm and is filed under Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.