For more than 100 years at Good Housekeeping, we've shared recipes worth inviting friends over for, tested the household essentials that make everyday life easier and gathered expert advice on taking the stress out of entertaining. Safe to say, we've learnt a thing or two about making people feel at home and mastering the art of hosting.
That begs the question then, what is it about some homes that instantly put us at ease? Is it the fresh flowers by the bedside, the cosy throw draped over the sofa or simply the feeling that someone has thought about us before we even arrived? If you’ve ever stepped into a home that felt instantly welcoming, you likely recognise the feeling.
"Hosting fulfils one of our most fundamental psychological needs as humans, which is to connect with other people," says Dr Farideh Banafshei, counselling psychologist and founder of H&C Private Therapy. "When we invite someone into a space we've created, we're offering them a feeling of safety and belonging."
It's a feeling many of us already know from welcoming friends and family through the front door. And, if you've ever enjoyed creating that sense of comfort for others, you might already have the instincts that make a great Airbnb host. Add to that a vacant spare bedroom, generously-sized annex or empty home while you’re away for the weekend and you have the makings of a home ready to host.
According to Dr Banafshei, it’s rarely expensive interiors or designer furniture that guests remember but the small gestures from hosts that communicate care. Speaking to our Good Housekeeping Institute team about their experience, one existing Airbnb host said they particularly enjoy “creating a welcoming space and hearing guests say they felt at home,”* while another noted the opportunity to “offer a great experience and create memories for customers” as a significant draw.
For Airbnb Superhost Mel Rickey, thoughtful touches have become second nature. To personally welcome every guest, she leaves fresh flowers in their room and lights a scented candle before they arrive, creating what she describes as “the feeling of a calm sanctuary”. Those personal details matter because, as Banafshei explains, “our brains are wired to attach emotional meaning to experiences rather than possessions.” In other words, guests are far more likely to remember how your home made them feel than whether you owned the latest coffee machine.
“A well-hosted space says, ‘I’ve thought about you before you've arrived’” she explains. “That anticipation makes people feel comfortable and special, and that's incredibly rewarding for the host, too.”
Mel, for example, sees the return in the form of her reviews with guests regularly commenting on her comfortable bed, warm hosting style and carefully chosen local recommendations, as well as how much they enjoy staying in “a real family home where daily London life is going on.” That sense of authenticity is often what makes a stay memorable. “Authenticity consistently outperforms perfection,” says Banafshei. “People aren't expecting a luxury hotel. They want to feel welcomed.”
Of course, opening your home for the first time might feel like a big step, even if you're naturally hospitable. Wondering how much time it will require or where to even start are very real thoughts that can bring about nerves – and, the type of thoughts that the Host Resource Centre on Airbnb aims to address. Covering frequently asked questions and explaining everything clearly, it provides extra support to first-time hosts.
For those just getting started, Airbnb also offers Host Ambassador webinars, designed to help new hosts feel prepared before welcoming their first guests.
Another concern is trust. While hospitality begins with human connection, peace of mind matters too. Support from Airbnb in the form of AirCover means hosts can enjoy an additional layer of confidence when opening up their homes and know that there’s up to $3M USD in damage protection included when they sign up.
Good hosting is also about making life simpler for your guests. “The less mental effort someone has to spend figuring things out, the more space they have to enjoy themselves,” says Dr Banafshei. Clear communication before arrival, anticipating common questions and making check-in straightforward all help reduce what psychologists call “cognitive load”, allowing guests to settle in more quickly.
For hosts like Mel, that extends beyond the house itself. “Every guest is looking for something different,” she says. “I share all the layers of Kentish Town with them.” Whether it’s recommending a favourite bakery, pub or coffee shop, she enjoys helping visitors experience her neighbourhood through local eyes. And, there’s also something to be said about bringing local businesses the extra custom courtesy of the tried-and-tested-recommendations. “Really it’s an exchange, and I adore that.”
Hosting can also bring practical rewards alongside the emotional ones. More than half* a surveyed group of existing Airbnb hosts in the UK noted that the ‘opportunity to earn additional income’ was an influencing factor when making a decision to open up their homes. Welcoming guests to get ahead of upcoming bills or using the additional income to fund a bucket-list trip or creative project are just a few ways the act of hosting can open up wider opportunities.
Airbnb's handy earnings estimator can help prospective hosts explore what they could earn by listing their space. And for those who worry about finding the time, the Co-Host Network on Airbnb is another option, allowing hosts to share responsibilities with a trusted local already within the hosting community. They’ll help share the load of hosting and support on everything from setting up the listing to checking in guests when needed to ensure that hosting duties can easily fit around a person’s existing schedule and commitments. Ultimately, though, the secret to a truly welcoming home isn't perfection, it’s thoughtful intention.
“When we travel, we're leaving somewhere familiar for somewhere unfamiliar,” says Dr Banafshei. “When someone helps reduce that uncertainty, they create a sense of safety.”
Whether it's a handwritten note, a flickering candle or simply a warm welcome at the door, those thoughtful moments are what guests carry home with them long after they've packed their bags. And perhaps that's the real secret: making someone feel like they belong.
Curious about what hosting could look like for you? Visit Airbnb to find out more
*Good Housekeeping Institute Reader Survey, 2026
**Good Housekeeping Institute Reader Survey, 2026
***Good Housekeeping Institute Reader Survey, 2026
