Don’t bring too much luggage. The easiest way to immediately irritate your host is to show up with way too much stuff. Just pack sensibly and try not to take up too much space.
Pack proper clothing and gear such as swimwear or sports gear. Find out in advance what type of activities you’ll be doing during your stay and then arrive prepared. You don’t want to have to borrow things from your host. You can also avoid making impulse purchases that can take you out of your vacation budget.
Do bring some cash of your own to have on hand. Have funds available if you go out to dinner or a movie. You should not expect your host to pay for your expenses on outings. It is a nice gesture to bring a simple gift with you when you arrive such as a special coffee, a bottle of wine or a food basket. Just be creative! Or you might even want to treat them for a night out. This would be a nice gift and help alleviate the workload.
Leave your pets at home. Under no circumstances should you bring your pet along. You will not be invited back if your host has to look after you and Fido.
Don’t eat your host out of house and home. Everything in moderation. You don’t have to starve yourself, just be mindful of how much and what you eat. If your host says “help your self” double check before you open that special bottle of wine or their favorite snack.
Respect the moral values of your host. Leave the lying, cheating, and stealing at home. This is not the time for you to go buck wild and act like you the people we see on late night infomercials.
Clean up after yourself. Your host is not your maid. Put forth an effort to keep your space tidy and offer some assistance to your host. Now, if they decline your offer then take heed. Some host’s are very particular about how thing are done and you don’t want to over step your boundaries.
Don’t abuse the phone or any other privileges. Doing things such as leaving a huge phone bill, wasting electricity, and over using the computer is the easiest way leave a prolonged bad impression.
Do not overstay your welcome. If things are not going well, don’t try to stay longer in order to correct them, you’ll you only add to the list of reasons why you won’t be invited back. If things are going well then leave on time so you can end things on a high note.
Always send a thank you note after your visit. Regardless of what your stay was like you should always be polite and say thank you…in writing.
