Fancy chocolates, local coffee, bottles of wine…when it comes to deciding on your Airbnb welcome basket, your options are endless. But how do you know what your guests actually want in a welcome basket? How much is too much? Do you need to provide anything at all?

When it comes to creating a welcome basket for your Airbnb guests that actually has a positive return on your investment, less is more. Read on for 10 fail-proof Airbnb welcome basket ideas your guests will love (and so will you!).

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I’m not affiliated with Airbnb in any way (other than being an Airbnb host, of course). Read my full disclosure policy here.

Do you really need an Airbnb welcome basket?

Before jumping in, we need to clarify something super important: welcome baskets are not a necessity at your Airbnb. They’re totally optional.

As an Airbnb guest, I’ve stayed at many Airbnbs with and without welcome baskets. Sure, in the Airbnbs that do provide welcome gifts, it’s a very nice way to be greeted upon arrival and makes me feel like the host cares about us having a great stay. But in the Airbnbs without a welcome gift, it almost always goes unnoticed. It doesn’t have a meaningful impact on my stay, especially by the end when it comes time to leave a review. By then, there are many other much more important things to consider.

As a host, I used to supply a full-blown over-the-moon welcome basket for every single stay. Honestly, it felt good to greet my guests with a treat for everyone in their group, especially after a long trip and knowing that my guests paid top-dollar to stay with me. After awhile, however, I realized it wasn’t very impactful for guests. It was rare that a guest would tell me they appreciated it and even more rare that anyone mentioned it in a review.

Overall, I believe that it’s worth spending a few dollars to greet your guests with a small gift and start their stay on a high note. But welcome baskets should be super simple and inexpensive; any more than that and guests seem to be pretty indifferent.

Here are 10 highly impactful Airbnb welcome basket ideas to pleasantly surprise your guests without breaking the bank!

10 (Cheap and Easy) Airbnb Welcome Basket Ideas for Busy Hosts

1. Coffee

Instead of greeting your Airbnb guests with a huge welcome basket filled to the brim with snacks, a much more economical way to show your guests you appreciate them staying with you is by leaving 1-3 days’ worth of coffee out in a cute coffee canister when they arrive. When they find this surprise right after checking in, they’ll know you truly care about them having a great stay. Many guests will also love that they don’t have to run to the store right after check-in to make sure they get their coffee fix the next morning.

Pro Tip: Go above and beyond by supplying sugar and shelf-stable creamer for anyone that wants it!

2. Tea

Like coffee, many guests appreciate when hosts provide tea, which makes it another great Airbnb welcome gift idea that really shows guests you care.

Pro Tip: I find the best welcome gift combo is coffee, tea, sugar and shelf-stable creamer, which are all inexpensive staples that almost every guest appreciates!

3. Local snacks

If you’re not a coffee-and-tea type of person, or if you think your guests will be happier with something a little more special, a few local snacks would be a great welcome gift! When it comes to welcoming your Airbnb guests, anything local feels extra special and goes a long way with starting a guests’ stay on a wonderful note. Plus, your options are endless–local coffee, energy bars, chips, drinks, or pastries are all great options; don’t be afraid to get creative!

Unfortunately, local gifts tend to be significantly more expensive and harder to restock than snacks you can simply buy online when needed. So, do your research–can you find something local that’s sold online and is easy to restock? If not, can you easily restock it yourself when you visit your property? Can you buy enough for your max occupancy within budget (I’d suggest $5-$10 at the most) and/or buy in bulk for a discount?

4. Snack variety pack

If snacks are your thing but local just isn’t feasible, a few snack bags of classic chip brands are always a cost-effective crowd-pleaser. I supplied a few chips bags from this variety pack at my Airbnb for over a year. Just make sure you have enough space to store them (they take up a lot!).

Recommended: The Best Room-By-Room Airbnb Checklist: 100+ Essential Items

5. S’mores kit

If you have a fire pit at your Airbnb, I can’t recommend a s’mores kit enough! It’s such a special way to help your guests enjoy their stay and use one of your most popular amenities. Best of all, s’mores are a great fit for kids and adults alike.

That said, buying a pre-assembled s’mores kit can be expensive, so a great low-cost option is to buy each of the components separately and supply 1-2 sleeves of graham crackers, 1-2 chocolate bars, and a small bag of marshmallows for each booking in this cute s’mores carrying case.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget your guests will need skewers to roast their marshmallows over the fire pit!

6. Bottle of wine

If your Airbnb caters to adults, then a bottle of wine is a great way to say “enjoy your stay!”. As a host, you’ll love that this is a super simple one-and-done welcome gift. Better yet, you don’t need to splurge–$10 or so is a totally appropriate amount to spend on a bottle of wine.

Pro Tip: If you know your guests are celebrating a special event like an anniversary, a bottle of wine and handwritten note is an easy way to go above and beyond for them!

7. Cocktail/mocktail kit

Another great adult-friendly welcome gift is a DIY drink mix kit. Again, this can be something super simple like these packets of drink mixes. Go the extra mile by making it on-theme for your location; for example, if your Airbnb is near a beach, a margarita mix would be especially thoughtful!

8. Energy snack pack

If your Airbnb is located near a lake, forest, national park, or mountains (anywhere your guests will spend a lot of time outside), then another great way to lean into the location of your Airbnb is to provide an energy snack themed welcome basket. In it, you can provide snacks and drinks that your guests will excitedly take on their hikes, boat days, ski days, and so on. Snacks like granola bars, electrolyte powder, and/or trail mix are perfect.

Pro Tip: Welcome baskets are just one way to invest in your Airbnb to maximize profitability. Learn how you can optimize your listing to start earning more from your Airbnb today!

9. Breakfast starters

No matter where your Airbnb is located, everyone eats breakfast! Providing a few shelf-stable starters like pancake mix, oatmeal, and/or granola is a great way to start your guests’ day off right and show them you care about them having a great stay.

10. Kids variety pack

Last but not least, if your Airbnb is geared towards families, you can’t go wrong with a few kid-friendly treats. Rice crispy treats, fruit snacks, and/or animal crackers are a super inexpensive and easy way to get the little humans in the group ecstatic to be staying with you.

Takeaway

You now have 10 inexpensive Airbnb welcome basket ideas that’ll help make starting and running your Airbnb that much easier! With all the ideas on this list, you’re sure to blow away your guests and maximize your Airbnb profits!

Pin this post for later:

Questions about your welcome basket? Let me know in the comments.

Disclaimer: All content on this website is for informational purposes only. You are taking all provided information at your own risk. We are not financial, real estate, legal, investment or other professionals. Nothing on this website should be construed as professional advice. We will not be liable for any loss or damage of any nature. For more information, read our disclaimer.