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What are the inclusive practices to make the guests feel welcomed?​

Hosting on Resortifi. means opening your pools/backyards to people from around the world, and inclusivity is the foundation of hosting.

The key to being a successful Host is understanding how to help make people from all backgrounds feel comfortable and at home. As a community, we are committed to welcoming every guest—of any race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age—with respect, and without judgment or bias.

Inclusive hospitality is a critical part of being a successful Host. This means:

  • Accepting and welcoming all guests from all backgrounds
  • Providing an equitable experience and accommodating guests’ needs
  • Building connection through differences and commonalities
  • Adopting an open mindset and willingness to ask questions to learn what guests may need for their stay
Resortifi. compiled insights from Hosts, guests, and experts, so you can integrate inclusive practices into your hosting routine and extend warm hospitality to every guest. From setting up your listing to leaving a review, these recommended actions can help reduce implicit bias and enable connection.

Pre-booking: Creating an inclusive listing

By making it clear you welcome people of all backgrounds, you can help guests from historically marginalized communities feel comfortable and encouraged to book your place. We’ve learned from speaking with guests that people from these communities in particular look for signals of inclusion in listings prior to booking.

Here are some things you can do to signal that you are an inclusive Host:

  • Make it clear within the first few sentences of your listing description that you welcome people of all backgrounds.
  • Accurately describe your property’s accessibility features and update your photos.
  • Add your pronouns (examples: she/her, he/him, they/them) to your profile. It is a way to show how you like to be addressed, and it signals that you care about using your guests’ preferred pronouns too.
  • Turn on Instant Book to allow guests to book your listing without pre-approval. This also signals you are willing to host anyone who fits your booking criteria.
  • Offer pre-approvals and encouragement to guests who contact you before booking. We have learned that guests sometimes reach out to Hosts before booking to gauge if they will be accepted and welcomed.
  • Before rejecting a guest's booking request, think carefully about your reason. Would you be comfortable explaining it face-to-face to your guest?

Pre-arrival: Making every guest feel included

Once your space has been booked, send a warm and welcoming message to your guests. Showing empathy—and not making assumptions—goes a long way here.

  • Personalize your welcome message with info from your guest’s profile. This can include questions about their interests, hometown, and hobbies.
  • Use gender- and orientation-neutral language when referencing your guests. It is best to avoid making assumptions about someone’s gender or relationship status.
  • If a guest asks about accessibility needs, be sure to answer their questions and ask what else they might require.

After check-in: Ensuring guests are comfortable

Guests—especially those from historically marginalized communities—have shared that these things can make them feel more welcome:

  • Enable self-check-in when you can, but ask your guests if they would prefer an in-person check-in.
  • Do not visit guests unnecessarily. Instead, give them privacy and make it clear you are available (in person or virtually) if they need you.

After checkout: Reviewing guests objectively

Reviews are the foundation of Resortifi.’s trusted community. Leaving a review of your guests is a chance to show your gratitude and provide helpful feedback.

  • Use the same standards to evaluate every guest.
  • Host guests new to Resortifi. when you can, and review them after their stay. A review goes a long way in helping guests with future bookings.
  • Encourage guests to leave reviews. We have learned that guests from historically marginalized communities often read reviews before booking to find out whether other guests like them felt welcome.

Make sure you are following these inclusive practices, especially if you are new to hosting. Remember that the most important things when it comes to welcoming all guests are asking questions about your guests’ needs and keeping the lines of communication open.

You can open the door to inclusivity by simply asking your guests, What do you need to feel comfortable and welcome in my space? Moreover, hopefully, by doing that, you will be making it easier for your guests to open your door in real life and have a great experience staying at your place.