How to stock an Airbnb welcome basket

A great Airbnb welcome basket combines practical essentials, tea, coffee, basic supplies and bathroom consumables, with a few thoughtful, local touches that make guests feel looked after. It is a small, inexpensive gesture that sets a warm first impression and helps earn five-star reviews. Just as important is making sure the everyday consumables are properly restocked at every changeover, not only on the first night.

Why a welcome basket works

First impressions set the tone for the whole stay, and the welcome basket is one of the first things a guest sees. A thoughtful basket signals a caring, professional host, makes guests comfortable straight away, and is exactly the kind of detail that gets a mention in reviews. The cost is small relative to the goodwill and ratings it generates.

The essentials to always include

• Tea, coffee, sugar and a little long-life milk (or a note where to find fresh).
• Bottled water, especially for guests arriving after a journey.
• A few basic snacks or biscuits.
• Bathroom consumables: toilet roll, hand soap, shower gel/shampoo.
• Kitchen basics: washing-up liquid, sponge, dishwasher tablets, bin bags.

Getting the essentials right matters more than anything fancy, running out of toilet roll undoes a beautiful basket.

Thoughtful extras that stand out

• A local treat, biscuits, chocolates or something regional.
• A small welcome card with the wifi code and your contact details.
• A short local guide: good pubs, cafes, shops and things to do nearby.
• Seasonal touches, a cold drink in summer, something cosy in winter.

These touches turn a functional stay into a memorable one and are easy and cheap to do.

Don't forget the wider consumables

The welcome basket is the visible part, but guests judge the whole stay on whether the property is properly stocked throughout: enough toilet roll for the stay, hand soap at every sink, kitchen and cleaning supplies, and fresh towels and linen. This is about restocking at every changeover, not a one-off, see our guide to restocking consumables for Airbnb.

Keep it consistent

The reason consistency matters is that one well-stocked stay followed by a poorly stocked one damages your reviews. Build the welcome basket and consumable restock into your changeover routine so every guest gets the same warm welcome, the same standard, every time. Pair it with reliable cleaning, as in our changeover checklist.

Let us handle the changeover

Our Airbnb and short-let cleaning service across Derby and Derbyshire includes restocking the consumables you supply and setting up the property guest-ready at every changeover, with photo reports, so your welcome basket and the whole property always make the right first impression.