Your guests open the door after four hours on the road, it is dark, and the first thing they see is an empty table. Or a small basket: coffee, two biscuits, a note with their name on it. The second welcome costs almost nothing, but it takes some planning. This guide tells you what to put in a welcome basket, how much to spend per stay, which products to avoid, and how to mention it without creating expectations you cannot meet.
This article is based on pages read for the occasion: the Airbnb Help Center (essential amenities and ratings for homes), the Airbnb Resource Center (prepare your space, updated on 25 January 2024), the French food safety agency Anses (use-by and best-before dates, in French), the French public health portal Santé.fr (food allergens, in French) and the AGEC law fact sheet of the Hérault tourism development agency (in French). Ideas for content and budget are our tips as hosts, not official rules: we flag it each time.
Sources last checked: 2 November 2026. Platform rules change: check them for your own situation.
Is a welcome basket mandatory on Airbnb?
No. A welcome basket is an optional touch: Airbnb does not require it, but it recommends offering small extras. What Airbnb strongly encourages are the essential amenities, which are not the same thing as the basket.
According to the help article "Providing essential amenities for guests", the essential amenities are:
- toilet paper;
- soap for hands and body;
- one towel per guest;
- one pillow per guest;
- linens for each bed.
Airbnb adds that a listing that ticks "essentials" without actually providing them may face penalties, up to removal from the platform. Our Airbnb equipment checklist covers the rest of the equipment, room by room.
The welcome basket comes on top. In its article "Prepare your space", Airbnb advises you to "Provide a welcome gift" and gives three examples: a handwritten note, a basket of local goodies, or something to celebrate a special occasion. The same article lists ear plugs, cotton swabs, board games, power adapters and anything specific to your location as appreciated extras.
Coffee and something to nibble on: the basis of a welcome basket. Photo: Jakub Żerdzicki, Unsplash, Unsplash License.
What to put in an Airbnb welcome basket?
A good basket has three parts: something to drink and nibble on arrival, a personal note, and a local touch. The rest depends on your guests. Here is a starting point, based on our tips as hosts:
| Part of the basket | Examples | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A drink on arrival | Coffee (pods or ground, depending on your machine), tea, herbal tea, sugar | After the journey, it is the first thing people look for |
| Something to nibble | Dry biscuits, chocolate, dried fruit, in sealed packaging | Keeps for a long time, no fridge needed |
| Personal note | A handwritten card with the guest's first name | Airbnb lists it as the first example of a gift |
| Local touch | Jam, biscuits or a specialty from a nearby producer, packaged | Tells the story of your area; Airbnb mentions "local goodies" |
| Practical | Ear plugs, a power adapter for international guests | Listed by Airbnb among the extras |
Do not try to include everything. Three or four well-chosen items are better than a basket full of products nobody opens and that you throw away at the next turnover.
What to include depending on the guests?
Adapt the basket to the guests you are hosting, not to a single template. You often know their profile from the booking and the first message. A few ideas, again as tips:
| Guests | Possible additions |
|---|---|
| Family with children | Juice boxes, children's biscuits, colouring pages and pencils |
| Couple, weekend | A small local specialty, a card with two addresses in the neighbourhood |
| Group of friends (3 to 6) | A card game for the evening, snacks to share |
| Business traveller | Extra coffee, power adapter, Wi-Fi code clearly visible |
| International guests | A welcome note in their language, a typical product from the area |
For a group of 3 to 6, a card game left on the table gives them a quiet activity for the evening. One example: KYRAN, a trick-taking and betting card game published by the founder of Majordia. According to its official website (kyran-jeu.fr, checked on 2 November 2026), it plays with 3 to 6 players, in about 30 minutes, from age 8, and costs 9.99 EUR plus 2.99 EUR shipping in France. Any simple card game will do; if you want to go further, our guide to the vacation rental game corner explains how to choose and store games.
Which products to avoid in a welcome basket?
Avoid fresh products with a short date, unlabelled homemade products and anything that goes off between two stays. You do not control the time between preparing the basket and the guest's arrival, nor what they can eat.
Prefer long dates (best before) to short dates (use by). The French food safety agency Anses (use-by and best-before page) distinguishes two labels (this is the French labelling; the wording is similar across the EU):
- "use by": according to Anses, these products must not be eaten after the date shown, as this may pose a health risk;
- "best before": according to Anses, eating the product after this date does not pose a health risk, but it may lose some of its taste or nutritional qualities.
In practice, a basket of dry "best before" products (coffee, tea, biscuits, chocolate, sealed jam) can be prepared in advance safely. "Use by" products (yoghurt, fresh cheese, pastries) should only be left if you drop them off yourself just before arrival. Check the dates at every turnover: an out-of-date biscuit makes a worse impression than an empty table.
Keep products in their original packaging. According to Santé.fr, for pre-packaged products, allergens must appear in the list of ingredients and be highlighted. Santé.fr lists 14 allergens, including cereals containing gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and sesame. A biscuit in its packet lets an allergic guest read the label; a homemade biscuit in a tin does not. If you want to offer something homemade, list the ingredients on a card.
Be careful with alcohol. A bottle of wine may please a couple, but it does not suit every booking (families with children, guests who do not drink). Keep it for stays where you know the profile.
For toiletries, go refillable. The AGEC law fact sheet of the Hérault tourism development agency (June 2024) states that hoteliers in France will no longer be allowed to provide cosmetic and hygiene products in single plastic packaging of less than 100 ml or 100 g, a ban that "could come into force before 2027 or at the latest in 2030". The sheet targets hoteliers; for a holiday rental, it is a trend to follow rather than an obligation we have verified. A solid soap or a refillable bottle avoids the question and reduces waste.
What budget for a welcome basket?
The right budget is the one you can keep up at every stay, all year round. No official source sets an amount: it depends on your nightly rate, the average length of stay and your guests.
A simple method, based on our tips:
- List what the basket contains and the purchase price of each item.
- Work out the cost per stay: a bag of coffee that lasts four stays only costs a quarter of its price per stay.
- Compare this cost with the price of an average stay. Fictional example, to be replaced with your own figures: a 6 EUR basket for an average stay of 3 nights at 80 EUR (240 EUR) represents 2.5% of the price of the stay.
- Decide once and for all whether this cost goes into your nightly rate. Repricing is explained in our guide to dynamic pricing for a small portfolio.
Buy in bulk what keeps (coffee, tea, sugar) and keep a stock in a locked cupboard, out of guests' reach. The basket stays the same from one stay to the next: simpler for you or for the person doing the cleaning.
Does a welcome basket improve reviews?
Nobody publishes reliable figures on the effect of a welcome basket on ratings, and we will not make any up. What we do know is what guests rate your home on.
According to the help article "Ratings for homes", guests rate cleanliness, accuracy, check-in, communication, location and value ("Was it worth the price?"), plus an overall rating that is not the average of the others. A basket does not replace cleanliness or a smooth check-in. It can, however, count in the overall impression and in the feeling that the stay was worth its price. Our tips for the overall rating are in the guide 5-star reviews on Airbnb.
A hot drink on arrival, especially in winter. Photo: Aimee Giles, Unsplash, Unsplash License.
How to adapt the basket for winter and the holidays?
In winter, go for warm and comforting: hot drinks, chocolate, and something for an evening indoors. November and December are the right time to prepare this version, before the Christmas holidays.
Ideas for the cold season, as tips:
- herbal teas, cocoa powder or a chocolate bar, on top of coffee and tea;
- a note saying where the throw blanket, the heating controls and the fireplace (if there is one) are, with the safety instructions;
- for end-of-year stays, a small wrapped festive treat (chocolates, Christmas biscuits from the area);
- a card game or board game for long evenings.
To fill your home during this period, see also our article on renting on Airbnb in winter.
How to mention the basket without creating expectations?
Mention it in your welcome message, not in the listing title. A promise in the listing becomes an obligation at every stay: if the basket is missing one day, the guest will notice.
Airbnb has guests rate the accuracy of the listing ("Was it accurately represented with up-to-date photos and info?", according to the ratings for homes page). If you mention the basket in the description, describe it plainly ("a small arrival kit: coffee, tea and a few treats") and stick to it.
In the message sent before arrival, one sentence is enough: "A small welcome basket is waiting for you on the kitchen table." Our Airbnb welcome message templates help you send it at the right moment.
In the welcome book, add a short "Your welcome basket" section: what it contains, what is free and what is not (the coffee in the cupboard, for example), and the ingredient list of any homemade products. With Majordia, the welcome book opens with a QR code on the guest's phone, with no app to install, and is displayed in their language among 6 (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch).
Can you offer a fuller basket as a paid option?
Yes: keep a simple basket free, and offer a fuller one (breakfast, local produce, evening kit) as an option. It is an upsell, to be presented clearly as paid.
First check your platform's rules on payments outside its website, and what you are allowed to sell. Our guide to upsells for hosts covers the possible options. At Majordia, paid options sold to guests appear as tiles in the welcome book; they are added à la carte by creating an account, and a 2% commission applies to paid services sold to guests (details on /pricing).
Key takeaways
Information
- A welcome basket is not mandatory; Airbnb's essential amenities, on the other hand, are strongly encouraged (toilet paper, soap, one towel and one pillow per guest, bed linen).
- Airbnb recommends a simple welcome gift: a handwritten note, a basket of local goodies, something for a special occasion.
- Choose dry "best before" products, in their original packaging so that allergens stay readable.
- Set a per-stay budget you can keep up all year, and decide whether it goes into your nightly rate.
- Mention the basket in the message and the welcome book, plainly in the listing: only promise what you provide every time.
FAQ
Is a welcome basket mandatory on Airbnb?
No. Airbnb recommends offering a welcome gift without requiring it. What it strongly encourages are the essential amenities: toilet paper, soap, one towel and one pillow per guest, linens for each bed.
What to put in a welcome basket for a rental?
Something to drink and nibble on arrival (coffee, tea, packaged biscuits), a handwritten note and a packaged local specialty. Add according to your guests: juice for children, a card game for a group, a power adapter for international guests.
How much to spend on an Airbnb welcome basket?
No rule sets an amount. Work out the real cost per stay, compare it with the price of an average stay, and choose a budget you can keep up at every arrival.
Can you leave homemade products?
You can, but list the ingredients on a card. For pre-packaged products, Santé.fr points out that allergens appear in the list of ingredients; a homemade product has no such label.
Should you mention the basket in the Airbnb listing?
It is not necessary. If you do, describe it plainly and provide it at every stay: Airbnb has guests rate the accuracy of the listing.
What to do with unused products?
Keep what is sealed and still in date for the next stay, throw away what has been opened. Check the dates at every turnover.
A simple basket, then a welcome book to explain everything
A successful welcome basket comes down to a few well-chosen products, a handwritten note and a cleaning routine that restocks it at every stay. To explain the basket, the Wi-Fi and the house rules, create your free welcome book: with the Essential plan (free, add-ons à la carte), the PDF welcome book and its phone version are created without signing up, in 6 languages.
Image credits. Cover: photo "Gift basket with book, candle, and ribbon" by dhiraj kumar, Unsplash, Unsplash License. Photos in the text: "a plate of croissants and a cup of coffee" by Jakub Żerdzicki, Unsplash, Unsplash License; "A steaming white mug on a wooden table in front of a sunlit window" by Aimee Giles, Unsplash, Unsplash License.
