How to be a Courteous Couchsurfing Guest: 13 Easy Etiquette Tips for Homestay Experiences

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No one likes a rude guest. Especially if you’re staying somewhere for free. I’m just being honest. So it surprising me when I hear about my friends (or even strangers) complain about rude Couchsurfing guests. Like. How do couchsurfing guests have the audacity to be rude…when someone is welcoming them into their home FOR FREE.

But. We all have our moments. And, again just being honest, sometimes we have irritable days and forget our manners at home. Or maybe someone has never been a Couchsurfing guest so they don’t really know what appropriate behavior is. That’s fair. However, that excuse won’t really help you when your Couchsurfing host downvotes you for being rude and annoying.

And that doesn’t just go for Couchsurfing either. Whether you stay at a friend or family member’s house, book an Airbnb or other homeshare accomodation, and even in a hotel or B&B. The same basic rules apply.

Bad reviews, especially if consistent, can hurt your chances at being able to book something in the future. But don’t worry. Your resident debutant travel blogger will help outline some of the most basic homestay guest etiquette so that you can leave a great first impression!

And I’m not joking about the debutant thing either.

I won $10,000 in college scholarship money by joining and winning a sorority debutant ball when I was 16.

I completely forgot proper table settings though….

But I digress.

No matter if it is your first time being a Couchsurfing guest or your 100^th time, I recommend you go through my list of tips on how to behave as a *~*proper*~* Couchsurfing guest. These can of course be used for Airbnb and other accomodation options as well, but I feel as though it’s a liiiittle more important for Couchsurfing because. Well, it’s free.

1. Write a Personal Request

Wow, this woman in the stock photo is REAL excited to write her stay request haha. Anyways, the first tip happens before you even start your trip. A good Couchsurfing guest shows that they have understood the spirit of Couchsurfing when they first contact a potential host. Couchsurfing is all about community and sharing interests and passions, and not just a site where you will find a free place to sleep.

Though, uh…

But usuallyyyy the expectation is that deep down, you know it’s ACTUALLY about community. So your request should reflect that. Read your potential hosts’ profile and if you think you vibe with them, because of interests you have in common or knowledge you could exchange, write a request that will show your potential host what’s in it for them. It’s nice to show you took a look at their profile that they spent entirely too long perfecting and didn’t just click on the first listing that popped up and decided it was fine.

Even if that’s exactly what happened.

2. Clear Communication

Once you have been accepted by a host, be open and communicate with them.

This is honestly the MOST IMPORTANT TIP.

Ask about their plans and preferences as soon as possible. Make a rough plan or itinerary for your stay, if you haven’t already, so they will know what to expect. This also includes the time and place you are going to meet, to avoid unpleasant surprises. For example, let’s say you book one night at someone’s place. Cool, they might think you’re only in town for the day and want to make the most of it by going out and seeing the sites. So they expect you to be gone. But actually you just want to stay in and watch the best international zombie movies on Netflix. There could be a potential for miscommunication and frustration.

So clear and communicate your plans in advance.

Also, do you like how I managed to plug my completely off-topic blog post in there?? Hahaha.

I will get more into house rules later, but this is especially important if your Couchsurfing host doesn’t want you in the house alone. They don’t want you to get locked out, but they also don’t want to wait around all day wondering when they can run errands. So communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

3. Be Punctual – or Be Open about Delays

Hahahahh okay, I’m sorry, but WHAT IS THIS STOCK PHOTO??? I have been laughing for like the past 10 minutes.

Anyways. Punctuality. It’s important. In my opinion, nothing leaves a worse first impression than being late. And that’s coming from someone who is chronically late.

CHRONICALLY LATE.

For the most part, hosts understand planes and train delays. Accidents and traffic jams are common. We all sleep in from time to time. Buuuuut the SECOND you realize you are going to be late, contact your host and let them know. In fact, don’t only tell them that you will be late, but also how late and keep them updated as you get new information.

(I usually try to book lodgings that have a digital keypad or keycode, but with Couchsurfing that isn’t always an option).

4. Bring Your Own Food and Drinks

AHAHAHHA these photos are getting wackier and wackier hahaha. Okay you know what? This is just going to be a wild stock photo post. Hahaha.

Ahem. Back on topic: bring ya own snacks. Personally, when I am hosting someone, I ALWAYS go out of my way to ensure my guests are comfortable. For me, that includes providing snacks. In fact, it’s one of my top Couchsurfing host tips!

But not everyone will do that. It takes time and money and effort, and if they accept a guest at the last minute, sometimes they won’t have enough notice to prepare even if they wanted to. So just try to keep a snack or two on hand in case your host doesn’t graciously offer their pantry up to you.

Nothing will get you downrated faster than eating someone else’s Cheezits without asking.

5. Double Check That You Have Your Toiletries

If I shaved my face, this is exactly how I would do it.

As with food and drink, hosts might not have extra toiletries lying around to spot you in case you forget something. So just double check your packing checklist before your trip to make sure you have enough toothpaste, floss, and body soap. AND, if you have curly, course, or kinky hair, your host might not even have helpful hair products for you to use.

If your hosts offers products to you, that’s great! But if you forget your toothbrush, don’t start eyeing the one in the cabinet…

6. Tidy Up Before You Leave

I am TERRIBLE at cleaning my own home. I never make my bed. I have junk all over my floor. And because I have medically dry flaky skin, there’s dust EVERYWHERE.

It’s actually low key disgusting.

But yaknow what? It’s my house.

In someone else’s home though, that’s a big no-no.

When you are a Couchsurfing guest, go out of your way to clean up after yourself. If you are sleeping on a sofa or the floor or anywhere that isn’t a bed, fold up your blankets in the morning so the area looks a bit more presentable. If you have a bed, mayyybe think about making it after you wake up. You are not in a hotel, so don’t expect your host to make your bed for you.

The same goes for cleanliness. Don’t take your things out of your suitcase and leave them everywhere in the house or apartment you are staying in. They might get in the way. Obviously. So after you used anything, make sure to put it back into your suitcase. As an added benefit, keeping your things together will make it easier for you not to forget anything when you leave.

As an Airbnb guest, this may also include starting a load of towels in the laundry, or throwing out the trash when you leave. I know I know, there’s a cleaning fee and stuff, but it’ll pay off when the host has to leave you a review!

7. Don’t Touch Things That Aren’t Yours

I honestly don’t know who directs these stock photoshoots, but they need a raise hahaha.

So, rule number seven. Don’t touch things that aren’t yours. ONE, because you can accidentally break them. Which is probably the worst possibility. Especially if it’s something sentimental that cannot be replaced. Second, you might see something you’re…not supposed to.

All I’m saying – don’t snoop through anyone’s bedroom dresser drawers, okay?

There’s nothing in there that you need. TRUST ME.

And three, it might lead to something being misplaced. Whiiich can lead to further miscommunication and distrust. So just keep your hands to yourself 🙂

Things might get tricky when it comes to wall outlets and stuff because sometimes there isn’t enough space and you might have to unplug something. I generally travel with a lot of electronics, so I run into this often. While no one has ever made a fuss about me charging my 1739467937 devices, I do feel a little weird if I’m sharing a space and I have to unplug all the lamps to do so. For that, I recommend investing in a multi USB plug so you can charge multiple device from the same outlet!

8. Watch Your Shower Length

This stock photo is actually a whole vibe. I ain’t even laughing at it.

BUT, as much as I love singing full-length concerts in the shower, it is polite to keep your time in there as short as needed. Especially in very eco-conscious communities, taking an hour long shower can be seen as rude. AND you’re running up their water bill. That’s definitely something to keep in mind too as a Couchsurfing guest. Water might be more expensive in some countries and communities.

You know the drill. Scrub up and rinse off, and don’t sit on the tub floor individually plucking your pubic hairs with a tweezer while the water rushes down your face like a 2004 R&B music video. Or whatever it was Captain Planet said. Don’t waste water, especially when you’re not paying for it.

9. Follow the House Rules

Okay, so I know this stock photo people are supposed to be arguing here but like…

Doesn’t it also feel like they’re gonna kiss?????

I MEAN—!!! There’s a lot of tension in these photos.

Anyways.

Some Couchsurfing hosts have a lot of rules; others have none at all. Make sure to ask in advance what the rules are and follow them. If you don’t want to follow a host’s rules – don’t stay with them. Simple as that. If the host says no shoes in the house, just take off your shoes in the house. If there is a “quiet hour” rule, please respect it.

10. Be Thankful

Omg, if someone rejected my gift like that, I would probably cry too hahah.

As a Couchsurfing guest, you’re saving money by not paying for the accommodation. Sometimes it’s nice to give a lil Couchsurfing gift. But it’s not expected. Especially not a physical gift.

In fact, some people host so much that they have tons trinkets from Couchsurfing guests and nowhere to put them, so they will just throw them away after a while.

However, there are other ways to show your appreciation. For example, you could bring something to eat or drink together. Or you can invite them to dinner or an activity. If they are free, they’ll probably appreciate getting out of the house. It’s truly the thought that counts. If nothing else, be sure to thank them before you leave and write your hosts a review!

Couchsurfing Guest Tips: Conclusion

I love that there is LITERALLY a stock photo of a Couchsurfing guest actually surfing on a couch. The internet is an incredible place.

So we’ve finally come to the end of my Couchsurfing Guest tips! While they were all probably common sense, sometimes it helps to be reminded of those things. Did any of them surprise you?

If you’ve been a Couchsurfing guest before, let me know in the comments below which tip you think is the most important! If you’ve never been a Couchsurfing guest…well, I’ll probably write up a blog post about things to expect for first timers.

Uh…sometime in the future.

Thanks for reading this post and putting up with all the wild stock photos! Hahahah.

Send These Couchsurfing Guest Tips to Your Rude Friends 🙂

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