Don’t Make These Mistakes Being a Guest in Someone’s Home
For some people, going on vacation involves more than just hitting the road or navigating through obstacles at the airport to get to your destination: it also means spending the night with family or friends . Whether it’s a way to save money, or spend more time with loved ones, or a combination of both, it’s important to remember that you’re a guest in someone’s home.
Even if your host invited you to stay (or perhaps insisted on it) and said it was “not a problem at all”, know that pleasing you does take time and energy (and possibly money), and at the very least that you can do is not act like a jerk or make things difficult for them. Here are some examples of mistakes and behaviors to avoid when you’re staying overnight at someone’s house.
Appearing without warning
This really should be taken for granted – and refers to any type of visit to someone’s home, any time of the year – but don’t show up at someone’s door unannounced and/or assume you can stay with them without asking first.
There are many reasons not to do this out of respect for your (potential) host, but if that’s not enough, consider the possibility that he may not be home, or he has other plans and won’t be able to host you. .
Assuming you can bring your pets
Even if someone invites you to stay at their home, don’t assume that this invitation automatically extends to your pets. If you were planning or hoping to take your furry friend with you, ask the owner first and don’t resist if they say no.
Being rude to your host(s) or other guests
Again, this is not a problem, but be polite and kind to your hosts, their family, and any other people who may be staying with them (even if you don’t like them). It really is the least you can do.
Ignoring house rules
Did the host ask you to leave your outdoor shoes at the door and wear slippers indoors? Or maybe they asked you to keep noise to a minimum after 9pm? Unless you have a compelling excuse to discuss with your host, you need to follow their rules. If they didn’t mention anything when you first arrived, start the conversation yourself.
Acting like you’re staying at a hotel
This falls under the category of non-rudeness, but deserves its own section, because, unfortunately, it is quite common. When you stay overnight at a friend’s or relative’s house, you cannot rely on the service or facilities of the hotel.
The host is doing you a favor by letting you stay in their house for free, so don’t expect—and don’t act like you have a right to—that someone else will make your bed or clean up after you, cook for you, or have running place. Also, this isn’t the Catskills resort from Dirty Dancing : your host doesn’t have to keep you entertained or schedule activities all the time.
Criticism or insult to the owner and / or his house
Don’t like the owner’s interior design? Did you find that the mattress in the guest room is too soft or not soft enough? Think bathroom toiletries could be better organized? You are entitled to your opinion, but in this situation, keep it to yourself.