9 questions to Bernard & Michael
1. Where are you from?
I’m originally from Venezuela. My partner Michael, who co-hosts with me, is a Londoner.
2. Why do you rent out your place?
It’s an extra source of income with the added bonus of meeting interesting people and being able to show off our city that we love.
3. Why 9flats?
I joined 9flats after searching online and discovering that you had a more upmarket feel from the others.
4. How do you get to know your guest before they arrive?
I open a line of communication via email. I begin by sending important information regarding our whereabouts. I also attach a map with the walking route from the "underground" station to our apartment, plus our personal guide to London with useful links and best ways to get to us from their port of entry. Later on, I would email them a bit of information about ourselves and ask them to do the same. A week before their arrival I would email them a link to What’s On in London at the time of their stay with us. By this point we both pretty much have a good rapport with each other.
5. What do you offer your guests as a treat?
Local information, making sure they see what interests them with good guidance, and then there’s a chocolate greeting them on the bed.
6. How much contact do you have with your guests?
Surprisingly not much. We tend to see them in the morning as they’re preparing their breakfast. This is also the time when we help them plan their day. They don’t usually get back home until just before midnight when we get a quick summary of their day and then they retire to their room, exhausted! We do provide them with our calling cards, including contact numbers and address, in case of any eventuality. A lot of them have become friends that we look forward to seeing again in the future.
7. What's your best/funniest hosting story?
They have all been great, luckily for us. However, we’re considering opening a Museum of Abandoned Adaptors based on all the adaptors that our guests keep leaving behind.
8. What’s your most memorable travel experience?
Every time we visit Spain it's a memorable experience.
9. If you could host anyone in the world as your next guest, who would it be?
Anyone nice that is making a difference in the world.
