8 Things International Hosts Wish Americans Knew Before Staying in Their Homes

For a lot of people, staying in a local’s home like an Airbnb or Vrbo when traveling is one of the most special parts of the whole experience. They’re often cheaper for big groups, have gathering spaces, and most importantly, give the experience of literally staying in someone else’s home.

But just because you’re paying to stay there doesn’t mean there aren’t house rules or cultural nuances you should be aware of—it is inherently different from a hotel, which is the beauty (and, sometimes, drawback) of the whole experience. For instance, you might relish in a long shower at home, but many older cities have aging water systems, as well as drought and water scarcity (more on that below).

Making an effort to embrace the country’s culture makes all the difference—so in a quest to help U.S. travelers understand more of what they should expect when staying in someone else’s home internationally, we tapped four hosts from around the globe: one in Edinburgh, Scotland; one in Hamamatsu, Japan; one in Cape Town, South Africa; and one in Rangiroa, an island in French Polynesia. All have hosted Americans and know a thing or two about what they wish we knew—and funny things we didn’t even realize about ourselves.

Note: While we’ve done original research and reporting, we are aware that these findings are not exhaustive and that you should research every place for specific advice beyond the ones we’re providing below.

To make your stay as comfortable as possible, familiarize yourself with common cultural practices of the country you’re visiting, like traditional dining tips or expectations in home care. It’s always a good idea to thoroughly check out the website or listing in case the host specifies what you should know, and rental booking sites can usually get you in touch with the host for any lingering questions.

Hirokatsu Inoue owns a bed & breakfast called Mizube-no-oyado Inoue in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Japan, and recommends Americans do research in advance on how Japanese culture is different from the U.S.

“I’ve heard a few stories about guests coming from the U.S. when they stayed here, and that there was confusion about how to eat hot spring eggs when they were served for breakfast,” said Inoue. “Eating eggs over rice is a common way to eat them, but since they are not used to [Japanese] culture, it seems that it was difficult.” A few other things he recommends knowing: taking off your shoes when you enter the room, how to use the Japanese toilet and bath, and using chopsticks.

It’s hard not to overpack for a trip when you’re thinking about every weather scenario imaginable, but try to pack as light as possible if you’re heading someplace with a lot of older buildings. If you’re staying in a historic accommodation in a city center, for example, odds are you might be dealing with some tight quarters. Derek Gibb and his wife Catherine run their own rental business in Edinburgh called Pillow Stops. With the help of property management company TravelNest, they rent four flats located around the main parts of the city, and they’ve noticed how much Americans tend to pack.

“They come with enormous suitcases, which doesn’t really suit Edinburgh or the properties that we’ve got because they’re all in historic buildings,” said Gibb. “Everything is by staircase and that can be quite challenging because they can be very narrow and quite steep. When Americans come you think ‘oh dear,’ because you obviously have to help them up the stairs.”

Don’t assume that your host will have a spare conversion plug or that it will be easy to buy one in the area, because that might not be the case. Bring your own so you know you can charge up upon arrival when your phone battery is most likely running low.

“These days, everyone uses electronic devices like smartphones and tablet PCs, so charging is essential,” said Inoue. “Japanese electric plugs are different from the U.S. and it is difficult to buy conversion plugs in Japan. You should buy conversion plugs in advance.”

Another tip: If you have one, don’t assume that it works (believe me). It’s never a bad idea to bring an extra!

This is a simple one, but nonetheless good to know when you’re exhausted from traveling and want to collapse on your bed—and finding the right floor is essential for that. Many countries, especially those in Europe, call the floor where you enter the ground floor, and then the next floor up the first floor, and so on. That can trip up Americans, who go by a different set of rules: the entrance floor is known as the first floor, and then what Europeans would think of as the first floor is our second floor, etc.

If you want to avoid climbing an extra set of stairs with your luggage, just ask your host in advance!

When traveling to another country, it’s important to be mindful of the environment and how you can best adapt. For example, like mentioned above, respect water scarcity around the world by taking shorter showers and not doing laundry every day, if there’s a washer and dryer in unit. Other places that are more historic don’t have the same water system as in the U.S., so everyone should be mindful of this.

Severine Arnoux operates Relais Josephine in Rangiroa, part of the Islands of Tahiti in French Polynesia, and notes that being environmentally conscious is crucial to the beauty of their island—and asks guests to respect that, too.

“The nature is amazing. You can see dolphins playing outside in the waves in front of Relais Josephine,” said Arnoux. “In the Tuamotus Islands, water is precious so we don’t change towels every day.”

Being aware and learning a few common words or phrases of the local language is smart when staying in another country—especially for the first time. You don’t want to be in a situation where your host or the community can’t understand English and you’re not prepared to speak their language.

When asked what the biggest challenge was when hosting American guests, Inoue said, “The language barrier is the biggest. I can’t speak English well, so it’s difficult to communicate freely. I felt that if I could speak English well, I would be able to talk with my guests about more things.”

Even if you’re traveling to a city where you know English is spoken, it’s always a good idea to expect the unexpected and become somewhat familiar with the local language or slang beforehand. Not only is it smart, but it’s a sign of respect.

International traveling is the best excuse to disconnect, but you also have to be prepared for when it’s not even a choice. If you’ve rented a home through a booking site, the listing should mention whether WiFi is included. If it doesn’t, double-check with the company or the individual host to clarify before leaving for your trip. While it’s not the worst thing to be without, if you are set on staying connected during your travels, you want to make a plan that doesn’t totally drain your bank account.

Sharon Davey rents out her lake house in Cape Town, South Africa—which she also swaps on LoveHomeSwap—and agrees that Americans should be aware of the WiFi situation before they travel. “Americans might just assume that they can come and stream everything and that it’ll be just the same as home, but data generally is far more expensive here [in South Africa] than in the states,” said Davey. “My advice is always keep your phone on airplane mode so it doesn’t attract any unnecessary data charges. You can still join WiFi networks when you’re on airplane mode. I do know lots of people who have traveled and have gotten horrific charges.”

Also, even if homes list WiFi as an amenity, it doesn’t always mean that the internet connection is the strongest. It’s good to be prepared to be without service, just in case. Breathe in, breathe out: it’ll all be okay.

While major international airports have currency exchange options when you arrive, smaller regional airports most likely won’t and therefore will leave you without cash until you can find a location elsewhere. Depending on where you land, taxi services from the airport might only take cash, and if you’re traveling somewhere remote, only cash might be accepted in town.

“There are still many places in Japan where credit cards cannot be used, so I think it would be better if you brought some Japanese yen with you,” said Inoue. “Due to the increasing number of overseas tourists, cashless payments such as QR code payments have been progressing in this area, but some areas are not there yet.”

The most convenient option is cashing in your American dollars at the airport before departing, although the rate is always much higher than your local exchange service. You can also order through your bank at least a month before traveling to get the best exchange rates.