Becky Klein and her husband have been operating an Airbnb in Regina since 2018 and have had guests from all over the world stay in their suite.
Recently, Klein was recognized by Airbnb as Saskatchewan’s most hospitable host, something she takes great pride in.
“I was very surprised and very excited because it relies on a five-star rating for every guest that comes into your home,” she said. “So to keep that level going, because every guest is so different, it makes me feel really good and very proud of working with Airbnb as a host.”
Klein, who is a semi-retired school teacher, now working as a substitute when needed, operates a downtown suite advertised on Airbnb as – Best of Both, Wascana Park and Downtown SUITE.
The suite is considered by many to be a prime location, close to Wascana Park, downtown, the University of Regina, Science Centre and Kramer IMAX Theatre and Wascana Lake’s marina.
Inside the suite, Klein said they have worked hard to make it feel very accommodating and homey.
(Courtesy: Airbnb)
“You can’t overdo it like it’s your own place. When a guest comes into the space, they have to feel like it’s theirs, so you have to have decor but it has to be neutral so that they don’t see your family pictures or anything,” she said.
Airbnb said Klein has never received anything less than a five out of five rating from those who have stayed with her and given a rating after checking out.
She has had hundreds of guests stay in her suite over the years, but some that stick out to her include a group of young people from Iran, a man from Tennessee who came to Regina to play pickleball for two weeks and a man from the Netherlands who was a biological consultant for pig barns.
“There was also a couple from Quebec who stayed with us that was riding a tandem bicycle across Canada on secondary highways that they had made electric, they were really interesting to talk to,” she said.
“The young couple from Iran, we became great friends,” Klein added.
Klein said the young couple, who were students, were new to Saskatchewan and didn’t have the proper clothing for winter. She recalls helping them get settled for the season and providing them with the proper clothing they would need to handle the harsh conditions.
(Courtesy: Airbnb)
For those thinking about becoming an Airbnb host, Klein said doing your research beforehand is crucial to becoming successful.
“One thing I did when I was first becoming a host was learn what the difference was between a two-star and five-star hotel,” Klein said.
Klein said she learned that meant being as meticulous as having wooden hangers instead of plastic and including a luggage rack.
“Also the types of amenities you have in the bathroom, the type of towels and art you put on the wall, there’s even a standard of art and things like that, so I followed those types of things when preparing my suite,” she said.
Klein feels the Airbnb community in Saskatchewan is top-notch and continuing to grow and she is not the only one taking great pride in her suite.
“Our Facebook group of hosts has 361 members and is growing daily and I just want to mention that we have many amazing hosts in Saskatchewan who work really hard to deliver everything I talked about that makes a space comfortable,” she said.
“I’m sure anybody who uses Airbnb for their accommodation in Saskatchewan will have a fantastic stay.”
Airbnb said they do not track how many hosts currently operate in Saskatchewan, but Klein said there are likely many more that are not part of the Facebook group.
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