Okay @Pawtastic - we’re sold! Where are you in the world and when are we coming to sit for your tribe? 
31 5 star 
reviews worthy of all that lovely HO thoughtfulness 
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in a small town not far from Frankfurt, Germany
But 
I am a bad host, because I don’t pay for the cleaner 
as I have been told in other threads…
Wonderful! We’ve done Berlin, Kiel, Hamburg, Kindsbach to date in Germany @Pawtastic so you’re on the radar for 2025!
My listing is in my profile so you can favorite it. I will find you there 
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I’m the worst as well! I clean my own house and expect all guests to pick up after themselves! Strangely, they have. This hasn’t been an actual problem in real life.
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Wow @Pawtastic. Wish all HOs were the same! That’s just fab. And rare. Bravo. What a lovely situation to arrive to after the journey to get there! How very welcoming and thoughtful. As are so many of the other fine examples on this interesting post. 
In over 20 sits I’ve had the pleasure in total of;
being left one welcome basket of lovely treats;
One basket of fruit and jam;
A loaf of soda bread;
One orienteering walk around the village;
A meal with the hosts on the night before, on three occasions having been asked to come the day before to facilitate their early departure the next morning;
Two occasions where they brought back some sweet little gifts;
Two thank you cards;
One lovely lady offered me a stay at her london apartment, when I was attending a wedding next door to it on the day after the sit, as a thank you. Which was amazing and I was most grateful.
These above kind acts were between 4 hosts in total.
By contrast; On four occasions I’ve had my HOs choosing to eat their lunch or evening meal in front of me while I just sat there, when they had requested my early arrival to facilitate their handover and departure time;
16 sits where they made themselves several beverages during handover, but didn’t offer me one;
One request to help take their various heavy luggage to the car, no help offered with mine (I weigh 42kgs and am tiny. They were not 
)
Usually the fridge is entirely bare, no basics at all, except the odd onion or bulb of old garlic, or half an old red pepper;
Bins on occasion are full;
On occasion the home is not fully clean;
Perhaps it’s a country/cultural thing? I’ve only sat in the UK. Where are you geographically @Pawtastic? I confess I do often find other cultures/countries more clean and also more giving.
Interestingly, the rare times a host has shown a specific touch of kindness in terms of the sitter’s additional comfort, have been at the relatively more ordinary, every day homes. The rest have all been big with HOs who are very well off.
They have often still been overall lovely to deal with. But mostly give nothing more than their instructions and keys. Sometimes they leave their home clean.
So I now see this as the normal standard here in the UK, and I never expect anything else. And I certainly don’t hold it against them. Bless them. I still love meeting them all and I hugely enjoy the sits. They have all given me glowing 5* reviews and been very grateful for the care of pets and home. They have almost all at some point been in touch to ask me back.
The animals are always adorable (even if sometimes challenging) and that is my big draw. I love looking after them.
Conversely, I have always left without exception;
a thank you card,
Fresh flowers,
Two or three small gifts like a pretty candle and exclusive chocolate, and homemade shortbread,
A gift for the furry ones.
I leave the place spotless and deep cleaned - even if there is a cleaner, I will clean the last day,
Wash all linens and towels etc (unless requested not to of course)
Leave fresh milk and bread after checking what type they use.
I do so simply because this reflects my own standards and culture and I uphold them unconditionally, as it’s how I was raised. Not because I am a martyr. I know how to be a gracious and good house guest, whether at a friend’s, or family’s, or a sit. I don’t wish to follow the UK HOs standards or example and thus lose my own cultural values and standards.
I just find it fascinating through my THS adventures, to see how differently we all live and interact. I find it fascinating how much effort and generosity folk like you, and others elsewhere (as well as myself) show. And how much others here, simply don’t and instead take things/people for granted and feel entitled.
Let’s carry on setting the good examples and with any luck it will perhaps eventually spread 
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Thank you very much
We are Germans living in Germany, but as house sitting is not very common, actually most people we tell about it are very surprised but most wouldn’t do it themselves, I actually have no idea if others welcome their sitters in the same way. Maybe someone else can talk about their experiences? Sitters or Home owners?
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Horrible!
Something similar happened to me. I could have some understanding for it (the stress of departure), but it did not feel good at all.
As to culture: these hosts came from regions with a good reputation for hospitality. I concluded that I was not in the category of a guest. Just help.
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Yup. It was very awkward @pietkuip . So I know how you felt!
But not unusual here I would say sadly. It’s very different elsewhere, I hear from other sitters.
We’ve never sat in the UK @Purdie (despite being a couple that is one half British). I can say that in 17 countries & 30+ sits over two years full time, that we have never had anyone eat a meal or have a drink in front is us without sharing. 90% of our sits have offered dinner at home or out as their treat and a night hosted at theirs. My fellow countrymen are fortunately, the exception and not the rule thank goodness. The future is bright 
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Our first four sits in U.K.
-
we were welcomed with a cup of tea and biscuits on the pre- sit meet up
and a bottle of wine on arrival. Invited to arrive 2 days early when they realised we had a gap in our sits. -
fresh cut flowers from the garden around the home including our bedroom - these were refreshed when the gardeners came ( as pre-arranged ) during the sit .
-
Shared wine and charcuterie board when we went to collect the keys pre-sit . On arrival found a fridge full of freshly brought groceries for us; a stocked wine rack that we were told to help ourselves to; plus a bunch of flowers , bottle of wine & a welcome card from the pet.
-
A bottle of Wine and Panettone.
We didn’t expect anything but certainly appreciated these thoughtful home owners .
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Think I would love sitting for such a thoughtful Home owner
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@Pawtastic I did two sits in Germany last summer, one in Frankfurt and one in Munich. Both were very nice young couples with cats. I really enjoyed both sits and cities.
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One last thing: I know I’m dragging up an old thread, but I did find it very helpful. It covers a lot of basic amenities like sharp knives, bedside lamps, and accessible outlets, which I’m sure sitters appreciate a lot more than a mug
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The owner is an owner/sitter, so she was extremely welcoming and had everything very well organized. As well, Monster, her sweet, little, one-eyed, half-bald kitty with the huge heart stole OUR hearts; we’re heading back barely 10 days later to care for her again.
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Monster sounds adorable, how lovely that you’re going back to sit again so soon!
From the start we treated our housesitters like they are paying guests. I ask ahead of time their interests, beverage choices, hopes for the visit. I have a dresser totally empty and lots of closet space. Guests robes and slippers and flip flops. I arrange a nice welcome gift based on their preferences. Like a bottle of wine, locally brewed beers, tea, coffee. I buy a gift certificate to our favorite restaurant that’s within walking distance. I’ve given lift tickets for skiers, passes to a yoga studio. Always information on local events. Loaner cruiser bikes. As many things I can think of to make their stay delightful. I want my sitters/guests to love it here!
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@ziggy We feel the same. A bottle of wine is the ultimate welcome gift to us because we think travel days (no matter how far we have to go) are always the hardest. Cleaning up the previous house, packing up the car, arriving to new place, unpacking the car, going over all the details, meet and greet, etc…a bottle of wine solves all those worries! Lol 
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I’m always worried…maybe they’re in recovery? Or just don’t like wine? I’m a bread baker and would be happy to leave a loaf of bread…what if they’re celiac? I mean, I know 99% of people will take a gift, even one they don’t want or can’t use, as a well-intended gesture. But should I instead ask, “Do you drink wine? Do you eat bread?” first?
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We have experienced all fabulous hosts so far. Every one has been incredibly kind and generous with many going above and beyond.
Examples are the hosts that have taken us out for meals either at the start or end of the sit, or cooked a meal for us on the first night together. Those that have invited us to come and stay when they know we are between sits in their area rather than driving home and back. Those that are now great friends and we visit socially too. Many that have stocked the fridge, pantry and wine rack and insisted we eat and drink as much as we want or left a hamper of treats. Those that have bought gifts back from their trips for us.
We have just got in from a meal out with hosts we sat for over 2 years ago who wanted to thank us for taking care of their injured dog so they could go to a family wedding abroad and when they got back they couldn’t do that as they had covid. We had left them a meal and provisions as they were so generous leaving a stocked fridge for us (food for a week - we did not spend a penny) and they were so grateful as they were too sick to cook.
We have another host that has offered to take care of our dog while we go abroad for a couple of months - amazing. Oh and they have 2 drawers of every herb & spice, labeled and arranged alphabeticaly, which we are welcome to use as much as we need 
.
We have repeat sits where the host arranges for their cleaner to come in the morning before we arrive and who returns the morning we depart to change the bedding over and clean.
Not sure how we keep turning up aces but long may it continue. We call them all super hosts and for these guys if we can we will come back again and maybe again .
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