Glasgow hosts with an eye for culture in their city

When Tanja and John moved with their daughter Morgan to a bigger apartment in Glasgow, they decided to rent out their spare room on Homestay.com at the suggestion of a friend. The result, they found was a fantastic new way to meet people Before the birth of their daughter the couple were enthusiastic travellers and like to keep afoot of what’s going on their community, something they are only too happy to share with their guests.

Their home, on Glasgow Green is a short walk to the centre of Glasgow and situated close to the river Clyde which traverses the city. We decided to find out a bit more about John and Tanja to find out about their experiencing hosting on Homestay.com and what it is that makes a homestay different from other accommodation experiences.

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Why did you sign up to Homestay.com?

We heard that some friends had hired a homestay while they were away and it sounded like an adventure. We had recently moved into a larger flat and had a spare room going. We used the fact that the Commonwealth Games were coming to Glasgow in the summer and that the room needed to be redecorated as an incentive! We managed to transform the room in no time. My wife jokes that it's the fastest we've ever committed to a project.

What makes you a great Homestay.com host?

It's a bit of a two way street. You can only be as good a host relative to the people you are hosting. We have been blessed that we've had some genuinely interesting people through the door. Talking to them by email and then meeting in person, you have to gauge the type of people they are. Do they need help being told about the town? Do they want to talk during breakfast? Do they prefer to be left to themselves? Why are they visiting? The key is to walk the line - people choose Homestay for much different reasons than they would maybe book into a hotel - but they also need their own space. We're there if they need us... and we'll do anything we can to help. Our home is their home for the duration of their stay.

Describe the property and the Homestay.com experience you offer?

We live in an old style tenement flat just beside Glasgow Green in the East End of Glasgow. It's a hive of activity and a very short walk to the city centre - where lots of visitors of Glasgow want to check out for a variety of reasons... bars, nightlife, theatre and food. We have lots of knowledge of just what is going on in Glasgow at any given time, usually because we're interested in getting involved in lots of things ourselves, from family events to concerts. We've lived in Glasgow our whole life and have out finger planted firmly on the pulse. We're also very sociable people and can talk for hours if you'll let us, but are aware of boundaries. The fridge is always full and the kitchen is our social hub. It's a very comfortable welcoming flat, with a very fun history to it, if anyone is interested.

What do you love about Homestay.com?

Without a doubt, our favourite thing is the people. Every single person or group that has come through has been unique and interesting in their own way. It attracts interesting people. It's a different type of person who will come to a Homestay. There's a keen sense of adventure, on both sides of the coin. We originally were only going to do it for a short while, and now we're addicted. We've powered on with redecorating another room, all on the back of potential visitors. It's the people who make it - everyone has their own story and reason for being there and we're humbled that they decide to share that experience with us.

What are your interests and hobbies?

We are a very social family. We love reading, visiting museums, going out for food and drinks, concerts. We have a young daughter and our dynamic changed quite a lot when she arrived, but was no less fun for it. You find different things to do, and Glasgow is one of the greatest places to be doing it. It's a fun town and a great place to visit, and we're lucky enough to be close to where the action is.

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Book your next homestay with John and Tanja or browse our listings for all our properties in Glasgow.

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