You need to come stay at my house!
Havainas Flip flops, premium nuts, thank you card. I also gifted a beautiful necklace from a local designer.
Oooh lucky them!!
We love to leave some Cape Cod-specific treats for our families to take with them - to help them remember us and the charm of the Cape!
Iāve hosted 8 HE guests since June. So far feedback from 7 of the 8 was ābest HE place they have stayed at to dateā. Only one has also written that in their rating. For me, that would be the gift.
Of the 8 guests, two items have been left by guests - one left an old book that they said they enjoyed and I hoped I would. Another left a mini bottle of wine that they werenāt able to take with them.
I leave a thank you note and send them a painting afterwards that matches their style
Gifting as a guest I understand either something personal to their style but more likely something from my area.
I do not understand the host leaving a gift that seems airbnb like. If my family comes to stay in my home I have food when they come. I would not gift them something for staying in my house.
Ohhh interesting! I found it very natural to leave my guests (whether itās HomeExchange guests, a friend or family member) a little gift to make their stay more special like a little bottle of local honey or juice or sweet treat!
Ithink itās a way of saying ā Welcome to my home, sorry Iām not here to meet you, but have,a drink ( chocolate / cake/ etc) on us, and enjoy your stay !
Whrn youāre family comes youāre there to share a drink or meal with them.
Hi Zann, great question! I am a cook from Italy, so I usually bring food: olive oil, wine, some special treat. If I have enough time, I sometimes prepare a meal for my hosts and live it in the fridge as a nice surprise for when they come back (or I can bake some focaccia and freeze it if theyāre not coming back after we leave).
you can leave an invitation letter to your home 
My go-to gift for hosts is a nice box of gourmet chocolates or a beautifully packaged tin of specialty tea. Itās simple, thoughtful, and universally appreciated. Sometimes Iāll bring a small bouquet of fresh flowers or a scented candleāsomething elegant but not too personal. Itās about showing gratitude without making it complicated.
I actually started rethinking all the use of plastic and now use a nice gift bag instead of baskets and plastic. 
Hello,
We always leave a tea towel from the region where I am from. Tea towels are easy to pack and you always need them.
I like to leave a nice bag of roasted coffee .. who doesnāt love coffee 
We personalize what we leave for our guests depending on each family that comes to stay with us. By looking at their home and their profile, we try to understand what they might enjoy most and adapt accordingly, choosing artisanal gifts or local Catalan food specialties.
We also take into account practical details, such as whether they are traveling by car or by plane (in terms of weight and size), whether they are coming with children, and whether they are visiting from Europe or from another continent. When children are part of the group, we make sure to include something just for them, as well as something for the adults.
These little treats may include chocolate, cheese, Iberian ham, cured meats, wine, extra-virgin olive oil, honey, biscuits, a small wooden toy, a notebook, handmade soap, or an artisanal magnet or bookmark. When we include food, we always choose packaged items, so guests can easily take them with them if they prefer not to enjoy them in the house.
We also leave a warm welcome note, together with our personal recommendations for restaurants, ice-cream parlors, local shops, and activities to enjoy during their stay.
Most important to leave for guest is a good Welcome guide, so they can settle in and use the home easily. Tv remote controls vary greatly, for instance! 
I like to leave some tips on what to see or do - particularly in the neighborhood, hidden gems or things that are free and/ or accessible that not all tourists would know. For instance - in our community it is ok to go in and use the outdoor area of the local kindergarten in evenings/ weekends playing with your children. Or: the library is a hang out-place where you can explore, and with some toys in the childrens department. Or nice trails in our little local wood.
Maybe some local speciality I would like them to try.
When I visit I often bring something from home - postcards from my region, chocolate or something thoughtful if I know their interests.
I donāt regard it as AirBnB-like -more like a little gift like I would treat my friends with.
Leaving a gift for a HomeExchange host is a wonderful tradition that balances personal connection with local flair.