How close to the course does my home have to be?
Accommodation within walking distance of the HWR site gets booked up first. If your property is more than a 30-minute walk away, it will be offered to crews that have their own transport, such as UK crews.
How many people can I host?
Even if you only have one spare bed, we can find you a single sculler or a coach to stay.
Rowers need adequate rest and recovery. A double bed is only suitable for one person; Single beds must be full-size with a proper mattress; Sofa beds must be large enough and sufficiently comfortable to provide a good night’s rest sleep over several nights and they should not be situated in a room which will also be used as a living room during the day (guests should expect a dedicated sleeping area). Camp beds and inflatable mattresses are generally not suitable, but proper mattresses placed directly on the floor are OK.
Crew members are happy to share rooms but not beds.
It is wise to take into account how many bathrooms and toilets you have available to avoid long queues! You may want to keep one bathroom for the sole use of your family while the guests use another.
What do I need to provide?
You’ll need to provide a full set of bedding including duvet and pillows with clean linen and towels.
Do I need to provide breakfast?
No, but if you don’t, you should allow your guests access to kitchen facilities for food storage (including use of a fridge), preparation and consumption.
If you are providing breakfast, check in with yur guests about any food preferences.
Will they want to use my kitchen or any other parts of the house?
Some crews enjoy shopping and cooking for themselves. Hosts may set aside a specific time for the crew to use the kitchen in the evening. Consider clearing a space in the fridge for them – and let them know of any kitchen items that are off-limits!
What about laundry?
Generally crews competing over the three days of Henley Women’s Regatta will not need to do any laundry, but if the weather is wet, they will certainly be grateful if you can offer use of yoru washing machine and drying facilities.
Do they need a relaxation area?
Guests will appreciate having somewhere to relax and while many hosts are happy to share their living room, others are not. There may be rooms in your house that you prefer to keep private; simply tell the crew in advance.
What hours do the crews keep?
Generally speaking, they will be early to bed and early to rise! Sometimes they will come back to the house to rest during the day between races.
Should I give them a key?
This is up to you but there will be some coming and going during the day, so if you can give the crew a spare key or access to a key safe, it will make life a lot easier. There is no need for you to arrange your day around them.
Do they need a parking space?
Most international crews arrive by air so will take a taxi from the airport, although some might decide to hire a car while they are here. UK crews will usually bring a vehicle or two.
What are the house rules?
It is your home, so any rules you wish to set are very much up to you. Just be clear at the outset about your expectations.
How soon will I know if I have a crew?
The majority of requests are submitted during May after entries have opened, though some will come in before that. As soon as we have a potential match for you we will let you know, and if you are happy then we will ask you to hold your room(s) for them.
What are the different types of crew?
Competitors come from all over the world and include school crews, university students, club-level crews and elite athletes/Olympians. Most crews will have a coach with them.
Under 18s will be accompanied by at least one adult, who must sleep in a separate room from the Under 18s,
How long will they stay?
Most crews will arrive on the Wednesday or Thursday before the regatta and so that they can rig their boats and practice on the course. International crews may arrive a few days before that. Note that some crews do not start racing until the Saturday of the regatta.
Crews will hope to get through to the Sunday of the regatta and international crews usually want to stay till the Monday morning.
What happens if my crew is knocked out early?
Crews who are eliminated on the Friday or Saturday may want to leave at that point. We recommend that you ask your guests to pay in full prior to their stay, and make it clear that refunds are not available if they decide to leave early. We appreciate that you will have gone to considerable effort to prepare your home and you should not be left out of pocket.
Can I share a crew with my neighbour?
Yes, this often happens! Where a crew (such as an eight with a coach i.e. 10 people) is too big to fit in a single house, we try to place them in houses as close together as possible.
What can I do if things go wrong?
In the first instance, we advise you to speak to your guests and try to resolve any niggles. However, please contact crew@hwr.org.uk if you need support.
Will I get paid for hosting?
Yes! You set your rate, which we suggest is between £35 and £70 per person, per night. This depends on whether you are including breakfast, the facilities you can offer and how close you are to the river.
if you choose to offer evening meals you should negotiate a separate fee with your guests, as well as any additional facilities such as use of the washing machine if this is not included.
We recommend that payment is made in advance by bank transfer for UK payments; international payments can easily be made using Wise or Paypal, both of which are quite often quicker and cheaper than an international bank transfer.t.
Do I need to be there or can I move out and let my whole house to a crew?
Yes, if you are able to stay with friends or you are going on holiday, this works very well. The guests will shop for their own food, so although you don’t need to supply breakfast, a few basics provided for the first day will make them feel very welcome.
Does Henley Women’s Regatta take a fee for placing a crew with me?
No,
