First-time guests are usually too nervous, too quiet, and too worried about doing something wrong. The truth is, none of this is hard. Here are five things to get right, and five to skip.

Get right

1. Be on time. If you booked for 9pm, be ready by 8.55. Her time is the same as yours.

2. Shower. Not because anyone is judging you — because it is nicer for both of you.

3. Have the agreed amount ready in cash. Counting in front of her is not rude. Asking for change at the door is.

4. Offer water. A bottle of water by the bed is a small thing that says you are a thoughtful host. She will remember it.

5. Talk first. Five minutes of normal conversation before anything else makes the rest of the evening better. Ask her name. Ask if the room is okay. Ask if she wants to sit. She is a person.

Skip

1. Negotiating the rate at the door. Whatever was agreed on WhatsApp is the rate. Don't try to chip a thousand off when she walks in. It is the fastest way to a short evening.

2. Photos. No photos, no videos, no screenshots, no recordings. This is the one rule that gets profiles taken down — for everyone.

3. Drinking too much before. A glass is fine. Half a bottle is not.

4. Pushing for things you did not agree on. If you want something specific, raise it before booking, not at the door. She will either say yes (and the rate may change) or say no — both are fine.

5. Asking personal questions. Where she is from, who her family is, why she is doing this — none of that is your business, and asking puts up a wall fast.

One last thing

She is there because you booked her, not because she has to be. If you treat her like a guest in your room — instead of a thing you bought — you will have a much better evening. Most repeat bookings come from guests who got this one thing right.