The Instant Book pre-booking message feature is returning

[Emilie]

As part of our Winter Release 2022, we shared changes that we are making to Instant Book requirements, including the removal of the pre-booking message. 

We read your questions, feedback, and concerns around the removal of this message and shared it with our product team. 

Because of your feedback, the pre-booking message feature will be returned to Instant Booking settings starting today, December 12th. You’ll find it on your desktop view first, and it will return in your mobile app in the coming weeks. Guests will automatically see your message in the booking experience starting today. If you previously had a pre-booking message required, the same message will appear back in your settings. No action will be needed from you. 

With each release and update, we spend time listening to our Hosts, and thank you for your continued support, constructive feedback and partnership here in the Community Center.

Thanks,

Emilie

[Manasui0]

Hi Emilie, with all the respect I have in Airbnb I have to strongly have too disagree, 

Well through my experience Airbnb is not a Hotel.. is a community of providing accommodation.. a new unique adventure, specially a connection of different people around the world. is not just a hotel.. like yes sir.. here sir.. it feels like we can have an instant cancelation too.. it was the attention in the beginning like a fore play..

I know it seems adultery on my command.. but I always see Airbnb is a fabulous in the imperfection.. because I have been touch by many of my guess.. and I believe I have to in many different ways.. is a global community.. 

how can they confidence with the accommodation, if you change this..  respectfully, you change a home into a house..

so if I only open for 3 month and extend it every day just to avoid a building break down or many unfortunate incident?? many of us don't have back up.. many of us did grow in Airbnb..

I feel like you are taking away our choice .. I understand is bad for business having argument at the beginning or a week for only instant booking or two weeks is sensible.. but a year??what happen to the newbie.. that fail to perform and unable to pay rent.. even though he has potential.. he will be force to quit, or change account.. and certainly not in the same house...

Airbnb should have freedom.. that is why you have host and super host..

my last villa was 30 years or more old.. and one day a person book for a week and cancelled by trying to clog my toilet with an new roll of tissue.. and then he cannot get refund because it was in purpose, I should ask money for fraud, but I don't do that.. so I was touching up and paint brush the wall like painting.. I was out to buy more paint.. a guest message me and said need to check in.. I said I'm half an hour away.. and I need 15 minutes to fix the place.. when I arrive in 15 minutes.. they start complaining.. I ask my security they were waiting for 10 minutes.. all been discuss from pre message..

I understand the stress when you traveling with out a roof, but is not right to call me some one who don't know what sofa is.. 

the point is I had 100 occupancy for 6 months straight.. I need to fix the villa from time to time to.. this instant booking is good.. but we also should be able to determine the duration or time that is best for us to maximise our performance.. is because we are a good host, and we will not be a sitting ducks for those who is looking money from traveling.. 

If make every thing to the extreme strict and to by the book..

what experience can we offer as Airbnb with love..

might as well be. property agent..

fore play is good.. as important as smile, saying thank you,  and safe journey..

we all lost many connection through pandemic ..

and THIS IS booking with put choice .. Is not the Airbnb that I love...

Sincerely,

MANASUI "Beutifull Magic"

[Cheryl904]

This is a great - I'm glad Airbnb has chosen to revert to the presence of a prebooking message. While it's great that retaliatory reviews can be removed now, it would be awesome if Airbnb ALSO reverted to the policy of having a policy against allowing reviews for things outside of a host's control. They are now actively ENCOURAGING guests to review things that a host can't control and it's terribly unfair to hosts who depend on good reviews for the things within their control.

[Christine615]

I often wonder if Airbnb has put ANY thought into all the feedback hosts have given over the years in focus groups? 

Individual hosts who where the original backbone of the company have different needs than absentee investor hosts. We’re on sight or renting our private sauced and are NOT hotel equivalents with security guards, 

So many colleagues thinking of quitting the platform. 😡

[Lance198]

When you answer "No" to the question "Would you host this guest again?"  where does that rank/affect them as far as them being a "good" or "bad" guest? 

[Ruthie12]

The option isn't in the filters.  Now that i know that you have to add the pet as a guest in the search criteria, I found it.  However, I don't think the average airbnb guest will know that.  It would be more easily found if it were one of the filters. Unfortunately I already booked with vrbo where it's in the initial screen.

[John5097]

Good news for the return of a message before guest can Instant Book! 

But how do other host handle a guest with zero stays, zero reviews, only uses one letter in this case "G" for their name? And doesn't fill out their profile? 

This person would have been able to Instant Book with no message. Host just sees a the letter "G" for a name. 

So now this person could still Instant Book and only one letter for the message or "Vacation" for message. 

Is it too much to ask that guest provide a name? 

This creates stressful situation for host. Host will likely decline or cancel reservation. 

Why not have option for host to require a first and last name be filled out? And more than say 15 characters for the first message? 

 

[Bhumika]

Hello @John5097,

Thank you for taking the time to share these details!! I have made sure to relay this feedback to the relevant team. Please keep sharing such insights🙌. You can also share such product suggestions over the  Feedback Form too.

We're happy to announce the Month of Celebration!

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation

[Federica400]

 Totally agree

[Emilie]

Hi @Justine275, @Gillian166, @Amy439, @Trude0 and @Debra300, 

Just to clarify, new guests or guests with 0 reviews will not be able to book when you have the “good track record “ requirement on. We have noted those cases where it seemed this didn’t work as intended and are investigating. 

Thanks,

Emilie

[Emily96]

Great news. Now please make pet fees again transparent. We have guests not declaring their pets in the guest count because there is no “pet fee” broken out in the nightly cost, and then when being asked to update the booking and pay the pet fee in the resolution center they are balking because the pet fee is not visible as a separate FEE; guests never know they are paying it. This is definitely a two-edged sword.

[Emilie]

Hi @Emily96, 

Thanks for your feedback on how the price could be more clearly displayed, I'll share it with the team!

Emilie

[Ruthie12]

Thanks Emilie.  Speaking of pets, it would be wonderful if guests could filter for "pets allowed"   Your main competitor makes it very easy with a filter.  With airbnb, I have to search each individual listing to find out. 

[Emilie]

@Ruthie12 That's also possible to filter on Airbnb! When searching for a listing to stay in, if you indicate you'd like to bring pets, it will only show you listings that do accept them: 

I hope this helps 🙂

Emilie

[Gillian166]

@Emilie  mmm, and yet somehow the filter doesn't work for kids or infants. my couples only max 2 listing can be found AND booked with 2 adults and up to 5 infants. If they can successfully filter for pets, why can't airbnb make the "no infants" filter work as well?

[Fernando225]

I agree, I have an infant and have had this issue. I put there is an infant in the filter and yet are shown listings that don't accept kids. 

[Nutth0]

This is great! Thanks for return this important function. 

[Omar202]

This is such an incredible news, thanks for listening and taking action to return this very important feature of the Instant Booking process! 🤗🙏🏼✅

[Patrick79]

I had guests last week that were an absolute nightmare from start to finish, they never read the listing or my messages, but I still had to accept them.

now I have a ‘new couple’ , alone, they are probably lovely, but together, they have taken over my home,  they are all lovey dovey, and barely acknowledge me, even when they are I. The kitchen outside of the times I allow- I asked them to try to keep within the times allowed, but they really don’t seem to care. 
I plan my day so I let guests use the kitchen undisturbEd by me, but it’s really awkward when they just use it whenever they want, and I feel uncomfortable in my own home, also it’s like I’m wrong for setting my boundaries re space, with them.

[DiAnn2]

The reason I don’t allow guests to use anything but the microwave & coffee maker.   For the price they pay to stay, they can eat elsewhere.

Problem solved.

[Kern-And-Anne0]

I had the "instant booking" turned off so I would have time to ask and get answers to some questions and get their thoughts on their visit.   Interestingly, Inst booking has been turned off for 2 years now, ever since Covid started.  And it works better.