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

[Federica400]

@Emilie The difference is huge 🤷‍♀️

I can understand the need to go easier with the IB, but I experienced a reservation with no reviews and no stays at all, it was a new guest, on airbnb from a couple of weeks.

this may not happen. There must be a rule, even if it’s not the previous guest recommendation. Something like “good track record and minimum 2 reviews”…

I’m in Italy and I feel like it’s dangerous to have reservations like this! 

[Anne44]

Please bring back the “recommended by other hosts” feature. 

“No negative reviews” is not the same. 

[Emilie]

Hi @Anne44, 

Thanks for your comment! As I mentioned a little further up, "Good track records" does not only require guests to not have negative reviews, it also requires them to not have recently broken Airbnb policies—or house rules set by Hosts. I've taken not of your feedback for the team though. 🙏

Emilie

[Amy439]

I agree. We just had a guest with two previous stays and no reviews. He was our worst guest yet. No negative reviews is defiantly different from recommended by other hosts.

[Debra300]

@Emilie,

If a guest is new to Airbnb they would not have any negative reviews or an opportunity to break house rules.  It's not the same as a recommendation from a prior host.  I understand that changing this requirement removes a barrier for first time guests, but IMO their should be some hurdles for them, because often newbies really need to be vetted to ensure that they have a good understanding about what they are renting, house rules, Airbnb policies and their expected behavior.  

[Emilia42]

Thank you, thank you! I have not been active in the community center in the last few months so I am very happy that other hosts voiced their concerns. Good communication between host and guest can make or break the Airbnb experience and that initial message is very important. Thank you for bringing the pre-booking message back!

[Emilie]

Communication is super important, you're absolutely right! Good to see you again @Emilia42 😊 

[Robbie54]

@Emilie as you said, communication is super important, which begs the question, why on earth was it removed in the first place? It made no sense whatsoever and worried a lot of hosts in the first place. Who on earth are making these decisions???

[Michelle189]

Emilie is there a Community Manager for Cork, Ireland? 
A local host having huge difficulty getting réponse from Airbnb about awful guests

[Emilie]

Hi @Michelle189, 

Our team of Community managers are here to look after the Community Center, and aren't part of the Customer Support team.

However if you're having an issue I would of course like to see if there's anything I can do to help move things along, could you send me a message with a bit more info on what's happening please? Simply click on my name to get to my profile, then on Send a Message please. 🙂

Speak soon,

Emilie 

[Lenore22]

Wow. Really impressed by this responsiveness. Looking forward to seeing how it works.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Omar202]

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