What have you learned from your first post-lockdown guest?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone, 

Many countries have now opened up for hosting again after varying levels of lockdown, and lots of you are getting back to receiving guests.

Some of you noticed recently that guests are not worried about cleaning, whilst others have had guests who were indeed concerned with this aspect of their stay. 

What are the top things you’re learning after hosting your first few guests since lockdown restrictions eased?

As @Emilia42 mentioned recently, it’s still ‘early in the game’ and things are still changing day by day, but it would be great to share and learn from what others’ experiences are.

Quincy

[Huma0]

@Emilia42 

I also put out disinfecting wipes for guests. They haven't been touched.

[Debra300]

@Helen350,

I wouldn't put too much stock in the opinions of people who are traveling, because they represent just one segment of the population.  Those who are willing to take/prepared for the risk of being in close quarters with others outside of their family circle.  You aren't personally hearing anything from the medical professionals ringing the alarms about COVID-19, because they are either staying home, or working their tails off in the ERs and/or ICUs.

[Sarah977]

@Helen350  I can assure you that the doctors and nurses who are working in hospitals which are overwhelmed with coronavirus cases around the world and having to decide which patients to just let die and which to try to save aren't chuckling about shared bathrooms. 

Many of them are sleeping in their cars and rented accommodation so they don't endanger their families they normally live with.

Are you aware that currently someone in the world dies of coronavirus every 15 seconds?

[Helen350]

@Sarah977 .... and there is a similar death rate through non-Covid causes too.....

The OP is about what we've learned from guests..... I've learned that most are not worried about Covid; they embrace climbing mountains, cycling across the north of England from West coast to East Coast, driving round our beautiful National Park/World Heritage site. Some have agreed that  my house is a safer place to be than the pub!

I've always held the view that  Covid IS out there, there IS a risk, but we mitigate that by limiting our social contacts & social distancing....  It's encouraging to have doctor & pharmacist guests who believe the risk is not THAT great.

- "IT'S THE GUEST'S OPINION!" - to coin a familiar phrase! Wherein does the truth lie????? - Life goes on!

[Sarah977]

@Helen350  You are going to deal with COVID however you see fit, but I have to correct false statements.

" and there is a similar death rate through non-Covid causes too....."

No, that isn't true at all. The excess mortality rate, which is the difference between the number of deaths that are average for a certain period of time, in this case from the beginning of this year until now, is, in the case of England, at 45% right now. That means 45% more people have died than would on average have died from all other causes before COVID hit.

Between March and June, the excess mortality rate in NYC was 700%- there were over 25,000 deaths over and above the average number of deaths for that time of year from all other causes.

You can read this for yourself right here on the BBC site:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-53073046

[Helen350]

@Sarah977  Well, it's pretty well over in the UK, & death rates have now been shown to have been wrongly reported, the real death toll is at least 10% less.... And where I live the infection rate was always very low...... And we now know that if you're young, fit, non-smoker & not overweight, you've got nothing to fear... Such a fuss about nothing...

[Sarah977]

@Helen350  Please- stop posting false information. There have been numerous young, healthy, fit people, as well as children, who have died from this virus. There are also many who have seemingly recovered with a mild case, only to end up back in the hospital with multiple organ failure a few weeks later. 

If you don't wish to believe these things, which are all documented, that is your prerogative, but publicly posting them as fact is highly irresponsible.

[Helen350]

You are NOT the only one with a valid opinion here @Sarah977 , nor are you chief arbiter of truth!

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 & @Donald28  are not the only ones allowed to wind you up!

You've said you're a smoker... So you're bound to be more worried than us non-smokers! 🙂

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen350 Actually data shows that smokers are less likely to get Covid than non smokers.

[Sarah977]

@Helen350  It isn't a matter of my opinion. This information is available to anyone who cares to research it.

And no, you misunderstand- I'm not "more worried" because I'm a smoker, I'm not living my life being worried or fearful- I'm availing myself of the current, verifiable information and conducting myself accordingly. 

There are a large number of people who also thought it was a big fuss about nothing who have gotten the virus, as well as died from it, and have close family members die- they have been putting out articles urging people to take it more seriously than they did.

[Cathie19]

What I’ve learned so far, @Quincy   is that I’m still waiting... Whilst I wait, I’ll lose my superhost status as I cannot fulfil the number of days or stays criteria. Our tourist season will effectively end when the first and only guest for the year, checks out. 😔😞😩   Southerners do not like our “build up” to the Wet Season weather. High humidity sends them running.

With international borders closed as well as some state borders closed, particularly to my most frequent guests (Western Australia, Victoria and international). Numbers of guests actually searching and sighting my listing are almost non existent.

Those who arrive from hotspots have to pay $2500 per person to go into a supervised fourteen day quarantine, which will limit tourism. If anyone breaches the quarantine or lies on their border documents, they can be fined $5056 each, no small amount! We have a large and vulnerable indigenous population that needs extra protection within remote communities.

But what is interesting, is my yet to “check in” first guests, joined Airbnb specifically for this trip. I helped walk them through the process, and heavily discounted the daily fee, as I won’t need to do shorter stay cleans. They’ll use bicycles from us, to get around locally.

They aren’t expected for another four weeks and will stay 25 days. They would normally travel by caravan annually, staying at free camps or caravan parks but instead, are flying in from South Australia (3000kms away). Airfares are more expensive and limited. This is a new demographic.

By the way, our Chief Minister (like a Premier or Governor) announced today, to not expect visitors or travel to other states for Xmas. The restrictions and limitations at the borders and anytime hotspot declarations, causing expensive quarantine, there, or on return, will continue; maybe for at least eighteen months.

So my Airbnb 2020 season is essentially non existent .... but we will prevail and give them the best stay they can get anywhere...... on condition they don’t become part of a hotspot, and actually still arrive!  💐 For four weeks is a long time with Covid19 spread......

[Mark116]

I also learned that Airbnb's COVID cleaning requirement is too onerous for us to continue with it.  We did for this first guest, and it took hours and hours and hours of extra time to wipe down or otherwise sanitize literally every item in the house including the closets.  Our 2nd set of guests who booked when we were signed up for the protocol cancelled, and after that we unsubscribed.  

We have already cleaned the unit to a very high degree, and have added an extra sanitizing step since the pandemic, but things like moving the appliances, washing all the walls, hand sanitizing every single item even if it is in a closet and clear that no one touched it, washing all the cutlery and dishes and pots and pans even if no one used them, is too much.  We also extended the period between bookings from 1 to 2 days.

[Cathie19]

I’m with you @Mark116 , that cleaning was too onerous by far! I already maintain a high cleaning standard and have now added sanitising extras, for guests and myself. I didn’t sign up and opted for the 3 day buffer, which seems to have disappeared. I was already doing a day’s buffer, pre Covid, so might still manually, self buffer three days....

[Helen427]

My first & second guest very much appreciated seeing another welcoming person.

When I asked them if they were ok to receive a "hug" they didn't hesitate to do so & gave one in return.

Both live alone, made New Zealand their home & found been socially isolated from been locked down in an island away from family, friends & others distressing as it's not how society should be living.

My 3rd guest is also from another country living here & unfortunately bc we have had a small family living well outside of most people's home & work locations test positive for having "a fever & a cough" we have ALL been thrown once more under a bus with a lockdown that when viewed in accordance with law is likely to be questionable & unlawful.

As a result her trip has been postponed, it was supposed to be her second stay with me & was originally refered to my place through a previous guest & work colleague.

We have recently had a week or so of winter rain & cooler temperatures and when one is caught without wearing a rain jacket, warm woollen clothing in the rain its expected to have a form of illness.

The whole pandemic situation is Madness & "disproportionate" if ever it is as no two people are alike in this world, and neither are two countries, we all take different care of our bodies & souls.

 It's overdue ABB & the wider tourism industry "ramped up the " pressure and helped flip the current situation of #NOFLYING , #NO TRAVEL etc that a minority of scientists have inflicted in our lives on  it's head.

So many people in New Zealand are itching to travel, see family & friends abroad & welcome with open arms TOURISTS & TRAVELERS.

Go the Team of 6million that have a Facebook page to support those who are stranded unable to travel or fly to where they would like to be.

Top marks  also to writer of Law, Andrew Borrowdale, for applying for a Judicial Review questioning the legality of our lockdown in general terms.

Credit also to those within the New Zealand legal fraternity, that of law school students,  NZ Law Society & others who have asked questions & provided historic facts of past use of our Public Health Act, epidemics & pandemics in submissions to the Courts.

@Quincy @Helen350 

[Mark116]

Is anyone else finding that guests are not responding promptly to messages?

My last guest's failure to respond to messages in a timely way, I attributed to her not being engaged/paying attention.  But, we got a request last night, sent a follow up message 1 hour later, and then a 2nd message this morning...and still no response.  So, it begins to be a repeat of what happened a week ago......making me wonder if Airbnb has done some 'improvement' where these guests think that the Request=Booking and this is why they aren't responding to messages?