Consistently having guests think your private room is an entire space.

[Shannon-and-Ryan0]

Do any hosts that have private room listings constantly have guests that book a private room thinking it’s the entire place? 

It’s really frustrating getting angry messages from users demanding refunds, or getting snide reviews from guests that didn’t cancel when it’s listed as a private room. Other details in the listing make is very obvious that it’s a shared space as well. 

Have any hosts found a away to minimize this occurrence? It’s exhausting having to point out all the details of our listing to every potential guests when they’re already in the listing.

[Helen3]

I offer a room in my home and have never had guests thinking I offer a whole listings - and have been listing for over four years and had hundreds of guests. @Shannon-and-Ryan0 

Having looked at your lovely place, I can't understand why guests would make that mistake with your listing.

All I can suggest is that you confirm in your booking confirmation message that they have booked a room in a shared space.

[Shannon-and-Ryan0]

I’ve been hosting for a little over a year and it happens maybe 1-3 times a month since I’ve had my listing up. 

Thanks for looking it over! I don’t know why it happens so regularly we try to be as clear and straight forward as possible in the listing.

[Sarah977]

@Shannon-and-Ryan0  I also host a private room and have never, in over 3 years, had anyone think they were booking an entire place. Guess you just have to start reiterating this in a message when guests book or request so they can cancel right away. Seems like people are just becoming more and more illiterate?

Maybe change your listing name to Neon Dreams- Private Bedroom in Shared Home in Chelsea.

[Emilia42]

@Shannon-and-Ryan0 What you should do is pretend you are a guest looking to book your listing. Scroll through your pictures, quickly scan your text, and ignore your title. This is what many guests are doing. 

I just quickly did this and your listing (primarily the photos) does give the impression that it's private.

[Ange2]

@Shannon-and-Ryan0   I write,  I live here, and I reiterate it again in messages. But it's not foolproof.  Many people only look at the photos, you could try adding an image of the door to your room 'our room' making it in-your-face obvious that you live there. With a cursory glance (the attention given to listings by too many guests who book) it does appear to be a self-contained private space from the photos, there are no visual hints of you living there or it being shared.  Private room in apartment shared with hosts may get the point across.