Hi Sonia!
Communicating to guests around check in times is one of my biggest challenges.
We're superhosts with 7 properties and five years experience.
I've made the choice, that to keep my mental and physical health, and to retain my helpers who assist with check ins, we have to put boundaries and really enforce our check in time limits.
Late night arrivals create multiple issues.
- Flights have more delays late in the day, more problems accumulate, you are at risk of waiting up all night
- EVEN IF you have self check in lockbox, at night time, people have trouble following even the best instructions. And so IME you have to wait up for "that call" when they "can't get into the lockbox", basically you're on call until they've successfully entered your place.
- Lockboxes can fail! Cleaners can forget to put the keys inside! Internet can be down, guest cell phone out of battery, guest can simply have trouble manipulating it. So self check in is not a surefire answer.
- Guests get disoriented, have a few drinks on the flight, want to have dinner before check in, get lost easier in the dark, have more trouble being on time and following instructions
- Guests arrive late and realize they have no food and restaurants are closed, which makes for bad check in experience, I'd rather refuse the stay than have it start on a bad note
etc etc etc
As a result here is what we do!
- Make check in window VERY clear in multiple places on the listing: In the description, in "other things to note", in house rules - not just filling in the times but mention it specifically in your rules "cutoff time 10 pm, if you arrive later keys given next day".
- Put it in your INSTANT BOOK message
- If you get a TRIP REQUEST, message them immediately and only approve the request after they have given you their flights or driving itinerary and requested check in time
- If you get an INSTANT BOOK, message them immediately to get their flight/drive, and follow up until you get an answer. You should set instant book to only experienced guests with good reviews to avoid having novices who don't realize they need to communicate with you.
- Pre-schedule automated messages 1 week before the stay and 1 day before the stay, where you remind of your check in procedure and rules. I personalise these when I know the flight times saying "just checking your flight is still on track to arrive 13:00" or whatever. So they know you are following
- Let them know "we meet you with the keys, we'll be on-line during your arrival day waiting for your messaged to confirm the check in meeting". If you have self check in, let them know that you are on-line and will only go to bed when they have messaged you from inside the apartment. Or say that if they arrive after X time, they will not be able to get assistance until the next morning (this is not ideal, you should stay onine untile the guest is in).
- Have a virtual guide or use Airbnb's template, and put these rules in there as well
- Your HOUSE RULES should include not just the check in time but a mention that guests must respond to your airbnb messages and if they are unresponsive the booking can be cancelled
The main thing is, communicate multiple times and multiple ways.
Good luck and happy hosting to everyone!
