5-Star Airbnb Guests only allowed to stay at the property-

[Duane72]

I have been asking Guests with no reviews to please read and also agree to the home's additional House Rules for staying.

Guests with 5-Star Review I accept immediately but those with no reviews I ask them to read and agree.

So far everyone is OK to read and also agree if they have never used Airbnb before for booking a home.

I have had problems with Guests that have less than a 5-Star Airbnb Review not respecting my home, so I have been declining their requests to stay.

Just wondering is this OK to accept only Guests that have a 5-Star Review or Guests that wish to achieve a 5-Star Review.

Just Asking - What do you think - just tired of picking up after guests that don't respect his beautiful home.

[Deborah175]

@Huma0 I take extra care with newbies to try to initiate them into Airbnb culture, but I wonder why Airbnb doesn't seem to have some kind of quick primer for newbies to go through before they can book the first time? It sure would be helpful.

[M199]

@Kitty-and-Creek0, @Duane72 

We love Newbies also!  They are so unbiased and willing to go to extra lengths to meet every house rule.  We take newbies over a 5 star/12 reviews anytime.  For clarity, our neighbour Airbnb hosts had  a guest with 12 - 5 star perfect reviews, met the guest while walking the dog.  Very nice, pleasant fellow.  Guess what.....

The Airbnb was a huge mess, guest smoked pot in a non-smoking home, left pot, pot ashes, and paraphernalia inside the home.

Appearances can be deceiving.

[Nicole2223]

@M199  - aside from noting that a guest joined Airbnb recently, what’s your method of determining that a guest is a newbie?

I ask because (a) I’ve only been doing this since 2020 and (b) Ive been getting so many request lately from guests with no reviews or ratings.  This concerns me because I think there’s a chance they’ve had one or more stays where a host chose not to review them.  A number of these guests joined the platform in 2020 or 2021…so it would be easy to assume they haven’t actually stayed anywhere - such as the guest that I accepted a booking from last week.

@Duane72  I use instant book with all the requirements turned on and get lots of inquiries from guests who recently joined and/or no reviews/stars.  I won’t book them unless they’re willing to speak with me by phone.  Only once did someone say all the right things and then turn out to be a nightmare.  The ones that disappear after I request a call…I figure were not a good fit anyway.  


@Huma0 - just curious what sorts of things you are sure to mention to a newbie aside from your own house rules.  Thanks much!

nicole

[Huma0]

@Nicole2223 

I tailor my messages to each specific guest (time consuming I know, but I host long term so have less guests to deal with). So, with newbies, or other guests for that matter, it depends on their message, profile etc. 

I ask guests to upload a profile photo (if they haven't already done so), verify their ID and tell me a bit about themselves. This could typically include a short intro, plus some information on the purpose of their stay. The most important thing is that they have read and understood the house rules. I have an Easter egg question in my extended house rules that they need to answer. I also encourage them to ask questions if they need to.

Like I said, this goes for all guests who want to stay with me, but it is more important I guess with newbies who maybe never even considered that they needed to supply the host with any info.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Huma0 @Nicole2223

Communication is the essence. We do exactly as @Huma0 said, and it makes all the difference for us and for creating an excellent stay for our guests. We want to know their goals for staying with us, and definitely any questions or concerns. We gently encourage newbies to complete their profile, for now and for the future. Of course, all the info we can get from them helps us create a better experience for their stay.

[Sharon683]

If they joined in 2020 or 2021 covid was high, so nobody wanted to travel.  Some people registered with airbnb with the hopes of traveling then Covid hit us .  Or they never scheduled a travel date.  No big deal. 

[Deborah175]

@Nicole2223 

No reviews.

[Helen744]

@Deborah. i cant see it at the moment but the question was directed at the person who said that after spending a long time explaining to a guest that they often cancelled  I assumed that it was the guest who cancelled not you, maybe it was someone else ,  I was trying to understand how an explanation was causing people to cancel ? H

[Deborah175]

@Helen744 

Yes. I’m saying that I spend an inordinate amount of time reciting what my listing says (if only the guest had bothered to read the description) prior to accepting a request, because I’m finding that upwards of 90% of the guests who book have NOT read the listing. In the listing itself, I ask anyone who books to confirm to me at the time they book, that they’ve read the listing. I added that “Easter egg” this year, and, so far, not one person of the 20-30 who has subsequently booked has mentioned having read the listing in their intro note. Further, a sizable percentage never respond, after I write back to ask if they’ve read the listing. If—as I did formerly— I then go ahead and accept on the assumption that the guest MUSt HAVE read the listing, but is traveling and has no way to check messages, I’ll inevitably get a reply asking ME to cancel the reservation (now that they’ve finally read it or my messages). Of course I’m not going to cancel for a guest and get nicked for it, so I have to try again and again (very time-consuming) to reach that guest (or AirBnB) to get the GUEST to cancel. I have a strict cancellation policy, but I definitely don’t want a disgruntled guest to stay and leave a negative review that would ruin years of 5-star reviews and years of Superhost status… So then I have to go through a REFUND process.

I really do not WANT to decline requests under the assumption that the guest has not read the listing. Even as I write this, I have a request from a guest who has failed to respond to three contact attempts asking to confirm having read the listing, sent over the past 18 hours, so as soon as I finish writing this, I’m going to have to decline his request for a two-day stay—all because I cannot get a response from the guest confirming that he’s read the listing!!

This is the “information” that causes guest who have not read my listing to cancel:

My little primitive “cowboy” cabin is made up with an antique extra-long twin-sized bed, a very high-quality innerspring mattress. I use down pillows, 100% crisp cotton percale sheets and duvet covers, and supply a carafe of filtered water, a basket of towels, and a lantern that has a phone charger on it. 

I tell guests up front in the listing that it’s ideal for one, or a cozy couple, that it’s not great if the traveler has large suitcases, that there is no electricity and no heat in the cabin, and that that it’s a primitive artist-made cordwood cabin—a “glamping” situation. Guests have 24/7 access to the main house to charge electronics, make a coffee or tea, use the microwave, and use the shared bathroom. They also have the patios and decks to enjoy a take-out meal, or whatever.

[Helen744]

@Deborah175 although your little cabin looks lovely I would suggest more pics and maybe remove the chest of drawers and go for a three quarter bed . a few hooks on the wall with baskets maybe better The blankets and bedding everyone loves and the area . So I would show where your cabin fits in with your main place and show the bathroom that they can use. Are there lamps of any type for people to use? None of it is clear but two people would be happier in a slightly larger bed . Is their an outside table they can sit at for coffee or even an outside locker box to leave belongings overnight .Are there solar lights for nightime acess to the facilities.Is the area safe and locked up at night.It is not camping or glamping so explain the unique niche that it fits into ,also entire house /apartment is very deceptive because it is not.you need to describe it as something much more specific H

[Helen744]

Also Deborah when you say 'no heating' does this mean the cabin is cold?

[Helen744]

If people are going in and out at night maybe supply umbrellas or some type of coat or dressing gown or one of those chain store hoodies for people to pop over their night wear . Its the practicalities that people cannot quite understand H

[Deborah175]

Yes. I have two sizes of slippers and a thick robe hanging by the bed for anyone needing to foray out at night. 

Anyone who reads the listing would be prepared. The problem is those that do not. Lately that’s almost everyone.

This is the sort of review given by most of the cabin guests. 

[Gillian166]

@Deborah175 what a lovely review! we don't have TVs and whilst some guests still ask me where it is (not reading the listing) the vast majority end up truly appreciating the digital detox. They might not want to do it, like doing a workout and drinking a green smoothie, but your body says thank you afterwards.  

As adorable as the vintage bed is, you could really get some great couple bookings by getting a larger bed, young people LOVE this type of adventure, they are all looking for "authentic" life experiences and are very willing to try something unique (so long as they can instagram it too, haha), and "be reminded of their own self-resilience".  I don't know whether to roll my eyes or give that person a hug. 

[Deborah175]

@Gillian166 

I probably do get half couples and half singles. I prefer singles, because it gives me a fighting chance to get into the bathroom! So…the twin bed self-selects a bit for me!