Annoying Booking Complications

[Brian2036]

Just a few minutes ago a guest attempted to book our listing for 9 nights and encountered problems with this defective website.

Apparently they spent a couple of hours trying to request the booking. They have no reviews although they frequently book STRs worldwide — on other platforms with which they have experienced no problems.

Finally, in frustration, they messaged me through the “contact host” function, explained that they were unable to book through Airbnb, and asked if they could book through (***NAME DELETED BY AIRBNB***)

 I did receive that censored message but Airbnb prevented me from responding to it!

Instead, they offered me the option to report the applicant as “suspicious” and advised me that they were investigating and would notify me “within 11 hours.”

So there goes my response time score. Too bad for me.

After 59 frustrating minutes they finally allowed me to respond. The guest was very unhappy and remarked that they could have booked several properties elsewhere during the time they spent waiting for Airbnb to “investigate” them.

 I apologized profusely and offered the guest a $50 discount for the inconvenience.

The guests seem to be exactly the sort of retired couple we most enjoy hosting and shortly I was offered the opportunity to accept or decline their request.

 I was NOT given the opportunity to make a “special offer” which I was hoping to use to give them the $50 discount.

OK, they’re booked. So I can use “request or send money” for the $50, right?

WRONG. The only option available there is to modify the number of days or the number of guests. I can’t just send them $50 as compensation for Airbnb’s BSnHS.

 I told them that I would refund them $50 after they arrive, in cash.

Once again the host pays.

Tomorrow I WILL be listing on an alternate platform.

[Colleen253]

@Brian2036 What a debacle. No, there is no option to do a special offer with a request. You can use the ‘change’ option on the booking to adjust the amount they pay if you  want. 

[Brian2036]

@Colleen253 

Thanks for that information.

At the moment I’m too frustrated and nervous to try to deal with any more of Airbnb’s needlessly complicated foolishness.

 I wish I could warn people never to mention Vee.Are.Bee.Oh even in passing.

Guests should be offered the opportunity to review Airbnb separately from the host. Otherwise we are likely to be blamed for their incompetence.

[Sarah977]

@Brian2036  The only time I've refunded a guest was a 5 day booking, where the guest decided to leave on the 3rd day, nothing to do with me, or the listing, which she said she was quite happy with, she just had no idea how hot and humid it is here at the time of year she'd come, and was quite miserable.

Because I was actually surprised to get a booking at that time of year, which I rarely have, her booking hadn't blocked dates that I would normally have been able to book in tourist season. And I wasn't anticipating  income at that time of year. She was a really nice person who was also a home-share host back in Canada.

So I offered to refund her the unstayed nights before she even had a chance to ask.

Because we were both Canadian and it's easy to send Interac online transfers between Canadian bank accounts, I suggested that we don't waste our time faffing around with Airbnb, and all that can go sideways, but that I would just send her a money transfer, which was what I did. It took about 2 minutes and the money was in her bank account within the hour.

[Stephanie1933]

@Brian2036 how beyond frustrating for you! Sorry to hear that. 

Any ideas where you will list next? 

[Brian2036]

@Stephanie1933 

I don’t see a lot of options here.

 I already listed with TripAdvisor a month ago and have not seen any results at all.

 I tried to list with VRBO and booking.com several months ago but their websites were so incredibly difficult to use I couldn’t complete the process, so I canceled, after even more frustration. They make that extremely difficult also.

 I figured that if they can’t even get a property listed after the host wastes 8 hours trying they’re not going to be reliable later.

In contrast it was very easy to list with Airbnb and TripAdvisor.

[Stephanie1933]

@Brian2036 such a shame there isn't a decent alternative. VRBO is becoming more popular in New Zealand but I am a bit nervous about using two sites and getting myself confused. 

[Lorna170]

@Stephanie1933   I have been using the "other" website for years, and find it to be best for attracting older couples to our listing.  We prefer professional type couples travelling with their pets over the younger "friends"  as the cabin is taken care of better and the guests are more appreciative of what we have to offer.  If you want to use the other website, you can link the calendars so that both sites will show bookings and I would suggest that you have a spreadsheet of guest information (or download the CSVs and combine them) to keep you straight.  I actually like having the other calendar as it offers options not available on the Air calendar.  I do not find it too difficult to look at one website and check the reservations and then go to the other website and confirm both sets of reservations. 

As to which website garners me more bookings, they are fairly equal.  With Air I get more last minute terse, brief, texting only guests and with the other, guests who book well in advance and are very communicative as to their plans while visiting and why they chose us.  

[Stephanie1933]

@Lorna170 thanks for the information, an interesting comparison. I am leaning towards giving it a go. I have set up the listing but have it on hold. 

[Brian2036]

@Lorna170 

My initial impression of the Website That Must Not Be Named matches your experience so far.

Our first guests through that platform booked a couple of days ago, are very enthusiastic and communicative, and appear to be our ideal target customers.

 I look forward to welcoming more.

Incidentally I had no problem setting up the listing this time. There have been notable improvements.

[Stephanie1933]

@Brian2036 @Lorna170 sounds like these are the guests I would like as well! 

We have just found covid in the community for the first time in over a year so I am sure that will put some travellers off. I am crossing fingers for the borders reopening early 2022 in New Zealand. I think I will wait until then before I try two different web sites. 

Thanks for the tips!

[Emilia42]

"Change or cancel reservation" will allow you to update the reservation cost and send the guest a $50 discount.