Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Community Center! I'm @Bhu...
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Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Community Center! I'm @Bhumika , one of the Community Managers for our English Community Ce...
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We know that Airbnb does not allow to pick guests! You can not discriminate, and it is a positive attitude.
How would you react as a host if your guest arrived and you noticed one of the following peculiarities:
Not necessary to say that, this topic is about humour, however it has to do with actual issues that some hosts has faced.
1- The guest arrives wearing a Save the Earth-Climate Change t-shirt!
2- The guest arrives wearing a red M.A.G.A. cap.
3- The guest arrives wearing t-shirt with the picture of an Antifa logo!
3- The guest arrives wearing a t-shirt with a combined picture of a rainbow and Priscila the Queen of Desert film picture!
4- A guest arrives wearing a t-shirt with a picture of Bob Marley smoking weed!
5- Lets suppose you accept pets and the guest told you he/she would be arriving with his pet. When arriving he/she is wearing a t-shirt with an animal defense movement logo and carrying proudly a huge piton snake.
Recently, I saw a topic about a guest who wrote a negative review becouse he did not like a dvd-movie that was available in the listing.
From my point of view, the best thing to do to avoid unecessary issues and not to trigger a reaction on some guests (that has diferent views from the host) is to provide a neutral enviroment to the guest.
Meaning, It is not necessary to share your political orientarion or others personal preferences with the guests by forcing them to see some types of statues on the shelf, controvertial pictures hanging on the wall, very controvertial books and so on.
My reaction would goes like this. I would not care for the guest´s appearance or preferences.
As long as they accomplish with the house rules and be a good guests, I would avoid making comments.
As for pets, I like dogs and birds however in my listings I do not allow any type of pets. Smoking is not allowed as well because of the smell.
So, what would be your reaction?
@J-Renato0 Don't care about any of those slogans! I do not need to support a person's values in order to have a successful hosting!
- I actually find people with opposing values to mine can be easier to get on with than those who supposedly share my values!
I'd draw the line at the snake tho' And we're allowed to be non-smoking.
Thankfully, all my hosts with pets have brought dogs, and all have had the decency to ask, or at least tell me, at the time of booking.
@J-Renato0, I have strong political views myself but my guests' politics (and sexuality for that matter - not sure what that has to do with hosting) are completely irrelevant. One thing I have learnt in my years is that people can have completely opposite political views to you but still be awesome people (and guests). I would welcome the MAGA cap-wearing guest just as warmly as the Save the Earth guest (although I would be more likely to keep my distance from the former). Generally, I avoid talking politics with my guests unless the conversation naturally takes us that way. However, I've had to discipline a friend of mine who has been here when guests have arrived because he loves to immediately launch into the politics of the guests' home country! For example, I had some German guests coming, and no sooner had they walked in the door when he said, 'So, how awesome is Angela Merkel letting all those refugees in???' The poor things hadn't even put their bags down. If my eyes had been daggers, he'd be 6 feet under by now! As for the snake, well, that would be a novelty!
Honestly, this is why I prefer not to see my guests. The less I can judge them, the less I have to stress about.
That is so true @Emilia42 , hence the STR thing works well for us, we really don't seek to get to know them or have them get to know us very well, I prefer being "The Inn Keeper" than their buddy. LTR's have lead to some very uncomfortable moments in my early real estate mogul years when a friend and I bought and renovated a house as a LTR property, after 3 different renters that used our home as a shooting gallery, dump, crack house and more, no long term nightmares for me ever again!
@J-Renato0 , We have had hundreds of bookings and thousands of guests of all kinds, shapes and hues, rarely do they get to know us in any meaningful way purposefully (Its not good to p00p where you eat). Business is business so I have to believe that "the customer is always right" not because they are, just because me being right in most cases doesn't pay the bills nearly as well as customers feeling right about their stay at Bearpath Lodging. I do my best to judge and grade them only on following my house rules and even give the benefit of the doubt if they act marginally out of ignorance without malice. I also try to live by "Judge not lest ye be judged" as long as someone isn't forcing me to take an oath to their cause, that's a bridge too far and I wont compromise morals and ethics for me for a lack of them from thee!
Airbnb has pushed some of the Anti-discrimination envelopes to a point of putting hosts and guests at risk to take a stand, that's not reasonable nor good for anyone. Surprises like a guest showing up with a dog we must accept even if we list our spaces as pet free, are allergic or have other guests that are or hiding identities until after a booking can't be undone without TOS problems means they are creating situations that could be dicey at least, dangerous or deadly at worst. Surprises are for Christmas not bookings, Stay well, JR
@Susan1404 @Melodie-And-John0 , JR, I agree and like the motto "business is business".
Stay well and Merry Christimas
@J-Renato0- the only one I would take issue with is the snake. I don't allow pets and that includes snakes. I will admit there are certain indicators that someone may not be the type of guest that will obey house rules. However, none of the ones you list would be indicators for me. I see all my guests when they arrive because they cannot find my rental without me guiding them to the drive that goes to it. So yes, I do get first impressions when they arrive and 99% of the time, my impressions are accurate. I have yet to judge a single guest on clothing though. I find mannerisms and how they speak to me much more indicative of how they will behave as guests.
@J-Renato0 I would not or could not imagine that someone would take offence from said dvd, hence it is in my collection and will remain there. Until the next guest jams the dvd-player. Then both dvds and player will go and never return 😀
I have IB turned, and after the initial greeting, I really don't see our guests unless it's in passing. Probably more often than most of you who have already posted in this thread, I get judged negatively by my appearance regularly, and it's something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. However, I don't let that stop me from trying to be the best person that I can be regardless of melanin in my skin. Guests can see my picture and read my brief story in my profile. If they are cool with what they see, and still book with me, then all that I demand is that they respect me as a human being, and not damage my space.
I see that you are a nice person and are doing well and thriving as a host. I felt a little sad for what you said.
I see that in some countries racism is stronger. And the strongest manifestation of racism is related to the color of the skin. But there are other manifestations of prejudice, such as judging people by their native language or country of origin or background.
I read on your profile that you have traveled to many countries, including South America. Have you been to Brazil? Did you like it?
The closest that I've to Brazil was French Guyana where were have some family. We plan to go to Brazil the next time that we visit them. Hopefully, that will be next year. There are so many more places that I want to see, but just not enough money. If I had the money, I'd quit working, and travel with little concern about how long I'd have to quarantine, because I'd be able to stay as long as I liked.
Ironically, when I am living in St. Lucia, I still get judged. This may not be well know, but Rastafarianism is not well-regarded by most people in the Caribbean. They are often ostracized and wrongly targeted for being criminals. It is not uncommon for the general population to jump to the conclusion that anyone with locs is a Rasta. I practice no religion, except that I like to keep my hair in its natural state, and locs are easy hair maintenance for me. Although I don't encounter prejudice based on my skin color, I surely get my share of judgement based upon my American accent. So, I can totally relate if you have also suffered from "accent discrimination".
I did not know that. Actually, at least in Brazil Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff are regarded as great musicians.
If you visit Brazil, I think you will like it. The text between quotes, It is an extract of text of a review that are on my listing. It was written by a guest from the US. "Brazilians are the warmest, most welcoming and friendly people I have met."