I need a different night....

[Laura2592]

So confused by a recent booking request.

Guest is going to a wedding on a Saturday but the Saturday she wants is not available. She wants to come, bring a dog and a husband and book on a Sunday and a Monday. In her message she said she "really wants" the Saturday. I know for a fact we won't have a cancellation on this one (its blocked for a personal event we are doing.) I say "its very doubtful this will open on the Saturday you desire. Not trying to talk ourselves out of a booking but perhaps it would be best to find a place to stay that fits your dates better?" She doesn't respond to that but merely to the fact that she doesn't know how to update her reservation (she needs to reflect 2 people and not the single person that its for.)

We can't let this guest in on Saturday and I have concerns that if that is the night she really wants, she will push for that. Our check in is noon on Sunday. How would you respond?

[Colleen253]

@Debra300 Priceless! Thanks for sharing 😂

[Ann72]

@Debra300  “Do you think the back is some magical place?  Do you think it’s Santa’s workshop back there?”

*dying

I just added this line to my house manual because I’ve had so many budding 20-something Karens this season:  “This is a house in the Maine woods.  It is not Brooklyn North.”

[Emilia42]

@Debra300 OMG I just watched this while closing up my family's retail business . . I've never laughed so hard!

[Lawrene0]

@Laura2592 , I hope you have taken notes from these ZR (zero review) experts. 

You are not to be presumptuous with people who merely want you to appall an already-booked guest with the suggestion that they let someone else have their night. 

Weren't you recently told you need a lesson in customer service for declining a booking for far more people than your listing can accommodate?

You're going to have to pull up your socks. 😉

[Sarah977]

@Lawrene0  It's just a matter of time until guests start making tutorial blogs for hosts teaching them how to be professional and provide good customer service.

[Laura2592]

@Lawrene0 all I can think is that this must be a member of the British royal family traveling incognito 🙂 Mere mortals mat not understand the privilege of being bumped by one. 

Seriously though people are legit nuts right now.  I see it in my online business too. More problem customers in the last month than the last 2 years. I think people aren't scared anymore so all the frustration of being cooped up for a year is just seeping out their pores. Lots of adults acting out. I just smile and nod.

[Lawrene0]

Yes to seeing the acting out, @Laura2592 . With our newest lockdown extension has come the next round of cancellations. One guest who cancelled his May night this weekend for a full refund wrote yesterday to ask whether he could come anyway. He suggested we do a cash deal and that I find someplace for him to hide his car so no one knows he is here. Behind a tree, I guess? Throw some branches over it?

He just really needs this holiday. Really needs it while our ICUs are filling and our vaccine rollout is stalling, and the penalty for operating a non-essential STR is something like $500,000.

Like yours, my "no" was firm but gentle. He thinks I am being "a little unreasonable about this".

Oh look! He, too, has no reviews. 

[Laura2592]

@Lawrene0 I am so glad so many experts have chosen to recently join the platform! That will truly help all of us who struggle with the rules of basic human interaction. Such as the difference between "asking" and "getting" or even "asking politely" vs "making unreasonable requests/demands." Truly, these new, enlightened folks are a real find. 

[Sarah977]

@Laura2592  @Lawrene0 

It's really quite simple. Just keep in mind, "I must cater cheerfully to all guests' requests, demands, expectations, needs, wants, whims, insanities, and substance abuse issues" and you should be fine.

[Laura2592]

@Sarah977 and provide the pony they didn't get for their fourth birthday. Got it. I think I am catching on!

[Sarah977]

@Laura2592  As long as you don't actually expect them to appreciate the pony. After all, they were disappointed not to get it for their 4th birthday, and have resented that ever since. So it's really only what they are entitled to, no need to say thanks or give a good rating. And bear in mind, it might not be the right color pony. Better ask first, so you don't screw up.

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592   I had an interesting one a few months back. I have been taking bookings from folks who can pass my "Covid screening" and able to comply with local regulations, such as masking, social distancing etc. And, at that time, there were strict guidelines about people not in one's immediate family gathering indoors. So no visitors.

A guest, flying in,  wanted to book with her teenage daughter. But, she said, she wasn't sure whether the daughter would want to stay at my place or with her cousin at a local University (I'm not clear where at the University that was, since campuses were closed at the time.)

She didn't want to pay the nightly additional-guest fee for the daughter in advance, in case the daughter decided to stay with the cousin.  She said she'd settle the additional-guest fee by cash or credit card, if the daughter stayed overnight. 

But, the daughter might want to "pop in and visit".    (not sure if the cousin was going to pop in too)

I mentioned to her that I thought, under the circumstances, that this seemed like risky behavior to me, and that I thought the daughter was better off just planning to stay at my place with mom. 

Mom reiterated she wasn't prepared to pay the extra fee if the daughter decided not to stay with me. 

I declined the request, indicating that I don't take cash, and don't have the ability to take credit cards, and that I felt it wasn't clear to me that teenagers would take local Covid regulations seriously, and my rules only allow the registered guests to use the space.

I got a really nasty message after that accusing me of trying to price gouge during a pandemic.   Dodged one there. 

[Alexandra316]

@Laura2592 I've been having a weird time with booking requests lately. I've seldom declined a before, but I've had to do it with two this week. 

Request 1: Brand new user, no reviews, no profile info. Trying to book for one week mid-June. Introduction message says: 

"Want a place to stay so I'm not homeless. Can't get into new house until July."

Hello to you too, lady. I sent back a message welcoming her to Airbnb and asking for a bit more info. She didn't respond within 24 hours, so I declined. She sent a message the next day saying she was able to change her closing dates and to cancel her request. Way ahead of you there...

Request 2 yesterday: I got a request from another new user, same thing with no profile info. The request was for a weekend in July and her message said: "Looking for a getaway but we'll probably have to cancel due to Covid." That was it. Another compelling case for hosting, but no thanks. 

The system even prompts them to put together an intro message, so I guess they figure it's not needed. 

[Ann72]

@Alexandra316  Jeez!  Debbie Downer has nothing on these ladies.

[Lawrene0]

"Another compelling case for hosting..."  - @Alexandra316 

😄