I wish to explain to guest why I cannot accept.

[Carl-and-Sally0]

Due to our local bridge being affected by recent floods it is currently closed and may not open again until tomorrow.  So I cannot accept a booking.  I have declined it but I now I have no way to explain why.  I believe this is common courtesy.  

I originally received an enquiry from this guest and I responded I would not accept their booking until I knew if they could actually get to our place. I posted it but then the enquirey totally disappeared and I have no idea why.

Does anyone have a suggestion of how I can contact this guest to explain.

Regards,

Sally 

[Linda108]

If you no  longer have a message thread then there is no reason to explain, even though I agree about giving an explanation.  The guest probably found some place else.

[Carl-and-Sally0]

Thank you Linda108, I feel uncomfortable about not giving an explanation.  I hope they have found another place to stay.

Sally

[Emilia42]

@Carl-and-Sally0 

The message thread should be in your inbox. Do you not see it there?

[Carl-and-Sally0]

No, it almost instantly vanished after I wrote a response.  Now although I have declined this booking, without giving a reason, it is still showing on my calendar as a booking request.  I was going to make today and tomorrow unavailable.

Thank you for responding Emilia42

Sally

[M199]

@Carl-and-Sally0 

Did you maybe archive the message?  Check your inbox archive.

[Carl-and-Sally0]

Thank you for all the assistance.  The issue was finally resolved by selecting a reason for the decline as requested by AirBNB.  A new page opens which allows you to send a message to the guest as to why you had to decline their request. 

I didn't initially select one of the four reasons as none suited the situation.

Perhaps AirBNB could include a "Other" option to the reasons, as this should avoid this particular type of issue in the future.  Regards, Sally