Nothing to complain about

[Ann72]

I hate to say this, but I have literally no complaints about anything Airbnb at all.  Susan in Dublin is going to hate me for this.  (Love you, Susan!)

Got the usual assortment of cancellations.  Those I had before May 31st got full refunds; the rest got 50%.  Nobody whined, and Airbnb didn't nag me to refund the rest.  The vacated dates were all re-booked within a matter of hours, though, so I've been refunding the cancelled guests.  They seem pleased.

One would-be-returning guest asked if she could have a special flexible cancellation policy if she booked - IN JULY, THE BUSIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR - and I said no.  Someone else booked her chosen dates a few minutes later.  I will admit to a very pleasurable moment of schadenfreude there.

Three other guests took their bookings from this summer to next summer.  Didn't say a word about the higher rates for next year.  I'm awed by people who can plan that far ahead.  

What else?  The payouts have been arriving on time, if not early.  My guests have all been super polite, if not downright friendly and amusing.  One of my current guests asked on Sunday when the garbage would be picked up.  I apologized and said I would get someone in the next day.  Turns out he hadn't noticed and wasn't complaining - just wanted to know.  

Hang on, I do have one complaint!  I don't give out keys.  My doors won't accept any kind of smart lock, I hate to try to keep track of keys, and no one locks their doors in the Maine woods in the summer anyway.  But two guests in a row have asked for keys because of their "valuables."  I didn't tell them there are a few things in the house probably worth more than anything they could bring with them.  I just said they could have a key.  I hope that after a few days they'll get so relaxed they'll forget about the stupid key.

What a dull post this is.  Now I understand why newspapers never report good news.  I hope you haven't fallen asleep by this point, but that if you have, you'll have a good nap.  You've earned it.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  Have you ever considered putting a small safe with a combination lock in the house as an alternative to house keys, for those guests who just can't conceive of unlocked doors?

 I never used to lock my house in Canada. And I don't lock my doors at night where I live now, either- I have a stellar dog who starts barking as soon as anyone gets within 100 meters of the place.

I'm not one of those people who are "allergic" to keys, but I have several friends who are. One of them had her name and address on the key ring. Her grown daughter saw that and said "Mom, you have the address on the house keys? Are you brain dead, or what?"  My trusting friend replied that "Yes, if I lose them, someone can return them". Her daughter answered, "Mom, you've lived in the boonies way too long. You're living in the middle of Vancouver now- if someone finds your keys, you are much more likely to come home to find all your valuables gone than the keys being returned."

Glad all has been going well for you re Airbnb. 

[Ann72]

@Sarah977  A SAFE IS AN AMAZING IDEA!!!  Your suggestion reminded me that I researched them when I first became a host, then never followed through.  I'm going to look into that.  I have a lock box at the cabin, but I haven't installed them at the other two places because I don't want to drill into the pretty wood posts.

I do go around and lock all the doors when I go to bed at night.  I don't want a confused bear stumbling in.

[Emilia42]

@Ann72 

What about the girl with the cat?

P.s. Don't let the word get out that no one in Maine locks their doors 🙂

[Ann72]

@Emilia42  Ha!  I knew you'd notice the thing about not locking doors!  Seriously can never find my key when I'm there.

Cat Girl paid a full 20% more than the normal price for her four nights, making it much easier to refrain from complaint.  A close inspection of the upholstery after she left revealed no cat scratches.  She left a glowing 5 star review, and I gave her a 4 for house rules.  She's probably as mortified by the 4 as a host is by any 4, and if any complaint were to be forthcoming, I'd just say what 4-giving guests always say - "But a 4 is still very good!"

[Lawrene0]

But they don't see their 4, @Ann72 ! Guests see only the written review, which is probably as it should be. Oh dear, though -- unless something has changed?

Glad all is going well. Pretty good here, too. I'm saying no to party people and third-party people and American people (what with the closed border), but the Ontarians who make it through to a booking have been fine overall. And there are so many of them! Staycationers, bucket-listers, those claiming cabin fever who are coming to an even smaller cabin...

None ask about cleaning protocols, so apparently I'm the only one on the property doing any worrying.

I'm complaining about the "kindness cards" -- one just arrived from a guest who stayed in 2016, ack!, but I've got the key thing handled with a numbered keypad. We don't need keys here, either, but guests wanted them, and then would walk off with them. None of that now. 

And the cancellations are plentiful but fine. They get all their money back under my flexible policy, but, like you, I often get a replacement booking. 

So, cool! Not a dull post at all, and it had a cat story with a happy ending!

[Ann72]

@Lawrene0  You’re right!  I forgot they don’t see the numbers.  I don’t even think they can easily see their overall score.  But we can, when they suddenly can’t instant-book.  Mwahhaha!

All sounds great in your world!  I would love to see my Canadian friends, but we all love your Mr. Trudeau, so no resentment at all over the borders.  Look at your numbers compared to ours!  Plus I love the idea of world leaders getting shots at Trump in this way 🙂 

[Ann72]

@Lawrene0  When I read about the "kindness cards," I was embarrassed for everyone.  It's a mortifying idea, creepily suggesting that hosts only do Airbnb because they're - how do the British say it? - on their uppers?  And some guests do have a slight tone, if you know what I mean.  But every host I've met here, and in person in the places I've stayed, is an incredibly successful person in his or her own right.  Funny...

I wish a keypad would work with my blasted doors, but no luck there either, I'm afraid.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  I can't do keypads either- I have hand-crafted metal doors that don't even have door knobs. My guests get a key to their room and a key to the kitchen door. So far I haven't had anyone abscond with the keys, because I live here and usually remember to ask if they don't say they left them in the room r bring them down when they are ready to leave, although one young man said "Oops. almost forgot" and pulled the keys out of his pocket as I was driving him to the bus station.

[Huma0]

@Ann72 

Before you think about a key pad or lock box for keys, it's worth double checking your insurance policy.

I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but when a guest broke my front door lock, I thought it would be a good opportunity to replace it with one with a key pad. The locksmith told me that would almost certainly void my home insurance, as would a key safe. Just something to consider.

[Ann72]

@Huma0  I never realized that - thanks for the heads up, I'll definitely ask my insurance agent about it!

[Inna22]

@Ann72 I’m trying to figure out if you are serious or if it’s a humorous post  All of my guests continue to get full refunds and any bookings I get (If and when I get any)  at are just above winter rates and most I have to convince to cancel because they are attempts to party. 

[Ann72]

@Inna22  I'm sorry to hear that - and that awful review from that awful guest you recently got - but no, I'm serious but using a light tone because I'm bemused by the fact that the world has been going to hell in a handbasket and I have nothing to complain about.

Don't forget that my places are pretty much exclusively for vacationers.  And this year they are more desperate to get away than ever.  A good handful of them were planning European vacations before the pandemic hit.  A couple of them are returning guests.  But overall, they're people who've been in lockdown and need to be in a place where they aren't close to anybody else and can just relax.

[Inna22]

@Ann72  You should not feel bad. I am living  victoriously through you and this is as close as I can get to good hosting news so thank you for posting! 

[Ann72]

@Inna22  Awww 😘