Which do you prefer: Instabook or Request?

[Debra48]

As a host, I have problems with both. With Instabook, we have the option to set parameters whereby the guest must be reviewed and cannot have negative reviews. With Requests, no such options exist.

With Instabook, you are allowed to decline if the guest makes you feel "uncomfortable," up to three times without penalty. With requests, you are allowed to deny three times before being penalized.

With Instabook, your calendar is not blocked if you reject the booking. With Requests, your calendar is automatically blocked for 24 hours unless the guest withdraws the request. 

At the beginning of the pandemic, I shut down Instabook. But lately I am reconsidering because I find the Request system to be quite burdensome, particularly since I get numerous requests from people who either have not read my house rules or are unreviewed. In both cases, I have to deny the request and am penalized or implore the guest to withdraw the request. 

I have suggested to Airbnb that at the very least, establish the same parameters for the request system as Instabook, and if the prospective guest fails to meet said parameters, then automatically reroute the prospective guest to an Inquiry.

I'm curious to know which system (Instabook or Request) hosts prefer, and why. Before I switch back to Instabook, I'm interested in host feedback. Thank you so much for taking a bit of time to share your personal host experiences. Others no doubt will find your input valuable, as well. 

[Debra48]

Interesting -- was not my experience but also not the first time I have heard this. I may switch back to IB after Thanksgiving and give it a try for a bit. 

[Brian2036]

@Debra48 @Sarah977 @Mike-And-Jane0 @Michelle53 @Branka-and-Silvia0 

I just got served the perfect example of why I dislike this booking system.

Guest sends a request for Thanksgiving week.

”I’m meeting my son halfway between Texas and Michigan. I haven’t seen him in 3 years he 25 and it his birthday.”

No reviews, recently joined, and… booking details are “1 adult and 3 children.”

Hijo de la gran puta!

BRB, I just received another request/demand from the same source.

[Brian2036]

I guess she decided that if the first attempt failed she would try again.

Anyway, I replied in less than a minute with:

Brian7:36 PM

I’m sorry, but as our listing states, this property is not suitable for children and hosting them would cause my insurance to be canceled.

Brian7:43 PM

Please withdraw your request so that you can book something that meets your needs. If you send multiple requests your account may be frozen.

Good luck—if you like this area there are many other properties available.

Anybody want to guess at the response?

NONE. I have a very bad feeling that she is at this very moment crying to Airbnb CS about discrimination.

[Brian2036]

So anyway, I figured I would flag this ignorant twit in order to get rid of her.

WRONG. I never looked at the choices you have when flagging a message before, but they are few, and none of them is “This ignoranus has stated the intent to violate house rules and refuses to withdraw an inappropriate request.”

Maldito estafadores.

So now my calendar is blocked for prime dates which would have been filled long ago had I not STUPIDLY blocked them for someone who was here last Thanksgiving and said that they would “definitely be back next year.”

They ate two large fried turkeys and a whole deer so possibly they died from heart attacks. In any case I never heard from them again.

 I would lay generous odds that if I were foolish enough to accept this already improper request, the son would have showed up with an adult companion or two and a few more screaming brats.

Maybe I should just block Thanksgiving and forget about it. I’m going to dream about cleaning mashed potatoes off that 28’ vaulted ceiling tonight…

[Debra48]

"This ignoramus has stated the intent to violate house rules and refuses to withdraw an inappropriate request.” This statement pretty much sums up so many of the requests that I receive. I don't know why we seem to have a different experience from so many others on this thread. It's infuriating when your calendar is blocked and the guest just ignores communication.

The fact that a guest failed to read house rules IS an acceptable reason for rejecting someone if using Instant Book. Same with Requests, but the request system requires more finagling with Airbnb (in essence, more of your personal time involved in explaining and getting desired results). 

[Brian2036]

@Debra48 

Back to the OP, I would have been better off if she had used IB in this case.

She couldn’t though because she’s been a member since maybe this evening and she has no reviews or recommendations.

I would be surprised if there weren’t payment issues as well.

But none of that should stop her from blocking my calendar for one of the year’s most popular holidays, RIGHT?

It’s probably too late to expect to get anyone with the sense the Creator gave a goose to book for Thanksgiving anyway, so I guess I’ll wait until the last minute to decline.

I’m no kind of procrastinator so this is giving me a stomachache, but I’m hoping for a nasty reply from her that will give me an excuse to flag her.

 I expect a request from the son to book for one adult and no children after I decline, so I’m probably just going to have to block those dates anyway.

Everything about this is screaming “DON’T DO IT!”

[Sarah977]

@Brian2036  I feel for you. What blows me away is that people want to try to force themselves on others when they are clearly unwelcome. I don't know about you, but if I get the impression  that someone doesn't want me around, I would be embarrassed to keep hanging around.

These people who just won't give up remind me of the nerdy kid back in high school who keeps trying to hang out with some cool kids, who keep ignoring him, or making fun of him, and he just doesn't get it and won't go away.

[Brian2036]

@Sarah977 

If I were a truly kind and caring person I would feel sorry for someone who diddled around until November 14 to make plans for Thanksgiving and what is most likely going to be a birthday party.

Fortunately I’m not.

 I did take the time to check my competition and, as I expected, they’re all booked for those dates so I’m standing out in the crowd with my pants down.

There are places between Texas and Michigan other than Yellville, Arkansas, though. (According to rumors.) Some of those places might have hotels.

They probably discriminate against people who try to squeeze six into a double room though…the heartless maleantes.

[Debra48]

Don't feel bad, I'm also open on Thanksgiving, after turning down an 8-day request over thanksgiving because they were unreviewed (and having been advised by Airbnb to ask them to withdraw the request). I then blocked out the holiday for a 4-night minimum. Seems no one wants 4 nights. For me, money doesn't matter. It's my time and personal energy that matters. Thanksgiving is a high maintenance holiday. If guests don't want to book four nights, it's not worth my time. I also closed half the summer, just because I don't want all the traffic on my property. 

[Debra48]

Get this, Sarah. I had an attorney challenge me the other day, citing the actual numerical code and verbiage from the City of Los Angeles short-term rental regulation I had referenced in my decline to her request, stating how and why she wouldn't be in violation of this regulation. To which, I said, "Since I will not be on the premises to supervise your gathering, I cannot ensure your guests will stay indoors. And therefore, I cannot accept your request. Am I making myself clear?" Finally, she withdrew it. But this is the sort of crap that I have to put up with here on Airbnb. And is exactly why I am considering moving back to IB. So much time and effort goes into coddling these requests. I don't mind it so much when business is slow. But when they're coming in fast and furious, it's completely exasperating!

[Sarah977]

@Debra48  Ugh. Different areas of the world seem to have different demographics of guests as far as attitude. Some areas seem to get so many requests from entitled people who think you have to cater to their demands, others don't hardly. There's a host who posts here a lot who lives in Maryland, who said there's an "attitude" she has come to expect from guests from D.C., of which she gets a lot. 

I've also blocked holidays in the past that attract the type of guests who I don't want, basically Semana Santa. That week becomes a zoo in my town, with up to 10,000 people coming here, busloads of them. Many are really young, don't even seem old enough to travel without their  parents. They'd cram 10 bodies into a room meant for 2 if they could get away with it. And they're just here to party. That's when I get inappropriate inquiries and requests, so unless I have a legitimate booking already, I just block that entire week- not worth fielding all those "no way" requests, or bookings for 1 that show up with 6.

[Debra48]

That's kind of the way I feel about Thanksgiving. It is a high maintenance holiday. If you don't want to spend 4 nights, it's not worth fielding all those "no way" requests. 

[John5097]

@Debra48To me the advantage to IB is option to require govnment ID. For guest with no or low review rating the send a request to book, if that option is selected. As @Michelle53 cited host using IB has three reasons to cancel any reservation up to 3 times a year. Not feeling comfortable with guest is not one of them and will block off calendar. The host ambassador did not realize this. Also using one of your three cancelations is considered a penalty free cancellation. All in all it can become very challenging for host depending on the listing and it’s location among other risk factors. I’m hoping Airbnb will be more proactive verifying guest ID to help limit risk to host and setting claims. 

[Debra48]

I can see no advantage to either, frankly. if you have IB turned on and a guest is unreviewed, the booking automatically goes to a Request anyway. So what's the point of having Requests turned off and IB turned on? A logical and acceptable alternative would be for the rejected IB to automatically default to an Inquiry, NOT a Request  If the whole point of IB is to automate and filter, and hopefully hasten the booking process, it actually works against the host by automatically defaulting to a Request.

I am considering many different ways to incentivize potential guests to contact me BEFORE submitting a Request. I am also considering starting an exclusive Members Only club.

My problem is that I get unsolicited publicity in major online publications with pings back to my Airbnb listing and then during those periods I have no way to control the traffic or volume of Requests. So Requests end up being a giant nightmare.

Also,  high-end European sites, which have solicited my business yet I have ignored until now,  vet their property listings as well as participating guests. I may start paying attention.

If Airbnb doesn't self-correct soon to further protect its hosts, I will be actively looking for ways to replace the platform. 

And on a final note, VRBO uses the same useless Request/IB system. I checked. So no advantages there.  

[J-Renato0]

@Debra48 

I am an off site host. I let entire space.

I love instant booking. 

I feel safe and comfortable with I.B. by setting parameters whereby the guest must be reviewed and cannot have negative reviews.