Calendar finally blocked for declining to participate in covid hygiene theater

[Lisa723]

Well, Airbnb finally got around to blocking our calendar. We didn't sign up for the ECP, because according to @Catherine-Powell it requires removing from our homes all cookware, tableware, and linens that cannot be rewashed on every turnover regardless of use. This would eliminate one of our listings' primary selling points, not to mention being entirely pointless according to current science-- especially with our four-day vacancy buffer between guests. And while we understand many hosts are taking the "let's not and say we did" approach to this, we won't advertise falsely.

Fortunately we're pretty fully booked through the summer and this will give us the opportunity to prove or disprove our theory that we can fill the remainder of the year with Vrbo and direct booking.

[Fred13]

    Love it, I specially like the way they blended the different colors to the point that it has become unicolor less. The seats are so well positioned, encourages parallel 'conversation'.  The fact you have to wear sunglasses since is so bright and  the way they brought in the also-concrete 'outdoors' into the place via using so much glass are beautiful touches. The whole thing is hmmm...'brilliant'.

    What is the -minus nightly rate, what do they pay people to stay there?

[Robin4]

I used to take great pride in showing the guests the towel rail and saying to them, "If you want any more towels you will find them in this cupboard".....and in that cupboard would be another 12-14 towels! They could take their pick, every one of them washed and sanitised. Guests would almost look in disbelief! That doesn't happen any more. I just put one extra towel for each guest in that cupboard and leave it at that.

Thanks to Airbnb I have dumbed down my listing.

I used to have a great library of books....over 1,200 titles for guests to get lost in! I now have 50 that I am prepared to wipe and sanitise between guests. Time simply does not permit any more.

Thanks Airbnb for dumbing down my listing!

I used to provide over 200 DYD's for guests to select a movie they would like to watch. I don't have time to clean and sanitise every one of them now so I have removed them and the DVD player!

Thanks Airbnb for dumbing down my listing!

I used to provide a cheese plate with 3-4 specialty cheeses plus nuts and crackers for each guest. Even though many of those cheeses were not used, they may have been handled so anything that was in the fridge is thrown out and I now provide just one cheese that I am prepared to lose!

Thanks Airbnb for dumbing down my listing.

Airbnb was founded with the ethos that hosts would provide that 'Authentic Airbnb Experience' ....I am embarrassed by what I am allowed to provide these days. Airbnb are making me dumb down my hospitality so that they don't get sued!

As I said, I accepted it because I want to keep on hosting.....but what I offer these days is a shell of what I used to offer. I try to make up for it with my hosting style and by offering things I previously thought were un-economic.

The ridiculous thing is there is no Covid virus here! I am doing it to protect a few silver-tongues in San Francisco's ars*s.

I hate compromising what I do, I don't want to dumb down my listing or my style but Airbnb compels me to or they will shut down my booking calendar.

I am struggling to think of any other company on earth who considers that less is more!

Cheers......Rob

@Lisa723  @Sarah977  @Nathalie-Et-Gilles0  @Debra300  @Anonymous 

[Anonymous]

@Robin4   Maintaining this fine online community is a brilliant way to present the face to the world that Airbnb hosts are all peers and equals. But it's becoming increasingly apparent that large-scale property managers with huge portfolios of misappropriated housing are the ones with the actual sway and influence inside the company.  They have no problem setting policies that deeply disadvantage traditional hosts like yourself, but there's no way they're going to introduce any new standards without getting the green-light from their big ticket clients. 

And once those any private interest is big enough to influence policy, what do you think it's going to use it for? The greater good and public health and safety? Of course not. Invariably, they use it to disadvantage their competitors. There's no way these players could ever offer the quality and service you provide, but now they can try to pull you down to their level. 

[Robin4]

@Anonymous 

No they won't Andrew!

Mate I am proud of what I do, I don't work to Airbnb's code, I work to mine! I treat each guest as a new experience, and it pays off. Since May last year, August was the only month where I have had more than 3 vacant nights for the month. Airbnb has diddlysquat to do with what I do here.

For me, the reality is, by hosting with Airbnb they are bringing me guests, and as long as they continue to do that our relationship is fine. The moment that stops, Andrew I am gone, I have other hosting alternatives, if Airbnb no longer want me, that's their loss not mine....I am a host!

Cheers.......Rob

[Fred13]

    I realize drama and theatrical roleplaying are fun social pursuits, but do any of you honestly believe (or follow) what any of these crazy new companies says or suggests? I thought the whole thing was moronic, put together by some high schoolers that have yet to live in the real world.  I mean really, let's get real. Even asking for an explanation is sinking further into a labyrinth of the inexplicable.

   P.S. I am still also confused by the last Airbnb ad campaign that shows the granola mother protecting her child from some guy trying to accost them in some type of 'refugee camp'. Was that what they were trying to convey? LoL

[Lisa723]

@Fred13 I have often wondered about the motivations of regular contributors to this forum (including myself)

[Nathalie-Et-Gilles0]

@Fred13 

"  What is the -minus nightly rate, what do they pay people to stay there?"

The nightly rate depends on the country.
In France, it is quite cheap.

For this price, meals and daily cleaning are provided.

If needed, you can extend your stay. The host will always do its best to suit your needs.

This place is very popular and their calendar is full.

However, you can't know in advance if the check out will go well.

Standing on your feet or lying in a coffin.

It is an hospital.

[Mark116]

Vaccines are being widely rolled out across the globe.

Studies show that surface transmission, even transmission from an a-symptomatic person is actually quite unlikely to happen.

Of course, then, this is when Airbnb would finally start blocking hosts who won't subscribe to their OTT cleaning processes.  Of. Course.

[Nathalie-Et-Gilles0]

@Anonymous  @Lisa723 

I think Airbnb knows that hosts who turned on this button are lying.

It is just an « excuse » for them to blame hosts and repay guests for any tale they say.

 « Hi Airbnb,

i found a fork with a glitch on it.

The listing is inaccurate. Please refund.

I am traumatized »

[John5097]

@Lisa723 If you or anyone wants to keep booking with Airbnb during pandemic the best approach, I think, is to agree to the covid enhanced cleaning and make every effort that all the bedding is washed between guest, and the entire place is cleaned and touch surfaces disinfected. Instead of blocking off days, instead purchase an extra change of bedding, and just change it out each time. I wouldn't obsess about every detail as your guest will be rating you, and they are the ones who will know exactly how clean it is.  However, I also respect that some host will try a new booking platform and direct booking. I think its more than the cleaning protocol, as many host have to watch guest though doorbell camera, or risk having entire place trashed, with huge covid party, as Airbnb policy allows unscrupulous guest to pass right through verification and screening process. But,  for host not complying with the enhanced cleaning protocol also opens up host to additional risk of liability. Not my opinion, or 99.9 of your guest,  but you have to look at it from a realistic perspective of liability. So yes, if you can't or don't want to agree to the cleaning protocol it would be smarter to snooze your listing and book somewhere else. I totally respect that, although, even though its not perfect, I think the best approach for host is to agree with enhanced cleaning, and make every effort to clean, disinfect and wash between guest.    

Edit: In short, the extra hoops to jump through just isn't worth it, when host are subjected to exceptional risk while Airbnb limits their own risk putting it all on the host. So while I agree with the overall enhanced cleaning, other host may have already been ready to move away from Airbnb to reduce their own risk and now is a good time to do it and avoid extra expence to stay on a platform they aren't happy with. 

[Lisa723]

@John5097 of course bedding is changed and washed and the entire place is cleaned between guests. Good grief. What is not rewashed is every spare blanket in the blanket chests, every clean towel in the closets, dozens of clean glasses, cups, and plates, every unused baking sheet, pot and pan, whisk, ladle, etc. in the cupboards and drawers.

[John5097]

@Lisa723  You really don't know if a guest used an extra towel or blanket so have to assume they got used. I don't mind. I think most guest would assume that a professional cleaner or maid paid to clean is going to be in and out of most places as fast as they can, so part of the policy is to also  leave guest their own cleaning supplies. So many other parts of the world, like EU and UK, don't even allow STRs, so I would rather put up with some extra cleaning protocol than being on a list of businesses that aren't allowed to opperate.  So many places are seeing another wave in the world: Brazil, most of EU, India, it would be impossible to adjust each policy every week. Sorry I try to look at things objectively, and of course the cleaning policy will be more challenging for some host that others.  

Edit: I'm not here to get bogged down in one detail of a cleaning policy. I just don't see the reasoning to keep hosting and also not agree to the cleaning protocol. A lot of problems here in the CC and guest as well are more  about their perception of reality though the lens of the internet. 

[Lisa723]

@John5097 

There is zero evidence that you can catch covid-19 from a towel or blanket, much less one that has been sitting on a shelf for four days-- even if someone used it then took the trouble to refold it and put it back.

Of course, all hosts should comply with local regulations. That doesn't mean that Airbnb should make up nonsensical regulations of its own.

To comply with the policy we would have to remove from our homes most of the linens and kitchenware that we provide. These amenities are a major draw for our guests and are frequently mentioned in reviews and private comments. To date, we have not signed up for the protocol-- we even point this out in our listings' descriptions-- and this has not prevented us from booking. In fact these days we regularly have people ask to be put on a waitlist. Don't you think guests should have the ability to make an informed choice, if the ECP is important to them? As others have remarked, making the protocol mandatory makes it meaningless, as many hosts will simply lie to keep their listings up.

[John5097]

@Lisa723 I edited my post above to include. 

I'm not here to get bogged down in one detail of a cleaning policy. I just don't see the reasoning to keep hosting and also not agree to the cleaning protocol. A lot of problems here in the CC and guest as well are more  about their perception of reality though the lens of the internet. 

Edit: I already wash any towel or blanket guest have access to. They could pick it up, sneeze into it, and put it back. I'm sure some wipe whatever and put it back. No way I'm risking snot on left on blankets or towels, or even a hair. 

[Lisa723]

@John5097 I think I've explained my reasoning: I'm unwilling to lie, and also unwilling to dramatically alter the nature of our listings to accommodate a nonsensical policy with no scientific justification. But if you don't see it, that's okay.