Number of Guests Booking: Suggestion for Airbnb

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Please take this poll:  http://goo.gl/forms/7otIJChX7d

I have seen a common issue posted on the Community Center which happens with several hosts on Airbnb and that is with the number of guests people book for and the number of guests who show up at the door.  This is often a result of 1) a guest trying to "sneak" in extra guests because the host charges extra per person over "X" amount or 2) some guests feel that children should or are not considered people/guests.

Airbnb states that, ""You need to disclose the total number of guests accurately when making reservation requests, including infants and children (Travelling with children)." Now most people would not even know where to find this and it is not on the booking page when you choose the number of guests.  

Airbnb needs to change the way guests book when it comes to inputing the number of guests.  By guests showing up at a host's listing with more people than the host is expecting puts the guest and the host in a difficult position.  It is essentially starting the Airbnb experience out as a negative experience.  Any number of things could happen including 1) the host turning the guest away or only allowing the number of guests in that were booked or 2) putting the burden onto the host by now having to charge for extra guests.  This is not good for the Airbnb brand and you can bet the host will not be getting a favourable review even though the situation was not their fault.

I would like to see Airbnb add a box for the number of children that will be staying just like the airlines and hotels have on their sites.  This would also help out for those hosts who have not checked off "Family Friendly" as the search would not even show their listing if the children box is filled out.

What are your thoughts and experiences of extra guests showing up at your doorstep?  Should this be something that Airbnb should implement or leave it as it is?  

Please share your thoughts below AND complete this quick 2 question survey: http://goo.gl/forms/7otIJChX7d (Results of the poll are here: https://goo.gl/9lTWbD)

Here are a couple of examples of what Airbnb could include:

 

[Diane34]

I have read with interest most of the comments. I have under my house rules "no unregistered guests allowed on property" and this usually catches the attention of granparents who expected to have their grandchildren over for lunch or dinner. They ask permission to have them over. I am currently in a mini battle with a grandmother who wants to have her grandchildren over and is being rude saying "can I not have them over without paying extra" I have told her this is not for activities and the neighborhood is affected by increased activity in the home. (Noise, cars coming - especially the ones that beep when being locked, and traffic) she is playing dumb, so I have respectfully asked her to cancel her reservation (this is because I want to cancel her) but do not want to take a metric hit.

At this point she has not cancelled and I have even told her to rent from VRBO since it would help her vacation plans. She is coming for a wedding *big red flag in the future I think I will not accept guests coming for a wedding since they usually want to socialize at the home. It is an entire home. My sweet spot is families, but I just want them to sleep and eat there, so I have not had problems with extra guests....but I think it is because I state several places my policy. I do not even want them on the property...end of story.

This current problem is due to the fact it is for next july and i should have not accepted a reservation so far into the future since she does not know her plans...I just imagine she would love for her whole extended family to come to the home. I agree it is all addtional wear and tear on the home, furniture, carpet, more use of tolietries...I just hope this current situation works out since I sympathize with other hosts who are being played. It is just like on Amazon, people eventually learn how the scam the system. Hope this does not become a big problem with airbnb since I have enjoyed hosting up until recently with this current problem. Hopefully she will add more guests and it will be ok to have other family over and make it worth my while. I like the idea of the security camera and letting them know about it of course.

[Gustavo40]

Just to offer some perspective from the opposite end, today I've booked 8 days with a very kind host with which I had communicated in advance asking for advice, details, and including information of exactly how many people would be going there: wife, myself, and our 3yo. When booking, and out of my inexperience on Airbnb, I filed for two guests. And no, I wasn't trying to game the system.. I did that because we're extremely used to non-airbnb hosting and the small child was never part of the math. I'm not saying it's not _reasonable_ to have the child as part of the math, I'm saying we did not _expect_ it to be part of the math, and I was ashamed when the host mentioned very casually that in Airbnb it usually is. It felt like I was trying to take advantage of the system, but I wasn't.. I insisted in paying the difference, but the host was so kind he didn't want to accept it.

So yes, I'd very much encourage separate selection for number and age of children, and allow listings to whitelist, blacklist, or offer alternative pricing for the children, as the hosts wish.

Hosts don't like to be gamed, and some guests don't like feeling like they're trying to game either.

[Villa-Parenzana0]

yes I totally agree, this is my problem right now. And I  am looking for an airbnb rule under terms and conditions but no luck. tnx guys for the help 🙂

[JB-and-Ramona0]

Their site states you can turn them away and also that AB&B isn't responsible for damages cost by an extra guest. I am tempted to copy and paste this onto my house rules.

[Evelyn25]

I am having this exact problem, my guest booked for ten, then asked for extra beds, I assumed this was because there were a number of singles in the group. I've now discovered there are twelve and they wish to change the number to fourteen????my house is large, and people could sleep in couches, but realistically it's an awful lot of wear and tear!!!

[Graeme7]

Agree completley with the suggestion. My guest, five days out, is trying to add one adult and two children to the reservation. My apartment is NOT child friendly and it is not at all suited for five people (in total). If I say no they are going to either show up anyway OR they are going to sneak them in after my host leaves. And I cannot cancel the reservation without penalty. And, no, critiqueing them on the AirBnB community is not enough. I simply do not want that many people/children in my house. How do I proceed?

[Sue75]

If you clearly state in your House Rules on Airbnb "Not suitable for children" You can cancel the reservation without penalty as the person is not agreeing to your terms and rules.

[Hélène25]

Hello,  I few weeks ago I had a reservation for 10 persons and they happen to be 11.  Before I notice the amount of guests our relation was happy, I help them organize there trip in the city with a map showing them all the best ways to travel in the city, and so on.  There was one person extra that I notice before leaving the appartment, when I told them that they will need to pay an extra charge for this payment they were not happy and turned the problem to my side instead of admitting.... I felt bad and as per your comments I end up having a bad review, with quality price of 2 stars....

I agree with your suggestion of modifying the amount of guests to make it clear to the customers.

thanks for this good subject, 

Hélène

[Marla2]

Excelent comment. I also think Airbrb should state very clearly- if shows up more guests then the number at the reservation, a extra charge will be done at the checkout. 

[Carol74]

My listing accommodates 4 people.

someone made a reservation for 2 adults for 3 days.  

After the reservation was confirmed, the guest wrote and asked if 2 more people could come.

i know I can accommodate 4, but the request was for 2.

 Just don't like it.  What do you think?

[Sue75]

There seems to be more of this happening. Booking for 2 and then the numbers climb. Make sure that you register that more are coming and how much........or refuse point blank until they complete the correct numbers on the site.

[Marcus0]

@Dave-and-Deb0

good to see Airbnb will hopefully start to re-confirm the number of guests once a guest put an actual booking in.

Have an experience happening right now.  A seasoned Airbnb family puts in a request for one person.  I politely go back and ask if it is an oversight.  Then within a minute i get the response, of we are paying enough as it is, can´t you just skip it.

So this tells me some guests intentionally do this and obviously other hosts have accepted it.

I am in the right mind to not accept the booking.  I have asked them to pay the additional small fee.  Let´s see.

#whenairbnbhostsareabused

[Dave-and-Deb0]

@Marcus0,

I certainly hope you stand your ground.  Their response is a red flag for me.  They have obviously not read your house rule, "Absolutely no more guests permitted to stay than what have been booked for."

"Can we just smoke one cigarrette a day inside?"

[Marcus0]

@Dave-and-Deb0 i declined the booking request.  From her profile she is a seasoned Airbnb guest so i was pretty sure she knew what she was doing even though she advised it was not intentional.  After i declined the booking advising her it was not a good start to the booking relationship she sent this final message.  We were both polite and that was that.

I understand and respect your decision. It was not intentional, and I haven't had such strict hosts in the past. I'm open to discussion, or waiving additional person fees, which is why I asked. Again, I understand your perspective. All the best.

[Marcy1]

I was just called "unethical" and "discrimanating against children" because I wanted to add a $20 fee for 3 extra children. YIKES! This was a potential guest who had no reviews.  Since she had no reviews, I asked who would be staying and are there any pets (since I've been around that block before). She said 2 adults, a poodle an the "kiddos". She however had selected "2" guests, so I inquired how many in the party and the ages. She said 5, one is a baby and gave me no other info. My guest house is small and I have a limit of 3 and I charge $20/night for the additional guest after 2, and $10 for the dog/night. There is extra work forsure with more people (extra bed), toddlers & crawlers touch everything and most dogs shed. IMO a two year old is no longer a "baby". The CDC calls 1-3 year old's, toddlers and 0-1 yo's infants.

I find it disconserting to be falsely accused of discrimination and unethical behaviour when I had to eek out from this woman who would be staying at my house. I like the idea of the drop down for adults, children 1 and older, and children 12months & younger, AND PETS. And an acknowledgement of the accuracy by the guest (loss of reservation & cost if not accurate). 

Anyway, I'm just feeling bad about this whole experience, about first having to eek out the fact that there are 5 people and a dog really wanting to rent a 3 person space, and then to be called names for wanting to charge $30/night extra and making an exception to allow 5. Thats not my kinda airbnb community....

Marcy

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Marcy1,

I hope you declined her?

[Marcy1]

Actually, I was so shocked that I called Airbnb and we decided that the better part of valor was to help her, since she was so obviously not getting what airbnb is about. Unfortunately her rudeness continued, and I found out that she actually hung up on the very nice person who was there to help her with a booking that would be a match for her family. She found the cancellation button thankfully.

I did find out from the airbnb helpline that there will be more transparency in the booking in regards to who will be staying including # adults, # children 2 and up, #"babies" 2 and younger, and pets. It sounds like "babies" don't count toward your house limit and therefore are not counted in the charge or tally. I'd be fine with one and under but most 12+ months are on the serious crawl or march for every-any-thing! 😉

[Katie19]

I haven't had extra guests show up, but in my house rules I have listed "Please book your reservation for the total number of people coming and provide us with the names of guests. No guests other than the persons registered at booking, except upon prior notification and approval."  After all these are strangers we are letting into our home, so I want to at least know who's under my roof. It's also important for insurance purposes.  When inquiring about insurance coverage from Airbnb about a guest wanting to have an event at my home part of their response was "Only Guests included in the reservation would qualify to cover you with our Host Protection Insurance.' 

It takes a little extra effort, but I follow up each booking with a message to confirm details of the reservation. Included in that I recently started asking the names of guests that will be staying. This way I have it in writing in the message history and if there's any discrepancy I can refer back to their message.  By being very direct ahead of time I'm hoping it will help avoid people trying to work in extra guests. 

I love the idea of the drop down and numbers of people included.  We don't allow children due to safety concerns with having a pool, so having the options for children grayed out would be perfect.  To take it one step further it would be great to have to fill in the guest names. If they have 1 guest then one boxe would have to be filled out, 2 guests two boxes, etc. The more information ahead of time the easier it is to avoid awkward situations of extra guests showing up on your doorstep.

[Wendy20]

Thank you for your response Katie.

Much appreciated.

                                Wendy

[Sarah73]

For safety reasons, the correct number of guests should be documented, surely?

[Wendy20]

I have had a couple turn up with 2 toddlers this week end who were not declared at time of booking.

I do have an extra person charge and say clearly in my house rules that all  guests including children must be included at the time of booking.

When I mentioned it to him he said he didn't realise that children had to be mentioned at time of booking.

PLEASE air BnB implement this additional drop down menu for the guest to fill in. This would save alot of awkwardness for guest and host.