After two bookings (both IB) in a row where the guests showed up and thought they had rented our entire home and not a private room and bath, and obviously not read any house rules, didn't know we had cats, etc......I'm trying a new approach.
I have a strict cancellation policy so that 7 days or less before their arrival if a guest cancels I still get paid. So, just under one week before they arrive I am sending the following type of message so they can cancel if they realize they booked without checking the details and it's on them.
Let me know what you think! I will try to revisit this thread to let you know how it's going. I recently instituted a hidden phrase in my rules to see if folks read them but these are some reservations that happened months ago before I got savvy.
"Hello So & So!
Hope you are doing well. Your trip is less than a week away. We wanted to touch base and start familiarising you with our home and area so you can plan your stay. These things are all mentioned in the listing in several areas, but they tend to get overlooked when booking, so we make sure there are no surprises. Our listing is a private room and bath in a shared home which means we will be here. That being said, we are super busy and you will hardly see us. You will probably see more of the kitties, which brings me to the fact that we have 3 rescue cats that have free roam of the house. Note: they do not go into your bedroom unless allowed, so you can keep your door closed to keep them from visiting.
It's a large house (3 stories total) so we all have plenty of space. Our offices are on the top floor and our entrance and bedrooms are in the back of the house and basement. These areas are off-limits to guests and there is a layout in the listing photos.
Speaking of listing photos, there are photos of your areas of the house and of some suggested activities as well as the nearest places for coffee and food. There is also a guidebook in the listing created by me that lists everything nearby and also tons of attractions.
AirBnB requires upon booking that you read and agree to our house rules. Some of the more important ones to us are quiet hours and no shoes on the wood floors, but please read through them (and share them with your guest) to be sure both guests and hosts have a 5-star stay. Alright! Let us know if you have any questions. We will touch base a day or so before arrival to talk about check in.
Thank you!
Reese and Todd"