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:

 

[Charles5]

Thanks a million, Laurie!

[Maria-Lurdes0]

Hey Charles, in your case I would do the following:

In the airbnb message guest send a note to guest "dear X, I notice that you have an extra guest staying - in the assumption that the extra guest will stay for the duration of your booked reservation, I am submitting an alteration to the original booking to reflect the corrected guest count and cost of booking" Then calculate the cost of the extra guest and add that to the total payment box, and change the guest count.  Then hit "submit" and wait for the guest to approve.  If they don't approve before the stay ends, submit a resolution to Airbnb. 

[Charles5]

Thanks a million!

[Chris-and-Britt0]

You can go trough the help function and make a request to change the booking from 2 to 3 persons.

See how they react, try to do everything trough the message system to keep a record for AirBnB because they can read it. It helped me many times.

[Monica4]

I often have a case where a guest will book for 2 people for 4 days, for example, and then when they have checked in they tell me that one the first day there are just the two of them, on the second day there will be four of them, on the third day there will be just the two of them and on the last day there will be 6 of them.........................I used the resolution center in cases like that but how is it possible to control unless I request a booking cancellation and a new 4 booking string, with cleaning inbetween. The guests know that cancelling is not possible and cleaning inbetween guest number changes is not practical.

[David-Kiran-Maria0]

I'd suggest you to make a forfait price and let them pay by cash at check  in avoiding disturbing  airbnb customer  service. being  practical  is  more advantageous and hassle  free.

[NanciandNathan0]

Never take/accept payment outside of the AIrBnB system.  Isn't that rule #1? 

[Amy38]

I dont think you can do this after the guest checks in. Abnb really blows at some things.

[Amy38]

@Charles5   I would either leave a printout of your listing or email them same and say you will happily take cash or a check so that you do not have to involve Abnb.

[David-and-Penny0]

Although I haven't experienced any problems here, it has always been in the back of my mind.  I think it is a great idea and will take away any awkwardness right from the get go.

[Isabelle3]

Thank you for addressing this question - I like the second example as I have had guests turning up with an unanounced "child" who was going to share their bed - a huge 18 year old boy!   So this is a fantastic solution to a vexing issue.  Well done.

[Chris-and-Britt0]

Good point,

We have the same issue sometimes.

People turn up with kids, and expect them to be free.

They use the shower, toilet, linnen and our central rooms, and from a certain age toerist tax needs to be aplied.

And in general the people who try to sneak kids in, are the kind that that are not attending them very well either. So on top of the lower income we end up with damages like broken games, toys and extra dirty rooms.

So yes, an option for kids would be great.

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Good morning @Lizzie,

I am curious if this will go anywhere.  Do the decision makers at Airbnb monitor the Community Center?

Cheers

Dave

[Monica4]

It will go nowhere. As I mentioned before, Airbnb`s main interest is to have as many hosts sign up as possible. Some of these hosts will get discouraged, some will find that hosting is expensive, others may simply never get any bookings. But there will always be more signing up so why should Airbnb concern themselves with the problems that we established hosts have?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Dave-and-Deb0,

Thanks for asking about this. My role as Online Community Manager here is to make sure that not only does the Center remain a postive environment and a place for all of the community to share and speak with one another, but also so that you have a connection with Airbnb. I think it is vitally important that the Commmunity have a voice and in the future we plan to have a more systematic process for ideas like this, but in the meantime I am passing on the feedback gathered from the CC to Airbnb. Once this idea has had time to gather insight from more people within the community I will be happy to feed this over to the team. 

On a personal note, I hope you and others will continue to start discussions like this and share your ideas within the CC,  it is great to hear constructive ways in which you think the site can be improved for everyone.

I hope this is helpful. Thanks so much. Lizzie