1st Booking

[Christie-and-Gary0]

We've just accepted our first booking... Now what the reservation isn't until May 13th.  Do we send the Guest our Address or does Airbnb do it and if I do it, when should I send? 

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Christie-and-Gary0:
Congratulations!! After a guest books Airbnb provides the guest with the address, however, most people do not see it.

Here's what we do:

Immediately after a booking we send the following message:

Hello [Guest],
Thank you for booking with us! We know you will enjoy your stay!
We'll send you arrival instructions closer to time. Our phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX should you need anything in the mean time.
We look forward to meeting you!
Tim & Holly
Here's 100+ things to do while visiting Tucson:
http://houseforrentwebsite.com/100.php

Two days prior to their arrival we send another message:

Good morning [Guest],
Thank you again for booking with us. Do you have an estimated arrival time on [arrival day]? We would like to be able to plan our day/evening so we can meet you on arrival to show you around and answer any questions you may have about the house.
***Also, please text us 10 or 15 minutes before you arrive so we can provide last minute arrival instructions.*** Our phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Our house address is [address].
Thank you again for choosing our house!
Tim & Holly

And when they text us 15 minutes prior to arrival we either provide them with their door code or go meet them.

Hope this helps you and congrats again.

[Sarah977]

@Tim-and-Holly0  If I were a guest I would never book a place that wouldn't give me the address until 2 days before check-in or arrival details until 10 or 15 minutes before. What if I lost my phone, or I couldn't get a cell signal or the battery went dead? I'm not a fly-by-nighter and it stresses me out not to have all info well ahead of time. I send my guests directions a week before check-in, get their ETA and everything ironed out and clear. Then they can call or text me when they get to town if they'd like me to pick them up at the bus station, which is 5 minute drive from my house and how the majority of my guests arrive.

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Sarah977:
If a guest wants to know the address, all they have to do is look on their message thread; it's right there. Secondly, if a guest, like you, is easily stressed then we've provided a phone number for them to call. Voila: stress gone. Thirdly, not providing door codes until arrival completely eliminates people showing up early prior to a house being ready and also helps to eliminate guests who are renting for nefarious reasons.

[Sarah977]

@Tim-and-Holly0  Yes, I understand and respect the reasons hosts with self-check-in don't like to provide the door codes until close to check-in. But if I were your guest and let you know that I'd feel more comfortable having it earlier, assuring you that I would respect your check-in time and hopefully giving you a sense of who I am (i.e. not renting for nefarious purposes), would you be amenable to giving the information earlier?

Quite a few of my guests do not bother to pay their providers the $10/day it would cost them to have their phones work while they are on vacation for a week in Mexico. They couldn't care less about being connected while here- they just want to relax, enjoy the beach and read their book. Once they get to my place, they can get online with my Wifi signal and email someone to let them know they arrived safely. Even if they have supposedly set up their phone to work here, it sometimes doesn't. So I like to get all in place with guests well ahead of time.

[Rachel177]

@Tim-and-Holly0 I have to agree with @Sarah977 about not providing details for check-in 10-15min out from arrival (even if it's only door codes).

There is no way as an international traveller that I would be happy having to pay for data on my phone to let you know that I'm 10-15min away. I have international roaming on for emergencies, but rely on my host accommation having wifi to access the internet. It would also stress the hell out of me arriving in a new country and not having the check in details fully confirmed for my accommodation.

[Jody79]

I send check-in details the day prior to arrival.  I've struggled with wondering if that was far enough in advance, we also use codes, so don't want to give that out too far in advance.