Bookings well in advance.

[Bu-Poates0]

May hosts require guests send the full amount due for the booking well in advance of a major weekend?

It's graduation weekend beginning May 19, 2017 at the University of Virginia, and prices can jump to sky high levels but I've not nor will I mark up my rates.  However, I am concerned about my booked guests having to cancel plans on or near the big weekend, resulting in my being out of luck and losing the money.  Most around here have doubled their prices (hotels, etc.) because they can, given the aforementioned but I've chosen not to do so and just want to make sure I am compensated accordingly.  

[Steve143]

Hello @Bu-Poates0,

I wholeheartedly support your outlook. Economists talk about the law of supply and demand but I don't see why everyone HAS to increase prices just because they can. I charge the same price irrespective of festivals, weekends etc.

In Airbnb, apart from price, two things you have at your disposal are your cancellation policy and minimum number of nights.

You could change your cancellation policy to "strict" until after the event. Of course that will apply to all bookings made while it's set that way even if they aren't for that period. You could set your minimum number of nights stay to 3 or 4 nights for that period so as to get only guests who were serious about staying for a longer time.

Steve.

[Wayne-And-Michelle0]

I'm not quite sure what your question is. Airbnb requires full payment up front for bookings, whether they are same day or months in advance. It looks like you are booked for graduation weekend, as are most other establishments. If you didn't raise your prices, great. We did and were booked within a couple days of releasing those dates, because supply and demand. If your current guests would cancel (depending on your cancellation policy), I'm sure you would be re-booked in a heartbeat! What kind of compensation are you looking for?

[Joanna85]

I pretty much stay the same- bump it up just a tad bit on weekends or special times but generally I"m happy where I am.   I will say if the guest cancels on you, who cares...you WILL get a last minute booking.  My price on one of the busiest weekends was not crazy high--just a bit more than I usually charge and shockingly with the 'cheap' price I wasn't booked...then I got a last minute booking.  Lots of people wait until the last minute..scramble around becasue they can't find something in their price range--you'll get something.  

[David126]

I would charge the appropriate rate, as was mentioned the Guest pays at the time of booking.