Extra guest charge with no extra services

[Steven532]

Hi, I am a host and a guest. It is very frustrating, traveling as a couple, when many hosts charge an 'extra' fee for us when we sleep in the same bed and there is no breakfast provided. Today's example was a 25% extra per day! I would love some feedback on this. Am I missing something? Thanks Steven

[Kelly149]

@Steven532   From a philosophical standpoint why do you know or care what they are charging for one person if you’re traveling as two people?

every single host & space is different. they’ve made a clear offering and the guest gets to decide if they like it or not. I’m not a fan of guests who think that the way they’d prefer it is the way owners should do it. 

Although, that’s a possibility for a new platform: hosts put up their listing without pricing and guests can bid to see who gets to win the stay. It’s the EBay version. That’ll go great. 

[Steven532]

Thanks for the aggressive and of no value feedback.

Obviously you did not bother reading my question properly because it serves your myopic  viewpoint.

[Cormac0]

@Steven532 

@Kelly149 

I think you should apologise to Kelly, they gave you a fair overview of their opinion which to my mind is a principled one.

While you on the other hand it would appear want Host to validate your position, and in that case you’ve could to wrong location, now for the rude bit, if you’re so sensitive, I think you should share you views in the local crèche.

[Mike1034]

@Steven532 From your title, if it is true that there are no extra services, there should not be extra charge for additional guest.

In reality, as mentioned by many hosts here, definitely there are extra services or cost involved for additional guest. Some of hosts may have incur more extra services than others. Therefore, hosts have made what they think more appropriate numbers to charge the extra guest. 

In the hotel industry, the rules and charges for extra guest vary among different hotels. In Airbnb world, it is the same. Some hosts choose no extra charge for additional guest while the others charge for different amount or proportion. There is no right or wrong here. 

[Steven532]

Hi Mike and thanks for the constructive feedback. Some people on here seem to think it is Twitter and can provide abuse dressed as feedback. Never constructive and kind of counterintuitive given the readers know exactly who you are.

You are correct some hosts do have extra costs and services, given I have 6 properties, I am across that. But my question was based on my research for personal travel, ie: hosts that charge more for a couple than a single and have confirmed no extra services, eg: no breakfast et al.

Some feedback has been on utilities (gas, water etc) but my view is that it is spurious to suggest one person would use AUD10-35 per NIGHT. As for some referencing a second towel to be provided. Seriously?

Another feedback was that couple's spend more time than a single in her property. Seriously? Either accept it or stick to one guest only, pretty simple.

My (very experienced host) feedback to all is: 1. set your  price at a realistic and market rate, 2. don't penalise a couple unless you provide tangible and additional value to them and 3. most importantly remember you are providing a service, the guest is not doing you a favour.

Cheers and happy hosting

Steven

[Mika8]

...wow @Steven532 .. the most and only aggressive tone I got from your posts.

I charge a high fee for the second person.

Why?

- ..... it is not like you wrote: As for some referencing a second towel to be provided. Seriously?  ..... I don't know how you handle it, but my towels get washed after each guest, so this means also the double amount of detergent, of water, of electricity, and time. Except for the linen, I have the double amount of laundry and not only the laundry needs time (no tumbler, I have to hang them on a line) .. especially also to make the beds ready is really time-consuming... my guests have their own blanket and two pillows each. As I live near an airport, most of my guests stay only one night, some two .. so this time-consuming work is not once for a 7-day booking, it's more or less once per day. And as airbnb is not able to make different cleaning fees according to the number of guests I have to calculate this in the night-rate (I know there is a fee for bed linen, but this fee applies only once per booking, probably airbnb is thinking that 10 people share one blanket and pillow .. surly cozy).

- two guests are not only sharing one bedroom they also share the bathroom, toilet, and kitchen with me .. and yes, as more people are using the facilities as more time needed to clean, especially as so many guests are not smart enough to rinse away their soap from the bathtub after showering or their toothpaste from the sink .. I also do not understand how some people are able to make mirrors so dirty ... plus they need twice the time in the bathroom, this could be very inconvenient if guests are inconsiderate 

- further, you wrote: Another feedback was that couple's spend more time than a single in her property. Seriously?  .... Yes, seriously, it's not only the more time, but it is also a totally different dynamic if people travel solo or in accompaniment. Your solution is: Either accept it or stick to one guest only, pretty simple. ... Why, should I do that, if I like to cope with this different dynamic for a certain amount? .. and should I tell you a secret? I do not force any of my guests to book with me, they do it totally voluntarily.

Why do you like to force somebody into a different style of hosting, only because you could not understand it? .. Don't book a place of which you think is not worthy, pretty simple!!

Another thing you have to know is, that most hosts, who do not charge a fee for the second person, they have already calculated this costs in the fee for the basic price .. means, if you travel solo, you pay more ... and not you pay less if you travel with a friend
(sometimes this is understandable if the rent has to be covered and this is only possible if at least two people stay)

Besides the above, I also provide a simple breakfast, many tips, and information at check-in and also upfront, that my guests could make the best out of their stay (also a lot of money saving tips) ... plus I take care, that they feel really welcome and that they have a memorable stay. .. then yes it's a service industry, but it's nowhere written, that nobody should pay for it.