Filtering who can stay at your apartment

Agatha1
Level 2
New York, NY

Filtering who can stay at your apartment

Hey everyone, 

 

So lately I've had the issue that I have had to deny a lot of guests (pushing my listing way down in search results I presume) because I do not allow males traveling alone to stay with me as it is a shared apartment and I am female, and I also don't allow people to book more than three months in advance because I cannot ensure that I will be home on any given day or week 6 months (or even a year) in advance. This is written in my description but what I'm sure will be a shock to all of you, not a lot of guests read descriptions. I've gotten almost threatening emails from airbnb telling me that they will pull my listing if I don't start accepting more reservation requests.

Of course, it adds insult to injury when airbnb tries to convince the general public that everyone who is hosting is just "normal people looking for some extra money" but then turn around and heckle their hosts into functioning like a hotel, which is just not feasible.

 

Does anyone have any solution to this? I can't realistically change my calendar every day to reflect the three month in advance booking period, and also cannot really do anything about the male traveling alone thing. Just looking for any solutions so I don't have to pull my listing from airbnb entirely. 

 

Thanks, 

Agatha 

6 Replies 6
Ed-and-Hugh0
Level 10
Miami, FL

If you set your calendar to only allow bookings up to three months out, then you should not be receiving any inquiries or requests for dates further out than that. You'll want to double-check your settings.

 

If you have gender requirements, they should be right up front in the description.

Thanks for your response! 

 

Is there a setting to actually only allow bookings three months out? I haven't been able to find one but I may have overlooked it. 

 

I do have gender requirements, and it is in the description, but it is just ignored. I don't mind responding to people and explaining that, but I am annoyed that airbnb would push me further down in search results because my (potential) guests are ignoring the description. 

Dave-and-Deb0
Level 10
Edmonton, Canada

Hi @Agatha1,

 

Just to add to what @Ed-and-Hugh0 have already suggested, why not put in the title "Females Only".

 

Dave

 

David

Superhost Ambassador ~ Host Club Community Leader ~ Community Expert ~ Experienced Co-Host

Thanks for responding as well @Dave-and-Deb0

 

I have thought about it but think it sounds a bit harsh and unwelcoming. Plus I do allow men traveling in couple's (the majority of my guests are couples) and I am not enthusiastic about changing my listing from cozy room to females and men traveling in couples only. Kind of wordy.  

 

Again, its not that it bothers me that I have to deny these people or have to write to them, they are usually very understanding. What bothers me is more being pushed down in search results because my potential guests do not read the description. 

 

 

@Agatha1

 

Maybe you can add a line like the one below in the Summary Description & Other Things to Note:

 

"Room is ideal for female guests traveling alone or for a couple"

 

"As a single female host, this private room is available to female guests traveling alone or for a couple"

 

 

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hi Agatha,

I used to have the absolute exact problem you do, because I had mentioned it too far down in the text. People often don't read it all and the house rules are too far down for most. 

I then moved it right to the top of my description text in caps. That helped A LOT, but still got occasional inquiries from guys.

Recently, I just included it right on my listing pic (bit of Photoshop). Still in test phase.

 

Good luck.