The past two bookings have been made by a third party trying to book for someone else. The most recent, today, has resulted in me losing my Superhost status and the dates being blocked (at Easter weekend). How can AirBnB stop people doing this?
The person who made the booking today works in a hotel and was booking for guests (whom they presumably could not accommodate) who are not on the internet and not on AirBnB. This information was not revealed to me until I had accepted the booking. So I have cancelled, which I am entitled to do. But the penalties do not take the circumstances into consideration.
The previous booking was also by a third party. I declined to accept, but blocked off the dates so that the person they were trying to book for (a sister, it was a nice birthday present) could book direct with me.
How can AirBnB make it clear that hosts are not hoteliers? We are welcoming guests into our homes and are entitled to be able to see who is coming to stay? Have other had this experience and how did you deal with it?