How to explain additional guest fee?

Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

How to explain additional guest fee?

I have a new booking who is going to be a pain, I already know this based on her constant questions before booking. Now she wants an explaination of the extra guest fee. I charge $20 per person over 8. Her group is 9. She doesn't understand things very quickly. Help!

30 Replies 30
Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

I'm telling you, I have a headache already and she doesn't even arrive until this weekend.

 

My reply: Most places that sleep larger amounts set there rates for 8 people and charge an additional guest fee over 8 guests to cover the additional costs related to more people. I charge $20 per person over 8 per night. 

If you go to our VRBO listing scroll down to Rates you will see these fees listed:

Additional information about rental rates
Cleaning Fee
$170
Additional Guest Fee
$20

 

Guest: I've seen the cost, but I don't understand it. We are already your guest and paying to be there so I'm confused. Who are the additional guest?

.

Hi @Letitia0,

 

I suggest You try to educate these people gradually.

 

First step: 1 + 1 = 2

 

Find out if they get this and take it from there.

At that point I would not do business with them. I have same issues when this types ask alot of questions them try to challenge prices.  I had learn from one similar experience (that I KNEW was not going to be pleasant)  Once they were in, started asking for extra services and amenities. Sometimes I like to take chances and go on with the benefits of my doubts but personality traits usually don't fail to determine the outcome. its just me.... You know what is best for you.

   

Oh MY!!!! This guest is going to be rough. I don't think any answer you give them will suffice. You can try with the fact that extra bedding, towels and items need to be added for the additional person as your basic cost is set for 8 people. You might want to see if they want to change their reservation to another place that might satisfy them. Hosting them could be a nightmare and you could receive a bad review. Does this guests have any reviews? They also could be whining so that you may offer a discount. I hope their stay is short.

 

@Robert0 And Nancy  This was the message I got from her at 10 pm last night:

 

Sorry for the late hour. Is your home still available for the 8th-11 Jun? The owner of the home we were renting just notified me that her AC unit just went out.

 

Some how I think that AC unit is working just fine lol...

 

After booking I immediately get this:

 

If we need to check in earlier than 4 but after 1 can we ?

 

My check in is 4, but I do allow luggage drop off. She forgot this question wasn't answered when she noticed the $60 Extra Guest Charge. Haven't heard back from her yet. Just sent her check in information. I can already hear the questions "Why do you need an alarm system and a safe on your property? Are we in a bad area? and on and on... This one may take more than Advil maybe a 1.75 lt of Tequila will help.

No reviews.

Maybe skip trying to explain why, and just tell her that's how the price works.

 

"If you have 8 people, it costs $X.

If you have 9 people, it costs $Y.

 

You have 9 people."

 

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

sadly, many guests do not seem qualified for travel. Good luck, and at least please come back and tell us if she was pleasantly clueless or painfully clueless.

Maybe you'll also want to use this time to explain to her that she's paid for 9, not for however many she can wrangle up

Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

I think my AC may stop working also...

 

Guest: Celebrating youngest Brothers 40th birthday. Traveling w/ Husband, Daughter, Mother, and Brother.

 

I looked at her first inquiry from last weekend on VRBO Guests: 8 Adults - 1 Child. Her booking on HA Guests: 6 Adults - 3 Children.  Her total doesn't match. I'll have to see what she fills out on the RA she has 48 hours to return it or I change the code I just sent her earlier.

 

Now I get thls:

 

We do not need any booster seats or high chairs. Thank you for asking. Do you have an air mattress on the premises?

 

 

I have 6 beds (King, Queen, 2 Doubles and 2 Twins) and a queen sofa sleeper. Why does she need an air mattress? What do you think, is it time yet to tell her we live and work on the property daily and can see everything; cars, people and even strange people who use the LP gas fire pit outside on a 90 degree night? Or should I wait for the RA to be returned?

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

I have found that difficult guests can often help me tweak my listing to be  more clear because they come with a perspective I don't have.  After I stop being annoyed :P, I look at my listing.  Perhaps because you are on several other platforms and are relatively new to Air BNB, your listing description might be a bit confusing.  

 

Your listing can accommodate 12 guests so the way the Air BNB listing now reads, extra guest fee information is added at booking but not evident prior to that.  I think this is confusing to the newbie guest.  Perhaps you could add at the top of your description that the nightly rate applies to up to 8 guests with a $20/person/night additional fee for guests 9-12.  Just a thought

 

 

Linda, 

I have in my rules even infants are counted in total guest count. After 8 people period I charge $20 per extra. On other platforms I can limit it to 10 Adults and 2 Children as my max. I can not do that on AirBnB. 

 

I write romance novels, so I am sure my Wedding Venue listings and my rental listings are confusing to people. I really need someone to rewrite them all. I have a photog coming out to take new pictures of everything, but rain or clouds have cancelled 4 appointments. Now that graduation pic's are over we will have more options with his availability.

Letitia this sort of annoying guests unfortunately are quite frequest these days. You might want to phrase your  message something close to this : 

 

" The maximum capacity of my house/apartment is 12. You have made reservaton for 8 and paid for such. The number of people in your group however is 9, hence you will be charged 20$ per night for this 9th person." Please contact Airbnb for any further clarification on extra guest fee.

 

Don't loose your cool, I know it can be difficult when we gets pastered with dummy questions. But often commom sense is not very common. And many times they prefers to be ignorant to avoid consiquences. It is better to appear silly and not pay than appear smart and pay more. 

If you really feel uncomfortable hosting them then contact Airbnb before hand.

 

    

I would not let them have an air mattress. And I would definitely let them know now you are on property. Accepting people with no reviews is so hard. I have had some that I wish I did not accept but, like now, I have some guests that are FANTASTIC and are following every rule to a TEE! I think your guests (or at least the contact person) are going to be challenging.

 

 point is valid that Airbnb change in format for extra guest(s) is sneaky for the unexperienced traveler. I actually took out that feature totally after the change. We only would except 1 extra (total 3) but it was one less headache we had to deal with. We keep the extra bedding around for our return guests but no longer offer to new guests with more than 2. I find that every time I have a problem with house rules or explaining things to guest I go and change the wording in my write-up and then something else comes along to make me change it again. No matter how clear I think I make it......it does not seem clear to everyone.

 

When they send back the RA I would re-emphasize the house rules and issues she has brought up via the Airbnb site. I do hope this goes well for you and you can chalk it up to experience in the end. What you are dealing with goes way beyond Advil and maybe even Tequila. Certainly let us know how it goes....

 

Oh this site is getting so hard to respond to .  The above reply should have  @Linda0 before point is valid

Also, I took a look at your listing (which is wonderful) and I think it is clear but because Airbnb took off the extra guest info I would add it to yours somewhere.  Maybe where you have the discount information.  Because Airbnb is always tweeking,  hosts will have to continue to tweek.